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

[caj]

Of course we didn't have the internet and social media back then, but for those of you (like me) who was at the age of reading JLA when the satellite era was coming out, I have a question for you:

How popular do you think Firestorm was in the JLA? Did readers accept him? I notice he was used a lot and appeared on a lot of covers. Not sure if that was more Gerry Conway (who created Firestorm and also wrote JLA) or if he really did have a nice fanbase who wanted to see him. And do you think he was as popular as Zatanna (who Conway did overuse in JLA IMO)?

Just curious.

[liwanag]

My favorite part of it is how Green Arrow is apparently running as fast as The Flash.

green arrow had a super speed trick arrow stored in his quiver.

[Comic-Reader Lad]

Of course we didn't have the internet and social media back then, but for those of you (like me) who was at the age of reading JLA when the satellite era was coming out, I have a question for you:

How popular do you think Firestorm was in the JLA? Did readers accept him? I notice he was used a lot and appeared on a lot of covers. Not sure if that was more Gerry Conway (who created Firestorm and also wrote JLA) or if he really did have a nice fanbase who wanted to see him. And do you think he was as popular as Zatanna (who Conway did overuse in JLA IMO)?

Just curious.

I liked Firestorm, so I was happy to see him join the JLA. The JLA lineup didn't change nearly as often as the Avengers, so it was always fun to see new members. However, I don't know if reader demand had anything to do with his joining. I'm thinking it was just Conway-demand.

I don't know if he was as popular as Zatanna. She really did get in due to reader demand as revealed in the letter column, but I enjoyed her on the team. She didn't have any other home in comics, so I can't really fault Conway for using her a lot. I really liked her introductory arc where Conway developed her backstory with Sindella.

The only member I didn't care too much about was Hawkgirl. All she was at the time in comics was "Hawkman's wife." There never was an effort made to develop her beyond that, so she didn't add anything to the team that wasn't already there in terms of power set.

[caj]

I liked Firestorm, so I was happy to see him join the JLA. The JLA lineup didn't change nearly as often as the Avengers, so it was always fun to see new members. However, I don't know if reader demand had anything to do with his joining. I'm thinking it was just Conway-demand.

I don't know if he was as popular as Zatanna. She really did get in due to reader demand as revealed in the letter column, but I enjoyed her on the team. She didn't have any other home in comics, so I can't really fault Conway for using her a lot. I really liked her introductory arc where Conway developed her backstory with Sindella.

The only member I didn't care too much about was Hawkgirl. All she was at the time in comics was "Hawkman's wife." There never was an effort made to develop her beyond that, so she didn't add anything to the team that wasn't already there in terms of power set.

I wasn't thrilled with Firestorm joining in the beginning but I grew to like him a lot. I liked his youthfulness and inexperience compared to the other grand heroes of the League.

I agree with you that I loved Zatanna's introduction story with Sindella. That's probably my favorite storyline of Conway's. But I do think Conway overused her in the beginning but I still loved the character.

As for Hawkgirl, I think Steve Englehart wanted her in the League but I don't think Conway was interested in developing her. It was quite obvious that Conway had little interest in her, Aquaman, or Atom. What was odd about that was that the few times he did use Hawkgirl, he did a decent job with her dialogue and he gave her some personality. It just wasn't enough IMO.

[Nomads1]

Of course we didn't have the internet and social media back then, but for those of you (like me) who was at the age of reading JLA when the satellite era was coming out, I have a question for you:

How popular do you think Firestorm was in the JLA? Did readers accept him? I notice he was used a lot and appeared on a lot of covers. Not sure if that was more Gerry Conway (who created Firestorm and also wrote JLA) or if he really did have a nice fanbase who wanted to see him. And do you think he was as popular as Zatanna (who Conway did overuse in JLA IMO)?

Just curious.

Personally, I didn't like Firestorm in the Legue. IMHO, it was the precursor of the problems with the Justice League Detroit. For me, the League should be just about seasoned veterans, the best of the best. As much as I was enjoying him in his book (and I was), and as powerful as he was, I don't think he had a place in the JLA. If he wasn't Gerry Conway's pet creation, I don't think he would have gotten the spot. Who was to be next, Air Wave? ( who I also liked, mind you, but was hardly experienced)
As for Zee, I liked her from the start, and though her powers could be kind of Deus ex Machina, she filled a void in the League, an absence of magic wielders.

Peace

[DevilBat66]

Of course we didn't have the internet and social media back then, but for those of you (like me) who was at the age of reading JLA when the satellite era was coming out, I have a question for you:

How popular do you think Firestorm was in the JLA? Did readers accept him? I notice he was used a lot and appeared on a lot of covers. Not sure if that was more Gerry Conway (who created Firestorm and also wrote JLA) or if he really did have a nice fanbase who wanted to see him. And do you think he was as popular as Zatanna (who Conway did overuse in JLA IMO)?

Just curious.

I was 14 and Firestorm was one of my favorite DC heroes at the time.

I was super excited for him to join. Especially after we got robbed on Black Lightning.

[caj]

As for Zee, I liked her from the start, and though her powers could be kind of Deus ex Machina, she filled a void in the League, an absence of magic wielders.

Peace

Speaking of which, what was everyone's though on the reduction of her powers in JLA #191?

[caj]

I don't know if he was as popular as Zatanna. She really did get in due to reader demand as revealed in the letter column, but I enjoyed her on the team. She didn't have any other home in comics, so I can't really fault Conway for using her a lot.

Those letter-column votes were fun. If memory serves, they had one for favorite Leaguer (which GL won), member who should leave (which Hawkgirl won), and who do you want to join (which Zatanna won).

[silly]

Those letter-column votes were fun. If memory serves, they had one for favorite Leaguer (which GL won), member who should leave (which Hawkgirl won), and who do you want to join (which Zatanna won).

That's interesting.

The letter columns were amazing. Glad to hear GL won as favorite. A category for which member should leave is interesting too.

[caj]

A category for which member should leave is interesting too.

If I remember correctly, Batman came in second. Readers felt that Batman was a loner and didn't belong in the League.

[Comic-Reader Lad]

By the way, here are the relevant JLA Popularity Poll pages from JLA 152 & 153.

Based on the results printed in JLA 152, editor Julie Schwartz had writer Gerry Conway come up with a story featuring the top 5 most popular JLA members. This appeared in JLA 153 and saw the Top 5 travel to Earth-Prime where they met its first superhero, Ultraa. Years later, Earth-Prime would have a second superhero, Superboy-Prime, who turned villain in Infinite Crisis.

The poll results in JLA 153 reflect additional votes that came in after the publishing of JLA 152. However, the top 5 were still the top 5, although Superman pulled ahead of Flash to be the 2nd most popular JLAer after Green Lantern. Rankings of JLAers 6 to 14 did not change in JLA 153's final results

JLA 152 early results:




JLA 153 FINAL results:

[Lee Stone]

I really liked Conway's run on the League.
Especially pre-Detroit.
Shame Vixen had just missed the Satellite era.

[DevilBat66]

I voted in that poll!

also...Haha! Nobody liked Egglonted Man!

[Lee Stone]

And the result of the 'who should join?' poll, from #160:

1. Zatanna
2. Captain Comet
3. Black Lightning
4. Supergirl
5. Metamorpho

[caj]

And the result of the 'who should join?' poll, from #160:

1. Zatanna
2. Captain Comet
3. Black Lightning
4. Supergirl
5. Metamorpho

Although any of those 5 would've made great members, I think the readers made the right choice. Zatanna fit perfectly in the League IMO.