JLA #112 (May 2005)

Credits

• Writer: Kurt Busiek
• Penciller: Ron Garney
• Inker: Dan Green
• Colourist: David Baron
• Letter: Jared Fletcher
• Assistant Editor: Michael Siglain
• Editor: Mike Carlin
• Executive Editor: Dan Dido
• President: Paul Levitz
• Publisher: Paul Levitz

Character Appearances

Featuring

• Justice League of America - Aquaman, Batman, Flash III, Green Lantern John Stewart, Martian Manhunter, Plastic Man, Superman, and Wonder Woman

Villains

• Crime Syndicate of Amerika (appeared last issue) - Johnny Quick, Owlman, Power Ring III, Super Woman, and Ultraman
• Qwardians - Councillor Graxitux (one of the Weaponeers council; killed by Lysis), Highlord Irik Roval (Highlord of Qward), and Weaponlord Diataria Lysis (Roval’s second)

Guest Stars

• Justice League Elite (a covert-offshoot of the JLA; last appeared in this title in JLA #100 (Aug 2004)) - Coldcast, Green Arrow (Oliver Queen; currently with the JL Elite), Major Disaster, Menagerie II (sister of the original), and Sister Superior (Vera Black; Manchester Black’s sister; leader of the JL Elite)
• Justice Soceity of America - Captain Marvel, Hawkman (Carter Hall), and Power Girl (Karen Starr)
• New Gods - Big Barda, Lightray, and Orion
• Justice League Reserves - Black Canary II, Faith (has been working with the Doom Patrol; last appeared in this title in JLA #99 (Late July 2004)), and Red Tornado II

Other Characters

• Strategoes & Tacticos (attendroids - floating head-shaped robotic aids to the supreme leader of Qward)

Groups and Henchmen

• Thunderers of Qward (The army of Qward; long-time opponents of the Green Lantern Corps)
• Weaponeers of Qward (The technicians and engineers of Qward; designers of Sinestro’s yellow power ring)

Story Details

Locations

• Near Earth Space (the battle with the Void Hound)
• JLA Watchtower
• Nepal (the Syndicate start to build themselves a headquarters)
• A city on the anti-matter Earth (Batman’s raiding party)
• Hong Kong (Aquaman & the Elite battle the Syndicate)

Continuity

Hawkman’s anti-matter analogue was called the Blood Eagle

Synopsis

As the monstrous Qwardian weapon’s platform - Erdammeru, the Void Hound - enters the Solar System the Justice League is forced to call up the Justice League Elite, the Justice Society, and their own reserves to face both this new crisis and the ongoing incursion by the Crime Syndicate of Amerika. At Batman’s suggestion they split their forces into three groups. Aquaman will lead Red Tornado and the Elite to Hong Kong to occupy the Syndicate and the Martian Manhunter will coordinate heavy hitters in an attack on the Void Hound. At the same time Batman will lead Black Canary, Green Arrow, Hawkman and Plastic Man on an intelligence-gathering raid into the anti-matter universe. To get there the Flash has to alter the group’s internal vibrations and invert them from matter to anti-matter. He succeeds, but before he can join them he is distracted by a new emergency beacon.

The Void Hound makes steady process against the League’s heavy hitters. Aboard it Qwardian Highlord Roval becomes increasingly lost to logic as he succumbs to the machine mind’s animistic instincts. His advisers are concerned, but his chosen leader of the Weaponeers, Diataria Lysis, kills fellow council-member Graxitux to stop him moving against Roval before she is ready. Aquaman’s squad manages to hold the Syndicate to a stalemate on Earth before making a tactical withdrawal. Back in orbit the League’s fortunes are bolstered by the sudden arrival of a trio of New Gods, but the moment is lost after a devastating attack on the Manhunter’s shuttle and the untimely arrival of the Syndicate.

Review

See JLA #107 for a complete review of this story arc.