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!
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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.
When did Superboy become Superman? Hmm, if Paul Kien hasn’t a guest for the DC SpecialCast on DC Super-Stars #12, have I got a guest for him…
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.
Superman and Krypto were reunited in 1975’s Superman #287, Bucky. The Dog of Steel had been romping in space.
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.
The only problem with enjoying this podcast on my long drives is that I forget the questions you bring up and the thoughts I had on the issue. Suffice it to say, I was very entertained and always enjoy the JSA Presents podcast. Also, hoping for a bigger Starman presence eventually.
Come on, Ted! You can throw off the shackles of Vandal Savage!
I loved the episode and Alan Scott has long been my favorite GL. However, his oath is harder for me to remember because it doesn’t have the rhythm/meter of Hal’s oath. Solomon Grundy’s raging obsession with killing GL is always a nice touch. I especially liked the era in Infinity Inc. when Jade freed Grundy from an iceberg and he became a friend of “Green Girl” while still hating GL with every fiber of his being.
And those facial expressions on young Johnny in this issue were outstanding when he is sent to get coffee and doughnuts. You can almost feel his excitement deflate.
I’m not sure that Vandal Savage did have any appearances in All-Star Squadron or Infinity Inc. outside of cameos/flashbacks in a panel or two.
Keep up the good work!
I’ve never really thought about Alan being a person with a bad attitude, or who treated others with disrespect, although upon re-reading this issue, I suppose I can see what Dave may have been talking about. I’d still say he did and said nothing out of line that wouldn’t be expected of the leader of a broadcast company who found its power suddenly cut despite systems in place to ensure that such a thing shouldn’t ever happen.
I won’t deny the possibility that Alan may have a more persistent bad attitude. Just that’s never been how he’s come off to me. But, like Shag, I confess that most of my experience of Alan comes from later adventures. I’ll try to review his stories in the future with this perspective in mind.
What can you say about Mike Parobeck’s art other than its amazing! He makes Alan so dynamic, especially with the cape. It makes me sad that he’s no longer with us. Imagine what he would’ve gone onto do. I can even see him doing one of the one-shots for the JSA Returns event. I think losing him and Dave Stevens are the ones that hurt the most because the possibilities of what they would’ve done are endless.
I’m excited about next issue because that’s the one I got in a grab-bag as a kid and it brings back a lot of happy memories.
Great episode, guys. I just wanted to add my thoughts about the idea that Alan Scott was kind of a jerk in the issue (and other issues that were mentioned.)
I have never looked at Alan that way. He and Jay were always the “fun” uncle characters whenever I read them. Maybe his “bossy” behavior in this issue was something similar to the Lou Grant character on the Mary Tyler Moore Show, a lovable grumpy person in charge, but with a big heart.
As far as him being that way with Jade or Obsidian, I chalk that up to him being a father. He was definitely protective of Jade, for example, with people she was dating, but he never seemed, again at least to me, to be a jerk.
I still thoroughly enjoyed listening to the episode and I can’t wait for the next spotlight one featuring Matt Wagner and John K. Snyder!
I just listened to this episode, so I had no idea you and Dave set up Johnny’s time as the king of Badhnisia quite well…considering that is the subject Cindy and I cover on the latest installment of Mr. & Mrs. Superman right here on this feed!
Which JSAer had the best career? I think Alan is probably my answer too. Lots of story potential there. Robinson did wonders with it in The Golden Age, for instance. I never understood why they didn’t retcon Ted Knight to be a professional scientist and not just an “amateur”. Robinson established HE and not another guy really invented the Gravity/Cosmic Rod (that element was a Roy Thomas invention), and he contributed to the atomic bomb (much to the detriment of his mental health). Sounds like a bit more than a “dabbler”, doesn’t he?
Interesting that Dave sees Alan’s personality as a bit of a jerkish. I never really thought of him that way. Just maybe more stern than the jovial Jay, but less intense than Hawkman. But that may be retcons and later stories flavoring the soup. The truth is before Marvel came along, and after the early rough and tumble pre-war Golden Age days, most comic characters had interchangeable personalities, especially DC heroes. And they did quip quite a bit. Batman did his fair share despite Robin having a string of running gags, for instance.
I do believe Alan made boxing gloves in the Golden Age, but the trope became a thing with Hal for sure, as did the “In brightest day” oath, which Alan did originate.
Great show fellas!
Impressive podcast most impressive. Ah Green Lantern at work. The cover isn’t bad. The figures do their job leading your eyes to all the text and tell a bit of the story. Not as dynamic as I would have done, but this person is published by DC and I’m not so what do I know.
Watching Alan at work is kind of cool. And him going out to fight this construct. Is cool enough. Though you would think he would get more inventive. He’s not Hal the man has the creativity of a lawn gnome.
We’re Alan should be a bit more creative. Ah well. The coffee bit was funny like ya’ll said. But the rest Oy vey.
Pour Johnny on the coffee rum. Ah well all start at the bottom. GL fighting the construct was fine. And there’s Vandal messing with Star Man Oy . And of course. Solomon Grundy shows up. Guess he wants pants too. Sorry couldn’t help it. And black Canary got knocked out too. Along with Alan bummer. Any way can’t wait for the next episode.
There was an issue of Mark Waid’s Brave and the Bold where Alan Scott bit Hal Jordan’s head off for having too many Jobs. I mean he wasn’t a Guy Gardner type jerk, but definitely wound too tighty.