Monday, May 5, 2008

Avengers/JLA Compendium: Vs. Page 12 (1983/2004)


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This should finally wrap coverage of JLA/Avengers, both the 1983 and 2003 versions. The Martian Manhunter only appeared in three panel over two pages out of the twenty-one drawn by George Pérez in the early '80's. I showed one panel yesterday, a poor quality scan of the second a month back when I covered what was known of the story of Martian Manhunter in JLA vs. The Avengers, specifically versus She-Hulk, and today closes the trifecta. Above is a shot of J'Onn J'Onzz being restrained by Black Canary (ever so delicately.) I find it funny that this seems perfectly natural to me as a Post-Crisis fan, since Black Canary was a friend and co-founder of the same Justice League as J'Onn's between the late 80's until a couple years ago. This is not to mention their later relationship in the International League, also as co-founders. However, in the year this image was drawn, Black Canary was still a widowed expatriot from Earth-2 that didn't join the League until after the Martian Manhunter was long gone, so that he'd only know her from JLA/JSA team-ups. Context is key, folks.

Speaking of, I ought to give you the context for this page, which was so pretty I decided to include it in full at the click of a hotlink. The Lord of Time, in conflict with Kang the Conquerer, invades the League Satellite to request their help in confronting this other-universal menace. He "insists that all will be told after he arranges the full gathering of Earth-1's greatest heroes. The remaining JLA members of 1982 are brought in from various home fronts: Wonder Woman from Paradise Island, J'onn J'onzz from Mars, Green Lantern from a hangar at Ferris Aircraft, Hawkman from Midway City, the Atom from his study and Aquaman from deep within the sea. The JLA, now all gathered, demand to know what's going on."

I'd also like to add that in a week where I posted a rare picture of Martian Manhunter alongside one of my all-time favorite heroes, Captain America, it's awesome to close out with another Pérez rendition of J'Onn with another personal preference, Wonder Woman. Good times.

Martian Manhunter in JLA vs. The Avengers (1983)
...nurgh... review of JLA vs. Avengers (1983)
...nurgh... review of JLA/Avengers Hardcover Edition(2004)

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