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Title: Wonderworld (Rock Of Ages Part 3)
Writer: Grant Morrison
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FEATURE CHARACTERS
Aquaman, Aztek, Batman I, Flash III, Green Arrow II, Green Lantern V, Martian Manhunter, Superman
VILLAINS
The Injustice Gang (as seen last issue)
GUEST APPEARANCES
Jemm Son of Saturn (the alien controlled by Luthor)
Metron (New God of Knowledge)
Mote (a size changer from Wonderworld)
Hourman III (a member of the future version of the JLA, first appearance)
Other members of Wonderworld (unnamed)
COMMENTS
This issue features the first appearance of Hourman III, a member of the Justice Legion A, a future version of the JLA that will serve as the focus for the 1998 main DC crossover. It's also the first appearance of the Wonderworld which will be pivotal to Grant Morrison's run on the JLA.
In the characters from Wonderworld we see many parallels with both Marvel and DC. The missing Glimmer and the Hyperwheel seem a direct allusion to Barry Allen and the Cosmic Treadmill while Adam One is clearly meant to be Superman.
We see at one stage Batman communication with the Mirror Master, this contact has been going on at least since the last page of last issue.
The quest for the Philosopher's Stone and the revealing of it by Hourman to the young idealistic knight (in this case Kyle Rayner) mirrors a number of elements from the Grail Quest of Arthurian literature.
The Joker's antagonising of Jemm would seem to suggest that he has already been replaced with the disguised Plastic Man as shown in JLA #15.
SYNOPSIS
The New God Metron radically redesigns the JLA teleportation system so that it might send them to search for the Philosophers Stone. For some reason the system acts up catapulting Aquaman, Green Lantern and the Flash through numerous dimensions. Green Lantern finds himself sent to a graveyard world full of fallen heroes , along the way he encounters a future version of Hourman III that shows him what the Philosophers Stone looks like. He also tells Kyle that the League has been betrayed by a false god, the Metron that they encountered was not the true Metron but rather an echo of his future self that was/will be broken by Darkseid. Eventually Kyle manages to meet up with the other two only for them to find themselves on Wonderworld.
Back on Earth the Martian Manhunter and Superman manage to survive the explosion by Superman absorbing the energy. They boost a sizeable chunk of rock into the same orbit as Luthor's satellite. On board that same satellite Green Arrow meets with Luthor. Luthor then teleports twelve fully armed nuclear missiles onto the JLA Watchtower on a countdown as a way to blackmail Aztek into working for him in exchange for his life. Batman and co. begin a three minute countdown of their own to when the rock they placed in orbit crashes into Luthor's satellite.
Aquaman and co. learn that Wonderworld is a vast fortress planet populated by superbeings from across the universe that stand ready to face the ultimate threat. Their leader Adam One offers the Leaguers positions at his side but they refuse in order to continue the search for the Philosopher's Stone. Using the Glimmer's version of the Cosmic Treadmill and the Baby Boxes given to by the false Metron they travel back to their own place in the universe only to find that they have emerged fifteen years in the future where Darkseid has conquered the Earth.
QUOTE
"Never underestimate the sentimentality of a Scotsman, Clark" - Batman (Grant Morrison is a Scotsman).
ALAN KISTLER'S ANNOTATIONS
Page 1 - Morrison has taken us through many stories by ways of first-person narration. So far, we've seen this with Batman (JLA #3), Green Arrow (JLA #9), Flash (JLA #7) and even Lex Luthor (JLA # 11). Now, GL leads the tale.
Page 3 - The villain's stylised "A" and use of a Philosopher's Stone remind me of the classic Flash villain Dr. Alchemy (who used a less powerful "Philosopher's Stone" of his own). I like how Kyle's developing the strategy of creating his own foot soldiers.
Page 6 - Morrison introduces us to Wonderworld, a planet whose residents are super-heroes from hundreds of worlds. Notice that a couple of the characters are obvious homage's to Marvel's Mr. Fantastic and the Human Torch.
Page 8 - A truly inventive way of rescuing our heroes. It is very refreshing in that it doesn't add a "five seconds before the explosion" scene, as many cliff-hangers have done. It also speaks well of Superman's cunning to lure his enemies into believing he's dead by letting the light remain.
Page 9 - Superman and Martian Manhunter apparently have a plan. And this plan involves a large boulder (another allusion to the title "Rock of Ages").
Page 11-12 - Beautiful portrayal of Lex Luthor as a manipulation villain. Grant Morrison shows us his genius once more. Not only is he perfect in his portrayal of the heroes, he has hit the nail on the head with his take on the villains. Kudos!
Page 13 - Panel 1: "An evil imp from the fifth dimension." An obvious allusion to Mr. Mxyzptlk, one of Superman's foes.
Panel 3: Mote mentions the heroes Nightmare and Nemo who would "enter the subconscious minds of criminal." This is an obvious allusion to the classic storybook Little Nemo in Dreamland, in which a boy named Nemo has adventures in the subconscious universe that exists in our dreams.
Page 15 - This meeting of Wonderworld heroes incorporate a facsimile of the JLA roundtable. We see that Adam One's chair has the scales of justice draped over it. Interesting symbol considering that he's an alien but we'll let it slide. The fire-man with the cape has before him what looks like the legendary Mjolnir (the hammer of Thor). Also, notice the mention of the "anti-sun." Could this have anything to do with the "Shadow God" Aztek was trained to thwart? Or is this another threat?
Page 16 - We are introduced to the new Hourman. A highly advanced android from the 850th century, Hourman III was programmed with "Tyler Miraclo DNA." As any DC Comics fan can tell you, Rex Tyler and his son were the first and second Hourmen and both used Miraclo pills which gave them superhuman strength and endurance for an hour at a time. This new guy styles himself as "the master of time." Obviously, his power is more advanced than the Hourmen of the past. He is brought into this story to warn our heroes of the true threat at hand. Notice that in Panel 4 he shows us the true form of the Philosopher's Stone, exactly as we saw it last issue.
Page 17 - Panel 2: Interesting concept, eh? By beating their foes, the JLA signed their own death warrant. Very nice. Again, creativity rules in this book.
Panel 3: "A threat older and more terrible than Darkseid." This comment of coming doom mirrors that of the Know Man's prophecy from Mid-Summer's Nightmare. When Morrison was questioned on whether there was truly a connection, he answered, "Good deduction."
Page 19 - The Glimmer's "Hyperwheel" is an allusion to Barry (Flash II) Allen's "Cosmic Treadmill." The Cosmic Treadmill could allow a speedster to travel through time. The Hyperwheel can allow a speedster to transverse through time and space. Notice the very unique control panel used. Have I yet mentioned how creative this book is? :)
Page 20 - Batman once again reveals that, like Luthor, he is a master of manipulation (God, those two must be lethal at chess!). Again, Morrison seems to concentrate much on Batman and Luthor as each other's anti-thesis. Notice also that these three heroes (Batman, Superman, Martian Manhunter) are the League's most experienced and most cunning. A true dream team here.
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