Justice League of America - Issue 30
Featuring the twin menaces of The Crime Syndicate of America and endless contingency plans
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
Having successfully imprisoned the JLA at the end of the previous issue, The Crime Syndicate of America now set their sights on Earth-Two and its elderly team of heroes, the Justice Society. The CSA, if you recall, are villainous counterparts of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash and Green Lantern from a parallel, evil universe (in accordance with Euclid’s parallel, evil axioms of geometry). The JSA have, however, received a heads-up from the imprisoned JLA on the magic word (‘Volthoom!’) that gave the Crime Syndicate an advantage in battle. The Earth-Two heroes therefore swiftly triumph, only to discover a different CSA contingency plan, in which any victorious Justice Society member caught obnoxiously bragging about their win is automatically transported to yet another interdimensional prison. Once again, Power Ring, if you’re capable of magically transporting your opponents to an inescapable space jail, maybe just skip the middle step? Speaking of needless plot complications, the CSA then release the JLA for yet another fight, which our Earth-One heroes win by tricking the villains into burning out their powers through overexertion. This works because evil, it turns out, cannot maintain its intensity indefinitely - unlike, say, Gardner Fox’s enthusiasm for parallel universes, which appears to be inexhaustible. The Crime Syndicate’s inability to quit while they’re ahead thus sees them imprisoned in limbo with no possibility for parole. Let that be a lesson to you, guys (and superwoman).
Fun With Comics!
MVP
It’s Batman, who overcomes Owlman’s superbrained mental powers by skilfully turning his back on him, thereby reversing the polarity of Owlman’s mental instructions or some such hogwash. Sure, why not, Bats. I wouldn’t try that shit against Bane, though, or you’ll end up with another broken back.
Top Panel
Power Ring attacks Dr Fate with an inexplicable swarm of willpower-generated mosquitoes, which is absolute top tier comic book nonsense. But then Dr Fate saves himself by conjuring up a mystical mosquito net! Bravo to all involved. Anybody who doesn’t like superhero comic books is proven categorically wrong by this one panel.
Villain Cryptic Crossword Clue
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Next Issue: HAWKMANIA!