Justice League of America - Issue 26
Featuring the twin menaces of Despero and a briefly relatable Snapper Carr
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
First issue JLA villain Despero is back, with a plan so cumbersome it requires parallel worlds, accelerated ageing technology, and the audacity to impersonate Superman and hope nobody asks too many questions. Great stuff from a great alien troublemaker. He starts with the ageing, using his mental powers to send Green Arrow, the Atom, Wonder Woman, and Snapper Carr prematurely into their twilight years. As that lot shuffle aimlessly around JLA HQ, trying to remember Taylor Lautner’s name and demanding to speak to Julius Schwartz, Despero pivots his attention to Batman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, Aquaman and Flash, sending them off to evolutionarily divergent parallel worlds that Despero himself has created, just so that he has extra vanquishing duties. A conquerholic, yes, but at least he’s proactive, unlike infamous crybaby Alexander the Great. If there are no more worlds to conquer, AtG, don’t be weepin’ about it, bruh. Tamper with space and time itself to create some more! Still, it obviously doesn’t work, with the heroes leading those worlds into defeating Despero’s conquering ways. So, running low on options and brimming with the kind of desperation his name implies, our alien villain dons an old-man wig, an ill-fitting leotard and cape, and introduces himself to the team as Superman. Wonder Woman, octogenarian af and absolutely not in the mood, magic lassos him, and the whole mad scheme swiftly unravels from there.
Fun With Comics!
MVP
People think comic books are for children, and yet, here’s the Flash riding a friggin’ dinosaur through the snow, like some kind of alien planet Jurassic Park Santa Claus. What the hell have you done, naysayers?
Top Panel
Snapper is at grave risk of being briefly relatable here, wondering pensively when he suddenly became so old, as the woman he loves abandons him in favour of a suitor with greater youth and vigour. Then he makes a bizarre analogy featuring shoe tongues and you just want to throttle him once more.
Villain Cryptic Crossword Clue
See issue one
Next Issue: DIABOLICAL PRONOUNS!