Superman wasn't the first to try the whole Grounded thing

[superboyprime]

Vixen! Vibe! Gypsy! Commander Steel! This week's JLA Retro-Active issue spotlights the 80s. Gerry Conway, the writer and creator of the Detroit-era JLA, returns for a brand new story of that incarnation of the League.

Comments

[silverzeo]

Geoff? Are you kidding me?

[fifthie]

God damn, beat by seconds.

[sigmund_droid]

Wait...as in Geoff Jones?

[fifthie]

Ha ha ha ha, "Geoff"

[pyrotwilight]

Kinda surprised Geoff's sister Courtney wasn't with him here (though I guess she might not have been born yet or otherwise too young?).

[vitruvian23]

Wait, so they actually tied the Detroit League to the Reagan era, thereby placing these stories at least 25 years ago? Maybe it's a good thing they're about to reboot after all...

[arbre_rieur]

That's the whole point of this Retro-active thing. The stories are written as if they're actual untold tales from the eras they're celebrating. In the Flash 80s issue, there's even a joke about how phone booths are never going to go away.

[majingojira]

Interesting.

That's the way I like to think of the DCU as a whole. It just makes it a lot more palatable for me in the long run.

Less apocalypses in a short period of time to worry about...

[silverzeo]

So wait... what's with these stories? Are they Made up back stories or re-releases?

[superboyprime]

The former. Brand new stories by creators from those decades, written to be untold tales from those decades.

[lucky_gamble]

Geoff? What kinda of foolishness...

[sigmund_droid]

Someone explain Geoff!


Other than that, this is really part of the reason I prefer the Avengers to the Justice league. Character in the MU can stand up and say "I was once an avenger y'know!" and be received with a modicum of respect.

In the DC universe you play the Justice League card and people say "send for Superman or Batman please"

[glprime]

"Geoff" as in well-known DC architect Geoff Johns.

Also, I'M a Geoff.

[arbre_rieur]

'Character in the MU can stand up and say "I was once an avenger y'know!" and be received with a modicum of respect.'

D-Man and Deathcry can only wish what you're saying were true.

[icon_uk]

Deathcry? Gilgamesh? Century? Bug-Jan?

[sigmund_droid]

D-man was shown to receive help from both Ben Urich and Daredevil once he was discovered in hiding. Urich described D-man as one of the avengers "the real ones". True he was arrested for vagrancy by the New York police but D-man had personal chosen to remain a hero to the downtrodden and actually refused further Avenger activity. You might bring up Jewel and Power man's reaction in the recent appearance of D-man but this is in the context of a bodyguard/nanny for their child so it is understandable that they might be wary of someone that isn't fully mentally stable.

Deathcry was actually forced into the avengers and her involvement was muddy at best. If something recent happened with her you'll have to fill me in.

Is there something specific to both Giglamesh and Bug-jan? You've lost me there as well

[icon_uk]

Ummmm. Who said anything about D-Man?

My point was that there were some characters who are so obscure, underdeveloped or just plain dull, who were Avengers, that them mentioning they were Avengers probably wouldn't result in automatic respect, more a "Suuuuure you were" or "Really?" reaction

[sigmund_droid]

Why the poster above you did good sir! I just chose to be difficult and combine 2 replies into one.

I see what your saying but to me respect is a lot more believable for the avengers just because they are far less powerful than the JL. Even in this incarnation you have someone who has the strength of superman with added telepathy. Saying your in the justice league could just mean your holding supermans coffee as he single handly does everything.

Sure thor is powerful but he doesn't have the strongest grasp of modern earth and he must rely on fellow avengers.

[wizardru]

Far less powerful? Thor is A GOD (and so is Hercules). Captain America is nearly a century old. Iron Man is a flying tank with LASERS. Hank Pym can grow to be a hundred feet tall. Any of the Hulks are inhuman engines of destruction. Sentry is basically Psycho-Superman. The Thing is like the Hulk.

I mean sure, both teams have folks like Hawkeye or Mockingbird on them (Green Arrow, Black Canary) but the Avengers are every bit as powerful and terrifying to the man in the street as the Justice League. Read "Marvels" for a shift in perspective.

[wizardru]

D-man is a weird situation. He was something of a joke character originally from the Thing's solo comic who became a legitimate supporting cast member for Captain America. He joins Cap's new Avengers and in a very Thunderbird-like move, sacrifices himself during the mission. Later they find him alive, apparently damaged and living with some inuit....when they bring him back and nurse him to health. Then he got the Bendis treatment, being turned from a silly super-powered wrestler into a delusional schizophrenic (pages of which have been posted here already). This actually wasn't a terrible development, per se....but then Bendis recent joke treatment of him (showing him as desperate and treating his mental illness as comical) really seemed like a kick in the nuts.

[glprime]

"Reagan's America" can suck it.

[cleome45]

Yeah. Lord knows that Detroit has been Paradise on Earth nonstop since The Great Communicator left office. [snerk]

That line made me roll my eyes clear into next week.

[kusonaga]

I've always loved the JLA Detroit concept. Such a wacky team.

[eyz]

RALPH DIBNEY!!!

The Martian' part of the Justice League!!

Retro-Vixen's costume!!

Why are we getting a reboot now? can't we have more of THAT instead??

[fleur_de_liz]

COME BACK, RALPH. WE MISS YOU. WE DO NEED TWO STRETCHY GUYS.

C'mon, DC. One time, he disguised himself as a vase for THREE DAYS.

[cainofdreaming]

... I hazard to ask, but did the vase water itself? Though I guess members of the stretchy brigade can always elongate their bladder.