Justice League of America - Issue 23
Featuring the twin menaces of alien queens and golden typography
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!
PREVIOUSLY
All members of the team incapable of concocting an excuse have gathered in JLA headquarters to celebrate Snapper Carr passing his exams (what does Snapper study, you might ask? He is pursuing a Bachelor of Ridiculous Jive Linguistics, and you can tell he’s doing well, because in his very first panel he refers to his ‘tardy card’ and calls a cake a ‘flour tower’). Luckily for all in attendance, the ‘festivities’ are interrupted by news of a spate of robberies by alien bee-men! Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, the Martian Manhunter, and Green Arrow charge off to put a stop to this insect crime spree, only to find themselves captured by their Queen, Zazzala of the planet Korll, who blackmails them into finding an immortality serum invented by ‘a bee man genius’ named Per Kazz. The quintet dutifully head off to track down the chemicals needed to create this serum, inexplicably protected by a lava monster, triffids and a glacier chess board? They magnetise, weed and checkmate the various opponents respectively, and return the chemicals to Zazzala, who permits them to return to Earth and Snapper’s party. ‘Ugh. Can’t we stay here?’ says J’onn. And when Zazzala says no, they tighten the vials of chemicals so tight she can never open them up. Or something. A fitting revenge.
Fun With Comics!
MVP
It’s a three-way tie between Aquaman, Batman and Superman, who’ve all feigned important cases that allow them to miss Snapper’s party. Frankly, Arthur’s the one who deserves the most credit here. Bruce and Clark have a convincing track record of ongoing adventures worth reading. But what’s Arthur claiming? ‘Oh, I have some kelp to check on’? (Atom also misses the party, but is forced to fight Doctor Light in an issue of his own book (issue 8, editor Julie Schwartz desperately informs us, as if we’d care), and that’s barely better.)
Top Panel
One of the robberies taking place sees Zazzala’s bee-men stealing important literature and, in the process, removing the embossed letters from the covers of books! It’s wonderful nonsense, improved immeasurably by Hal’s stupid old power ring once again being incapable of specifically stopping the yellow ‘menacing letters’ and needing a rescue from Green Arrow, of all people. Superb stuff.
Villain Cryptic Crossword Clue
An alien queen has some pizzazz, a la Amidala (7)
Next Issue: KANJAR RO RETURNS!