Justice League of America [SILVER to BRONZE Ages] Appreciation 2019!

[BatmanJones]

These 8 heroes were probably considered THE faces of DC Comics back in the 70s. Does this still hold true today? If not, who goes away and who replaces them?

They also felt like the most essential JLA members in the 70s. For the last few decades JL(A/U) fans have called J'onn the heart of the League but he was gone and mostly forgotten for most of the 70s.

The main thing that strikes me about historically significant JL(A) membership is that Green Arrow has really been left out in the cold wrt JL since the New 52. He just missed founding member/Big 7 status, joining the team in JLA #4. From then to the end of the original run when the team disbanded to form JL Detroit he was on almost every mission and his relationship with Dinah and bickering with Katar were the most prominent relationships during the Bronze Age. If there were a Big 8 he would be in it and in the 70s he'd have taken J'onn's place in the Big 7.

[caj]

They also felt like the most essential JLA members in the 70s. For the last few decades JL(A/U) fans have called J'onn the heart of the League but he was gone and mostly forgotten for most of the 70s.

The main thing that strikes me about historically significant JL(A) membership is that Green Arrow has really been left out in the cold wrt JL since the New 52. He just missed founding member/Big 7 status, joining the team in JLA #4. From then to the end of the original run when the team disbanded to form JL Detroit he was on almost every mission and his relationship with Dinah and bickering with Katar were the most prominent relationships during the Bronze Age. If there were a Big 8 he would be in it and in the 70s he'd have taken J'onn's place in the Big 7.

Agree about Green Arrow, although he did quit the League between JLofA #181 and #200.

Changing gears, remember when Gerry Conway was playing up the attraction between Firestorm and Power Girl? They both would appear in almost every JLA/JSA team up each year.

[LifeIsILL]

Justice League of America #12 is significant because it's the original Tower of Babel (Villain finds out the weaknesses of all the JL members)

[DrNewGod]

Is there a hero you would include in the classic line-up that was never written into the book. I know Alex Ross always includes Captain Marvel and Plastic Man in a lot of his JLA drawings. What would your additions be, if any?

- Cyborg: His original outfit. He's already been retconned as a founder, why not in the Satellite era? (he was on "Superfriends" after all (or was it called "Super Powers" then?))
- Orion: Nice nod to Kirby and the Fourth World connection has become so much more important.
- Black Lightning: If not for the behind the scenes stuff with Isabella, he would've had a much higher profile all along.

I second Black Lightning, particularly because he started out in a title of his own.

Supergirl: it might have been nice to see Kal-el played down a bit in favor of his cousin.

While Metamorpho is also an obvious candidate, I'd say no, because his rejecting the League's invitation was a rare, interesting twist for the title at the time.

[Frontier]

Justice League of America #12 is significant because it's the original Tower of Babel (Villain finds out the weaknesses of all the JL members)

And it's Dr. Light to boot !

[liwanag]

[caj]

Anyone care to share stories of finding back issues of JLofA (or other comics)? Before comic book shops, it was really difficult to find back issues of comics. Here's one of mine:

My Mom was a stay-at-home housewife (and loved being one). She never really commented on my love of comics but would always let me buy them. She was aware of the hours I spent reading them or tracing over them in my attempt to teach myself how to draw. We lived in a small farm town and my Mom would drive into the nearest town, which was 20-25 miles away, once a week to buy groceries. You would pretty much need to go to the hospital or something like that to get her to go back to town after she made that once-a-week trip.

One Saturday when I was about 11 or 12 years old, a friend of mine had been to town and came upon a traveling flea market that had boxes of old comics. He called me and told me they had lots of Justice League comics. I just knew there was no way Mama was going to take me back to town, since she had just gone two days before. But I told her that this may be my only chance to get some back issues and that I really wanted to go. She looked at me and said 'well, I guess we better get up there before they sell them all.'

I couldn't believe it. No begging, no pleading, just 'let's go get in the car'. I knew at that moment that she understood how much I loved comics and what they meant to me. I bought about 20 or more issues of Justice League that day and couldn't stop smiling all the way home. Mama's gone now, but that's a special memory for me.

[silly]

Anyone care to share stories of finding back issues of JLofA (or other comics)? Before comic book shops, it was really difficult to find back issues of comics. Here's one of mine:

My Mom was a stay-at-home housewife (and loved being one). She never really commented on my love of comics but would always let me buy them. She was aware of the hours I spent reading them or tracing over them in my attempt to teach myself how to draw. We lived in a small farm town and my Mom would drive into the nearest town, which was 20-25 miles away, once a week to buy groceries. You would pretty much need to go to the hospital or something like that to get her to go back to town after she made that once-a-week trip.

One Saturday when I was about 11 or 12 years old, a friend of mine had been to town and came upon a traveling flea market that had boxes of old comics. He called me and told me they had lots of Justice League comics. I just knew there was no way Mama was going to take me back to town, since she had just gone two days before. But I told her that this may be my only chance to get some back issues and that I really wanted to go. She looked at me and said 'well, I guess we better get up there before they sell them all.'

I couldn't believe it. No begging, no pleading, just 'let's go get in the car'. I knew at that moment that she understood how much I loved comics and what they meant to me. I bought about 20 or more issues of Justice League that day and couldn't stop smiling all the way home. Mama's gone now, but that's a special memory for me.

Thanks dude. That was a nice story.

I have a similar experience with my mom. But with a toy. She was really patient with me.

I'm teary eyed right now.

[Comic-Reader Lad]

Anyone care to share stories of finding back issues of JLofA (or other comics)? Before comic book shops, it was really difficult to find back issues of comics. Here's one of mine:

My Mom was a stay-at-home housewife (and loved being one). She never really commented on my love of comics but would always let me buy them. She was aware of the hours I spent reading them or tracing over them in my attempt to teach myself how to draw. We lived in a small farm town and my Mom would drive into the nearest town, which was 20-25 miles away, once a week to buy groceries. You would pretty much need to go to the hospital or something like that to get her to go back to town after she made that once-a-week trip.

One Saturday when I was about 11 or 12 years old, a friend of mine had been to town and came upon a traveling flea market that had boxes of old comics. He called me and told me they had lots of Justice League comics. I just knew there was no way Mama was going to take me back to town, since she had just gone two days before. But I told her that this may be my only chance to get some back issues and that I really wanted to go. She looked at me and said 'well, I guess we better get up there before they sell them all.'

I couldn't believe it. No begging, no pleading, just 'let's go get in the car'. I knew at that moment that she understood how much I loved comics and what they meant to me. I bought about 20 or more issues of Justice League that day and couldn't stop smiling all the way home. Mama's gone now, but that's a special memory for me.

Great story!

My parents also never made a stink about my collecting comics and were actually pretty supportive--taking me to comic conventions, helping me sell my comics, and even throwing me a comic-themed birthday party at a catering hall complete with actors dressed in costume.

In fact, for another birthday when I was a kid, they bought me both the first appearance of X-Men in Giant-Size X-Men #1 (which I sold over 20 years ago), and also, in relation to Justice League, the very first appearance of the team in Brave and the Bold 28, which I still have.

Getting both GS X-Men 1 and B&B 28 on the same birthday was better than socks and underwear, let me tell you.

[caj]

Thanks dude. That was a nice story.

I have a similar experience with my mom. But with a toy. She was really patient with me.

I'm teary eyed right now.

Yeah, I teared up while writing my story as well. Thanks for sharing yours.

[caj]

Great story!

My parents also never made a stink about my collecting comics and were actually pretty supportive--taking me to comic conventions, helping me sell my comics, and even throwing me a comic-themed birthday party at a catering hall complete with actors dressed in costume.

In fact, for another birthday when I was a kid, they bought me both the first appearance of X-Men in Giant-Size X-Men #1 (which I sold over 20 years ago), and also, in relation to Justice League, the very first appearance of the team in Brave and the Bold 28, which I still have.

Getting both GS X-Men 1 and B&B 28 on the same birthday was better than socks and underwear, let me tell you.

That is so cool. I went another direction - I had most of the DC action figures along with the Hall of Justice playset, Bat-copter, Batmobile, and Bat-cycle.

[liwanag]

[caj]

Just for fun, list a Justice League of America issue that you've never read but would love to because you like the cover.

For me, it was #19. I saw it in a store years ago but it was more than I wanted to spend on a comic book. But it sure looks interesting.

[Güicho]

I second Black Lightning, particularly because he started out in a title of his own.

Yeh, in my headcanon he was absolutely the default next to join anyway, likely due to my exposure to the World's Greatest Superheroes Daily News lineup -






I couldn't believe it took them till Meltzer/Benes run to have him join.

[Nomads1]

Yeh, in my headcanon he was absolutely the default next to join anyway, likely due to my exposure to the World's Greatest Superheroes Daily News lineup -






I couldn't believe it took them till Meltzer/Benes run to have him join.

I loved this strip. Here in Brasil in the late 70's it was kind of hard to read about the Justice League (even in translated editions). This strip for a short time was it for me. Loved the Tuska and Colleta art (never forgot the atrists, but I don't recall who the writer was). To bad after a while it seemed to foccus more on Supes and Bats and the other Leaguers barely appeared.

Peace


EDIT:Remembered the writer. Martin Pasko.