Justice League of America #208

Issue Details

Synopsis

CRISIS ON EARTH-PRIME! BOOK THREE - THE BOMB-BLAST HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD! On Earth-Two in January 1942, at the JSA's meeting rooms, five All-Stars (Commander Steel, Firebrand II, Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle, and Robotman) are rudely surprised to find five unknown interlopers in their borrowed HQ. These would be the Justice League (Aquaman, Firestorm, Hawkman, Superman, and Zatanna), visiting from a future decade of a parallel world. An unnecessary and regrettable fracas ensues, until Superman, quickly joined by Robotman, starts talking some sense to the assembled mystery-persons.   Then the telephone rings, and it's President Roosevelt, so they all hasten to Washington D.C. and all ten of them soon are ushered into the White House by Harry Hopkins. FDR has a mystery with which he'd like their help: a crated piece of electronic equipment was delivered to the White House that morning, and they'd unpacked it and set it up, and a note in the crate told them to use these electronic gizmos (a 1982-tech projection-screen TV, actually) to receive a special broadcast message, at this particular time of day. On schedule, there's Per Degaton, who claims to be simultaneously addressing FDR, Churchill, DeGaulle, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Hirohito, and Chiang Kai-Shek, with built-in instant translation and world-wide satellite coverage. Also Degaton can hear and see the All-Stars, and therefore all of these world-war leaders. Also Degaton has got nuke-tipped ICBMs, and has some demonstrations scheduled for tomorrow, at dawn, of what these things can do.   Meanwhile, on Earth-Prime, in October 1982, in the horrible ruins of New York City, the Justice Society (Dr. Fate, Green Lantern, the Huntress, Power Girl, and Starman) enter a subway tunnel and encounter some very hostile mutated humanoids, reduced to primitive squalor, and spoiling for a fight. They get one, and Doctor Fate ends it, by activating the old lights in this tunnel, which shocks their darkness-adapted eyes and knocks them out. Green Lantern's ring, which has led them to this tunnel and now leads them farther down it, soon bring the team to the home of an old, blind, unnamed, human hermit, who has lived there, eccentrically surrounded by old-style and useless television sets, ever since the bombs fell. Dr. Fate absorbs the old man's memories, and projects them into one of the junk TV sets.   Back in October 1962, President Kennedy was broadcasting to the nation a description of the Cuban Missile Crisis, which now had a more sinister twist added to it: the Soviet-built, Cuban-based ICBMs had been stolen, by super-powered parties unknown. Chairman Krushchev and President Kennedy pointedly disbelieved each-other's versions of what had happened, and a civilization-destroying exchange of nukes had ensued, killing about one third of the world's three billion people, and reducing the rest to deformity and savagery.   On Earth-Prime, Oct 1982, Green Lantern and Doctor Fate compare notes. Each in his own way has been alerted to a "persona echo" of a man involved in this catastrophe: Per Degaton.   On Earth-Two, Jan 1942, at sea, aboard a Royal Navy warship, nine All-Stars and Justice Leaguers stand by to observe Degaton's demonstration, while Aquaman zooms through the area warning all sea life to flee. On schedule, an ICBM dives into the area from its parabolic orbit, and detonates. Zatanna shields the assembled surface vessels from the shockwave and other destructive effects. Then appearing out of the center of the blast zone, a transparent flying bubble appears, carrying five unconscious JSA members. They regroup on the flagship's deck, all fifteen of them, and get to work on making a plan. FATE IS THE KILLER The Sailor of the Solar Winds known as Zodac arrives at the royal palace on the planet, Eternia. He warns the ruling council that the land's most powerful hero must leave Eternia forever or else he risks losing his life. Prince Adam knows that Zodac speaks of his alter ego, He-Man. He leaves the palace and summons the Sorceress in the hopes of gaining clarity as to Zodac's cryptic warning. The Sorceress tells He-Man that his arch-nemesis, Skeletor, is very close to finding the second half of the fabled power-sword. If both halves of the sword are joined, he will have the power to rule all of Eternia.   Meanwhile, Skeletor instructs his henchmen, Mer-Man and Beast-Man to scour the Eternian Sea in search of clues as to the lost sword. He eventually discovers that the sword rests in the oceans of another world in a separate dimension – a world known as Earth.   Skeletor uses the magic at his command to transport the three of them to Earth. They plunge into Earth's oceans and eventually recover one half of the power sword. Meanwhile, the super-hero known as Superman flies out over Metropolis Bay. He fights with a large sea-monster and eventually finds himself trapped in a whirling vortex. The vortex is the dimensional portal used by Skeletor, Beast-Man and Mer-Man for their return trip to Eternia.   Everyone arrives in front of Castle Grayskull. Superman assists in retrieving one of the other missing swords and gives it to He-Man. He-Man and Skeletor fight one another and impale each other upon their respective swords. Skeletor teleports back to his lair to nurse his wounds, leaving He-Man on the ground bleeding. Zodac arrives and uses his power to heal He-Man. He then creates another dimensional tunnel and returns Superman back to Earth.