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The Golden Age (comics)
Encyclopedia
The Golden Age is a 1993
four-issue Elseworlds
comic book
mini-series
by writer James Robinson and artist Paul Smith
. It concerns the Golden Age
DC Comics
superhero
es entering the 1950s and facing the advent of McCarthyism
.
heroes have adjusted to life after World War II
. The members of the Justice Society of America
and All-Star Squadron
have retired. Tex Thompson
, formerly the Americommando, has returned from Europe
a war hero, and has used his fame to start a political career, resulting in him being elected a Senator
. He then recruits several former heroes to create a new group of heroes for the 1950s. The group includes Robotman
, who is losing his sense of human ethics, the Atom and Johnny Thunder, who are both looking for somewhere to belong, and Dan the Dyna-Mite
(Daniel Dunbar), who is lost after the death of his mentor TNT
. Thompson oversees various experiments on Dunbar which change him into the incredibly powerful Dynaman.
Other retired heroes are suffering from their own problems. The McCarthy hearings
have resulted in Green Lantern
being blacklisted due to his job as the head of a media corporation. Johnny Quick
and Liberty Belle
were married and eventually divorced. Quick is now a television reporter while Belle is dating journalist John Law (formerly the Tarantula). Starman has suffered a nervous breakdown
after realizing that his research into cosmic energy helped in the development of the atom bomb
. Captain Triumph
(Lance Gallant) has retired and is trying to lead a normal life, even though his brother's ghost is urging him to become a hero again. Hourman is fighting, and suffering, from a drug addiction caused by the Miraclo pill that gave him his powers.
The hero Manhunter
(Paul Kirk), who has also returned from Europe
, is suffering from memory loss and being hunted by strange men. He meets up with Thompson's former sidekick Fatman and hides out while coming to terms with his demons. Eventually the two of them seek the help of Hawkman
, who helps Manhunter regain his memories. Those memories reveal a dark secret which Thompson is hiding.
During the final days of the war, the villain the Ultra-Humanite
, who worked as one of Hitler's scientists at Dachau, transferred his brain
into Thompson's body. While Manhunter is recovering his memories, Thompson's aide and lover Joan Dale, the former Miss America
discovers his personal diary. Concerned with Thompson and Dunbar's increasingly strange behavior, she enlists former thief Paula Brooks
, also known as the Tigress, to pick the lock and open the diary. The two of them along with Gallant (whom Brooks was dating), discover not only that Thompson is actually the Ultra-Humanite, but also that he had performed another brain swap, that of Adolf Hitler
's brain into Dunbar's body. They call Johnny Quick to inform him about the contents of the diary at about the same time Carter Hall calls him about Manhunter's revelations. This sets the stage for an explosive and tragic final showdown in Washington, D.C.
.
As Miss America attempts to reveal the truth about Tex Thompson and Dynaman before the assembled heroes, she is murdered by Robotman, who knew but didn't care about Tex and Dynaman's secrets. The Atom is finally convinced by Hourman that Tex and Dynaman are evil. Johnny Thunder, still brainwashed by Thompson's "dream" and blinded by his desire to belong somewhere orders Yz
his thunderbolt to kill Hourman. Yz at first obeys the command, but is so torn between his duties to his master and his own moral standards that he suffers a breakdown and screaming in defiance and confusion, rockets into the heavens (presumably forever) leaving Thunder shocked, horrified and guilt ridden. As Dynaman reveals the truth himself he proceeds to kill several heroes including Tarantula, Human Bomb
, Sportsmaster
(a reformed villain), Doll Man
and Red Bee
, aswell as disabling Doctor Mid-Nite
by destroying his goggles that help him see in the daylight and Hawkman by tearing off his wings. Thompson battles Manhunter, who snaps Thompson's neck after both of them fall out of a window. Lance Gallant and Robotman fight and kill each other. Dynaman is killed when Liberty Belle rams what is left of Starman's cosmic rod through his chest. She is able to do this after Dynaman is distracted by Captain Comet
, a young hero who joins the others in the fighting.
Despite numerous injuries and deaths, the heroes are triumphant. The last pages show Manhunter recovering and returning to Africa (he disappeared in 1951); Paula going into a life of crime after being driven over the edge at witnessing Lance's death; Ted Knight recovers and marries; Al Pratt changes and grows more serious after the incident, in contrast to Johnny Thunder who "never changed"; Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle reconcile, and Quick looks forward to "a new age, as pure as sterling silver". The last page is a splash page showing Captain Comet and various other Silver Age heroes such as King Faraday
, Martian Manhunter
, the Challengers of the Unknown
, the Doom Patrol
, Green Arrow
, Elongated Man
, Aquaman
and Adam Strange
, aswell as successors such as Hal Jordan
, (Alan Scott's successor as Green Lantern) Ray Palmer, (Al Pratt's successor as The Atom) Cliff Steele (Robert Crane's successor as Robotman and a member of the Doom Patrol.) and Barry Allen
. (Jay Garrick's successor as The Flash.) Other heroes such as Metamorpho
, Animal Man
, The Creeper, Hawk and Dove
are only partially shown due to the limited size of the page.
continuity
and is labeled as an "Elseworlds
". Despite this, writer James Robinson incorporated elements of the series into his Starman
series. Additionally, some elements of the mini-series were used by writer Geoff Johns in a JSA story arc, bringing some elements of this story into continuity (including Starman helping to develop the atom bomb, the McCarthy hearings black listing the JSA - though a variation of this appeared in the final issue of the Justice Society's run in Adventure Comics in 1979). The most notable elements that are out of continuity are the fates of Dan the Dyna-Mite (who in DC continuity became a member of "Old Justice", a team that fought Young Justice
), Tarantula (who has appeared in the pages of Nightwing
) and Miss America (who appears in Freedom Fighters
series).
(ISBN 1-56389-203-0) in 1995. A new printing of this trade paperback was published in 2005, with the book retitled as JSA: The Golden Age (ISBN 1-4012-0711-1).
credits James Robinson's work on this book for igniting his love for the characters in it, and for his decision to accept writing duties on JSA
in 2000.
Awards:
1993 in comics
-January:* Doom Patrol #63: " The Empire of Chairs," Grant Morrison's final issue as Doom Patrol writer.-February:* Action Comics, with issue #686, suspends publication following "The Death of Superman."...
four-issue Elseworlds
Elseworlds
Elseworlds is the publication imprint for a group of comic books produced by DC Comics that take place outside the company's canon. According to its tagline: "In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places — some that have existed, and others...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
mini-series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
by writer James Robinson and artist Paul Smith
Paul Smith (comics)
Paul Smith is an American comic book artist.-Early life:Smith was born in Kansas City, Missouri, but only lived there three days. His father was a U.S. Naval aviator, and the family moved several times during his childhood...
. It concerns the Golden Age
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es entering the 1950s and facing the advent of McCarthyism
McCarthyism
McCarthyism is the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. The term has its origins in the period in the United States known as the Second Red Scare, lasting roughly from the late 1940s to the late 1950s and characterized by...
.
Plot
The series opens showing how various Golden AgeGolden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
heroes have adjusted to life after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The members of the Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
and All-Star Squadron
All-Star Squadron
The All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics superhero team that debuted in a special insert in Justice League of America #193 . Created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.-The concept:...
have retired. Tex Thompson
Tex Thompson
Tex Thompson is a superhero owned by DC Comics who has used the costumed identities Mr. America and The Americommando. Created by Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily, his first appearance was in Action Comics #1 , the same comic that introduced Superman.-Fictional character biography:Thomson is originally...
, formerly the Americommando, has returned from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
a war hero, and has used his fame to start a political career, resulting in him being elected a Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. He then recruits several former heroes to create a new group of heroes for the 1950s. The group includes Robotman
Robotman (Robert Crane)
Robotman is a Golden Age DC Comics superhero. He first appeared in Star-Spangled Comics #7 and was created by Jerry Siegel, the co-creator of Superman. Despite his name, Robotman is actually not a robot; he is a cyborg.-History:...
, who is losing his sense of human ethics, the Atom and Johnny Thunder, who are both looking for somewhere to belong, and Dan the Dyna-Mite
Dan the Dyna-Mite
Dan the Dyna-Mite is a fictional character, a teen-aged superhero published by DC Comics. He was the young sidekick to the character TNT, and was created by Mort Weisinger and Hal Sharp in 1942. TNT and Dyna-Mite made their debut in World's Finest Comics # 5, and starred in Star-Spangled Comics #...
(Daniel Dunbar), who is lost after the death of his mentor TNT
TNT (comics)
TNT is a DC Comics superhero from the 1940s. TNT and his side-kick Dan the Dyna-Mite were created by Mort Weisinger for DC Comics, and made their debut in Star-Spangled Comics #7...
. Thompson oversees various experiments on Dunbar which change him into the incredibly powerful Dynaman.
Other retired heroes are suffering from their own problems. The McCarthy hearings
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
have resulted in Green Lantern
Alan Scott
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
being blacklisted due to his job as the head of a media corporation. Johnny Quick
Johnny Quick
Johnny Quick is the name of two DC Comics characters, each with the power of superhuman speed. The first was a superhero who appeared mostly in More Fun Comics during the Golden Age...
and Liberty Belle
Liberty Belle (comics)
Liberty Belle is the name of three fictional superheroes. Two are from DC Comics: Libby Lawrence and Jesse Chambers, the other is from Charlton Comics: Caroline Dean.-Libby Lawrence:...
were married and eventually divorced. Quick is now a television reporter while Belle is dating journalist John Law (formerly the Tarantula). Starman has suffered a nervous breakdown
Nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
after realizing that his research into cosmic energy helped in the development of the atom bomb
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
. Captain Triumph
Captain Triumph
Captain Triumph is a superhero from the Golden Age of Comics who first appeared in Crack Comics #27, published in January 1943 by Quality Comics. The character was later obtained by DC Comics, though by that time he had already lapsed into public domain. Some of his Golden Age adventures were...
(Lance Gallant) has retired and is trying to lead a normal life, even though his brother's ghost is urging him to become a hero again. Hourman is fighting, and suffering, from a drug addiction caused by the Miraclo pill that gave him his powers.
The hero Manhunter
Manhunter (comics)
-Golden Age:The first of DC's Manhunters was a non-costumed independent investigator, Paul Kirk, who helped police solve crimes during the early 1940s. Though the series was titled "Paul Kirk, Manhunter", Kirk didn't use the Manhunter name as an alias...
(Paul Kirk), who has also returned from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, is suffering from memory loss and being hunted by strange men. He meets up with Thompson's former sidekick Fatman and hides out while coming to terms with his demons. Eventually the two of them seek the help of Hawkman
Carter Hall (comics)
Carter Hall is a DC Comics superhero, the original Hawkman. Created by Gardner Fox and Dennis Neville, he first appeared in Flash Comics # 1 . The history of this character is somewhat confusing, due mainly to the fact that his origins were retroactively changed with the Crisis on Infinite Earths...
, who helps Manhunter regain his memories. Those memories reveal a dark secret which Thompson is hiding.
During the final days of the war, the villain the Ultra-Humanite
Ultra-Humanite
The Ultra-Humanite is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #13 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster...
, who worked as one of Hitler's scientists at Dachau, transferred his brain
Body swap
A body swap is a storytelling device seen in a variety of fiction, most often in television shows and movies, in which two people exchange minds and end up in each other's bodies. Alternatively, their minds may stay where they are as their bodies adjust...
into Thompson's body. While Manhunter is recovering his memories, Thompson's aide and lover Joan Dale, the former Miss America
Miss America (DC Comics)
Miss America is a fictional comic book superheroine from the . She was first created by Quality Comics in Military Comics #1 , and was carried over to DC Comics when they purchased Quality in the 1950s...
discovers his personal diary. Concerned with Thompson and Dunbar's increasingly strange behavior, she enlists former thief Paula Brooks
Paula Brooks
Paula Brooks is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. She is one of many characters to use the names Tigress and Huntress. Brooks first appeared in Sensation Comics #68 as the Huntress, seeking to add the superhero Wildcat to her collection of big game hunting trophies...
, also known as the Tigress, to pick the lock and open the diary. The two of them along with Gallant (whom Brooks was dating), discover not only that Thompson is actually the Ultra-Humanite, but also that he had performed another brain swap, that of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's brain into Dunbar's body. They call Johnny Quick to inform him about the contents of the diary at about the same time Carter Hall calls him about Manhunter's revelations. This sets the stage for an explosive and tragic final showdown in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
As Miss America attempts to reveal the truth about Tex Thompson and Dynaman before the assembled heroes, she is murdered by Robotman, who knew but didn't care about Tex and Dynaman's secrets. The Atom is finally convinced by Hourman that Tex and Dynaman are evil. Johnny Thunder, still brainwashed by Thompson's "dream" and blinded by his desire to belong somewhere orders Yz
YZ
YZ, Y.Z., or Yz can refer to:Astronomy* YZ Canis Minoris, a red dwarf star in the constellation Canis Minor* YZ Cassiopeiae, a star system in the constellation Cassiopeia* YZ Ceti, a red dwarf star in the constellation CetusTransportation...
his thunderbolt to kill Hourman. Yz at first obeys the command, but is so torn between his duties to his master and his own moral standards that he suffers a breakdown and screaming in defiance and confusion, rockets into the heavens (presumably forever) leaving Thunder shocked, horrified and guilt ridden. As Dynaman reveals the truth himself he proceeds to kill several heroes including Tarantula, Human Bomb
Human Bomb
The Human Bomb is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Police Comics #1 , and was created by writer and artist Paul Gustavson.-Publication history:...
, Sportsmaster
Sportsmaster
The Sportsmaster is the name used by two DC Comics villains who used their sports skills for criminal purposes. The original Sportsmaster first appeared in All-American Comics #85 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Irwin Hasen....
(a reformed villain), Doll Man
Doll Man
Note: This article is about the Quality Comics character. For the Full Moon Features film Dollman, see Dollman . For the article on the movie's titular character, please see Brick Bardo....
and Red Bee
Red Bee (comics)
The Red Bee is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics who first appeared in Hit Comics #1, published in July 1940 by Quality Comics. The character was obtained by DC Comics in 1956...
, aswell as disabling Doctor Mid-Nite
Doctor Mid-Nite
Doctor Mid-Nite is a fictional superhero physician in DC Comics. The figure has been represented in the comics by three different individuals, Charles McNider, Beth Chapel and Pieter Anton Cross. Dr. Mid-Nite was originally created by writer Charles Reizenstein and artist Stanley Josephs Aschmeier...
by destroying his goggles that help him see in the daylight and Hawkman by tearing off his wings. Thompson battles Manhunter, who snaps Thompson's neck after both of them fall out of a window. Lance Gallant and Robotman fight and kill each other. Dynaman is killed when Liberty Belle rams what is left of Starman's cosmic rod through his chest. She is able to do this after Dynaman is distracted by Captain Comet
Captain Comet
Captain Comet is a fictional DC Comics superhero created by DC Comics Editor Julius Schwartz, writer John Broome, and artist Carmine Infantino....
, a young hero who joins the others in the fighting.
Despite numerous injuries and deaths, the heroes are triumphant. The last pages show Manhunter recovering and returning to Africa (he disappeared in 1951); Paula going into a life of crime after being driven over the edge at witnessing Lance's death; Ted Knight recovers and marries; Al Pratt changes and grows more serious after the incident, in contrast to Johnny Thunder who "never changed"; Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle reconcile, and Quick looks forward to "a new age, as pure as sterling silver". The last page is a splash page showing Captain Comet and various other Silver Age heroes such as King Faraday
King Faraday
King Faraday is a fictional secret agent featured in DC Comics. Faraday first appeared in Danger Trail #1 , and was created by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino.-Fictional character biography:...
, Martian Manhunter
Martian Manhunter
The Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...
, the Challengers of the Unknown
Challengers of the Unknown
The Challengers of the Unknown is a group of fictional characters in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, or co-created with Dave Wood , this quartet of adventurers explored science fictional and apparent paranormal occurrences and faced fantastic menaces.Scripts for the first...
, the Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol
The Doom Patrol is a superhero team appearing in publications from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
, Green Arrow
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
, Elongated Man
Elongated Man
The Elongated Man is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC universe. He is a reserve member of the Justice League. His first appearance was in The Flash vol. 1, #112...
, Aquaman
Aquaman
Aquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title...
and Adam Strange
Adam Strange
Adam Strange is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky, he first appeared in Showcase #17 .In May 2011, Adam Strange placed 97th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time....
, aswell as successors such as Hal Jordan
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...
, (Alan Scott's successor as Green Lantern) Ray Palmer, (Al Pratt's successor as The Atom) Cliff Steele (Robert Crane's successor as Robotman and a member of the Doom Patrol.) and Barry Allen
Barry Allen
The Flash is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Comics universe. He is the second character known as the Flash. The character first appeared in Showcase #4 , created by writers Robert Kanigher and John Broome and penciler Carmine Infantino. His name combines talk show hosts Barry Gray...
. (Jay Garrick's successor as The Flash.) Other heroes such as Metamorpho
Metamorpho
Metamorpho is a fictional character, a superhero in the . He is a founding member of the Outsiders, and has also joined multiple incarnations of the Justice League.-Publication history:...
, Animal Man
Animal Man
Animal Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily “borrow” the abilities of animals...
, The Creeper, Hawk and Dove
Hawk and Dove
Hawk and Dove is the moniker given to two superheroes when they team up to fight crime. Hawk and Dove describes each character's attitude or approach to fighting crime. The hawk represents aggression, and the dove representing pacifism.-Hank and Don Hall:...
are only partially shown due to the limited size of the page.
Continuity
The Golden Age takes place outside normal DC universeDC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
continuity
Continuity (fiction)
In fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer over some period of time...
and is labeled as an "Elseworlds
Elseworlds
Elseworlds is the publication imprint for a group of comic books produced by DC Comics that take place outside the company's canon. According to its tagline: "In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places — some that have existed, and others...
". Despite this, writer James Robinson incorporated elements of the series into his Starman
Starman (Jack Knight)
Starman is fictional character, a comic book superhero in the , and a member of the Justice Society of America. He is the son of the original Starman, Ted Knight...
series. Additionally, some elements of the mini-series were used by writer Geoff Johns in a JSA story arc, bringing some elements of this story into continuity (including Starman helping to develop the atom bomb, the McCarthy hearings black listing the JSA - though a variation of this appeared in the final issue of the Justice Society's run in Adventure Comics in 1979). The most notable elements that are out of continuity are the fates of Dan the Dyna-Mite (who in DC continuity became a member of "Old Justice", a team that fought Young Justice
Young Justice
Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. The team first appeared in Young Justice: The Secret , before graduating to their ongoing monthly series...
), Tarantula (who has appeared in the pages of Nightwing
Nightwing
Nightwing is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe. It was conceived as a Kryptonian analogue to the character of Batman, with Nightwing's frequent partner Flamebird based on Robin...
) and Miss America (who appears in Freedom Fighters
Freedom Fighters (comics)
Freedom Fighters is a DC Comics comic book superhero team made up of characters acquired from the defunct company Quality Comics. Although the characters were created by Quality, they never were gathered in a group before acquired by DC...
series).
Collected editions
The series was collected as a trade paperbackTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
(ISBN 1-56389-203-0) in 1995. A new printing of this trade paperback was published in 2005, with the book retitled as JSA: The Golden Age (ISBN 1-4012-0711-1).
Critical reception and awards
Writer Geoff JohnsGeoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
credits James Robinson's work on this book for igniting his love for the characters in it, and for his decision to accept writing duties on JSA
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
in 2000.
Awards:
- 19941994 in comics-Year overall:* Huge changes in the marketplace force many retailers and small publishers out of business...
: Nominated for "Best Finite Series" Eisner AwardEisner AwardThe Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...