Today in Comics History, December 3, 1348: Oh man, that dragon's totally going to turn out to be Medieval Joker, right?

from JLA: A League of One (DC, January 2001), script and painted art by Christopher Moeller, letters by Bill Oakley

Comics at Housing Works: Surprises Galore! (plus the 30% off sale this weekend!)

Now I can finally tell you the special surprise I hinted at yesterday: over at Housing Works Bookstore and Café, I've put together a full table of comics bricks and packs! I've been gathering sets and complete runs for you to buy in one convenient package! Check it out — lotsa cool stuff at dynamite (and Marvel, and DC, and Dark Horse) prices!

365 Days of Defiance, Day 344: Justice League Assemble

Earlier in this year-long (plus) series about rebellion, revolution and jus' plain defiance, I've posted several panels from issues of Grant Morrison's JLA, which is one of my absolute fav'rites and which I consider to be just about the quintessential example of "the" perfect comic book. (Give or take Morrison not being able to use Hawkman.) I've especially pointed you to moments of EXTREME! Defiance in JLA #41: Aztek makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Earth, and Zauriel rallies the hosts of Heaven (all right, I admit it, Hawkman couldn'ta done that). Yes, I particularly love Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7, and to be sure Legion of Super-Heroes #294 has so much defying in it I had to do multiple posts about it, but even though it's a double issue, I think JLA #41 pound for pound has a measurably greater hero-per-defiance ratio than any comic book published. You know it's true, because I went to my local deli and tied up their precision scales for about half an hour weighing comic books. Which is why my copy of JLA #41 smells like pastrami now, and you know what? That only makes it better.


Panels from JLA #41 (May 2000), script by Grant Morrison, pencils by Howard Porter, inks by Drew Geraci, colors by Pat Garrahy, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Ken Lopez
Well, that's exciting: Wonder Woman is leading a group of superheroes to fight against the cosmic menace of Mageddon, the menace so powerful it didn't even need to add an "Ar" to the beginning of its name. So how many heroes you got backing you up there, Wondy? A dozen? A baker's dozen? A little bull's dozen? (18.)

Nope. How about...

EVERYBODY.

(Click picture to all together now-size)

We do mean EVERYBODY, not just heroes. There's pretty much super-powered humans from all over earth here! And if'n you look closely, I you can even see me, punching out a mini-Mageddon! Hurt my hoof a little but Wonder Woman gave it a kiss afterwards to make it all better, so it was all worth it.

I promised you, the last time I talked about JLA #41, that I was holding the "big one" in reserve from that issue. Here it is.

365 Days of Defiance, Day 269: Honey for the Beehive

Panels from JLA #37 (January 2000), script by Grant Morrison, pencils by Howard Porter, inks by John Dell, colors by Pat Garrahy, separations by Heroic Age, letters by Ken Lopez

365 Days of Defiance, Day 255: Quién es más macho? Batman es más macho.

Batman's always been pretty awesome, but I pinpoint his current "absolute master of strategy" portrayal as debuting in early issues of Grant Morrison's JLA, where Bruce Wayne proves exactly how worthy he is to stand along his super-powered Justice League teammates by taking out a group of SPOILER

White Martians

without breaking a sweat.




Panels from JLA #3 (March 1997), script by Grant Morrison, pencils by Howard Porter, inks by John Dell, colors by Pat Garrahy (?), color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Ken Lopez
The cover of this issue asks the musical question: WHO CAN SAVE YOU NOW?


Panels from JLA #3 (March 1997), pencils by Howard Porter, inks by John Dell, colors by Pat Garrahy (?)
And the answer is of course

na na na na na na na na Batman

365 Days of Defiance, Day 236: Spartacus in Heaven

Also in JLA #41, source of yesterday's big Aztek moment — that's a big moment for Aztek, not a moment when Aztek suddenly became giant, like Apache Chief. But wouldn't that have been cool?

Anyway, here's where Hawkman Zuriel actually convinces the angels of the Shining City to stand with him and defend Earth from Mageddon. Hey, how'd he get back to Heaven to do this? He let himself die in the previous issue. Now that's commitment.



Panels from JLA #41 (May 2000), script by Grant Morrison, pencils by Howard Porter, inks by Drew Geraci, colors by Pat Garrahy, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Ken Lopez
How awesome is JLA #41? So awesome that there's even another great scene of defiance in it. Yeah, you know the one I mean. It's so epic, I'm gonna save it until December. Don't forget to come back then and every day in between because I'm really trying to catch up, honest.

365 Days of Defiance, Day 235: Kobayashi Aztek

Yesterday I mentioned that Aztek's initiation into the JLA paralleled that classic ancient fable of the Kobayashi Maru, an unwinnable tactical situation in which we learn that how we face death is at least as important as how we face life. And with considerably more adrenaline! If Aztek's first day in the Justice League was the beginning of Star Trek II, then this issue of JLA is the climax of that movie, with considerably more superheroing and less "KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN"ing.




Panels from JLA #41 (May 2000), script by Grant Morrison, pencils by Howard Porter, inks by Drew Geraci, colors by Pat Garrahy, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Ken Lopez
Oh Aztek my Aztek, you were too good for this world — which you saved.

Thanks to the wonder of Grant Morrison, JLA #41 is actually chock-full o' moments of ultimate defiance. We'll look at another great one tomorrow.

365 Days of Defiance, Day 234: Highway to the Danger Room

Oh no! (he said, excitedly, because it's a Grant Morrison story and virtually anything could happen) The Justice League has been destroyed! By Darkseid! He's always pullin' that! Also, he's burning the American flag, so expect a stern rebuke from the right.



Panels from Aztek, The Ultimate Man #10 (May 1997), script by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, pencils by N. Steven Harris, inks by Keith Champagne, colors by Mike Danza, letters by Clem Robins
Now what are you going to do?!? No, this is not a Choose your Own Adventure story. (If you face Darkseid with a Mother Box, turn to page ten. If you escape back in time, turn to pahe 45. If you light a firecracker in Darkseid's pants, turn to page 906.) It's actually a dilemma for Aztek, the Pontiac mid-size the Ultimate Man! What will you do, Aztek, what will you do? (If you stab Darkseid with your pinty pointy helmet, turn to page 108.)


Surprise! It's all a Danger Room-style simulation overseen by the tactical master of the JLA (hold on, gotta turn my head and laugh a little)...Green Lantern. The Kyle Rayner version, with crab mask and all! Turns out this was part of the initiation test to join the Justice League (A), and Aztek's tactical plan has passed with flying colors. Other parts of the initiation test not shown here include tugging on Superman's cape, taking one punch from Batman, and going to all-you-can-eat night at Golden Corral with Wally.


The test is, in fact, a Kobayashi Maru of sorts. Unlike the real Starfleet thing, it is winnable — not by reprogramming the simulation, but by sheer force of the fact that nobody ever really dies in superhero comic books. These rules may not apply in dreams, imaginary stories (aren't they all?) or Elseworlds, but that's not because of the power of Aztek's conviction but rather of Warner Brothers merchandising.

Just as in Star Trek II, just like James T. Kirk with the glasses and all, this chapter of Aztek's short but illustrious career opens with a Kobayashi Maru test and ends not to soon after with him having to face the real deal. Join us tomorrow to see how we face death is at least as important as how we face life, Aztek.

365 Days of Defiance, Day 204: Starfish don't want heroes with good taste, starfish want heroes who taste good

Panels from JLA Secret Files [and Origins] #1 (September 1997), script by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, pencils by Howard Porter, inks by John Dell, colors by John Kalisz, letters by Ken Lopez

365 Days of Defiance, Day 201: All This and Earth, Three

Meanwhile on Earth-3 (or -2, depending on how Grant Morrison is countin'), the JLA has trapped their evil counterparts and are stirring up the population of a world where evil reigns and the top rulers of our country are corrupt and using their government positions for their own gainAHEM anyway Wonder Woman is rallying the rebellious spirit of the people to rise up against their oppressors because they have nothing to lose but the giant Green Lantern force field chains around their moon (trust me, it all makes sense in context)...



Panels from JLA: Earth-2 graphic novel (December 1999), script by Grant Morrison, pencils and inks by Frank Quitely, colors by Laura Depuy, color separations by WildStormFX, letters by Kenny Lopez
Of course, by the end of the story everything (give or take a national monument that needs to be super-repaired) is back to normal. Did the Justice League actually do any good, the conclusion asks. Well, now is the time to...heh heh heh...reflect.

365 Days of Defiance, Day 194: What's left in your arms when the static clears?

Tomorrow Woman! She's the woman of tomorrow...today! As featured in a comic book of yesterday.


Panels from JLA #5 (May 1997), script by Grant Morrison, pencils by Howard Porter, inks by John Dell, colors by Pat Garrahy, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Ken Lopez
She's the first new recruit to the all-new, all-iconic Justice League, which only goes to prove: you didn't have to be on Super Friends to join the JLA. What her teammates don't know and we, the omniscient, all-powerful, and devilishly handsome audience know, is that Tomorrow Woman is a robot. An evil robot created and programmed by T. O. Morrow and Professor Ivo, charter members of the League of Evil Scientists Whose Names End in the Syllable "Oh"! She's been designed to betray and destroy the JLA from within their creamy, nougaty center.


But — you guessed it — Tomorrow Woman the robot is more human than some humans, partly because she's been programmed to evolve by proud father T.O. Morrow, but also because she's been hanging around with Superman and Wonder Woman and Green Lantern and all those other good guys and with all that goodness and heroism, it just plain rubs off on her. Meanwhile, on the island of Doctor Morrow, he's kind of proud of his surrogate daughter.


The moment of truth: a tense mission where, as it does in all issues of Grant Morrison's JLA, the fate of the earth rests upon the actions of the Justice League. So this would be a dandy time for her to do the big splodey-thing and kill off the JLA, the greatest heroes of this world! And Wally West.


Of course, as happens in stories like this, Tomorrow Woman sacrifices herself to save humanity (and Wally), and despite the failure to destroy the JLA, T.O. Morrow is actually kind of happy to see her evolve. Happier=, certainly, than when Batman bursts into their HQ and beats him and Ivo to a pulp, but allow the poor guy a moment of triumph as we shed a non-snythitic tear for Tomorrow Woman, the greatest Justice Leaguer we never remember.


NEVER FORGET TOMORROW WOMAN. Also, never forget, so that we might never repeat, Electric Blue Superman.


Thus finishes the finest JLA robot-becomes-human story, made even finer by the fact it doesn't contain Red Tornado.

365 Days of Defiance, Day 132: Let the fire get higher

One of the things I like best about Grant Morrison's comic book tales: at his best he doesn't just spotlight the sheer heroics of those four-color characters who wear capes and cowls and fancy masks, but also the average Joe (and Jo-Elle) on the street. Here's humanity, spurred on by the inspiring words of Superman broadcast around the world, fending off an invasion of the White Martians by using fire. Yes, that was the day Earth triumphed, because everybody was allowed to play with matches.


Panels from JLA #4 (April 1997), script by Grant Morrison, pencils by Howard Porter, inks by John Dell, colors by Pat Garrahy, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Ken Lopez

A Month of... There Is No Hope in Crime Alley, Night 12: Today, more than ever.

Panels from JLA: Act of God #2 (December 2000); script by Doug Moench, pencils by Dave Ross, inks by George Freeman, colors by Ben DiMagmaliw, letters by Kurt Hathaway

There Is No Hope in Crime Alley, Night 12

Panels from JLA: Age of Wonder #1 (July 2003), script by Adisakdi Tantimedh, breakdowns by P. Craig Russell, finishes by Galen Showman, colors by Dave McCaig, letters by Bob Lappan

There Is No Hope in Crime Alley, Night 11

Panels from JLA: Shogun of Steel (one-shot) (2002), script by Ben Raab, pencils and inks by Justiniano, colors by Sherilyn Van Valkenburgh, letters by Bill Oakley

Today in Comics History, May 23: Those jerks in the Giant JLA ignore exploding sun

from JLA: Act of God #1 (DC, November 2000), script by Doug Moench, pencils by Dave Ross, inks by George Freeman, colors by Ben DiMagmaliw, letters by Kurt Hathaway

Today in Comics History, January 31, 2001: Alien conqueror would have gotten away with it, if it hadn't been for those meddling kids

text page segment from Justice Leagues: JLA one-shot (DC, March 2001), writer unknown

Today in Comics History, January 24, 2001: J'onn J'onzz writes in his My Little Pony diary

text page segment from Justice Leagues: Justice League of Aliens one-shot (DC, March 2001), writer unknown

Today in Comics History, January 24, 2001: Barbara Gordon puts a mark on Batman's permanent record

text page segment from Justice Leagues: Justice League of Arkham one-shot (DC, March 2001), writer unknown

Today in Comics History, January 24, 2001: Diana steals Wil Wheaton's stationery

text page segment from Justice Leagues: Justice League of Amazons one-shot (DC, March 2001), writer unknown