In Warner Bros.’ “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” DC Comics’ two greatest titans go mano-a-mano.
The loser: Audiences.
Warning: There be spoilers. If you haven’t seen the film – and I encourage you to wait until it’s on TNT some Sunday morning next year – tread at your risk.
Not every Justice Society-Justice League team-up was a crisis.
OK, let me amend that: Not every Justice Society-Justice League team-up started as a crisis.
One, in fact, was even sort of about the mashed potatoes. Mmm. Delicious mashed potatoes.
And it ended with a pizza delivery and the teams turning down an order of free breadsticks.
I mean, who does that? Barbarians.
The Big Two in comics – DC and Marvel – use the summer to declare war and blow up universes.
Just a way to help readers pass school vacation.
While DC’s “Convergence” and Marvel’s “Secret Wars” are currently laying waste to continuity and wallets through their multiple, mediocre tie-ins, the summer comics event isn’t a new thing – but conversely, it was far more enjoyable and less painful to the wallet.
Continue reading “The Iron Hand That Shook the World: The Summer Comics Event of ’72”
This is the one.
This is the comic book that ruined my life.
“Justice League of America” No. 82, cover dated August 1970.
It changed who I am forever.
It wasn’t my first comic book.
It wasn’t even my first issue of DC’s premier super-team.
Now look at that cover:
Neal Adams’ gorgeous piece of artwork depicts the top members of the Justice League of America – Superman, Batman and the Flash – and their Justice Society of America counterparts.
In case you can’t tell from the visual cues, Superman exclaims in a terrific info dump: “Whatever’s crushing the Justice Society on their Earth — is doing it to us on our world!”
Come on.
How can you not be curious?
Mark Perigard 