Justice League of America #193

Issue Details

Synopsis

SECRET OF GENESIS Unable to duplicate the conditions of the Red Tornado's original creation, T. O. Morrow is intent upon dismantling the android to learn his secret, when Aquaman, who has been searching for Morrow and the abducted Tornado with his fellow Justice League members, discovers the villain's hideaway. Morrow blasts Aquaman with his power-scepter [1], and the Sea King is saved by mere chance, as Green Lantern finds him and brings him to the JLA satellite for treatment. The Justice League finally confronts Morrow an masse, just as he is attacked by the powerful Tornado Tyrant, who bests all the JLA members except Firestorm.   Before Firestorm can attack the Tyrant, he is confronted by the Tornado Champion, who recounts his history and reveals that it had been he who was the life-force of the Red Tornado. By tampering with the android's memory, Morrow had unwittingly freed the Tornado Champion and his evil other-self. Firestorm now reintegrates the Tornado Champion and Tyrant into the Red Tornado, causing the tornado-being to lose his memory of his separate existence (as he had when first becoming part of Red Tornado), this time voluntarily. Red Tornado revives, with only Firestorm now aware of the secret of his origin. ALL-STAR SQUADRON Late into the evening of December 6, 1941, President Roosevelt and Harry Hopkins attempt to contact the Justice Society of America but no one answers as their headquarters is empty. In Los Angeles, Johnny Chambers and Tubby Watts cover a charity foot race among the Flash, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman, with the Amazon winning by a nose. Wildcat (standing in for boxing champ Ted Grant, who was absent due to a head cold) presents Wonder Woman with a trophy, noting that he had been wanting to meet the three heroes. The heroes take their leave and meet up (minus Wildcat) in nearby Echo Park, where they encounter Solomon Grundy. None of the heroes have fought Grundy, yet the villain claims to have fought them before. The magic lasso is as ineffective on Grundy as G.L.'s green plasma boxing glove, and he knocks her out in one punch, then takes out the Flash by whapping him with Green Lantern. Grundy then is summoned by a mysterious voice to deliver them or "pay the penalty."   Roosevelt makes another attempt to contact the JSA with no luck. Meanwhile, in New York City, Sandman, Starman, and Johnny Thunder (with his personal Thunderbolt), are attacked at Wes Dodds' penthouse apartment, by the not-yet-notorious Sky Pirate. Johnny gets knocked out right away, so the T-bolt fades out, but Ted and Wes smack the hell out of the glazey-eyed, gray-uniformed crew of "mindless robot-men." But Sky Pirate has a gas gun which knocks them both out.   Simultaneously, Dr. Fate learns through the Orb of Nabu that Wotan has returned, despite having been defeated "forever." Wotan attacks Dr Fate's tower. Fate flies out to counterattack, despite Inza's admonishment that he is not as powerful as before, and he has indeed been significantly de-powered since changing helmets. Fate crashes into "Wotan" at high speed and they both drop. On landing, "Wotan" turns out to be The Spectre. The real Wotan, hiding nearby in the form of a tree, has set this all up, and lured the Spectre here by impersonating his old enemy Kulak. Wotan departs, taking both superheroes with him.   On a barely-charted island in the South Pacific, Ensign Rod (Firebrand) Reilly tries to dissuade his headstrong vulcanologist sister Danette from her risky research, to no avail, and soon returns to his ship.   Elsewhere, in Gotham City, Superman, Batman, and Robin open a new USO club, when Zobar Zodiak bursts through the wall in his propellorless alchemical airplane. Batman & Robin charge him, but he flings some drops his Elixir of Youth on them, turning them into infants! Superman flies in, but Professor Zodiak pulls out the Philosopher's Stone, coated with green kryptonite powder, and Superman rashly grabs it, then collapses. This is his first encounter with Green K. Zodiak was expecting this ploy to turn Superman into gold, but doesn't question his good fortune, and he leaves with three prisoners. He speaks of Degaton as "the master."   Meanwhile, in Washington, an increasingly frustrated FDR calls for Plastic Man to go check out JSA HQ. Elsewhere in Washington, the Atom, Dr. Mid-Nite, and Hawkman are attacked at the Lincoln Memorial by The Monster, armed with a death-ray. He's no match for any of them let alone all of them, although he does tag Hawk and Mid-Nite, before the Atom punches him out. Unconscious, the Monster changes into an old man, mentioning the name "Degaton" as the person responsible for the attack. Then he starts to glow, and vanishes. Witnessing this from the shadows is a mysterious man in a trenchcoat and slouch hat, who then walks away "making strangely metallic sounds upon the rough concrete."   As the clock strikes midnight, Roosevelt reveals he had hoped to have the JSA ready in case of a Japanese attack. Still unsuccessful in contacting them, the president is cautiously optimistic the United States will "come through this."