Justice League of America #200: A Childhood Favorite

I don’t know that I could pick a single greatest issue of a comic book. One that sits above all the rest.

But if I were to attempt to choose the most memorable books of my childhood, I’d have to say it was Justice League of America #200. Wow-zers. As a kid, this was the comic to end all comics back in March of 1982 when it was published.

Just what did DC do to celebrate the 200th issue?

They pit the Satellite League against the Big Seven. That is, Firestorm vs. Martian Manhunter, Red Tornado vs. Aquaman, Zatanna vs. Wonder Woman, Atom vs. Green Lantern, the Elongated Man vs. the Flash, Green Arrow and Black Canary vs. Batman, and finally, Hawkman vs. Superman (somebody had to do it). Neither of these teams were schlubs.

The story was a sequel to the team’s origin story (as presented in Justice League of America #9) where the League faced off against seven elemental aliens bent on taking over the Earth. Original for it’s time I’m certain. Twenty-some years later we learn the aliens used a hypnotic suggestion to influence their captors to set them free, unaware that any time has passed. Thus, once the original League met up with their Satellite counterparts they did not recognize them and charged straight into battle.

Okay, so this sounds pretty standard even for the time: Confused heroes do battle with one another, they realize they've been duped, then the heroes team up to bring on some justice. Familiar stuff for sure.

But the art takes this issue to a higher level. All of the big guns of the time were on hand to celebrate the JLA’s momentous anniversary: Jim Aparo, Carmine Infantino, Joe Kubert, Gil Cane, Dick Giordano, Brian Bolland, and Terry Austin. This issue was scripted by legendary DC writer Gerry Conway, while the opening, segue sequences, and action packed conclusion were drawn by George Perez. This book was a work of art from beginning to end.

Each artist took on a single fight sequence between two of the heroes; the artist often being the guy most associated with regularly penciling one of the characters in his sequence. For example, Kane drew the fight between Green Lantern and the Atom, while Infantino did the Elongated Man/Flash battle. The creators set out to create an unforgettable story and they succeeded in every sense.

Justice League of America #200 gave readers fifteen heroes in non-stop action and guest appearances by Snapper Carr, Adam Strange and the Phantom Stranger. Sheesh. They threw everything into the kettle and mixed themselves up a tasty dish.