TITLE: Infinity Inc. – Vol. 1, Issue #1
YEAR: March 1994
COMPANY: DC Comics
Writer/Editor: Roy Thomas
Penciller: Jerry Ordway
Inker: Mike Machlan
Co-Plotter: Dann Thomas
Colorist: Anthony Tollin
Letterer: Josh Costanza
Before writer/editor Roy Thomas would kill off the Justice Society of America, it was a time where younger replacements to carry on the torch of the Justice Society of America were being considered.
A second generation to continue the work that was first featured in “Action comics” issue #1 (1938) but there were questions of what if these characters, who were older, had children?
The result was “Infinity Inc.”.
Set on Earth-2 and the JSA featured an older Hawkman, Wonder Woman, Alan Scott (the Green Lantern), Doctor Fate, the Flash, The Atom, Dr. Mid-Nighte, Hourman, Johnny Thunder, Starman, Wildcat, Robin, Power Girl, The Star-Spangled Kid, and The Huntress. The last four being the younger members just added to the roster.
But during a JSA meeting, four young superheroes burst into the room asking to be added to the JSA, angering the JSA members for the lack of respect shown by these younger superheroes.
It turns out that the four are Silver Scarab (Hector Hall – Son of Hawkman and Hawkgirl), Fury (Lyta Trevor, daughter of Wonder Woman and General Steve Trevor), Nuklon (Albert Rothstein – Godson of The Atom) and Northwind (Godson of the Hawkman).
To make things even more complicated, two more younger heroes show up, Jade and Obsidian, both proclaim themselves as the children of Green Lantern (Alan Scott) and Thorn. Alan Scott did not know Thorn gave birth to twins and was never told, so he is as confused by them showing up.
And because of the chaos that transpired, it leads to a blow up within the Justice Society of America between the younger and older member.
Needless to say, “Infinity Inc.” was important at the time for becoming the next generation. For a short while…
Because a few years later, “Crisis on Infinite Earths” would eliminate Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman WWII versions and so, a new group of young upstarts had to be created and fight during World War II and they would be known as “The Young All-Stars”, a new follow-up to The All Star Squadron and tasked to write this new series was Roy Thomas and wife, Dann Thomas.
As for Infinity Inc., unfortunately the characters were screwed around far too much. If I recommended a time to read “Infinity Inc.”, the original Roy Thomas comics were awesome. But what happened to the characters after the series, are part of what drives me nuts about DC Comics is that the group went through too many changes with “Infinite Crisis” and “52”.
Want to know how the characters fared? Are they alive? Are they dead? Are they back alive? Are they once again dead?
DC… what you have done and tinkered with “Infinity Inc.” decades later leads me to say, “Whatever…”.
Meanwhile, Infinity Inc. would receive a second volume focusing on John Henry Irons as the main character and newer characters sporting the name of previous “Infinity Inc.” thanks to “52”.
As a comic book reader from the past and finding out how much has changed or were made even more confusing decades later, made me respect the past “Infinity Inc.” work that Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas and the team created back in the ’80s even more.