An article by Harry B. Thomas and Gary M. Carter printed in Comic Book Marketplace No 45 (March 1997), an updated reprint from Overstreet's Comic Book Price Guide #20 (1990). Used without permission.

Foes of Evil! Enemies of Injustice! To the mighty heroes of the Justice League of America all wrong doing is a menace to be stamped out whether is comes from outer space from the watery depths of the Seven Seas or springs full blown from the minds of men! Banded together to fight all foes of humanity the mightiest heroes of our time battle the menace of Starro the Conqueror!

Thus began the first of three "tryout" instalments for Justice League of America. Brave and the Bold #28 (February/March, 1960) was a momentous event which shook every comic book rack across the country. Not since the cover of Showcase #4 dominated news-stands three and one half years earlier, had there been a comic book so breathlessly anticipated by casual readers and fanatic collectors alike. To those born early enough to have enjoyed the exploits of the Justice Society of America in All Star Comics (19401951), the concept was excitingly familiar. But to the vast army of baby boomers born in the late '40s and early '50s, this totally "new" concept of combining several of one's favourite heroes in a single story...in a single comic book...all pictured on the same unbelievably colourful cover...Wow! !! !.... Whew!!!! This was the stuff that the most vivid and beloved comic book memories are made from!!!!

Yet it wasn't always this exciting at DC Comics. The years between the last Golden Age appearance of the Flash in Flash Comics #104 (February, 1949) and the character's revival in Showcase #4 (September/October, 1956) are considered by most fans as a low ebb in the tide of the superhero comic book genre. DC Comics unleashed a flood of, to say the least, "unlikely" concepts on comic book fans. They included the likes of Super Baby, Bizzaro, Krypto, Bat Mite, and Bat Hound. There was green, red, blue, gold, white, and rainbow kryptonite; even a chimp detective. DC's line of science fiction, mystery, western, war, teenage humour, funny animal and romance comics often seemed like classics when compared to their superhero

storylines.

Over at (what would soon be) Marvel Comics their speciality was monster comics featuring such interesting but repetitive creatures as Trogg, Grogg, Progg, Frogg and Cazoom. Marvel's western and romance titles suffered from a similar reliance on formula themes.

Then a tiny step toward the light occurred in the 225th issue of Detective Comics, cover dated November, 1955. A new superhero was introduced as a backup feature to Batman. The character J'onn J'onzz (Manhunter from Mars) was not truly original in that he was basically a clone of Superman. He could fly, had super strength, and the added ability to make himself invisible. He also had green skin when not in his earthly disguise. While kryptonite did not have any effect on him, fire could destroy him; even a closeness to it could weaken and rob him of his powers. Sound a bit familiar? It sounded familiar to many thousands of readers, too.

Yet J'onn J'onzz' claims a fame which is twofold; first, some comic book historians suggest he was technically the first DC Silver Age superhero. (Others suggest the Silver Age of comics starts with Showcase #4.) Second, he was chosen, in spite of his "backup feature status" as a charter member of the Justice League of America! At the time of J'onn J'onzz comic book birth, the only costumed heroes still around in their own DC Comics were Superman, Batman, Superboy and Wonder Woman. Superman, Batman and Superboy were also appearing in Action Comics, Detective Comics and Adventure Comics, respectfully. Additionally, Batman and Superman were also appearing in Worlds Finest Comics as a team while such characters as Aquaman, Green Arrow and Congorilla were placed in these same titles as backup features. If J'onn J'onzz created a crack in the comic book mediocrity of the day, Showcase #4 in late 1956, busted things wide open!

In the late '50s there were still some staffers at DC Comics who had worked on the Golden Age lineup during the late 1940s and early 1950s. This elite group was comprised of artists, writers, and in particular, one very special editor! The artists still on staff read like a Silver Age "Who's Who" Joe Kubert, Murphy Anderson, Carmine Infantino, Russ Heath; Gil Kane end Jack Kirby!

A most prominent, prolific, and capable writer from the golden years was Gardner F. Fox, DC's "Dean of Science Fiction." As was to be seen, he (as well as the aforementioned artists) still demonstrated that sense of wonder required to qualify as a truly great comic pro of the '30s and '40s. However, without the guiding hand of a certain editor, it is doubtful (even with all the other talent on hand) that DC or any other company could have manifested one of the most exciting times in comic book history, a rebirth of the comic book hero known as the Silver Age of comics!

Simply put, the genius most responsible for the Silver Age was Julius Schwartz. Schwartz had been around (some say) since the writing of Genesis! He had at least been around since the early '30s, working with science fiction pulp magazines and coediting the first fan related magazine (fanzine) of that decade, titled The Time Traveller! From his experience with science fiction's first fanzine, he moved into the agency business, acting on behalf of some of the finest science fiction writers of the day. By the early '40s, the pulp magazine was beginning a slow decline in popularity and Mr. Schwartz began looking elsewhere to ply his trade.

Through a professional contact, he was recommended to Sheldon Mayer (an editor at DC) in reference to a vacancy. He interviewed, got the job, and 30 plus years later, he is considered the "Godfather" of the Silver Age! During the first few years at DC, Schwartz had, in one creative way or another, responsibility for some of the company's finest charactersthe Flash, Hawkman, Atom, Johnny Thunder, and the most legendary comic team ever produced, the Justice Society of America in All Star Comics! By the late 1940s, except for the characters noted earlier, most of DC's superheroes had disappeared from the comic racks. For the next few bleak years, DC would struggle with many different concepts in an effort to reestablish sales and excitement in their comic books. Nothing really dynamic would occur on the superhero front until late in 1956.

In March of 1956, DC debuted a comic titled Showcase, the premise of which was to preview new titles to the market place, check the interest (by measuring sales and reader response), and then determine whether to publish that particular title on an ongoing basis. It was to prove to be one of the best marketing ideas DC would ever develop! This title, along with its sister title Brave and the Bold became the proving grounds that launched DC's characters into stardom and began the Silver Age of comics.

The first three issues of Showcase (Fire Fighters, King of the Wild and The Frogmen), although interesting to collectors, gave no clues to prepare comic book fans for the coming revitalisation of the industry. And then with issue #4, Julius Schwartz hit the mark! Comic book history began a new era and (according to most historians) the Silver Age was officially born! This would be the issue in which "Julie" Schwartz would rejuvenate and modernise one of the Golden Age's most popular superheros, the Flash. On hand to assist in this labour of love were the great Carmine Infantino (pencils), the incomparable Joe Kubert (inking) and the everconsistent Robert Kanigher (writer). The sales of Showcase #4 were good enough for a second trial in issue #S and this led to two more tryouts in issues #13 and #14. DC had a hit and the most historically significant DC Silver Age hero was born..

Following DC's lead, Archie Comics would publish The Double Life Of Private Strong in June, 1959, introducing the superhero character the Fly. He immediately won his own title in Adventures of the Fly #1 in August, lasting to 1967 (with several title changes). Adventures of the Jaguar, a companion title, appeared in September, 1961.

DC was relatively cautious about getting the Flash into his own book after his four try out issues in Showcase, but eventually the Flash was given his own magazine. It was numbered 105 (February/March, 1959), starting the series where his Golden Age predecessor left off.

With the Flash a hit, his place as a founding member of the JLA was a certainty. However, it should be noted for comic book historians that DC had probably not the slightest clue that Showcase #4 (and its star, the Flash) would have such a gigantic impact on the industry as a whole. Because of this, an interesting correlation can be suggested between Action #1 and Showcase #4. For many baby boomers who cut their teeth on the comics of the middle and late 'SOB, Showcase #4 was their Action #1.)

Moreover, the superhero, backbone of the comics industry, had climbed out of the decline of the early l950s. The costume hero was back! The Flash was a hit, and another costumed hero team book entitled Challengers of the Unknown (illustrated by Jack Kirby and edited by Jack Schiff) also looked like a winner. Comics were about to become colourful, fun and imaginative once more. One could feel the fresh air blowing through the industry.

After introducing the Flash, Schwartz again looked to the Golden Age heroes at DC for his next major project. In Showcase #22, he introduced a revival of one of the most memorable and novel characters of the '40's, the Green Lantern!

Again, the origin of the character was science fiction oriented, a Julie Schwartz trademark (the Flash had been created by a combination of lightning and chemicals). The Green Lantern obtained his powers via a benevolent group of space beings known as the Guardians of the Universe. Through them, he was given a ring and the power battery needed to charge it. The ring was activated by the wearer's mental concentration. Hal Jordan, the Earth's Green Lantern, was then assigned a certain sector of the universe to patrol and protect.

The artist for Green Lantern was a perfect choice. Gil Kane had been around DC since the early '6Os where he had begun by illustrating the western strip, Johnny Thunder. Kane had an action style of illustrating similar to that of Jack Kirby, and his ability to illustrate machinery has yet to be matched. For a series with such a heavy emphasis on science fiction plots, no better artist could have been picked.

Like the Flash, the Green Lantern was an overwhelming success, and after three consecutive tryout issues in Showcase, he received his own series. (Actually his success seems to have been a forgone conclusion by DC as they had began running house ads in their comics for a Justice League of America book and the cover depicted the revived Green Lantern as a member of the team even before he was awarded his own series.)

As Showcase #4 was historically important, Brave and the Bold #28 (which came out in 1960) was the most eagerly anticipated comic of the period! No book printed during the early days of the Silver Age created more interest and excitement than did this issue, featuring the introduction of the Justice League of America!

Interestingly enough, the Brave and the Bold comic had begun in an adventure format, featuring such characters as the Viking Prince, the Silent Knight and Robin Hood. This anthology/adventure format lasted for 24 issues. With issue #25, DC changed the format to their second tryout magazine. This was evidence indeed that the comic book industry was again booming!

By the time the Brave and the Bold issue featuring the first appearance of the JLA hit the stands, there was already a fledgling of fandom. Many fan magazines of the day that were primarily related to science fiction had began running comic book related articles. Comic book letter columns enabled fans across the country to discuss the pros and cons of specific stories, read editor feedback directly, and to make contact with other fans and collectors. . . many for the first time.

It soon became obvious that many fans of the earlier Golden Age were also being caught up in the revivals of their old heroes. The title these older comic book fans recalled most fondly was All Star Comics featuring the Justice Society of America.

The Justice Society was a team featuring the more popular DC heroes of the time. In one adventure together, such characters as Green Lantern, Flash, Wonder Woman, Dr. Fate, the Spectre, Hawkman, and the Atom (among others) appeared as members of the elite group. Recalling this brilliant concept (and with the revival of the Flash and The Green Lantern already accomplished) editor Schwartz decided the time was right to bring back this type of book.

Shortly after the Green Lantern's third and last appearance in Showcase (#24), house ads began to appear in DC comics for Brave and the Bold #28. The cover depicted the Justice League of America and proclaimed in the ad copy, "Just imagine, the mightiest heroes of our time have banded together as the Justice League of America to stamp out evil wherever and whenever it appears!"

Fans, collectors, and everyday readers of the time were elated! The cover was exciting and colourful, and featured a five pronged giant starfish with a single huge eye, battling five of DC's top heroes! Three of the five costumed heroes pictured have already been discussed: Flash, Green Lantern and J'onn J'onzz. The other two charter members of the JLA featured on that first historic cover appearance were Wonder Woman and Aquaman, both of whom had been around in one DC magazine or another since the early 1940s. These five would make up the active membership for the JLA's first six stories.

While these five members would form the core team for the early JLA issues, there were two other DC heroes that were charter members of the team... Superman and Batman. They would appear only in minor roles until later in the magazine's run. It is generally felt by collectors and fans that the best Justice League stories were those that relegated these two characters to "supporting status" and allowed less seen characters at DC to take the limelight.

The writer for the first JLA story was the same one that handled the Justice Society stories of the '40s Gardner F. Fox. His affinity for the book was evident... and some of his very best Silver Age work would be done on the JLA series.

Fox set the basic format for the JLA stories right from the start by having the team come together at the beginnings of the story, discuss the threat or mystery, hand out specific assignments to members, break up singly or in pairs, handle the assigned task, and meet as a team at story's end to solve the final details as a unit.

Most JLA menaces turned out to be either space aliens or some warped supergenius. In his stories, Fox would deal very little with character development or feuding team members as would later become so popular at Marvel. His stories would be heavy on plot and action and deal primarily with the clash or hero and villain powers.

Fox would rarely continue a story to the next issue, allowing readers the satisfaction of reading the complete plot in one issue. While comic writers today might find that feat nearly an impossibility, Gardner F. Fox did it often and with results.

It should be mentioned that the team would have a mascot (of sorts...) introduced in their first appearance. Based on a teen heart throb of the time (Ed "Kookie" Byrnes) the teenager, "Snapper" Carr, was so nicknamed because of his continual habit of snapping his fingers, "beatnik style." The reason for his inclusion was for teen identification in the hope of increasing sales. Respectfully, most fans are thankful that his contribution to the JLA was abbreviated.

While the covers would remain outstanding and the writing excellent, the art on the series continued to be a point of controversy among fans. The artist handed the undoubtedly, difficult job of drawing all those characters with all those different styles was Mike Sekowsky. (It has been rumoured that because of the necessity of illustrating stories with so many different costumed characters, most artists did not want this major chore.)

Sekowsky pencilled the first appearance of the JLA in Brave and the Bold #28 and would be the regular artist when the JLA got their own magazine. Bernard Sachs would ink Sekowsky's pencils with relative finesse. Murphy Anderson would ink most of the covers by Sekowsky, and actually did many entirely on his own. Sekowsky's fan critiques often still argue that his "two dimensional," "anatomically avant garde" style was not appropriate for superheros. Others look back on his style as quintessential JLA!

The fans who complained about Sekowsky's style wanted and expected their heroes in the JLA to look just like they did in their regular features. For some reason, DC never caught on to (or chose to ignore) this crucial concept. In spite of this controversy, JLA became one of DC's most popular selling books, proving the concept was more important than artistic sentiment.

The membership meld of the JLA was near perfect. While the team was indeed powerful, it was possible to defeat. J'onn J'onzz, of course, was the team's most powerful active member, and for the first ten issues or so, Superman would be mainly a supporting character. However, fire could weaken and destroy J'onn J'onzz and fire was much more common than Kryptonite!

Of the other four active members, Green Lantern was an ordinary man armed with his extraordinary, thoughtinduced power ring, useless against anything yellow. The Flash had super speed. Aquaman could live under water, communicate with the undersea creatures, and Wonder Woman, though powerful, was not indestructible. So the initial five active members, while formidable opponents, could be defeated by a writer's imagination.

The vulnerability of the original group allowed the early issues to be fun and rather unpredictable. It also made it relatively easy for writer Fox to come up with villains that could actually present an effective challenge to the team.

The second instalment of the JLA in Brave and the Bold #29 served up more of the same, including a great cover and interesting story. However, this issue did prove the people connected to the Justice League had done their homework on the Golden Age Justice Society, as the cover for this issue was directly inspired by All Star #43.

The covers were all that was similar, however, because the story in Brave and the Bold #29 dealt with a criminal from Earth's future, the Weapon's Master! All Star #43, on the other hand, sent the Justice Society into a "Dimension Of Gold!"

Brave and the Bold #30 featured the outstanding cover of the three Brave and Bold tryout stories, depicting one of the best villains (Amazo) the team would face in its long career. Amazo was an android created by a mad genius named Professor Ivo. Ivo proceeded to capture the members of the JLA and transferred their powers to his android. The JLA had to then battle a single being armed with all their combined powers. The story was far and away the best of Fox's first three JLA tryout stories... and some feel the first truly classic Silver Age JLA epic.

The three appearances of the JLA in Brave and the Bold were instant hits at the news-stands and warranted a near immediate Justice League series in their own magazine. The first issue of JLA appeared in late 1960 and featured the same active membership as had been featured in the three Brave and the Bold issues. The first issue sported a nice Anderson cover and the story was "sci fi,, villain a la Fox.

Issue #2 should be noted, as once again the Golden Age Justice Society shed its influence. This time the covers were not similar, but the stories were. In JIA #2 the Justice League adventure was entitled "Secret of the Sinister Sorcerers" and dealt with the JLA entering a dimension of magic to solve a perplexing problem. (i.e., science no longer working on Earth) Fox admitted to being inspired for this story by a similar one he had written for All Star #39. "Invasion From Fairyland!" was an offbeat story and contains many concepts comparable to those in Brave and the Bold #30.

While issue #3 is notable for its Kanjar Ro epic and its exceptional black cover, JLA #4 stands as one of the few genuine classic Silver Age comic books. The cover was illustrated by Murphy Anderson and is often proposed as the best of the first seven. Second, it featured the first new member to be inducted into the roll call of the JLA.

The Green Arrow had been a perennial favourite at DC for many years. Back in the mid '40s, he had been the cover feature on one of their "Big Eight', anthology books. More Fun Comics.

From there, he moved on to backup features in Adventure Comics and World's Finest Comics. Also in the '40s he had been a member of a team called the "Laws Legionnaires" (also known as the "7 Soldiers of Victory") appearing in Leading Comics. This group, illustrated by such top line artists as George Papp and Jack Kirby, was sort of a "second string" Justice Society.

Green Arrow's induction into the JLA did little to upset the "required vulnerability" needed for effective plot lines, and in that light Green Arrow was the perfect choice! Because issue #4 added the first new member to the JLA, it remains historically important in the JLA saga and is a genuine classic Silver Age book.

The only noteworthy item in issue #5 with its story "When Gravity Went Wild" was the fact that this is the first cover to depict Superman and Batman. While they were not prominent on the cover or in the story, it did forebode things to come. Issue #6 "The Wheel Of Misfortune" once again featured a cover reflecting an idea previously suggested by an All Star cover. On the cover of issue #6 the JLA heroes are shown tied to a wheel of fortune or "misfortune" in this case. On All Star #42 the Justice Society members are shown attached to a propeller device. Other than the cover, the stories had no similarities.

While issues #7 and 8 offered up average fare, #9 finally got around to telling the origin of the JLA. Except for the fact that it is the origin issue, the book was rather unexceptional.

Its famous cover shows the five original team members, under the influence of a sinister green meteorite, slowly turning into trees. Taken from the "space creature genre," the story shows the seven charter members being drawn together for the first time. After the adventure, Batman suggests they should form an ongoing "club" of sorts to be ready to combat such future menaces as needed. The heroes present agreed and the team was formed. Not outstanding, but interesting.

Issue #10 featured another distinctive cover by Anderson and was also the first half of the first twopart JLA adventure, with JLA #11 taking up where #10 left off. Interestingly, the two parts of the continued story can actually be read as one complete novella, as part one is really just a "prequel" to the events in part two.

Many fans consider issue #10 to be the issue that put the first cracks into the series' strong foundation. It marked the first time Superman and Batman began to take more active rolls in the title. Superman was just too powerful and putting him in a team which already had J'onn J'onzz just made the roll call predictable. And Batman? Well, many have suggested the true quality of his character only works as a "lone" figure, thus rendering him a less than perfect choice for a "team" effort. With the addition of these two as active members, the roster began to be rather crowded to fit into the standard 25page comic book. As the membership began to grow, the book began to lose much of its unique personality.

The JLA would have to do a guest appearance in another magazine to finally get the respect artwise they were due.

At the time of issue #11 of their own magazine, over in Mystery In Space #75, the JLA joined Adam Strange in his booklength adventure "The Planet That Came To A Standstill." The villain of the story was JLA foe Kanjar Ro, who had appeared in JLA #3.

The art team on Adam Strange at the time was, arguably, done by the best duo of the Silver Age; Carmine Infantino on pencils and Murphy Anderson on inks. For this very special issue, they pulled out all the stops. The beautiful art done on the JLA in the last chapter of this book certainly left fans of the team

longing for more of the same. No JLA collection would be complete without Mystery In Space #75.

JLAs #12 and 13 fall into the "pretty much average issue" category and by this point the JLA began operating more in teams of two or three to accommodate the growing active membership. Fighting a menace alone as some of the members did in earlier issues was now over. While Fox would still turn out some classic stories for the series before it would collapse into confusion and disarray, the book was just not as much fun as it had been.

Before looking at issue #14, time must be taken to look at what had been going on in other areas of the DC universe. Two other Golden Age heroes had been given a new lease of life via DC's two "tryout" titlesthe Hawkman in Brave and the Bold #34, 35, and 36; the Atom in Showcase #34, 35 and 36 (coincidence?).

Both characters were under the editorial guidance of (who else?) Julius Schwartz. For the first time, one of editor Schwartz's revised heroes failed to "fly" as the Hawkman (though well written by Gardner F. Fox and superbly illustrated by doe Kubert who had illustrated the strip in the '40s) was unsuccessful in attracting buyer support on tryout issues to warrant a series. Hope was not lost, though, as Hawkman would be given a second threeissue tryout in Brave and the Bold #42, 43 and 44. From there, he would win his own series. As with the other revived Schwartz heroes, the Hawkman strip was science fiction oriented. In this case, the Hawkman (along with his wife Shierra) were visitors from another planet come to Earth to study our crime solving techniques.

With all its fine points, good writing, fantastic art, and the most interesting costume of all the Silver Age heroes, it remains a mystery why Hawkman didn't have instant success.

Over at Showcase, the Atom issues did prove successful. The Atom was really a combination of two Golden Age heroes. In name only he was a revival of the former character appearing in DC's All American Comics (as well as a member of the Justice Society in All Star Comics) and, because of his size reducing ability, he was an updated edition of the popular Quality Comics hero, Doll Man. As to be expected with a Schwartz hero, the origin was again science fiction in theme.

The Atom gained his powers by being exposed to rays from a meteorite chunk thrown from a white dwarf star. By using a control on the belt of his uniform, the Atom could release these rays to instantly reduce in size from a normal adult to one microscopic in size (though he would normally stop at a few inches in height). Important was the fact that when reduced in size, he retained the strength of a full grown man. The sales on the "Mighty Mite's" three tryout issues were good enough to win him his own series before Hawkman, the result of which led to his becoming a member of the JLA before the "winged wonder!"

As an aside, it should be noted at this point just how important DC's roll was in creating a new age of interest in the comic book that is still flourishing today! At the time period now being discussed, DC had already successfully introduced such popular characters as the Flash, the Green Lantern, the Challengers of the Unknown, the Justice League of America, Cave Carson, the Suicide Squad, the Atom, and to some extent, the Hawkman. Marvel, to this date, had yet to introduce their first successful Silver Age hero!

JLA #14, "Menace of the Atom Bomb," served as a vehicle to induct the Atom into the team's roll call. The Atom had no special powers other than size reduction, so he did little to make the JLA more powerful, but he did add variety. His small size in proportion to the other heroes seemed to be a problem for both illustrator and writer alike. It was a real problem in group scenes and teamup chapters, and it sure made for some ingenious and unusual covers.

With the roster of the active JLA members now at nine, things were beginning to get out of hand, with both the art and the story. Throw in a couple of villains or so and things really got messy. There were just too many characters for a 25page comic book. Fans still speculate today as to why Schwartz did not follow the lead set by All Star Comics, which kept the membership at a manageable level by dropping some members when new ones were added. That philosophy had kept All Star fresh and exciting for over ten years.

Issues #15 through 20 dealt primarily with alien menaces, but issues #21 and 22 would wake fans up with one of the most memorable stories in Silver Age history!

To put these two issues in the proper perspective, it is important to remember Flash #123, one of the classic stories of the early Silver Age. The story, "Flash of Two Worlds," written by Gardner F. Fox had the modem Flash, through super vibration, cross dimensions into a world called "Earth 2." This alternate world was similar in all aspects to our world except it was here that the heroes of DC's Golden Age resided. Earth One's Flash met his namesake, the Golden Age Flash of Earth Two, and from there they shared the first of many adventures together. The reintroduction of the original Golden Age Flash marked the first reappearance in the Silver Age of a member of the Justice Society of America.

The story proved immensely popular with both new and older fans and a second teamup of the two heroes appeared in Flash #129. In this issue, mention was made of the original Justice Society. (NOTE: While Flash #129 was the first official reintroduction of the Justice Society into the modern DC universe, it was not the team's first appearance in one of the Schwartz revival books. A historical reference to the Justice Society had appeared in the centrefold of Showcase #34 featuring the Atom. A reproduction drawn from All Star #3's cover was shown and the members were listed along with their powers.) This teaser got immediate response from fans who demanded to actually see the group in action once more... they got it!!! In the next teamup of the two speedsters in Flash #137 ("Vengeance of the Immortal Villain"), the Justice Society was brought out of retirement to help the two Flashes do battle with Golden Age villain Vandal Savage.

Fans still wanted more of this very colourful group and just couldn't seem to get enough. Even the writers and artists at DC were caught up in the excitement of the appearance of the JSA.

The miraculous happened in JLA #21; a teamup of the Justice League and the Justice Society!

The book today is justifiably one of the most sought after DC comics of the Silver Age. The cover pencilled by Mike Sekowsky and inked (with inspiration) by Anderson, ranks as one of the very best Silver Age covers ever and only one other JLA cover would rival it in impact. The cover shows the JLA members in a seancelike pose around a table with the Justice Society appearing in a cloud of smoke above their heads. It is doubtful any other single issue of the JLA in their own series (excluding the Brave and the Bold tryout issues) ever created as much excitement as did this single issue.

Fox was inspired in his writing of the story "Crisis On Earth I." The Justice Society tnembers he chose to bring back in their first adventure since All Star were: the Flash, Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Black Canary, Hourman, the Atom, and the Green Lantern. The classic tale carried over into issue #22 in the story "Crisis on Earth II." These two issues of the JLA stand near the top of any Silver Age collector's list of favourites and are bright spots in any comic collection.

Only one other JLA book in their own series can top or equal these two exciting issues. The initial appearance of the JLA-JSA teamup proved so popular that it would become an annual affair. The members participating on both teams would vary from annual outing to annual outing. Not much above average would happen in the series until the next pairing of the two groups in issue #29 and #30.

While the stories were adequate and there were some nice covers, nothing seemed to quite reach the peak set by the first JSA issues. Except for the outstanding cover on #29, the second annual teamup issues were a bit of a letdown from issue #21 and 22, a natural consequence of the anticipation for those two issues.

The cover for issue #29, as mentioned above, was another outstanding job from the Sekowsky/Anderson team and was also inspired by a previous All Star issue (#8, and this time the cover was an almost direct copy). The All Star cover has the Justice Society members standing around a crystal ball in which we see two heroes (Starman and Dr. Midnight) who are to be inducted as new members in that issue. On JLA #29 we see the JSA standing over a crystal ball in which the members of the JLA appear.

Regrettably, in this issue another alternate Earth is added to the DC universe; Earth III. The two issues entitled "Crisis on Earth III" and "The Most Dangerous Earth Of All" further crowded an already overflowing comics universe.

Earth III had their own costumed counterparts to Earth I and Earth II (in this case things were in reverse of the other two Earths as costumed "Heroes" of Earth III were all criminals). The two issues (JLA #29 and #30) were so overcrowded it began to look like a Mack Sennett Keystone Kops comedy! It was a classic case of "too much of a good thing".

JLA #31 introduced yet another new member into its roster. The Hawkman had been given a second tryout in Brave and the Bold and had finally won his own series. It was now time to award him full membership to the team. With his winged costume he was the League's most visual member, but the timing of his entry was not the most opportune in that the JLA was already overcrowded. This allowed the character of Hawkman to benefit little from being added to the line-up. His addition, of course, Just further log jammed the already crowded book as his entry brought the active membership to ten.

It became virtually impossible to include the entire membership in one story. Members were left out of some issues and put into others, making it difficult to identify who was where, when and why!!! Hawkman's addition did not seem to meet with the excitement of the induction's of the Green Arrow and the Atom. It appeared that fans had begun to take a bit of a "hohum" attitude regarding the continual addition of new members.

Although the "newness" and thrill of the series seemed to be wearing thin, there were still a few bright rays of light that would crack through before the looming dark days of the book would fully take over. Two of these "rays of light" were issue #36 and 41. Back in the '40s the original Justice Society had dealt with social issues in a few of their adventures. In #36 the JLA had their first "social issue" adventure.

The story, "Case of the Disabled Justice League," has a villain ("Brain Storm") afflicting members of the JLA with handicaps similar to those of some children they had visited earlier in a hospital. The League then had to do battle against their enemy while afflicted with these handicaps and in so doing see what it was like to be faced with such afflictions. (NOTE: The JSA in All Star #27 also dealt with the issue of handicapped children.)

In issue #41 a villain by the name of The Key in an adventure entitled "The Key, Master Of The World" uses the members' consciences to influence them to break up the team. This story was also similar in context to two stories Fox had done in All Star #s 22 and 24 in which he had dealt with the importance of conscience in mankind. Though issue #36 and 41 are worthy of more than just passing attention in the context of the JLA series, it would be in issue #57 that Gardner Fox would really assert himself and do one of the best stories of the Silver Age (and possibly the single best JLA story?). Since issue #30, and with the exceptions of issue #36 and 41, not much out of the ordinary occurred until that 57th issue.

The series was on a downhill slide that had (or would) include the punfilled issues so influenced by the "camp" Batman TV show, reprints (the bane of all serious readers at the time), silly guest stars, more reprints, silly covers, soso stories, even more reprints, and a continually changing active membership that left readers confused as to who was in the JLA For all these reasons, issue #s 36, 41, and 57 remain as outstanding examples of the series.

The cover to Justice League #57 stands as one of the very best done on any Silver Age comic book by any publisher. It was one of the truly classic covers of the Silver Age, or any age, for that matter. Pencilled by Carmine Infantino and inked by Sid Greene, it depicts the Green Arrow, Flash, and Hawkman standing behind three youths of differing nationalities holding hands in front of a United Nation's symbol. Above all their heads, carved in a granitelike stone, is the story title, "Man Thy Name Is Brother." The background is black, effecting a stunning, vivid and colourful piece of artwork!

The story, as told by the three cover heroes to Snapper Carr, teaches that men are truly brothers regardless of race, creed, or colour. The story unravels as each of the stars carry Snapper to different parts of the world to bring their points home. Even Mike Sekowsky seemed inspired in his depiction of the story as was the inking by Sid Greene. Of all the JLA books, this stands as one of the finest examples of what could have been. If only one book could the labelled "classic" in the JLA series, the authors feel this would most likely be the one. Sad to say, the series would wander from this point into a mire of nondirection.

By the time Fox would write his last JLA adventure in issue #65, it had become evident he had lost some enthusiasm (and why not, he had been writing for decades). Writers would come and go, each with their own ideas as to what the characters would be like, adding and dropping characters in what seemed like arbitrary comic book madness! The series had lost its special distinction. Grown members would squabble and fuss like immature teens in a halfhearted attempt to "copy" Marvel. "Colourful" language would spout from the mouths of drooping and desperate heroic figures.

Characters would be killed off, continuity would become a thing of the past, and art would suffer terribly. Membership would grow to the size of a small army and stories would run on for untold issues. Before its last truly inglorious days, the title would enjoy a few brighter moments, like some nice covers by Neal Adams and Gil Kane, and some really excellent interior art by the talented George Perez. Still, it seemed the book had so lost its personality that even a few shining exceptions could not have saved it.

The JLA remains among the most controversial of all the Silver Age, Julius Schwartzedited, DC titles. That distinction alone will keep the Justice League of America at the forefront of collector demand and interest for years to come. To gain insight into the title's ongoing popularity, one need only look at the current collector's market to see the upwardly escalating demand for, and value of JLA back issues.

While the JLA was not, perhaps, the artistic perfection "fans" wanted in its later issues, it was intriguing enough to keep readers coming back to the news-stand for over 20 years! Even today, JLA spin off titles continue to be successful in spite of the demise of the original title with the April, 1987, issue. Consider the fact that the "second series" began in May, 1987, without missing even a single month of publication! You see, the fans just simply love the concept, rather like literary and visual Neapolitan ice cream.

Remember how you felt the first time you saw all those heroes on the same cover???? Yep, (sigh) so do I....