DC Retroactive: JLA - The '90s

ARTISTS

Writers: J. M. DeMatteis, Keith Giffen
Penciller: Kevin Maguire
Inker: Kevin Maguire
Colorist: Rosemary Cheetham
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
Editor: Jim Chadwick
Cover Artists: Rosemary Cheetham, Kevin Maguire

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CHARACTERS & SETTINGS

heroes: Blue Beetle II, Booster Gold, Fire, Guy Gardner, Ice, Martian Manhunter, Power Girl
villain: Big Sir
supportinges: Maxwell Lord, Oberon, Power Girl's Cat

Setting: 20th-century New York, NY, USA

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ISSUE SUMMARY

Cover Description: The Injustice League stands over the bodies of the Justice League International.

Brief Synopsis: The Justice League International hunts a for missing technology from Apokolips.

Issue Summary: At the Dark Side Bar in New York City, Multi-Man of the Injustice League wins a bit of Apokolips' technology from a vacationing Parademon. Shortly thereafter, as the Injustice League debates becoming heroes, the technology infects Big Sur with Parademon DNA, transmuting him into a four-story Parademon.

Meanwhile Mister Miracle and Guy Gardner have encountered the vacationing Parademon and learned about the rogue technology, a "Medibooster." The pair warn the rest of the Justice League and eventually encounter the rampaging giant Parademon, which has just interrupted Fire and Ice's shopping trip. Martian Manhunter, Blue Beetle, and Booster Gold respond to the emergency, thankful for the opportunity to get away from Power Girl's cat.

As the others battle the Parademonized Big Sur, Guy Gardner subdues the rest of the blundering Injustice League despite Ice's objections. Gardner suggests the idea for the Injustice League becoming the Justice League Antarctica before rejoining the rest of his victorious team. Reveal Potential Spoilers

Costume Worn: MARK I power-suit

Issue Notes: The events in this issue cause a continuity problem, as they cannot logically occur at any point in the timeline provided by the issues of Justice League International. The story must take place after the introduction of Power Girl's Cat (Justice League America #37) and before Justice League America Annual #4, published later the same year. Mister Miracle is in the story although he was abducted by the Cluster at the conclusion to Justice League International #15 to be replaced with a robot incapable of the actions attributed to Mister Miracle in this issue. Miracle would not return to Earth for some time. Also, Booster Gold quit the Justice League in the aforementioned Justice League America #37, and would not rejoin the Justice League for several months. The most probable placement of the events of this issue are immediately prior to the conclusion of Justice League America #37.

Story Notes: This issue contains two stories. Only one, "Apokolips No!", includes Booster Gold.

Reprints: This issue contains a reprint of the story "Breakdowns: Swan Song" originally published in Justice League America #60 in 1992.

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ISSUE ANNOTATIONS

Page 9, panel 4
Booster Gold shows up at the Justice League's New York Embassy just in time to joke with Oberon about the shopping trip for which Fire and Ice have just left. Despite Fire's protests, she has historically enjoyed shopping greatly. It is implied that Booster Gold is a member of the League, as no mention is made of his having quit to join the Conglomerate, the super group Booster would lead until the Justice League reformed following the "Breakdowns" storyline.

Page 9, panel 7
Booster Gold and Blue Beetle had something of a falling out in Justice League America #37, leaving a rift that would take some months to heal. It is not clear if this adventure takes place before or after that disagreement.

Page 14, panel 5
Bergdorf and Prada are both luxury goods stores located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York.

Page 17, panel 2
Chronologically, this would be the first meeting between Booster Gold and Power Girl's cat. The cat was found in Justice League America #37 and was promptly teleported to the JLI Paris Embassy where it was adopted by Power Girl.

Page 24, panel 5
The joke of Power Girl naming her cat after another member of the Justice League is first seen in the closing panels of Justice League Europe #13. As originally published, the events of Justice League Europe #13 take place immediately after the events in Justice League America #37.

Page 25, panel 2
Major Disaster's desire to be a hero and Guy Gardner's response both foreshadow the events of Justice League America Annual #4, where the Injustice League is established as the Antarctica branch of the Justice League International.

Page 26, panel 1
Victorious again, the Justice League International, including Martian Manhunter, flies into the sunset accompanied by the famous tagline of cartoon character Porky Pig. Like Porky Pig, the Justice League is owned by Warner Bros. Entertainment.

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ISSUE REVIEW

Boosterrific Review: Really, this issue is everything a reader could hope for from a Justice League International class reunion. It's great to catch up with the old friends from back in the day, no one having changed an iota in the years since. All nostalgic comics should be this good.

Boosterrific Rating:

• Currently 5.0/5 Stars.

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