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Just think - if there had been no JUSTICE LEAGUE Of AMERICA, there might never have been The FANTASTIC FOUR. And if there had been no FF, there may never have been a MARVEL COMICS and all the characters that followed. You all know the story I'm sure. MARTIN GOODMAN, upon learning that DC's the JLA was selling well, instructed STAN LEE to come up with something similar - and the cosmic quartet was the result.
However, the JLA came first. So settle back and enjoy the covers from The BRAVE And The BOLD #s 28-30 and the first six issues of the team's own magazine. Then, if you like, leave a comment saying which ones are your favourites - or even share your own personal reminiscences of any particular issues.
You are right in my wheelhouse with this post, Kid. The JLA were the first superhero mag that I really got into. I read the occasional Batman and Superman, but the team concept blew me away. I read JLA for twelve solid years from issue 91 - to the mid 220's. The first issue that I read was a JLA/JSA team-up, so I was hooked. The annual team-up was always a highlight of the summer (yeah, I didn't get out much :) ). Over the years, I backtracked and re-read their earlier adventures (based on the reprints I saw during their 100 Page Super Spectacular years) and they were always fun, too. Of course, I later got into the Marvel groups and enjoyed them immensely, but the JLA were always special to me.
ReplyDeleteThese were a little before my time, but I remember most of them from reprints. I had JLA #48 (1966) and #58 (1967). Both were 80-page issues. The former reprinted "Secret of the Sinister Sorcerers," "Slave Ship of Space," and "Challenge of the Weapons Master." The latter reprinted "Wheel of Misfortune," "World of No Return," and "For Sale-the Justice League." And, many years later, there was the Silver Age Classics series, including a reprint of B&B #28.
ReplyDeleteIIRC, Kanjar Ro, the villain of "Slave Ship of Space," later returned in "Planet That Came to a Standstill," a JLA-Adam Strange crossover in Mystery in Space #75, and "Decoy Missions of the Justice League," in JLA #24. (My memory may be playing tricks with the issue numbers.)
Interestingly, JLA #1 did not have an issue number on the cover. I've heard that in the Silver Age and earlier, publishers tried to avoid numbering a comic at #1. Supposedly, #1 issues did not sell, because they were an unknown quantity. So they would try continuing the number sequence from a cancelled series, or change the title of an existing comic. The theory was that if a kid saw Flash #105 or Thor #126 on the stands, he would assume it must be a good comic, since it had evidently lasted over a hundred issues.
Today, of course, comics are aimed at collectors and investors, and marketing strategy is the exact opposite. They cancel and reboot a title, then start the numbering over. Which makes it fun when the customer asks if the dealer has Superman #1, and the dealer has to ask if he means the one from 1939, the 1980's, or the New 52.
There must be something about fourth issues and new members or revivals. JLA #4 was when Green Lantern joined the team. Showcase #4 introduced the Silver Age version of the Flash. And Captain America and Sub-Mariner returned in Avengers #4 and Fantastic Four #4, respectively.
D'you know, G, with the exception of B&B #28, I don't think I've ever read these stories, so I'll have to sit down one day and do just that. Ah, so many comics still to read, so little time. Glad you enjoyed the covers.
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That's an interesting observation about 4th issues, TC. I wonder if there are any other instances of that happening? Regarding first issues, Superman #1 didn't have a number, but, oddly, Batman #1 did. I've heard that the Superman's own mag wasn't intended to be #1 of a series, but others dispute that.
I love Amazo! He's so terribly goofy looking, but I really like characters who mimic the powers of others. His like number at Marvel is the Super-Adaptoid, a character who is a visual feast. Others that come to mind are the Mimic, the Thinker's Awesome Android, Rogue and perhaps the cleverest of the lot, the Taskmaster.
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Not familiar with the Taskmaster, Rip, but I always liked the look of the Super-Adaptoid since I first saw him in an X-Men reprint in a British comic called Fantastic.
ReplyDeleteFelix Faust with the Jla on his fingers !
ReplyDeleteFelix Faust? And here I thought it was only Stan Lee who did alliteration.
ReplyDeleteDidn't actually have/read any of the above, but I did start getting into the comic shortly after. I always used to look forward to the annual 2 ish JLA/JSA team-ups.
ReplyDeleteI was never a huge fan of the series to be honest, JP. Preferred The Avengers.
ReplyDeleteWhen I discovered the Abengers I did neglect the JLA myself. But, when all I knew was the DC universe, the JLA were pretty exciting to me as a kid!!
DeleteNow I'll have to track down a copy of The 'Abengers' - I don't think I've ever read one of those, JP.
ReplyDeleteThey're vloody good!
DeleteThey'd vetter be.
ReplyDeleteQ: Who perfected the QWERTY keyboard? A: Nxbody.
ReplyDeleteAnd I said that Green Lantern joined the JLA in issue #4, when I meant Green Arrow.
Maybe Superman #1 (1939) was intended as a one-shot, but they changed their minds and decided to do an ongoing series.
Never noticed your Lantern/Arrow slip, TC - probably because I'm not too familiar with the group. The good thing about what turned out to be Superman's first issue is that they fleshed out the Action Comics #1 reprint. In AC #1, the story started in the middle - the original beginning was excised for reasons of space.
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