Justice League of America - Issue 20
Featuring the twin menaces of morally ambivalent giant space androids and participation trophies
The Justice League (aka the Justice League of America, aka the JLA, aka Justice League International, aka Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)) is a collection of the DC Universe's greatest heroes (and also Green Arrow).
I talked about why I love the JLA in this piece here. Now I’m breaking down each and every issue of the comic book, from their very first appearance, with Atom-sized summaries. Enjoy!
We start this issue mid-mission, with the trio of Green Arrow, Aquaman and Wonder Woman teaming up with a giant alien crab to destroy a sleep-inducing machine on an alien planet. A very normal, very everyday adventure. Despite the predictable lack of assistance from her male teammates in this Golgafrinchan Ark Fleet B-like group, Diana gets the job done. The aliens don’t wake up, however, and the failure to rouse them from their slumber leads to a record-scratch flashback revelation that the entire team have - and you won’t believe this - split into three separate groups to rescue various alien planets from the doom machine schemes of the villainous Pallkan (who may or may not be a mistranslated alien pelican)! But also, while that’s happening, there’s a giant robot back on Earth who might be doing good deeds, but also might be evil, or might just be a brainless android controlled by a living metal monster who has disguised himself as a spaceship for some reason? Frankly, we’re a bit all over the place.
Fun With Comics!
MVP
It’s Superman, who is not only the first to learn about the off-planet doom machines, but also does the bulk of the work in wrapping up that problem, before returning to Earth and singlehandedly beating up the spaceship-emulatin’ metal alien, as well. Heck, he even takes valuable time out of this climactic battle to remind readers of his weaknesses of magic and kryptonite. Really making the rest of the team look like a bunch of Snapper Carrs, Clark.
Top Panel
Speaking of that nitwit Snapper, here he is, trying to cheer up Wonder Woman, Green Arrow and Aquaman by playing bossa nova music on his transistor radio. What a creep.
Villain Cryptic Crossword Clue
In this issue there are crises that will keep all Kansas superpowered farm boys busy. (7)