JLI Podcast #55 – BREAKDOWNS: Justice League America #55 & Justice League Europe #31

BREAKDOWNS continues! Devin Clancy joins The Irredeemable Shag to chat about Justice League America #55! The former Leaguers battle the Global Guardians, while Harjavti takes care of the Queen Bee, permanently! Then Doug Adamson stops by to discuss Justice League Europe #31! Having lost one of their teammates, the JLE try to put the pieces back together, but their troubles are just beginning! Finally, we wrap up with YOUR listener feedback!

Have a question or comment? Looking for more great content?

This episode brought to you by InStockTrades: http://instocktrades.com

Follow the JLI Podcast:

This podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK:

This has been the JLI Podcast! Wanna make somethin’ of it?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

29 responses to “JLI Podcast #55 – BREAKDOWNS: Justice League America #55 & Justice League Europe #31”

  1. Do you remember the Michael Eury column that briefly ran in the back of all the New Format DC Comics? It was around about the same era as this (it definitely talks about the launch of Eclipso The Darkness Within). One of the columns is about DC Comics moving offices and the chaos they are having with phone and IT problems. I can’t find a specific online mention of exactly when they moved but it was definitely some time in 1991. Could that move be the reason for the editorial errors in this month’s issues? It would explain a lot.

    My main takeaway from looking at these comics again is wondering what was wrong with 17 year old Damien. At the time I loved Chris Wozniak’s art and hated Darick Robertson’s. What the hell was I thinking?

    1
    Reply

  2. So, the other shoe falls… Yeah, now it all comes back, it’s here where things soured for me with Breakdowns. And yes, I do get that the problem is editorial, with the crossover within the crossover within the crossover that changed the ending with one of the leads in the book, but no effort seems to be made, and I wonder is the miscredits, the oddly placed letter column and so on were just Dooley fed up with all.

    Although I do get the haphazard plotting and scripting in JLE due to Armaggedon reshufling, JLA is just plain bad. And although I do blame the art, things such as the Heimlich outing were closing on a plot point… that they themselves created. Again, I get a “phoned in” feeling.

    On to the good parts, boy, those two covers! I’m in the middle of a Sprouse high while I’m reading the Tom Strong compendium, so no surprise at how good he is, but everything you highlighted is correct and deserved mention. The JLE cover is just gorgeous, and it spotlights the PG costume of which I seem to be the only fan!

    Finally, I’m making an ASMR loop with Doug’s fast paced north Britain pronunciation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

    1
    Reply

  3. it’s a story called “Breakdowns where they kill the main bad guy. They were wrapping things up Also its 30 years later but I WISH id read it at the time. Cuz I note something neat! THERES NOBODY on the team the reader KNOWS theywont kill

    2
    Reply

  4. Definitely going to launch a “Find your misery” podcasting campaign after this one. Next time a beloved series puts out a clunker, I’m on board to complain about it.

    This is like being a guest star on your favorite tv show and it turns out to be the episode where they introduce Cousin Oliver or the one where Galactica meets Wolfman Jack.

    Nevertheless, it was fun to see how the sausage is made. Thanks for the invite.

    2
    Reply

    1. Man did we pick the non joy issues or what? You were excellent Devin, I realised that both of us managed to not insult Shag , which I think must be some sort of cosmic balance to having to be critical about the issues.

      1
      Reply

      1. I was sure I insulted him. Maybe he cut it out!

        I enjoyed your segment too. I was tempted to fast forward because I don’t like listening to myself.

        2
        Reply

        1. How strange I too wanted to fast forward during the segment I was on – but only because I’d already heard it before – Been There, Done that – sent a t-shirt 🙂

          However I’m compelled to listen to it because I don’t think I sound like that at all – so it’s almost as if I’m listening to alternative reality version of myself talking. I’ve still to get to the feedback section mind you and supposedly Shag thinks everyone skips that?

          1
          Reply

          1. I love the feedback section and never skip it, even if I’m not one the commenters. I wish every F & W podcast episode went over feedback. Unfortunately, I think it’s a lot of work for the host/producers, so I don’t complain too loudly if they don’t. I mean, I complain a little…

            1

  5. Irish Embassy calling and man, are we having a Freaky Friday situation here – first of all, aliens decided to invade, but it turned out to be the Guardians and Zamorans wishing to set the next evolutionary stage on Earth. Next Hal Jordan came in wishing to first remake the earth, then save the earth from the dying sun and then becoming the Spectre to save the earth from the hordes of hell (Make up your mind, why don’t you Hal, and no, I do not want a multi-coloured ring!). Finally, something called Genesis turned up on the doorstep and I just said “Enough is enough!”

    JLA 55 is a bit special for me – as I mentioned in my appearance in an earlier show (JLI Podcast No. 35), I was first reading the JLI adventures through the British reprints before biting the bullet to seek out the US comics and JLA 55 was the very first issue of the regular series that I got (I had got JLI Quarterly 1 as my very first US comic). After being used to Maguire and Templeton art, having the Wozniak art was a bit of a change and finding out I was in part 5 of a crossover started the move for me to find the back issues I needed to catch up on the story.

    It was a bit of an ignoble end for the Queen Bee but probably the right call to get rid of the character as it is hard to see what she could have done post leadership of Bialya. There was a postscript later on in the JLA Incarnations miniseries in issue 6 where Queen Bee’s sister, Beatriz, took over as Queen Bea of Bialya and tried to create cyborg versions of the Extremists but was shut down by Extreme Justice – an act that led to the disbanding of the three disparate branches of the League – Extreme, Task Force and America – before the formation of Morrisson’s JLA. JLA Incarnations 6 also has a nice little JLI story with Beetle and Booster trying to infiltrate Bialya (because when has that ever gone wrong for the JLI!).

    One minor continuity point – Ice was wearing leggings in JLE 30 but is now wearing a skirt and boots in JLA 55 – with the wrong creator credits and poor signposting for JLE Annual 2/Armageddon 2001 2/War of the Gods 2, not a great month for the editors!

    JLE 31 must hold the record of containing the most crossovers in the one issue – I am struggling to think of any issue that has two crossovers, never mind 3! (Only one that I can think of is Captain Atom’s last issue, which is a War of the Gods tie-in but also references Armageddon 2001 in the story). I agree with Shag and Doug that having some editorial footnotes (or even some signposting in the “Next month” section of the previous issue) would have been a help to follow this storyline better. Looking back with hindsight now, if Captain Atom had become Monarch, it could have fed into the Breakdown saga by having one of the pillars of the JLI exposed as a villain, thus fuelling the sense that the JLI was facing its last days. Even in the actual continuity of Atom being considered dead would have been impactful as part of the storyline. However, apart from this issue, I do not think Captain Atom’s passing is mentioned subsequently in Breakdowns – it’s almost as if he was scrubbed from the JLI members’ memory post Armageddon 2001.

    I tried to read War of the Gods at the time but on reading one issue, you really do need to have been well immersed in the Wonder Woman story to follow it (in my opinion) – I read some of the tie-ins which were quite good (Batman had a Maxie Zeus element, Flash was racing against Hermes and Mercury, etc) but again, you needed to have read the related War of the Gods issue to get the full story, much like with JLE 31.

    Another fun episode and great contributions from Devin and Doug – looking forward to the next one.

    2
    Reply

  6. A glorious episode (and not just because I got a little ego-boosting shout out – cheers for that!). Great contributions from Doug and Devin, despite the lacklustre issues. I’m not entirely Breakdowns-averse. It certainly has its moments, but on the other hand, it is a bit of a sprawling mess. One of your commenters (I forget who) nailed the reason why – there’s no single elevator-pitch concept for this crossover. A load of shit happens, seemingly at random, in an attempt to tie up dozens of loose ends. It feels incredibly rushed and chaotic, yet at the same time dragged out beyond all reason. I’ve read it maybe four times and still struggle to tell you what it’s about. Actually, you know what? Know that I find myself expressing my thoughts in writing, maybe I am entirely Breakdowns-averse. Although it does feature one of my absolute favourite covers of all time (JL#56), so it’s not all bad.

    1
    Reply

  7. Great episode, Shag, largely because you recruited such good cohosts—Devin and Doug were both exceptional. (Doug, I’ve heard a lot of Scottish accents, many were completely impenetrable to my ears, but you were not remotely that bad.)

    I read Breakdowns in real time and recall loving it (I still remember reading a letter in an issue of JLA or JLE a couple years later, where a writer referred to the arc as “Letdowns,” and I was surprised that it wasn’t universally loved). Yes, these specific issues are far from the strongest parts of the story, for all the reasons you point out, but I think it carries you along nonetheless—the characterization is still strong, and Robertson’s art is just glorious. (It’s possible nobody ever drew Ralph Dibney better.) For me, what was ideal about “Breakdowns” was that I never really went for the BWA-HA-HA era—I didn’t mind a funny Justice League, I just wanted something a few degrees more serious—and this story seemed to hit that sweet spot for me, and provide a perfect transition to the post-Breakdowns era (which I loved; too bad Doomsday cut it short).

    Thanks for the scan of that ballot; God, I remember that so clearly. I feel like I voted, but there’s no way I wouldn’t torn up my comic; must have made a visit to Kinko’s and violated copyright law. What I do recall is a later letter column that recapped the results: The character with the most votes was Martian Manhunter…despite the fact that he is NOT part of either post-Breakdowns team. (While the character with the fewest votes was Peacemaker; Kevin Dooley boasted that he came in second to last.)

    1
    Reply

    1. Noah, first of all thank you for the kind comments!

      I did try and moderate my voice a bit to help but on playback I realised I was still fairly my usual accent. Don’t know how folks who listen to podcasts at 1.5 speed will cope mind!

      Secondly you might want to read a bit more of the post Bawah-ha-ha JLA run …. But I can’t say more other than Spoilers 😉

      1
      Reply

  8. Well, these issues. Was I sorry I bought them or turned off from Breakdowns by them? No, both back in the day and now, because I’m just too entrenched in JLI for that to happen. That said, I have yet more comments on them.

    JLA #55: First page, I don’t like this shuttle. I don’t like the ship nor the art in this panel. There’s tubes and chrome and fans all over, plus lens flare and lights and glowing things, all for no reason. It is wallowing in 90s tropes, which is scary to say as this is just 1991!

    You called out the sexy dead Queen Bee, as you should, but the art of the Little dead Mermaid is equally heinous in sexualizing her on page 2 and 6. Yuck.

    On page 13, the League and Guardians are all around, and there’s a woman standing behind Tasmanian Devil. Who is she supposed to be? The color of her outfit and hair are similar to what Vivian/Crimson Fox was wearing, but they’re all wrong for her. Is she a civilian? If so, why aren’t there more? I do see a guy in the upper right, but it’s a weird inclusion on the page and to give her such prominence. It feels like a goof or at least a bad artistic choice.

    Page 15: Now I will defend the robotic Dr Mist, as they showed that already in JLE Annual #1, because Jack O’Classic couldn’t convince Mist to join him in Bialya. They also didn’t recruit the administrator, the psychic Belphegor, who last appeared in JLI #8’s backup story. So I count this as putting the negligible plot point of a Dr Mist robot double running around. I wonder if was a similar model as the Mr Miracle one.

    And is Tuatara a doctor? I find no source for that, but J’onn addresses someone as “doctor” and it’s clearly Tuatara that responds.

    The scene with Heimlich and Camus is confusing for sure. I kinda read it with more emphasis on Camus’ metaphor of “appearing to be something it’s not” rather than literally saying that Heimlich is a robot. But I’m doing a lot of work as a reader to get there.

    Proofreading: There are some blatant mistakes in some of the word balloons that are galling to me.
    Page 4: Queen Bee thinks “But somebody wants me to somebody–”
    Page 7: Ralph says “This is not a place where I want to spend unnecessarily time.”

    I swear, I’m not going to harp on this every issue, but I don’t like Wozniak’s artwork. Like you said Shagg, characters in regular clothes are pretty good. But I’m not into anything else, except I will call out Ralph stretching out of the rubble, with one eye closed like he got a speck in it, I appreciate that. But that’s not enough. This series has been blessed with exceptional artists, and this is a letdown.

    JLE #31: Now we have art! For the cover, I have to think Robertson said “I only came on this book to draw Power Girl, I don’t care if she’s not in the story, I’m drawing Power Girl!” And I’m glad he did. But briefly, the interior artwork is fantastic! Faces, details, layout, all wonderful. Thank goodness! For a fun example, that Khund on the bottom of page 6 looks like he should have worn his brown pants.

    I was likewise excited to see Wally’s new costume here, except … on page 4, his mask clearly does not have the white lenses. Then they magically appear on page 5. Or he slipped them in place with superspeed? I don’t think they’re removable. Yes I’m overthinking it. Sorry.

    So with the JLI having Marvel analog characters, including 3 active members right now, of course the gods they meet are versions of the Marvel Asgardians! It’s the natural thematic choice. But boy, missed opportunity by not having Bluejay and Silver Sorceress on the mission, knowing about their departed partner Wandjina.
    Bluejay: “Sheesh, these guys are goofy looking.”
    Sil-Sor: “I dunno, the big one reminds me of somebody.”

    The nightmare of Captain Atom is scary and shocking. I will gladly heap more praise on the artwork for those pages. Also, I read the Captain Atom series for the first time along with this podcast, and it was a great companion to the JLI stories. The final issues of Cap’s series did a great job of laying some groundwork for Armageddon 2001’s conclusion-which-wasn’t. A good exercise in frustration!

    As for the confusion with the overlapping Arma/Gods events, if it was discussed by DC at all (and I doubt it), the thought might have been “Arma 2001 will just be the annuals and WotG will be in the monthlies, so it’ll be fine.” Sure, for any series which didn’t have any repercussions from either event, but that’s where it breaks down here, pun not intended. Another series that felt overcomplicated from this was New Titans, still in its Titans Hunt era, and Troia playing a big part in WotG, then pulling in the 2001 Teen Titans into the present permanently, so yeah, that felt just as frantic as this issue. And then! There’s Hawk & Dove #28, trying to wrap up their series, and it’s a WotG crossover, AND there’s a cameo by the Wildebeests from Titans Hunt, AND-AND that issue concludes with “follow Hawk & Dove into Arma-something-something”! My. Brain. Hurts.

    So a mixed bag this month. JLA was disappointing, and in spite of problems, I enjoyed JLE. The great art helped.

    Thanks for putting the Heroes Con picture on the gallery, it’s always fun to see. But wait. Am I making a Kevin Maguire style face???!!

    Great job to Devin and Doug! (I love Scottish accents, even when I can’t understand them.) Till next time!

    1
    Reply

  9. Checking back in at the 1⁄3 mark.
    Previously, in my comments.
    Returned after loving J.L.A. Annual #5, likely purchased at B. Dalton Booksellers in May of ’91, the month before I started collecting New Titans.
    Thus, it (along with The Sandman later that month) arguably prompted my return to routinely collecting DC Comics after a several year fallow period.
    I also bought Jaguar #1 the same month as “Breakdowns” part 1; plus Batman #467, Deathstroke:The Terminator #2, Legends of the Dark Knight #21, and War of the Gods #1 the following month.
    I hated Chris Wozniak’s work on sight, but was still intrigued by Max Lord’s circumstance and the presence of Injustice League (I don’t think I’d read JLAntarctica yet.)
    I wasn’t entirely on board with Darick Robertson and his Fairuza Balk mouths, but it was a comparative relief, and I liked all the meetings with Heimlich. It helped me get acquainted with the newer, unfamiliar team members.
    I knew about Bialya from Justice League International #16, my last issue before dropping it for about half a year. I dropped the book again with the deprogramming Blue Beetle arc. I do not like Bialya stories. I was barely aware of the Global Guardians, so the death phased me less than the “sushi” joke at Little Mermaid’s expense. Bravo!

    Wozniak’s art on #55 gives me a headache, and I’ve been known to defend the artistic stylings of Rob Liefeld. Wozniak is a big fan of the “sexy victim” trope, so don’t go snooping around his crowdfunded work. Besides being a low water mark for ’90s EXTREME fighty-McFightenstein, I was really put off by the lack of humor. None of “Breakdowns” was very successful at humor, but they weren’t even trying here.

    According to Mike’s Amazing Newsstand, Justice League Europe #31 and Armageddon 2001 #2 both shipped on September 3, 1991, but I’m not sure that I actually bought them both in the same week. My initial assumption was that Captain Atom had been brainwashed in Bialya. I don’t think I made the connection to the talk of his death and his disappearance during the 2001 event. Despite a prior fondness for Nathanial Adam, I did not follow him beyond this point. I think I flipped through “The Alien Agenda,” or maybe read a friend’s copy, and nope’d out. It’s entirely possible that this was my second ever encounter with Despero, the first being his Who’s Who entry in the one issue of that book that I ever bought new. I doubt at that time that I connected the skinny clothed guy with the latitudinal fin to the beefy naked guy with the longitudinal one. I quit War of the Gods after the one issue, so references here barely resonated with me. I did not know the origin of the Justice League, so the joke was lost on me. Between the Global Guardians and the Norse Gods, the League’s foes seemed to really suck to 1991 me. Actually, a good chunk of the JLI themselves sucked. BlueJay? Crimson Fox? Silver Sorceress? What is this sssshhhaving cream! Be nice and clean! Shave every day and you’ll always look keen!

    I’m not sure if I believe that Doug Adamson is actually Scottish, because I can understand what he’s saying. I’m going to enjoy reading his social media posts more now that I can do it in his voice. Why is every single guest on this podcast tasked with janitorial duties? I think we should narc out Shag for forced, often undocumented labor. How many of these “international” guests have work visas? I hope Shag doesn’t DM if his entire imagination leans toward “grab a broom.”

    1
    Reply

  10. – [ ] Impressive podcast most impressive. The cover is pretty good. The line probably was from Joan Rivers. And the spacing is good. Possible one point perspective. The main point being the Captain. The inside though…. Oy. It is very 90s. Like Hover and Rob Leefeld creating a weird Frankenstein like monster of their two styles.

    Not a dis on the artist. he was probably told to draw like that. Not sure why he didn’t follow Gifen’s thumb nails , but oh well. The talking heads are fine. That probably is a colorist add for Queen Bees body suit. And she was probably in a small dress. with a necklace. And the inker erased her toes. The art itself is fine. Ah so that’s how they get rid of Queen Bee till She was brought back in JLA.

    So that’s how they got rid of Himlik. Wait he was in for just a few issues? Er…. I’m all for cadenced story telling, but geez. Still that works. Moving in. The JLE cover was cool. Wait. Crimson Fox is rich, couldn’t she just do a Tony Stark thing and keep the group going? Maybe a name change .

    But, just well Un isn’t paying us. Ah well that’s that. They’re crime fighters. Why… sigh. Weird nightmare for Kathie. Sad to see Captain dead. In truth I didn’t care who the villain was. I liked Hawk so it was annoying he was the villain, but at this point meh.

    Sorry, Silver looks better with out the helmet. Despeo escaping works well. Is leading up to ware he fights the league with Blood Wind? The Fire and Ice fighting Loki and co was good. Also J’ohn saying as if once wasn’t enough. Was goood too. Yep the mask is there also a doll on the lamp near the chair Flash is sitting in. Ah Kathy having to tell ‘em they’re disbanded. Well Blue Jay as leader didn’t last long. Ah well.

    Grats to y’all on recreating the JL cover. Next y’all can do the moving day one. Lol. Hmm JLA team. Let’s see.

    1 . Leader Huntresses

    2. Fire
    3. Cyborg
    4. Ice
    5. Flash
    6. Super Girl
    7. Kyle Green Lantern.

    That’s my votes. Though yeah this issue of Break downs wasn’t working. Still we’ll see. Can’t wait to hear the next podcast.

    1
    Reply

  11. I’ve listened to episodes 5, 12 .13 and the task force x podcast that covered episode 13 as well .
    And now I know . And knowing is half battle yo Joe!!
    Also when Chris Franklin was wearing those leg warmers that looked like black canary’s in episode 5 where they weighted for training or did he just have cold legs that day ??
    Also we slight head moss infestation and we now have a basement apparently if don’t have one he makes his own . My bro is taking of it using Tom and Jerry Tactics essentially he was using mini chocolate donuts and joe cola as bait then nocking them out with Vulcan nerve pinch he’s got weasel skull , the yard sale artist and the host of the new warriors podcast . Ryan keeps getting away we may have to try something different we are ok on cola but we are running low on donuts. Man he’s fast for older guy Ryan must have access to the speed force now .

    1
    Reply

  12. Loki tried to summon Surtr … from Valhalla.

    Valhalla, Odin’s hall of heroes. Not Vigrid, the plain where the final battle happens, but Valhalla.

    Shag, no offense, but I REALLY hope you got that wrong and it wasn’t in the comic that way.

    2
    Reply

    1. I’m more surprised to hear Loki fighting alongside Thor . Maybe it’s just cause of the comics I’ve read I mean the movie teenage Thor and Loki . I always of Thor and Loki as enemy’s not alies .

      1
      Reply

  13. I enjoyed the episode, host, and guests! I think I know who is to blame for the incorrect cover credits in the letter columns. L-Ron took over the letter columns that month and must of had his wires crossed on who did what cover.

    1
    Reply

  15. Lovely host, and lovely guests! Even that Scottish guy. I understood 3 out of every 7 words, so that’s a win! 😉 (Love ya Doug)

    Reply

  17. Great show, Shag, Devin, and Doug. These issues on the other hand…. First off, sadly no doilies again. I don’t know who the new interior decorator is for the embassies, but it certainly isn’t my nana. The art in JLI is starting to look like he’s just referencing a stack of X-Men comics. Between setting the dead mermaid in a sexy pose and dressing Beetle in big flowing clothes like he’s Bea Arthur, I think I’ve seen enough of Wozniak. At least he kept the checkered floor consistency. It added some pop to Queen Bee’s death pose – even if it looks like she died doing the Elaine dance from Seinfeld. Finally, cool cover for the JLE. Although, who packs their clothes in briefcases? At least Ralph has a duffel bag. Get these heroes some Samsonite!

    Reply

  18. What’s making Breakdowns unreadable for me in the here and now is the art. It’s so generally ugly and amateurish that I can’t get through it. So it’s tough to reevaluate.

    But it makes a kind of thematic sense with the end of the era. The funny, earnest Justice League cannot survive in the face of 90s grimdark and must fall. Ironically, Jurgens followed up with something that was clean and classical instead.

    1
    Reply

  20. I don’t envy you or your guests this month. These issues were pretty clear examples of why Breakdowns had negative feedback. They’re inconsistent, sloppy, and confusing. It all just feel so rushed, like the editing staff was stretched thin. But I’ll give them a slight pass since they were wrapping three different crossovers into these two books. This was probably the point where the Giffen-DeMatteis JL books started finding themselves at the bottom of the reading pile for me.

    For JLA there is a ton of exposition. It’s tedious. They commit the sin of tell and not show what’s happening. The art….well…yeah….it’s something all right. The whole thing collapses under its own weight. The dialogue is still on point though. So, at least it’s got that going for it. Beetle sounds like Beetle, and that might be the lone bright spot.

    JLE is a bit better. The artwork for one, is solid. But because of all the crossovers and lack of any notes about why any of this is happening, or where to go to find out, it falls flat and I just can’t get invested in anything that is going on.

    You can see exactly why a book that was built on characters, humor and the humanity of the League in those small moments between the action couldn’t survive in the 90s. An era of crossovers with soulless action, little character development and terrible art. Where everyone had either Blade or Death in their name. How you gonna keep ’em down on the Beetle & Booster farm when they’ve seen Deathblade murder 100 cyborg ninjas alongside a scantily clad woman with no feet?

    Still, the episode was a great listen. There are some excellent observations here about what is happening inside the pages that keeps me invested, even in these terrible issues.

    Lasty, while I truly enjoyed both of your guests, and Devin was great, I want to put all my support behind Doug because the JLI podcast binging community needs to stick together or else listening to almost a decade of podcasts in a few months would seem weird.

    P.S. the Queen Bee nude/bodysuit debate is the blue and black or white and gold dress phenomenon of our time.

    Reply

  21. It seems to me that they basically already had the plot of a five-issue closing, as you mentioned they already planned to stop at that point, so added a few extra hooks for the next part and called it a day. Then the next issue is clearing the decks, nice to see that crossovers were mucking up the flow of things even then, and then the rest of the Breakdowns are the follow-on from those scattered plot points. Oh and for the curious Pee Gee was off during the event hanging out with Aquaman, because it’s not like she has a connection to the JSA or anything, because y’know Atlantians and all that!

    Why they didn’t split it into two separate stories I don’t know, I guess they really got stuck on the Breakdown as a title for some reason.

    1
    Reply

  22. This comment requires a double apology. First, because it’s so late (I’m catching up from a period in which my old car gave up the ghost, which denied me my typical listening-space. It’s all worked out now), and second, because the question I want to ask isn’t *directly* relevant to the JLI issues covered in this episode. However, since you did mention the competing crossovers and Firestorm, I figure this is my best opportunity to ask a question that’s bugged me for years….

    First, the context. The last few issues of Captain Atom’s book featured Shadowstorm as set-up for Armageddon 2001 AND Shadowstorm’s appearance in War of the Gods. WotG #1 showed how Elemental Firestorm (now composed solely of Professor Stein) swapped places with Ronnie Raymond to come back to our side of the universe long enough to participate in the WofG. WotG #2 covered a brief meetup between Firestorm and Shadowstorm, and WotG #4 features a brief cameo of Firestorm, whereby he mentions negotiating with the African gods before he swaps places back with Ronnie so he can be forgotten again until Extreme Justice.

    Was that it? I’ve always felt I’m missing something in there, but have never had any idea what WotG crossover titles I should be looking for to see what else Firestorm might have been invoked in. Shag, do you know?

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *