JLA #4 - April 1997
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Title: Invaders from Mars (New World Order Part 4 of 4)
Cover Price: £1.95 (US)
Current Wizard Guide Price: $ 4.50 (US)

Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciller: Howard Porter
Inker: John Dell
Colourist: Pat Garrahy
Letter: Ken Lopez
Separations: Heroic Age
Editor: Ruben Diaz
Cover Art: Howard Porter / John Dell

FEATURE CHARACTERS

Aquaman, Batman I, Flash III, Green Lantern V, Martian Manhunter, Superman, Wonder Woman I

VILLAINS

The Hyperclan and seventy other Pale Martians (last appearance to date).

COMMENTS

J'onn J'onzz had been playing the Hyperclan from both sides by masquerading as Armek.

Martians have complete control over their molecular structures. The war like Pale Martians had been exiled from Mars for their interference on Earth millennia ago. Earth was apparently meant to be the home to a superhuman race but the Pale Martians "snapped one too many DNA chains" and left the race as normal humans plus a number of "metahumans" as a throw back.

The Still Zone seems to be another name for the Phantom Zone.

Batman can hold his breath for three minutes fifteen seconds.

SYNOPSIS

Superman deduces the same thing as Batman and realises that the Kryptonite being used against him is a telepathic projection of the Martians (he should have been dead hours ago with that kind of exposure) and breaks free. With his cue J'onn J'onzz shifts from his disguise as Armek he then rescues the JLA from execution. Suddenly it's a Battle Royal as the Justice League of America square off against the Pale Martian Hyperclan for the fate of the Earth.

Superman is against Protex, driving them deep into the Earth where the heat weakens the Martian, Wonder Woman battles Primaid on the edge of space, Aquaman dispatches Zum while Green Lantern and the Flash double team the real Armek. Meanwhile Batman rounds up the four Martians that he took down earlier.

As the rest of the Martian Fleet descends on Earth's cities the mind control broadcasts are ended allowing Superman to broadcast to the world informing the people of the Martian's vulnerability to fire. This allows the local authorities to contain the invaders until the League arrives. In the aftermath J'onn J'onzz as the last surviving Green Martian must act as judge and punisher to the Pale Martians effectively wiping their minds leaving them as normal humans scattered across the globe.

In response to the alien invasion the League use materials mined from the destroyed Orbital Refuge and the confiscated Martian mothership to build a Watchtower of their own on the lunar surface to serve as the first line of defence and as the new headquarters for the Justice League of America.

QUOTE

Wonder Woman: "Are we doing too much or too little? When does intervention become domination?"

Superman: "I can only tell you what I believe, Diana: humankind has to be allowed to climb to its own destiny. We can't carry them there."

Flash: "But that's what she's saying. What's the point? Why should they need us at all?"

Superman: "To catch them if they fall."

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