... And Some Justice League Stories Have Greatness Thrust Upon Them

Shipping this week is JLA: The Greatest Stories Ever Told, a 192-page paperback reprinting "some of the stand-out tales from the long history of the World's Greatest Super-Heroes." The book reprints Justice League of America #s 19, 77, 122, and 166-68; Justice League #1; the lead story from JLA Secret Files #1; JLA #61; and an excerpt of the League's origin from JLofA #200.

Looking over the list of stories, I have to say the emphasis is on "some."

First let me say I understand that certain publishing considerations may override any kind of (hypothetical) fan consensus when it comes to the inclusion of certain stories. Besides the Archives volumes, the new Showcase Presents volume reprints most of the League's first few years, the Crisis on Multiple Earths series reprints the JLA/JSA team-ups, and the last ten years of JLA will soon be in paperback. That narrows the field somewhat.

For example, Justice League of America #19 (May 1963), falls just outside the first Showcase volume, but is still fairly representative of the Gardner Fox/Mike Sekowsky League. Likewise, Justice League of America #77 (December 1969), by Denny O'Neil and Dick Dillin, relates the infamous story of Snapper Carr's betrayal. I'm not quite sure why Joe Kelly's first issue as regular writer, JLA #61 (February 2002), is here, unless it hasn't been reprinted previously (and I thought it had).

One theme which emerges from this list is the origins of various Leagues. The original team's origin is retold in a sequence by Gerry Conway and George Perez from Justice League of America #200 (March 1982), the first adventure of Max Lord's League is the subject of Justice League #1 (May 1987), and the "Morrison League's" first official adventure was revealed in JLA Secret Files #1 (September 1997).

However, the other theme, and the one which spoils the nostalgia for me, comes out of the "Satellite Era" stories, Justice League of America #122 (September 1975) and Justice League of America #s 166-68 (May-July 1979). The first is a Dr. Light tale called "The Great Identity Crisis!" and the second is the Secret Society of Super-Villains story alluded to in, yes, Identity Crisis. While that miniseries may have sparked interest in these stories, or at least given them an extra layer of irony, it doesn't necessarily mean they're "the greatest" now.

Now, I know that "greatest" is sales-talk to a large extent, and DC makes its money trying to sell books that people will want to buy. If a few JLA stories laid the foundation for one of DC's biggest events of the past several years, I don't begrudge DC reprinting them. I just ask that DC call them what they are. If this were another company, they'd be Must-Haves or Milestones. I'm sure DC could think up a similarly alliterative brand. (By the way, DC, when can we expect Showcase Presents: Secret Society Of Super-Villains? These might fit well there.)

Therefore, if it were me, I'd toss out the Dr. Light, SSoSV, and Joe Kelly stories, leaving us with five issues' worth with which to play. I'm sorely tempted to replace three of those issues with the entire JLofA #200, which featured the art of Jim Aparo, Pat Broderick, Joe Kubert, Carmine Infantino, Brian Bolland, and Gil Kane, plus a framing sequence and final act drawn by George Perez. For the rest of the book, I might suggest something from the Steve Englehart run -- say, the two-part Manhunter epic (Justice League of America#s 141-42, April-May 1977), good enough for an animated adaptation; or my personal-favorite League story from any era, Justice League of America #144 (July 1977), Englehart and Dillin's valentine to the team's late-'50s origins.

Finally, if one more issue would fit, it might well be either "The Fiend With Five Faces!", a probably-goofier-than-I-remember Gerry Conway/Dick Dillin tale from JLofA #156 (July 1978) or the Amazo story "The Bigger They Come..." by Mark Millar, Mark Pajarillo, and Walden Wong, from JLA #27 (March 1999).

Anyway, picking the "greatest" stories is what keeps the back-issue market alive, I guess. This new collection isn't quite a traveshamockery of JLA history, but it does tend to wear its marketing on its sleeve.

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