The next issue of my JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA subscription turned up in my mailbox, and confirmed that from this point forward, my subscription copies would be arriving flat, without having been folded in half. That was a welcome development, although it was offset somewhat by the fact that the books would occasionally still get dinged up while in transit. This is one of Ernie Chua/Chan’s better covers on the series, though I’ve never quite been able to wrap my mind around that red robot-ship thing that’s slugging Superman and the JLA.
I’m pretty certain that this issue represents the first time that I read a comic book story in which a central character died–sorry to spoil you all ahead of time. And I can’t say that it had any great effect on me, or that I was bothered by it even slightly. In fact, many months later, when the character (I’ll keep his identity a secret until we get to that moment later on) was resurrected by a later writer, I think I had even forgotten momentarily that he was dead.
The story picks up where the last issue left off: with the extraterrestrial fear-eater Nekron having broken the will of most of the JLA members, save for the recently-reinstated Wonder Woman. Nekron threatens to obliterate Midway City unless Hawkman stops him, but doing so will cost the Winged Wonder his life. Crippled by a paralyzing fear of death, Hawkman refuses, leaving the city to its fate. but Wonder Woman isn’t having it, so she ensnares Hawkman in her magic lasso and compels him involuntarily to accompany her on the rescue mission.
But Nekron is one step ahead of Diana, and has rigged the solar flare that he’s propelling towards Midway City to become immaterial if anyone other than Hawkman tries to stop it. Given his diminished capacity, Wonder Woman cannot force Hawkman to sacrifice his life, but neither can she allow the citizens of Midway to perish. So the pair mobilizes to attempt to evacuate as many of the citizens as they can before the end comes. Meanwhile, at JLA headquarters, a similarly-stricken Flash arrives to let his teammates know that he intends to quit as well. Even worse, one of the Guardians of the Universe beams in a transmission, revealing that Green lantern has been incapacitated by Nekron, and so the fate of the planet is entirely in the JLA’s hands. You’d think he could maybe have spared some help in the form of some of the other 3600 GL Corps members, but no such luck.
Suddenly, back in Midway City, a second Hawkman appears, and intercepts the fatal solar flare. It’s clearly the android Red Tornado decked out in a spare Hawkman costume–and being an android, he is unaffected by Nekron’s fear-inducing gas. Not that this helps him at all, as his artificial body is obliterated by the Flare. But the city is saved, and the JLA members are inspired by his bravery and self-sacrifice.
Galvanized into action, Superman and the Flash race to recover the downed Green lantern and recover his Power battery, which they can use to recharge his now-exhausted Power Ring. But they’re attacked by the red robot from the cover, who looks a bit more sensible here. Meanwhile, most of the rest of the League heads to Paris, where Nekron is on the rampage, hurling tourists to their deaths and gorging himself on their sweet, sweet D-Fear. Wonder Woman’s extended her lasso so that it encircles each of her teammates, compelling them to fight on despite their own fear of death.
Returning to the JLA Satellite with the now-recharged Power Ring, the League uses it to super-charge Aquaman’s telepathic abilities, allowing him to implant a vision of death into Superman’s mind–one so powerful that Nekron will be drawn to it. Thereafter, Flash takes the ring to where the fight is going on, and despite a moment where he’s overcome with his own fear, uses it to turn the tide of the battle against Nekron. At that moment, Black Canary teleports Nekron up to the JLA Satellite, where the stricken Superman awaits.
Weakened and ravenous, Nekron attempts to feed on the D-Fear being given off by Superman. But it’s more than he bargained for, and he essentially suffers an overdose from the stuff, placing him into a coma. From here, in a few panels, the story wraps up, with the JLA seemingly freed from Nekron’s spell (though we never do quite get back to the stricken Green Lantern) and a single panel acknowledging the Red Tornado’s sacrifice–a sacrifice that none of the other Leaguers seems especially broken up about or really affected by in any manner. Looking at it now, it’s no wonder that the Red Tornado’s death had no impact for me as a kid–that’s absolutely the signal that’s being sent by how the JLA react to it, with in essence a shrug of their collective shoulders.
The issue’s letters page features a letter by frequent writer Jo Duffy, who would go on to be an editor and writer at Marvel in the coming years. Additionally, the page has new header artwork, based on a suggestion drawn up and submitted by future Marvel Executive Editor Mark Gruenwald.
The Tom Brevoort Experience 