Brave and the Bold #91

Brave and the Bold #91 (On Sale: June 23, 1970) has a cover by Nick Cardy.

"A Cold Corpse for the Collector" featuring Batman and the Black Canary is by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy and I remember this being some really great artwork. I wish I could remember the story and I know I have this around here somewhere, but everything got rearranged when I moved my new table into my studio. Damn! I'll find it soon and put a real entry in here. This was reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Brave and the Bold Batman Team-Ups Vol. 2 TPB.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Justice League of America #75

Justice League of America #75 (On Sale: September 11, 1969) has a cover by Murphy Anderson.

Inside we have "In Each Man There is a Demon" by Denny O'Neil, Dick Dillin and Joe Giella. The story is told by both Green Arrow and Black Canary and continues the changes started last issue and in Brave and the Bold #85. Green Arrow relates how his finances were ruined through the use of forged documents and while wondering the streets as Oliver Queen he finds a man in need and as Green Arrow saves the day. But as in the Brave and the Bold issue, he is plagued by indecision and wonders if Green Arrow is needed.

Black Canary then relates how after the death of her husband, Larry Lance, she accepted Superman's offer to move to Earth 1, where Superman wanted to immediately make her a member of the Justice League. Hawkman however, argued that given that she was just a judo expert, that that was not enough of a power to allow her in the JLA. Canary becomes upset at the JSA'ers for talking about her like she wasn't in the room and as she speaks up to voice her complaint she emits a sonic shock-wave that knocks the JLA members on their respective behinds!

Meanwhile, Green Arrow goes to see another psychiatrist (he and Batman both saw one in Brave and the Bold #85) for his identity issues, a Dr. Oyal, who has invented a machine called the ID-Actualizer which can dig down into a person's subconscious and reveal who they really wish to be. Ollie tries out the machine but once it is turned on a ghostly green version of Green Arrow emerges from his body, saying that he is "the Real Green Arrow-- the warrior who live within Oliver Queen's body," and attacks the Dr.

Back at JLA headquarters Superman and the Atom have determined that Black Canary is an "instant mutant," that one of Aquarius's spells altered the structure of Black Canary's nervous system giving her the ability to emit ultra-sonic waves. This will eventually become known as her "Canary Cry." Just then the ghostly green Green Arrow burst into the headquarters and as he touches the members of the JLA green ghostly versions of themselves erupt from their bodies, all except Superman, and calling themselves the "evil that lives within you" they begin to rip apart the JLA HQ. Superman tries to stop them, but as they are being of magical power (most likely created by another of Aquarius's spells), he is powerless against them.

The JLA become despondent over the thought of having to fight their evil selves when suddenly a ghostly green Superman appears and dares Superman to face his own evil self. Superman says he is up to the challenge and eventually defeats his evil doppelganger. The others take courage from Superman's action and head off the face their own evil twins. After they leave Superman reveals that his "evil ghost" was actually a Superman robot, that he was not affected by Aquarius's spell, but that he knew he needed to do something to snap the group out of their funk.

One by one the JLA track down their evil twins and defeat them. However, when Green Arrow finds his twin, the story is different. He catches his twin robbing a jewelery store. His twin says that he is not Queen's evil side, he is his true side, "...underneath, you were always Oliver Queen -- much, much more interested in wealth than heroism! Can you deny it?" Queen says he can't and throws down his bow and arrows and walks away, but the owner's of the jewelery store confront him and plead with him to help. "We're poor, plain fold...we don't count for much! Still, we always figured you were different! We figured you...cared! And heaven knows people like us need somebody to care!"

Oliver faces his twin, saying that there is a better part to him and that he cannot let that part die. They face off with arrows and Green Arrow is shot in the leg, while his twin shrinks back into Oliver's body just as the other twins return to their original hosts. The JLA is once again contaminated with evil, just like the rest of mankind. Green Arrow and Black Canary are left still at crossroads, their old lives are over and their new lives are on the horizon. This is the beginning of a couple that has stood the test of time.

Reprinted in Best of DC #31, Justice League of America Archives Vol. 9 HC, Justice League of America Hereby Elects… TPB, Green Arrow/Black Canary:For Better or For Worse TPB and Showcase Presents: Justice League of America Vol. 4 TPB.

One final note: In the letters page is a letter by Alan Brennert, who went on to be one of my favorite writers at DC though he only wrote nine stories. I still remember them to this day. Last year my wife read Brennert's novel Moloka'i in her book club.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Jason Young covers Justice League of America 194

Original cover by George Perez; 1981 DC. Jason Young's website is here.

DC Special #3

DC Special #3 (On Sale: February 13, 1969), the "All-girl Issue," has a cover that the Grand Comics Database says is penciled by Neal Adams and inked by Nick Cardy, but I have to disagree with that. The Art of Nick Cardy says that Nick penciled and inked the cover, which I would agree with. However, the Supergirl figure has been reinked if not also redrawn by Neal Adams.

We begin with a previously unpublished Golden Age Wonder Woman story, "The Cheetah's Thought Prisoners" drawn by H. G. Peters.

Next is "The Maid of Menace" as Supergirl story reprinted from Action Comics #304. by Leo Dorfman and Jim Mooney. A female super villain with all the powers of Supergirl begins attacking Earth. Supergirl responds to the emergency and learns the villain is called the Black Flame. The villainous claims she is from the future and a descendant of Supergirl herself. Supergirl researches the claim and cannot find evidence to disprove it.

Supergirl then decides to remove her own powers using Gold Kryptonite to prevent her descendant from receiving them. After exposure, Black Flame reveals that she is really a Kandorian named Zora, enlarged by a Red Kryptonite cloud. After the Red K wears off, she shrinks to normal size and Supergirl uses tiny grains of Gold K to remove Zora’s powers. She herself never used real Gold K, so Supergirl is able to retain her own powers. Zora is then sent back to Kandor for incarceration.

Next is Black Canary in another unpublished Golden Age story "Special Delivery Death," written by Robert Kanigher and drawn by Carmine Infantino and Bernard Sachs. Reprinted in Black Canary Archives Vol. 1 HC.

This is followed by "Girl in the Golden Flower" a reprint from Strange Adventures #18 by Gardner Fox, Alex Toth and Sy Barry.

Lastly is a reprint from Green Lantern #16, "The Secret Life of Star Sapphire" by John Broome, Gil Kane and Joe Giella. Having learned how to fly a plane from Hal Jordan, Carol Ferris is piloting her private aircraft for fun. Suddenly, her plane is yanked from the sky by an unknown force. She is brought down by the Zamorans, a race of immortal women from a distant planet. They are ruled by a mortal queen, which has just died. Carol is a replica of the dead ruler, so the Zamorans crown Carol, Queen Star Sapphire. However Carol reveals she is in love with Green Lantern, whom the Zamorans believe is inferior because he is a man. In order to prove the superiority of women to Carol, they give her a royal gem which gives her super-powers.

At the Ferris Company, Hal Jordan is worried about Carol, who hasn’t returned from her flight. He sets out as Green Lantern to find her. He spots Star Sapphire flying over the city. The female challenges GL and dares him to stop her from committing a robbery. She takes an ancient hand mirror from a museum exhibit and flys off with it. (The mirror was actually placed there by the Zamorans.) When Green Lantern tries to stop her, he is blasted by a repelling ray, enabling her to escape.

Still not convinced of her own superiority, Carol, as Star Sapphire, convinces the Zamorans to give Green Lantern another chance. The Zamorans inform Green Lantern that Star Sapphire is committing another robbery, so GL flys after her. The two battle each other to a stalemate until Green Lantern discovers incoming radiation being sent to her. He cuts off the radiation which weakens Star Sapphire, and enables him to capture her. The Zamorans teleport her back to their ship and remove her powers and memory, disappointed in her defeat. Green Lantern later finds Carol near her plane, and he locates a star sapphire gem near her as well.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Matt Kindt covers Justice League of America 21

Original cover by Mike Sekowsky and Murphy Anderson; DC 1963. Matt Kindt's website is here.