TITLE: Justice League of America – Vol. 23, Issue 207
YEAR: October 1982
COMPANY: DC Comics
Written by Gerry Conway
Artists: Don Heck & Romeo Tanghal
Letterer: Ben Oda
Colorist: Carl Gafford
Plot Consultant: Roy Thomas
Editor: Len Wein
Another issue from 1982 that I remember very well.
As a fan of the Justice League of America, Justice Society of America and the All Star Squadron, to have this team up of three teams from different worlds was amazing to me.
And here I am, 35-years later re-reading the first part of a multi-series crossover and once again, I enjoyed it!
Before I confuse anyone, this is the best way to remember things:
Earth 1 – The timeline of the Justice League of America (Zatanna, Superman, Aquaman, Firestorm, Hawkman) [The Earth timeline that most people are reading]
Earth 2 – The timeline of the Justice Society of America (Dr. Fate, Green Lantern, The Huntress, Power Girl, Starman) and All Star Squadron (Firebrand, Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle, Robotman, Steel)
Earth 3 – The Earth where there are no heroes but only super villains and The Crime Syndicate are the most powerful (Superwoman, Owlman, Ultraman, Power Ring and Johnny Quick).
Earth Prime – The Earth where superheroes are only what people read in comic books.
The first book is titled “Crisis on Earth Prime” and begins with a meeting of Earth-2’s Justice Society of America and Earth-1’s Justice League of America.
As the Transmatter Cube is to transport JSA to the JLA Satellite headquarters, instead of the JSA showing up, it’s Earth-3’s The Crime Syndicate. And because the JLA is taken by surprise, it doesn’t take long for The Crime Syndicate to defeat the JLA.
As for the JSA, they transported into the prison of the Crime Syndicate. Of course, they are not going to be there all that long, but when they reach Earth-Prime, the whole city has been destroyed in a major holocaust. What happened to Earth-Prime?
With that being said, as the JLA are able to regroup, they go out looking for the JSA in Earth 2. But what they discover is that something bad has happened to Earth 2.
For the most part, Gerry Conway did a fantastic job with the overall writing for this story. The only thing that dates the book, aside from my brown/fading pages is Firestorm’s reference to Rick Springfield, which most people who lived through the ’80s will understand. But for those who don’t know who he is…here is a video of Rick Springfield’s ’80s hit “Jessie’s Girl” and know he was what Justin Timberlake is to fangirls today, Rick Springfield was an actor/singer who made ladies swoon back in the day.
And my memories of this was that my aunt would send me and a friend to walk over a mile to pick her up the latest “17” Magazine with Rick Springfield (as she was a hardcore Rick Springfield fangirl) and I would be given extra money to purchase a comic book or two.
Anyway, leaving the ’80s nostalgic scene and Rick Springfield behind, I have to say that the JLA/JSA crossovers were always something I look forward to reading and I do miss those times of reading Gerry Conway stories.
With that being said, I was reading through the letters section and letters addressing the controversy of artist Don Heck taking over George Perez and how Heck would receive so much hate because of DC’s comparison to him and the legendary Perez. That was interesting to read and I could only feel for Don Heck for being put too high on a pedestal and everyone expecting Perez-style of work.
With that being said, I was unaware of the drama as a kid and from the artwork I saw by Don Heck and Romeo Tanghal, both did a wonderful job with the artwork for these JLA issues.
Overall, the “Crisis on Earth-Prime” Book One storyline from Justice League of America issue 207 from October 1982 was very cool and if you could find the issues of this storyline featured in JLA, JSA and All Star Squadron, you’ll enjoy it!