We continue our coverage of the 1991 JSA mini-series! Dave Tomko and The Irredeemable Shag discuss JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #3 (June 1991) by Len Strazewski, Mike Parobeck & Rick Burchett! Green Lantern battles the living constellation Sagittarius to save Gotham, while Solomon Grundy endangers our heroes! Finally, we wrap up with YOUR listener feedback!
- Have a question or comment? Looking for more great content?
- Leave comments on our website: https://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/jsa90s-91-3
- Images from this episode: https://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/jsa90s-91-3-gallery/
- Email the show at: justicesocietypresents@gmail.com
- Follow Dave Tomko:
- New Earth 2: https://newearth2.com/
- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/newearth2.bsky.social
- Threads: https://www.threads.com/@dcnewearth2
- Subscribe to JSA IN THE 90s as part of the JUSTICE SOCIETY PRESENTS Podcast:
- Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/justice-society-presents/id1549429702
- Don’t use Apple Podcasts? Use this link for your podcast catcher: https://feeds.feedburner.com/jsapresents
- Also available on Spotify, Audible, and Amazon Music
- Follow JSA PRESENTS on social media:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jsapresents
- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jsapresents.bsky.social
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jsapresents/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/jsapresents
- Threads: https://www.threads.net/@jsapresents
- This podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK:
- Visit the Fire & Water website: https://fireandwaterpodcast.com
- Like our Fire & Water Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FWPodcastNetwork
- Follow Fire & Water on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fwpodcasts.bsky.social
- Follow Fire & Water on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fireandwaterpodcast/
- Support The Fire & Water Podcast Network on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fwpodcasts
Thanks for listening! Join the fight… for Justice!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
I wasn’t sure if I should count Green Arrow in your jobs of the superheroes question. He was never a part of the JSA. But then I remembered that Black Canary is his girlfriend or wife, depending on current continuity. Her mother, of course, was a member. I figure that qualifies him.
In at least one story, Oliver Queen was a Professor and Archeologist, with a particular interest in Native American indiginous culture. It was that interest which led him to visit Lost Mesa, where he first met the Golden Age Speedy. I’m not sure that was ever referenced again.
Shag kind of chuckled at the conveniance of the wooden phone booth Solomon Grundy threw at Green Lantern. But in my city there is actually an antique wooden phone booth at the courthouse. Or at least here used to be the last time I was there. Apparently, wooden phone booths were quite common in tbe 40s.
Oh wow! That is a great pull! I’m going to have to dig up that story Green Arrow story.
After recording I did think that I’d probably throw Hawkgirl into the archeologist category. And Dan Garrett the Blue Beetle from the newly retconned Justice Society Dark was also an archeologist.
some time flapdoodle making a WORLD WAR 2 wonder woman will ALWAYS BE a better idea than “Superboy grew into Superman” um Superboy was in the same SMALL TOWN as Clark kent AND Luthor was there and then SuperMAN shows up in metroplis How many seconds does it take lois to figure it out?
I think Lois has ALWAYS known but she is like the anti Pete Ross and is more obsessed with proving Clark is a fake because she’s convinced Superman is the real personality.
But I agree Wonder Woman not aging and being in the JSA and the JLA is fine. If you have Superboy flying around how do you decide which day he becomes Superman ? Is it when he graduates college? gets a drivers licence (actually does Clark actually have a licence?) drinks his first beer? I am fine with Superboy being a secret hero that no-one else knows about and anyone who does know is hypnotised or mind altered by Saturn Girl to forget. Have him be Superboy in the Legion and also have HIM forget unless the legion shows up – or when he decides to be Superman.
So in summary Wonder Woman in the JSA fine – even if it’s Polly maybe not have her be well known in the press coverage – much easier to hide back then.
Hi guys! Long time listener, first time commenter. (Okay, not quite long time, but Shagg knows I’ve been working hard to listen to the whole JSA Presents feed in order, and I’m finally caught up!)
In your list of JSA secret identity jobs, I noticed you didn’t mention The Spectre. Okay, he was dead … but if I recall correctly, throughout the Golden Age Jim Corrigan still worked as a cop because no one else knew he was dead. (I could be wrong, my Golden Age Spectre DC Archives editions are not near me at the moment.)
In terms of other best/most interesting secret identity jobs: I recently reread All-Star Comics 58 as part of my “Random Comic Book Back Issue Reread” project (on my Instagram account) and I’d pretty much forgotten Dick (Robin) Grayson’s tenure as the United States Ambassador to South Africa, and his strong anti-Apartheid stance. That’s got to be unique among super-hero secret identity jobs.
I’m sure others will also mention this, but you referred to Merry, Girl of 1,000 Gimmicks as Sylvester Pemberton’s aunt. She was, of course, his adopted younger sister (and the eventual wife of Brain Wave and mother of Brain Wave Junior).
Another great episode!
I’ve always bin ok with super boy happening for Superman what I’m not happy about is super dog just vanishing when he grows up.
A great episode.
I do like that the JSA all seemed to have day jobs and weren’t just Billionaires who can fund everything at the drop of a hat.
I also like that the majority of the jobs were all something to aspire to – Well not Johnny obviously however ironically in today’s economy with Zero Hour Contracts and Gig Jobs Side Hustles etc – He’d be considered a success. Lots of scientists of various means is always a good thing in a team. Of course I also realise that these days with so much location technology on smart phones, monitoring of staff in buildings with swipe cards etc Being a Superhero and holding a day job is really difficult. I mean how many times can you “pop out to use the loo” or get coffee and donuts before HR start asking about your health and suggesting you might have a medical condition that your Doctor needs to discuss with you. This is why Criminals in the DCU really need to stop operating at night and instead aim to cause mayhem around 10:30 while many heroes with day jobs are likely in meetings at work or mid shift and can’t excuse themselves for 20 minutes to defeat the bad guys. This is why the Billionaire class of heroes are so busy these days they are the only ones who have the time. Imagine if a JSAer was working in an Amazon Warehouse even Jay would struggle to get in and out before the metrics team would wonder why he’s not packing boxes at his quota speed. Heck I can imagine most of the JSA if they were starting out in the modern era would have to pretend to have vaping / smoking breaks to get out to fight bad guys.
No the JSA all had the perfect jobs – flexibility in when to be in the office or place of work vs stepping out time with little supervision. For this reason alone having those sort of jobs is why they are my idols
The episode itself was great fun Dave is a great guest to have on for anything JSA related. I do love how the Vandal Savage reveal is STILL not being made in the series. It’s so cute that the team producing the book had no idea that Marketing was spoiling all their work!
These are great points, especially about Johnny juggling all those side hustles.
And thank you for the compliment. I love talking about the JSA, the Golden Age, and comics in general, so I’d love to come back.