Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Heroic Halloween in Rutland JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA "A Stranger Walks Among Us!" Conclusion


Note: Look at the tombstone on this moody Nick Cardy cover! Black Canary's name is partially-concealed by the dirt! Was she initially supposed to be in this issue?
The Phantom Stranger gathers the Justice League to stop their old enemy, magician Felix Faust, from summoning a host of demons on Halloween at a magical nexus at Rutland, Vermont.
But Faust manages to free the demons, who possess cosplaying parade-goers, giving them the powers and abilities of the heroes and heroines they're costumed as!
Green Arrow and Hawkman are defeated by "Adam Strange", "Supergirl", and (ahem) the shield-slinging "Commando America".
Then The Phantom Stranger appears...
This is pre-Superman vs Spider-Man and other DC/Marvel crossover tales!
The Batman is aware "Webslinger" is fictional in the DC Multiverse!
Superman is battling a cosplayer dressed as the Golden Age (SHAZAM!) Captain Marvel!
DC didn't re-introduce the character (who hadn't appeared in comics for almost 20 years) until several months after this story, so they couldn't refer to him by name at this point!
Did Cap actually say "SHAZAM!", or another incantation?
We'll never know!
Well, Glynis is back!
We never get to find out how Len Wein (who wrote this tale) felt about his wife actually having the powers of Supergirl...for a while...or if he had her wear the costume at home...later!
For completists among you, Dick Dillin penciled and Dick Giordano inked the story. Though DC wouldn't introduce colorist credits until a couple of years later, it's believed Glynis Wein likely colored the story, making her the only comics creative to work on all three stories in the trilogy!
Two things to note.
Steve's car (and its' lack of a muffler) will prove fateful in our concluding story!
Glynis, the writing trio, and Tom Fagan will also appear!
As to who the final tale features...well, I never could resist a bit for foreshadowing, so be here...
...TOMORROW...
...for some back story about the final tale in our trilogy!
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Justice League of America
Bronze Age Omnibus
Volume 1

The only color reprint of this tale...ever!
(The other one is black and white)

1 comment:

  1. Let's get this tale made for the next big budget picture, and really confuse the hell out of the public at large. :)

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