Lovens Vogtere Nr. 4 / Med Super-Klubben Nr. 32 (1988)

"But you know what the funniest thing about Europe is? It's the little differences. I mean, they got the same stuff over there they got here, but, it's just, just, there it's a little different. You know what they call a Justice League in Copenhagen? Lovens Vogtere." I may be paraphrasing. Run through Google Translate, that yields "Guardians of the Law," which I guess is in the ballpark? Based on my experience while visiting comic shops, the League didn't quite catch on in Denmark like it did here. As best as I can tell from internet searches and observed back issues, the League only ever received a couple of very brief runs under the publisher Interpresse: five issues in 1968 (sharing space with Supergirl & Grønne Lygte Hal Jordan,) and four issues in 1988 that collected more or less the contents of Justice League: A New Beginning (JL International #1-8.)

Faraos Cigarer was easily the friendliest, most elaborate and well stocked comic shop that I visited in Copenhagen, and they had much of the first run. Had I known that there were only five total, I may have considered springing 1500DKK ($224.27) for Nr. 1 when I saw it locked in a glass case behind the front door. I did get the Ill Mac the Kr. 60.00 Super-Helte Alliancen Klassiker Nr. 4 / Med Marvel-Klubben Nr. 51 (1984) with the black & white reprint of Avengers #100 and Thanos' debut in Iron Man #55 (don't tell Mr. Fixit!) If you can believe it, Avengers comics were even less in demand than Justice League ones, and I only found two total, one existing only because it reprinted a two-part Spider-Man guest appearance.

Both the DC and Marvel comics were published by Interpresse, at least until about 1990. That's where the Super-Klubben / Marvel-Klubben comes in, because most any DC reprint had a Superman shield on it, and the Marvel ones had a Spider-Man web. While the indicia indicates Lovens Vogtere as the title, a second title/number on the cover seems to indicate that a lot of these series were like Dell Four-Color, essentially a revolving reprint anthology with its own overarching numbering system. The four "Lovens Vogtere" issues weren't even consecutive, cover-noted as Med Super-Klubben Nr. 20, 24, 28, & 32. I'm guessing it was a weekly release that made the Lovens Vogtere installments a de facto monthly. Based on my research, these four issues (or 7 U.S. comics) may be the only Danish-language versions of this series.

Clearly, the final cover of the single issue I found was derived from the comedy classic "Moving Day," though the colors are much less vibrant and more peachy. Justice League International #7 was an extra-length 38 page story, involving an 8-page coda to the Gray Man story arc. That part is not included here, picking up with page 9 and titling the rest "Forberedelser" with new Lappan-esque lettering credited to John Lysmand.

There are no ads anywhere inside the comic, but at the center-spread the story pauses briefly for a Captain Atom Who's Who entry, and then a blurry, slightly-overblown reprint of the U.S. cover to that issue. After the final five pages of the first tale, "Flyttedag" begins at the turn of the page. Both of the inside covers offer black & white letters columns punctuated by S-Shields and a tiny Byrne Superman. The only advertisement is on the back cover, a monochromatic orange Modesty Blaise ad with red lettering on the logo.

I've still got about a foot tall stack of these comics, many bought as gifts that I haven't had the chance to give yet, and a few as "investments" that I couldn't resist (more because it would bug me to leave them behind and less any actual intent to sell.) There will be a few more Martian Manhunter specific ones when we get to the 60th anniversary, but I've been so lousy about posting lately, I wanted to give ya'll something a little special this time. While not the biggest Alien Atlas adventures, this edition does contain "Moving Day," probably the first comic story I read where J'Onn J'Onzz stood out as a character to watch (and laugh with.) An early favorite!