JLA Comics Index

2005

Syndicate Rules (8 Parts) [continued]

  • JLA #108 (January)
    Kurt Busiek, Ron Garney, Dan Green
    The Crime Syndicate, bored with absolute rule of their universe, have moved into playing the cat and mouse game of covert operations with gangs on the streets of earth. Power Ring continues to monitor space for any signs of excitement. When Johnny Quick interferes with one of Owl Man's plans, the two come to blows, but Power Ring steps in just in time to alert them of a planet with a huge army which they can attack. The Crime Syndicate makes short work of Qward... but time and space shift, and an alternate Power Ring finds himself alerting the Crime Syndicate about Qward all over again, with a sense of de ja vu.

  • JLA #109 (February)
    Kurt Busiek, Ron Garney, Dan Green
    Discovering the shift in reality, both the Crime Syndicate and the Qwardians both make separate plans about finding out what's going on. On earth, the JLA fight manifestations created due to the spasm shift in reality, not noticing that the Crime Syndicate have made their way from the anti-matter universe. The villains disguise themselves as the JLA.

  • JLA #110 (March)
    Kurt Busiek, Ron Garney, Dan Green
    The Crime Syndicate (disguised as the JLA) find life is very different when everyone thinks you're a hero. At the JLA watchtower J'onn shows Superman and Batman interesting readings he's found, they decide to gather the League together to investigate. Ultraman (dressed as Superman), continually frustrated at the bureaucracy blocking his efforts to discover government secrets, reaches the end of his patience and kills hundreds of people in broad daylight.

  • JLA #111 (April)
    Kurt Busiek, Ron Garney, Dan Green
    The Qwardian "Void Hound" weapon wipes out a handful of planets and solar systems on its way to earth. Meanwhile on earth the JLA battle the Crime Syndicate but are badly beaten, even though the Syndicate should not be able to win in this reality. It is soon discovered that due to the rebuilding of the realities by the chaos Krona caused that that "rule" no longer exists, and the JLA must lick their wounds and rebuild their defenses in preparation for another Crime Syndicate onslaught.

  • JLA #112 (May)
    Kurt Busiek, Ron Garney, Dan Green
    The JLA split into three groups. Superman leads one group to face the on-coming threat of the Qwardian "Void Hound", Green Lantern leads a group to confront the Crime Syndicate, while Batman leads another group to the anti-matter universe to discover a means to defeating the Crime Syndicate. As Superman and crew begin to fail in their battle against the Qwardians, they receive backup in the form of Orion, Barda and Lightray. Realising they're only battling minor members of the JLA, the Syndicate locate Superman and the others...

  • JLA #113 (June)
    Kurt Busiek, Ron Garney, Dan Green
    The Flash discovers that the Construct has developed into an advanced society who sees the JLA as gods. The Construct has information for the JLA to help in their current situation. As they continue to battle the Qwardian Void Hound, J'onn is contacted by a faction of the Qwardians who believe their leader to have gone too far. As the Crime Syndicate watch on gleefully, Batman and other JLAers are on the anti-matter earth trying to find something to help defeat the CSA. The Qwardian leader is convinced (finally) that the JLA are not their enemy, and the Krona (their true enemy) has been defeated by the JLA. The Qwardians now turn their attention to the CSA, warning them their earth will now be the Qwardian's next target. Just as the JLA are about to head over to the anti-matter universe, the Flash turns up with something important in hand, something to fix all their problems.

  • Notable Issue: Aquaman #29 (June)
    John Arcudi, Patrick Gleason, Christian Alamy
    A rush of applications for GeneTech's water-breather gene therapy leads to chaos! Aquaman goes to the JLA to gain leverage against GeneTech, but finds the group in the middle of its own problems as the Themyscira crisis heats up! And Malrey is badly hurt in battle with Conger!

  • Notable Issue: Breach #4 (June)
    Bob Harras, Marcos Martin, Alvaro Lopez
    Guest-starring the JLA! Breach's battle in South Africa against the agents of Kobra has attracted Superman, Batman and Martian Manhunter to investigate. But friction and mistrust between the heroes and Breach leads to blows - and allows a tragedy to occur.

  • JLA #114 (July)
    Kurt Busiek, Ron Garney, Dan Green
    As the Qwardians tear apart the Crime Syndicate's earth, the JLA arrive to help, but only if the CSA ask for their help, owing them a favor. Super Woman requests their help, and the two teams swap clothing and go into battle against the Void Hound. With the Construct secured within his ring, Green Lantern has it contact the mind within the Void Hound, but the ploy doesn't work, but the connection made between the two minds allows GL to trap the Void Hound mind within his ring. Defeated, the Qwardians retreat to their home world, while the citizens of the CSA's earth rebel, having seen the CSA request the JLA's help, with small pockets of resistance forming all over the world.

    [Trade Paperback Collection: JLA: Syndicate Rules (Vol. 17) reprints JLA #107-114, JLA Secret Files 2004]

  • Notable Issue: Breach #6 (August)
    Bob Harras, Marcos Martin, Alvaro Lopez
    The fallout from Breach's battle with the JLA continues!

Crisis of Conscience

  • JLA #115 (August)
    Geoff Johns and Allan Heinberg, Chris Batista, Mark Farmer
    Hawkman and Green Arrow nearly come to blows as they argue over the events of "Identity Crisis". The Flash confronts them with the fact that he's going to tell Batman about how they altered his memory. J'onn walks in on the conversation, and learns the truth. Upset at what happened, J'onn vows to set things right, and goes looking for Batman. Meanwhile Star Sapphire is awoken from her coma, and she's none too pleased. Red Tornado is severly attacked, as are Hal Jordan (Green Lantern), Green Arrow, and Black Canary when they try to rescue him. Ralph Dibny is also under attack, saved by Hawkman, Zatanna, and Flash. As Batman confronts Catwoman, J'onn arrives, but before the two can talk, they're interrupted by the unconscious bodies of his fellow Justice Leaguers, thanks to the Secret Society of Super-Villains.

  • JLA #116 (September)
    Geoff Johns and Allan Heinberg, Chris Batista, Mark Farmer
    Batman, Catwoman, and J'onn battle the Secret Society of Super-Villains. Hawkman, Flash, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Zatanna and Black Canary arrive to lend a hand. The villains make a getaway, leaving the heroes to collect the remains of Red Tornado. Back at the Bat Cave, Bruce and Alfred tend to Selina's wounds. The JLA appear, wanting to finally clear the air with Batman over the Dr Light mind wipe issue. Batman gives them the cold shoulder, coming to blows with Hawkman when he forces the issue. Batman reminds them that the villains have their memories back, and the JLA rush off to ensure the safety of their loved ones. J'onn returns to the Watchtower where Despero sits waiting for him!

  • JLA #117 (October)
    Geoff Johns and Allan Heinberg, Chris Batista, Mark Farmer
    As they fight on the JLA watchtower, Despero reveals to J'onn that he was the one who returned the stolen memories to the villains. Meanwhile the Flash races around America checking that all his teammates and their families are safe. However he and Zatanna are alerted that Lois Lane is in danger at the Daily Planet. The Flash arrives and attempts to warn her, but an explosion has Lois in peril. Catwoman looks on as Batman attempts to put Red Tornado back together. Superman arrives just in time to save Lois, as more heroes arrive to battle the villains who attacked her. As the villains escape, Superman realizes that Felix Faust called him "Clark" and confronts the other heroes about the whole "erasing memories" fiasco. It is revealed Superman knew about it but kept quiet about it, but having found out they did the same thing to Batman he's now contemplating quitting the JLA.

  • JLA #118 (Early November)
    Geoff Johns and Allan Heinberg, Chris Batista, Mark Farmer
    The fight between J'onn and Despero comes to earth, where Aquaman chimes in to lend J'onn a hand. Meanwhile Superman and the other heroes argue over what to do with the villains they've captured. Some suggest that Zatanna erase their secret identities from their minds... but the vote is moot, Zatanna won't do it regardless, and quits the JLA. Supergirl and Zatanna chat, Zatanna looks for advice from Wonder Woman, but finds the Amazon Princess just as insecure as she is. Heading back to the JLA Watchtower, Superman and friends find their headquarters a mess. J'onn and Aquaman attempt to use their combined telepathic abilities to overpower Despero, but they fail and end up being his pawns. Despero and his converted aids, J'onn and Aquaman, pay Batman a visit in the Batcave. Catwoman tries to help, but Batman is also converted.

  • JLA #119 (Late November)
    Geoff Johns and Allan Heinberg, Chris Batista, Mark Farmer
    The rest of the JLA arrive at the Batcave, but Despero converts Black Canary who screams at Hawkman, while J'onn holds Superman, allowing Despero to covert Green Lantern as well. Despero rips out Hawkman's wings, and when he attacks Superman Red Tornado appears allowing Superman to use his heat-vision on the villain. Zatanna uses her magic to stop Despero and free the heroes from Despero's mind-control. When Zatanna vanishes, the JLA continue to argue, with Batman asking them all to leave. With the League disbanded, Superman promises J'onn that he'll be around should he need him. Meanwhile Zatanna makes the trapped villains forget the knowledge they have, while J'onn realizes that Batman's paranoia comes from his concern over Catwoman and whether she voluntarily chose to become his ally or not. As J'onn contemplates which members he can invite to the new JLA, Superman teleports into the Satellite... but it's not the Superman J'onn expects...

    [Trade Paperback Collection: JLA: Crisis of Conscience (Vol. 18) reprints JLA #115-119]

  • JLA #120 (Early December)
    Bob Harras, Tom Derenick, Dan Green
    Someone has escaped from Arkham Asylum. The JLA gather at their Secret Sanctuary to bid farewell to the League. Manitou Dawn falls into a trance where she sees J'onn who warns her about a vast power that has awoken, one which may be overlooked in the current climate of chaos. When she returns, she aids Aquaman in a cleansing ceremony, but the ceremony doesn't work, and Green Arrow thinks it's because Batman didn't participate. The heroes argue, with Green Arrow accusing Batman of being responsible for destroying the Watchtower. Batman denies it, leaving to go to the Watchtower to investigate who did destroy it. The Arkham escapee finds himself unable to block out the influx of human thoughts and emotions he is suddenly able to hear. He heads to the sewers where the mind-noise is diminished, but a sewer worker stumbles upon him, ruining the peace, and is killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. When a fellow villain finds the escapee he gladly goes along with him, leaving a note written in blood stating, "The JLA made me do it!"

  • JLA #121 (Late December)
    Bob Harras, Tom Derenick, Dan Green
    The Key (the unnamed villain from last issue) makes a construction foreman commit murder-suicide by exploding a bomb on a bus. While his thoughts are silenced, the Key's moment of silence is short-lived, more thoughts invade his head. Manitou Dawn walks the astral plane looking for J'onn, instead her dead husband appears to warn her about the Key. Her astral travel is interrupted by Green Arrow and Black Canary. Ollie reveals to Dinah he had an affair with Dawn, and while he goes off with Green Lantern and Aquaman to try and recruit Nightwing in their efforts against Batman, Dinah attempts to talk with Dawn, only to have Dawn reveal that her visions tell her she'll kill Green Arrow. As the key makes a boardroom full of Whiskey executives die, Nightwing tells Batman how the other heroes attempted to get him to join them, Batman thanks him, while on his computer he investigates the massacre caused by The Key.


JLA Comics Index (1996-2011)

Introduction

The JLA comic book brought together Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern and the Martian Manhunter. The original line-up has changed as the series has progressed. This comic book title centers around events and situations that can only be dealt with by the combined might and team work of these heroes.

Green Arrow joined the JLA in issues #8 & #9. Aztek joined the JLA in Aztek #10 and was first featured in JLA #10. The JLA was “officially” disbanded in issue #15 but again reformed with a new look line-up in JLA #16. Green Arrown and Aztek were no longer with the JLA. Steel, Huntress, Plastic Man, Zauriel, Oracle, Orion, Big Barda were shown as the new members in JLA #16 & 17, with a rotating “vacant” spot left open for any specialists needed to help out as the situation demands.

After the events of DC 1 Million, the future Hourman became a temporary member of the JLA, as did The Atom in JLA #27, but only on a semi-permanent basis as a scientific advisor.

Following an adventure in which the JLA went back in time to rescue the long-missing Aquaman and Atlantis (thereby implementing an “emergency” team hand-picked by Batman), Superman summed it up best: “The JLA is an organic thing. It exists to cope with the ever-changing face of terror... and in that way, it too, must sometimes evolve.” With that, the League's chairman expanded the core group, inducting several probationary members who had proven their worth in times of crisis. These included reformed super-criminal Major Disaster, ancient Earth shaman Manitou Raven, the mysterious telekinetic powerhouse Faith, and Green Lantern (John Stewart), who took Kyle Rayner's place on the roster. Meanwhile, former members from all incarnations of the JLA have standby status and remain on call should any emergency require their assistance.

This incarnation of the book was concluded with issue #60 ahead of the post-Flashpoint relaunch in late 2011.

Below each title name and issue number I have listed the Writer, Penciller and Inker for each comic.

This is a listing of the JLA title since its introduction in November 1996.

Note: Remember, the month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic was on sale.

CONTENTS:

1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005
2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011
Annuals | Specials 1997-2003 | Specials 2004-

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Check out the Mild Mannered Reviews for reviews of the comics listed in this Index.