Published in June 1972 (with a cover date of August) the above issue of Justice League of America (cover by Nick Cardy) was my first and the tenth JLA/JSA “crossover” which as luck would have it also coincided with the 100th anniversary issue of the JLA. The story “The Unknown Soldiers of Victory” written by Len Wein and drawn by Dick Dillin and Joe Giella was the first part of a 3 part story arc that would take place over issues 100-102. JLA issue 100 has remained one of my all time favourite US comics since the day I first purchased it in my local newsagents after school on a rainy afternoon in November 1972. After all these years I can still remember the excitement of seeing that cover on the spinner rack sporing the banner "33 heroes" many of them being characters I had never seen before. I was in fanboy heaven!
The story itself revolves around the 100th meeting of the JLA where the members are holding a special gathering. However no sooner does the meeting start than they are summoned to Earth 2 by the Justice Society of America to assist them in battling a giant hand that is about to crush their planet. Struggling to win the batttle Dr Fate contacts Oracle, a cosmic entity who informs them that the only way to defeat the giant hand is for them to find the Seven Soldiers of Victory as only they can defeat the menace. As the Seven Soldiers of Victory have been disbursed over various time periodsof Earth’s pasts the Oracle transports the JLA/JSA in teams of three to find the members of the Seven Soldiers of Victory.
This was a pretty special issue packed with golden age heroes many of whom I had never heard of before but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing them illustrated by (then) modern artists.
The story would continue in issues 101 and 102 which to this day I have still not managed to read. One day I will track down those 2 issues and find out how it all ends. I do know that the Red Tornado plays a major role having read
JLA issue 106.
Covers from DC Wiki
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This is my favorite issue of Justice League of America. Like you, the very idea of so many heroes in one comic was thrilling. Assemblies of this kind are old hat nowadays but not back then. I got this issue and soon had the next, but it was years before I landed the finale. Dick Dillin is my favorite JLA artist and I've come to appreciate Joe Giella over time. Len Wein's relatively brief run on the League was one of the most crucial in its history.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that the seemingly endless amount of company and inter company team meetings in today's comics have watered down a once great comic book tradition. I really liked Joe Giella's inking on this and many other titles. I picked up a few JLA comics in a 4 for £1 pack a couple of years ago, best to just say it was art over substance.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that Len Wein gets the credit due to him for the impact he had on comics in the 1970s - particularly his run on JLA and Swamp Thing, to name two titles. I was a avid collector of JLA throughout this period, starting around #94 up until somewhere around #150, and then collecting back issues to fill in the gaps. The #100-#102 was a great story, although re-reading it now, I am struck by the wooden qualities of much of the artwork. I have no idea if Dick Dillin's pencils were finer, or if he ever inked his own work, but to my mind Joe Giella's inking brought nothing to the art.
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't read issues #101 and #102, I won't spoil which character gets killed off. What's the story behind you never reading those issues McScotty, if you were so excited by issue #100?
Len Wein was excellent I loved his JLA, Swamp Thing and his run on Detective Comics with Marshall Rogers at this time. Strangely , JLA issue 94 was when I started collecting the comic ( although had a few issues before that) as well. I really like Giella's inks especially on Dillin, I liked that more toned down feel he brought to his art but I am aware a lot of people aren't big fans of his work. The story behind me not getting issues 101 and 102 at the time was simply because I never saw them at the time in any newsagents despite searching. As the years progressed I forgot all about it and moved onto other interests in comics ( Marvel, indies etc) and music baggsey. When back issue shops sprung up they either asked for way too much or other back issue caught my eye - strange as it is one of my favourite tales . I may be looking back now with overly nostalgic and old man eyes which has rekindledd my affection of this comic. I'm off down south to Brighton in a few months so I have them on m list when I visit Dave's ( very decent shop, great stock and sensible prices).
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