All-Star Comics #26

Issue Details

Synopsis

VAMPIRES OF THE VOID! Hawkman has invited scientist Herbert Crawford to speak at the monthly meeting of the Justice Society of America, but Crawford is a no-show. Instead, Hawkman shares Herbert's theory that a living metallic spacecraft from Jupiter filled with tiny robots is headed towards Earth. During the conversation, Johnny Thunder turns on the radio and hears reports of strange occurrences happening in different places. Surmising that the robots are behind it, Hawkman sends the Justice Society out to stop them.  Hawkman journeys to Silverland City and encounters the robots in a silver mine. The robots have grown enormous and have taken on the properties of silver by gorging themselves on the metal in the mine. Hawkman is unable to defeat them and becomes puzzled when they begin stealing cash. Later, the robots charge themselves with electricity but Hawkman short circuits them with pennies. He then contacts the other members to tell them what he's learned about the robots and how they grow and adapt by consuming metal.   The Atom finds robots in a subway system consuming iron from the tracks. He is unable to stop them, nor can he conceive of a way to overcome them. Later, he receives a phone call from Hawkman which helps him formulate a plan: he tracks the robots to a jewelry store and rusts them to death with pressurized oxygen.   Green Lantern rescues a factory worker from the robots, who are eating all of the magnesium in the factory. Like the Atom, the Lantern gets a message from Hawkman. He then finds the robots busy robbing the factory payroll. Unable to fight the robots for fear that his ring's beam would set off their volatile magnesium bodies, he lures them out of the factory, then incinerates them with his power ring.   Doctor Mid-Nite tracks down copper robots, who've wiped out telephone communications by consuming the telephone wires. Dr. Mid-Nite finds the robots robbing a bank but can't seem to hurt them. Working with local metal workers and plumbers he tricks the robots into eating lead, which poisons them.   Flash's story is told from the perspective of a gold necklace in a museum (!) The robots break into the museum and start growing larger by eating the gold relics. Flash tries to stop the robots, but can't, so he races off to see Hawkman to get more information. When he returns, he takes advantage of gold's malleability and twists the robots into knots. He then returns the gold necklace to its case.   Johnny Thunder tracks down the spacecraft that brought the metal robots. Frustrated at its small size, he kicks it and knocks it loose, allowing it to eat and therefore grow larger. He’s forced to call on his Thunderbolt, who hides him from the spacecraft. Johnny realizes the aliens are too powerful for him to face, so he has the Thunderbolt bring the other members of the JSA to deal with the menace. Green Lantern dissolves the ship by pouring several vats of acid on top of it.   The JSA return to headquarters, where Herbert Crawford is waiting for them. To their surprise, he attacks them. Noticing he has taken on the same qualities as the robots, they electrocute him, and light him on fire. Later, Herbert reveals that because people did not believe his theories, he signaled the robots to come to earth. He offered them metal if they would steal for him. The JSA resolve to rehabilitate Herbert so he can use his talents to benefit the world.