Twice-Told-Tales: Tyrants Thaal & Tarquin Terrorize

Thaal Sinestro and his clone Sinestros were tenacious in their goals to conquer their respective universes’ Earths. These men possessed potent power rings projecting awesome emerald energies, until the Green Lanterns of Earths One and Two confronted the Sinestro Corps. While the original Sinestro departed Earth-Two after the defeat of his Corps, the other Sinestro clones were incarcerated there. And yet, a man named Tarquin resembling Sinestro appeared centuries earlier in England!

The original Sinestro would routinely devise various methods of revenge against his arch-enemy Hal “Green Lantern” Jordan, including recruiting Jordan’s ex-girlfriend Carol Ferris to resume her evil alter ego of Star Sapphire and later Weather Wizard in his war with his foe. Despite these schemes, Sinestro continued to meet with failure, until he ensnared Hal’s best friend Oliver “Green Arrow” Queen into a trap. When this ploy also failed, Sinestro fled Earth-One into outer space, and led Green Lantern and Green Arrow into the “Silver Twist” anomaly.

Red-skinned Sinestro lookalike Tarquin suddenly appeared one day in the medieval era of King Arthur and Camelot. This was the era when Sir Justin the Shining Knight first lived. Simultaneous to Tarquin being pulled into events of this time, Alan "Green Lantern" Scott and Doiby Dickles were also drawn to this era. Tarquin fiercely fought Green Lantern, further cementing the circumstantial evidence that this was likely a Sinestro clone, seeking to steal his foe’s ancient green lamp. But for whom?

Back in the reality of Earth-One, Thaal Sinestro along with Green Lantern and  Green Arrow were forced to team up on a medieval alien world modeled after the age of Camelot, complete with knights whom the trio battled. Combining their forces, Thaal, Hal and Oliver defeated the tyrannical ruler of that world and returned to Earth-One’s solar system. Sinestro would frequently return, seeking the destruction of his arch-enemy and securing the power of his former masters, the Guardians of the Universe!

The age of Earth-Two’s Camelot was one of five key eras when the Monitor installed Cosmic Tuning Forks to save the remaining Multiverse. Vandal Savage traveled back to this time*, masquerading as King Arthur while using Merlin to lure the JSA into a trap there. Prior to the Justice Society of America’s arrival in Camelot, Savage evidently lured their teammate and his old foe Green Lantern along with Doiby Dickles and a Sinestro clone named Tarquin to a time just prior to the JSA’s arrival. Vandal attempted to manipulate Lantern and Tarquin into helping him locate the emerald power battery lamp in the possession of the Chinese lama delegation (hypothesizing that, just as an irradiated meteorite first gave Savage immortality, another meteorite which Green Lantern's lamp was made would do the same, as it had for the lamp's maker Chang). Savage manipulated Scott and Tarquin into conflict.

Tarquin kidnapped the visiting representatives of the Chinese Embassy from that era. These men were the keepers of the Green Flame of Life emerald lamp, which eventually Alan would inherit in the 20th century. After repeatedly clashing with faux-Sinestro Tarquin and his knights, Alan and Doiby triumphed then discovered that Tarquin’s prisoners the Chinese lamas had concealed the green lamp in a place their jailer could not locate. Recharging his power ring with the lamp, Green Lantern and Doiby returned to their future time, leaving behind Tarquin in the 13th century.

When Savage’s scheme to secure the emerald lamp in the 13th century failed, he imitated his backup plan, entrapping Kryptonian cousins Superman and Power Girl in order to draw energies from them, regaining his immortality. While Vandal returned to the modern day in subsequent tales after he lost to the JSA, there is no record of his pawn Tarquin having also returned to the 20th century. Given Tarquin’s appearance and demeanor, he was a Sinestro. What happened to the other Sinestros is unknown.

As to Thaal Sinestro, he would be a key player behind the scenes during the Crisis in Infinite Earths. During this period, he would traverse time and space, even visiting other universes such as Earth-Four during the Villain War and shortly thereafter accompanying his old adversary Hal Jordan into the Anti-Matter Universe of Qward to confront the Anti-Monitor and his forces.

* Vandal Savage had been made aware of this period in Camelot’s history as being a key junction point in history, having been present during that time period as an eyewitness to events outside his domain’s castle at that time. Witnessing the arrival of his era’s Shining Knight as well as future superhumans Firestorm and Killer Frost of Earth-One, and their battle with a mammoth Shadow Demon from the Antimatter Universe of Qward, Savage knew that this would be a time period he could draw his 20th century foes the Justice Society into when the time was right.

Twice-Told-Tales: Daring Damsels Destroy Destructive Dreams

Dinah "Black Canary" Lance and Helena "Huntress" Wayne were two women with remarkable parallels in their lives. Both ladies were born on Earth-Two, second generation superheroines, living up to the legacies of their parents. Each lass lost both her mother and father to tragic events, motivating them to adopt their heroic alter egos. While the Earth-One counterparts of Dinah and Helena, Helen "Silver Swan" Alexandros and Barbara "Batgirl" Gordon, were their own women with different backgrounds and motivations from this cosmic twins... Dinah and Helena were tied in crucial ways. And in one other key aspect: their destructive dreams!

Dinah was the first who became susceptible to dreams, when she fantasized while sleeping that Larry Lance was still alive. Seeking the assistance of her Justice League teammate Superman to help her access this "Dream Dimension" to find Larry, the two Leaguers journeyed through the barrier between realities where they indeed found a version of Lance. But was this the Larry Lance who perished while protecting his Earth-Two from a cosmic threat in Aquarius... or something else?

Helena would months after this also be consumed by dreams, as she dreamt of her father Batman and mother Catwoman. Each parent appeared in the form of a bat and cat avatar, seeking to consume Helena into their individual legacies. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to call upon her teammates of the Justice Society to assist her, only police detective Gary Minelli was able to support her from the outside world.

The villains behind our marvelous maidens' dream dilemmas were individuals resding in the Arkham Asylums outside of both Earth's Gotham Cities. The first was a skeletal cloaked criminal Doctor Destiny... a long-time Justice League adversary... who manufactured his Dream Dimension, which Black Canary found herself within, through his Materioptikon devise.

Another skeletal cloaked individual* was a manifestation of the former foe of Batman and the Justice Society Doctor Elba, who used Solution K to cause his victims to go insane and which Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether used on the Huntress. Thankfully, through their sheer force of willpower, Black Canary and Huntress were able to destroy these Dream Dimensions from within and vanquish their foes.

* This skeletal nightmare might have been a subconscious manifestation of Helena’s recollection of an experience, related to her by her father of the “Painter of Death”, who ended up being a skull-masked Doctor Elba… inventor of the Solution K that was now injected in her body.

Terrible Toymen Terrorize Twin Terras

The two men born Winslow Schott on Earths One and Two were prolific inventors, incorporating advanced mechanical and theorectical principals into their designs of his state-of-the-art toys. The Earth-One Winslow and ewas a lad with long brown hair, traumatized at a young age when his neighborhood friend stole to first toy he ever assembled, a toy plane, which led him into a life of crime. The Earth-Two Winslow simply was an adult with curly blonde hair who simply decided to pursue a life of crime to quell his insatiable greed. Both men pursued similar paths towards infamy, each renaming himself Toyman, devising various schemes with various childrens playthings incorporating deadly devices. Yet time and time again, the Toymen were opposed and ultimately defeated by the Supermen of their respective worlds. Even when each allied the Luthor and Prankster of his Earth, both Toymen found only further failure.

At a certain point on Earth-One, Winslow grew older, now with whiten hair, and decided to retire as he set up a toy shop of his own. During this period of time, a younger usurper to his title stole the Toymen identity, and began plunder Metropolis with more advanced weaponry than his predecessor. This Toyman, Jack Nimble, incurred the attention of both Superman and Schott-One, who teamed up to capture this copy-cat crook. Nimble would reappear twice more, working on his own employing a separate sinister scheme, and later allied with fellow foes of Superman led by the alien Mr. Xavier.

Meanwhile on Earth-Two, Winslow retired for decades before returning to terrorize Metropolis once more. This time, Toyman was opposed both by Superman, and his old adversary's Kryptonian cousin Power Girl. Given Schott’s appearance, this encounter took place in the mid-1970s. When an older grizzled Schott returned years later, he faced a different Dynamic Duo defending Metropolis, Robin and Huntress!

The original Toyman of Earth-One was motivated to resume his criminal career once more, when his prized display at a toy exhibition was destroyed by an individual appearing to look like Superman. In fact, this was the Man of Steel's imperfect duplicate Bizarro, who returned to Earth-One in a crazed mental state. Reverting to his negative impulses, Schott sought out the two men he felt destroyed his life, Nimble and Superman! Schott slayed Nimble while the younger Toyman laid sleeping in his apartment. However, Superman was harder to kill, and turned the tides on Schott when it was revealed that Bizarro was the true culprit behind the destruction of Winslow's collection.

Contemporaries of each Winslow Schott were the Pranksters of each Earth, each born as Oswald Loomis. These two Pranksters had remarkably similar careers, with each at times teaming up with the Toymen, the Luthors, and the 5th Dimensional pests who plagued the Superman (Mr. Mxyzptlk on Earth-One and Mr. Mxyztplk on Earth-Two). As for the  Earth-Two counterpart to Jack Nimble’s Toyman, this was a crook named Al Fresco, former protégé turned rival of Schott's fellow fiend the Prankster who adopted the alter ego of the Trickster*. Fresco wore a disguise at times making himself appear to look like the Prankster, and used similar gadgetry used by his insidious inspiration and the Toyman.

* Evidence suggests that on a few occasions after his introduction, Trickster disguised as Prankster who clashed with the Earth-Two Superman, given the frequently of a "Prankster's" appearances in the late 1940s and early 1950s. 

Ultra-Humanite's Reality Probability Equation

An unanswered mystery left unanswered for decades relates to the enigmatic "Reality Probability Equation". This equation was conceived by the Ultra-Humanite, who led the last known incarnation of the Secret Society of Super-Villians on Earths One and Two. He postulated that by removing ten key members of the Justice League and Justice Society from both realities, consigning them to interdimensional limbo between universes, all superheroes would be retroactively erased from one of those two parallel planets. And this occurred, but why these particular ten heroes?

Recruiting ten supervillains to battle their heroic arch-enemies, five of which were Justice League members and five of which were Justice Society teammate, Ultra successfully captured these ten key champions. Critical to his calculation was the presence of the League's Black Canary and the Society's Johnny Thunder? How so?

As we see from the discharge of pink electricity emanating from the Humanite's Dimensional Vortex Machine, this was the power source that fueled the Equation. This would have originated from Johnny Thunder, or more specifically his pink Thunderbolt which he had a symbiotic relationship with since the 1940s. Years prior to this, the Johnny Thunder of Earth-One briefly took control of the Thunderbolt, commanding that being to remove all superheroes from his world. Thunderbolt went back in time, changing the origins of the various Justice Leaguers, causing them to cease to exist. This caused a new branching timeline labeled as Earth-A.

The other members of each team were picked for critical functions that made them keystones among the superhero pantheon (at least in Johnny Thunder’s mind, as he controlled his Thunderbolt). Superman of Earth-Two was the first of all superheroes, inspiring those that came after him. Wonder Woman of Earth-One was the pinnacle of fighting females. Hawkman of Earth-Two was the natural leader among the costumed crusader community. Batman of Earth-One was the indomitable driving force towards meting out justice. Atom of Earth-One bridged barriers between cosmos with his white dwarf star belt. Hourman of Earth-Two was the model of a self-made masked manhunter. Flash of Earth-Two was the living embodiment of hard water, the opposing element to Thunderbolt's lightning on Earth-One capable of warping reality.*

As for Black Canary, she was necessary as she was a native Earth-Two heroine who now resided on Earth-One, thus tipping the balance of Ultra's Reality Probability Equation in Earth-Two's favor (while additionally, Johnny Thunder considered she and her mother… the Black Canaries… as his family). Although both Earths temporarily felt the aftereffects of this wave being unleashed, when the ten heroes were exiled to Limbo, only Ultra's Earth-Two experienced a heroless world mirroring the earlier Earth-One. That is, until the Earth-One Secret Society members freed both the Justice League and Justice Society as revenge for Ultra's betrayal of them. Once returning to Earth-Two, these ten superheroes' presence restored reality to what it was… a world filled with heroes. 

* As seen by hard water’s usage with such undersea dwellers as Aquaman's wife Mera… and the Water Sprites, who were doppelgängers to the Thunderbolts in Earth-One's reality who used lightning instead.

Untold Teamup Tales of the Justice League & Justice Society

As evidenced by the existence of an unaffected future for the Legion of Super-Heroes, Brane "Batman" Taylor, Bilbat"Captain Marv", and a Kamandi... there were multiple 30th century timelines set apart from one another. These heroes' realities remained separate and distinct from one another. Their realities... Earth-One, Earth-Two, Earth-S and Earth-A.D... where each their own unique location within the Mulitverse. As previously ascerted, this proves that a future timeline existed and was thus spared from the cross-contamination of a merged post Crisis on Infinite Earths singular universe, which itself would repeatedly reboot and readjust itself.

With this in mind, we can hypothesize additional untold tales of those 20th century heroes, including several annual teamups between the Justice League of America and the Justice Society of America. These involved additional teams, on both their own worlds and alternate Earths. This harmonizes with the pattern they set for decades, when the JLA and JSA encountered the Crime Syndicate of Earth-Three, the Lawless League of Earth-A, the Seven Soldiers of Victory of Earth-Two, the Freedom Fighters of Earth-X (and formerly of Earth-Two), the Squadron of Justice of Earth-S, the Legion of Super-Heroes of Earth-One, the New Gods of an adjacent Earth-One reality, and the All-Star Squadron of Earth-Two.

What were some of these teamups? Thanks to the inventive mind of Multiverse historian David Stepp, we get a glimpse into some of these amazing adventures:

• The League and Society teamup with Sentinels of Justice of Earth-Four to defend that world against an incursion by the Crime Champions, a gang of villains originally consisting of Earth-One's Chronos, Felix Faust and Doctor Alchemy and Earth-Two's Icicle, Wizard and Gambler. Evidentally, this sinister six expanded their roster to include Sentinal adversaries the Ghost, Doctor Spectro, Punch and Jewelee. To combat this, JLAers Batman, Green Arrow, and Red Tornado as well as JSAers Atom, Hourman and Starman are joined in the fight by Sentinal members Captain Atom, Nightshade and Blue Beetle as well as their ally the Son of Vulcan. The result of this confrontation undoubtedly proved better for Earth-Four than had the Crisis' "Villain War", which left portions of that world in environmental chaos unleashed by the costumed criminals and their mammoth sentient toxic weapon of war, Chemo.

• The Justice Society journeyed to Earth-One to assist the Justice League and the League's next generation protégées, the New Teen Titans, versus the malevolent Brother Blood and his Church of Blood from the nation of Zandia. Sebastian Blood possibly snatched the Powerstone, prompting the intervention of the JSA. Thanks to the intervention of these three titanic teams, led by New Teen Titans' leader Dick "Robin" Grayson and Justice Society member Dick "Nightwing" Grayson (although why the younger Dick reverted to his Robin alias rather than remain as Nightwing is unknown).

• Sinestro uses his ability to mentally manipulate others (which he has formerly used in a Brave and Bold tale when he controlled the Oan Guardians of Earth-One’s Universe while disguised as one of their own... and later when he exerted mind-control over his fellow Korugarians) to coerce select members of the Green Lantern Corps into becoming his second Sinestro Corps. Apparently, he sought to succeed where he had years earlier failed, when cloning himself a dozen time into the first incarnation of the Sinestro Corp when he and his minions invaded Earth-Two. The Justice Society's involvment in this tale indicates that Sinestro brought over these Corps men and women to Earth-Two for a repeat incursion into that world, one thwarted by the JLA and JSA led by Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and Alan Scott of those respective teams.

• In a two-part crossover, the Time Trapper recruits fellow temporal thieves the Lord of Time of Earth-One and Per Degaton of Earth-Two to ensnare the majority of the Justice League and Justice Society in a time trap in the 30th century of Earth-Two. In part two, the remaining Leaguers and Socialites journey to the 30th century of Earth-One to recruit the aid of the Legion of Super-Heroes from that era in helping them battle their old foe Trapper and his cronies, but end up settling for the Legion of Substitute Heroes who help them after defeating the Legion of Super-Villains sent by the Time Trio to thwart them.

• Finally, the Justice Society individually face off against the Crime Society, a version of the Crime Syndicate but from a different world than that of Earth-Three. This Crime Society is modeled off the Justice Lords, a team of renegade superheroes who took the law into their own hand, administering their perverted form of authoritarian justice upon President Lex Luthor and his criminal minions on their world. This Crime Society would undoubtedly have invaded Earth-Two, just as the Crime Syndicate had invaded that world and Earth-One several years earlier. Perhaps the Justice League later became involved, aiding the Society as they had versus the Syndicate.

• These are just a few examples of potential probable plotlines involving the Greatest Heroes of Earths One and Two in a future unobstructed by the calamity that fell upon the Multiverse during the Crisis on Infinite Earths!

Robins’ Relationships with Winged Wonders

On twin Earths, two lads named Dick Grayson became sidekicks to their worlds’ Batmen, as Robin the Boy Wonder. Interestingly, relationships later formed between the Robins and two young men who the Batmen's next partners, Jason Todd and Jan Haasan.  

On Earth-One, Jason accidentally discovered the Bat Cave underneath Wayne Manor, and pieced together a uniform from fragments of Robin's older costume. Aiding the Dynamic Duo who were rounding up several criminals recruited by Joker to use against new Gotham City crime boss Killer Croc, Jason soon discovered that Croc had slain his parents whom Dick tasked them with spying on. The vengeful masked man-child Jason pummeled Croc until restrained by the heroes. 

On Earth-Two, Jan Haasan was an orphan of Holland, displaced after his parents were slain in the early days of World War II. Encountering the American masked man the Atom of the Justice Society, who was visiting his country to render aid to the Dutch people, Jan was motivated by the young hero's example to make a difference in the world. Soon after, Jan was recruited by Rick Carter into joining the Boy Commandos, combating evil in Europe and around the world.

Shortly after Bruce adopted Jason, Dick retired his costumes career as Robin and created a new alter ego as Nightwing, the alter originally created by Superman and his Kryptonian cousin in the Bottled City of Kandor. Following this, Dick passed along the mantle and alias of Robin to Jason, becoming a secondary mentor and role model to the new Boy Wonder. At least on Earth-One future timeline, Jason continued the legacy of Robin for years to come.

Decades earlier on a parallel planet, a now older Jan Haasen returned to America after reuniting with his family and having left the Boy Commandos. Now adopting the alter ego of Wingman, Jan sought training from Batman so that Haasen could become Holland’s first superhero. Initially, this caused a rivalry between Wingman and Robin, as Dick was a few years younger than Jan (whereas the other Dick was a few years older than Jason). This subsided after the men initially training together, when Dick discovered that Batman and Wingman had exchanged identities, with the “European” hero becoming more proficient than before. Robin came to the realization that  in the end, he was irreplaceable.

Interestingly, this experience seemed to solidify the Earth-Two Dick’s Robin as an alter ego he would keep as an adult, as there was another “wing” hero in Wingman. While the Earth-Two Dick felt liberated from his Robin also as now that another adopted that identity, motivating him into becoming a “wing” hero in Nightwing. Likewise, Grayson-One founded his own team of superheroes in the New Teen Titans to step outside Batman’s shadow, while Grayson-Two filled the vacancy in the Justice Society of America left vacant when Batman retired from crimefighting. And while Nightwing left behind his home town to become a protector of New York City, the adult Grayson-Robin assumed the role of guardian of Gotham City. Although the Grayson’s lady partners Batgirl and Huntress also helped.

Good and Greedy Geniuses: Grayson & Hammond

While physically Hector Hammond and Chuck Grayson were near identical in appearance, psychologically these two counterparts couldn’t be more different. The older Chuck was far more benevolent, seeking to use his scientific knowledge for the betterment of mankind, while his younger doppelgänger Hector was more malevolent, intent on using science for more sinister and self-serving means. 

Hector gained his considerately intellect from a unique meteor which landed on Earth-One, enhancing his intelligence after exposure to its radiation. Chuck acquired his intellect from years of education and practical application of those lessons learned. As such, Grayson used his knowledge to assist Doctor Robert Crane in constructing a Robotman, which he soon after transplanted Crane’s brain into following the scientist’s murder caused by gangsters. Hammond forcibly recruited four scientists whose brains he mutated with his meteor, making them his genius slaves. 

While Green Lantern opposed Hammond and freed his hostages, Robotman helped cleanse his friend Grayson’s name as he was initially charged with the murder of Crane. Green Lantern and Hector Hammond would repeatedly clash throughout the years, even involving the hero’s teammates in the Justice League. Robotman and Chuck Grayson would be valuable allies and an occasion adversary of the All-Star Squadron allies, including the golden age Green Lantern!

The first conflicts involving these men and their worlds’ greatest heroes occurred when Hector was recruited by Professor Amos Fortune aka  Mister Memory and when Grayson was forcibly recruited by the Ultra-Humanite. 

Amos and Ultra assembled informal groups of villains foes to hasten the defeat of the League and Squadron, who opposed these malevolent masterminds. Hammond was eventually captured along with his cronies. while Grayson was soon afterwards freed from Ultra.

At that time, Hector mutated his own brain with the meteorite’s rays while Chuck’s brain was exposed to the rays emitted from Ultra’s Powerstone. This potent radiation would eventually lead to a prolonged yet immobile life for the pair, as Hector gained both immortality and immobility, and Chuck was kept in cryogenic stasis for decades after he succumbed to brain cancer leaving his mind dead. The radiation from Hammond’s meteorite and its corresponding meteor (which brought Solomon Grundy back to Earth-Two from his exile on the moon) enhanced life. As for the Powerstone and its doppelgänger on Earth-One, Eclipso’s Black Diamond, each were deadly to most humans.

Hammond would later hatch schemes involving mentally controlling the synthetic Shaggy Man and later the robotic Ace of the Royal Flush Gang, both defeated by the League. Grayson assisted Robotman in reviving the future robot known as Mekanique, opposed by his world’s Green Lantern and the All-Star Squadron. 

While the history of Hector Hammond is well documented, such is no the case with Chuck Grayson as his last appearances were shortly after his becoming acquainted with his long lost cousin Dick “Robin” Grayson. It is presumed that by the mid 1940s, following a stint when Chuck worked for the United States’ Project M to build their prototype G.I. Robots based on his and Crane’s Robotman, he died.

Caped Crusaders' Crusading Careers : Batgirl & Huntress

Barbara Gordon and Helena Wayne were not only crimefighters as Batgirl and the Huntress, they were also practitioners of the law in their civilian identities. Each were practicing attorneys, only their career trajectories took them in opposite yet similar directions. One started her crusading law career in Washington D.C. before returning to her home in Gotham City, and the other built her law career in Gotham City before graduating to Washington D.C.! But how was this to be?

For Barbara, this is when she ran for and was elected to congress, where she represented her home state's district as Congresswoman Gordon. Now residing in Washington D.C. as one of her home state's representatives, Barbara continued her costumed career as Batgirl for a time in this new setting. After her term was up and she wasn't reelected, Babs returned to Gotham City where she was hired a one of the departmental directors of Humanities Research and Development Center. This organization's mission statements was investigating viable solutions to urban and cultural development for underserved communities, when her supervisor was James Stein and her amiable coworker was Richard Bender.

For Helena, this is when she became a name partner at the law firm of Cranston, Grayson and Wayne in Gotham City as Helena Wayne, Esq. Starting both her civilian and costumed careers in Gotham City as attorney by day and vigilante by night, Helena balanced her schedules as both herself and the Huntress. This public interest research firm worked on cases such as urban development, under the direction of her boss Arthur Cranston and her adversarial coworker Roger Demarest. A few years later after establishing herself in the legal community, Helena was called upon to be the legal representation of her Justice Society allies during a Congressional case against them in Washington D.C., which she successfully won against her law partner turned legal adversary during that case, fellow lawyer Richard "Robin" Grayson... himself forced into this position due to circumstances related to his guardian and her father Bruce "Batman" Wayne's diary which seemingly incriminated the Society.

Chemically Created Corporate Crimefighters

Distinct corporate entities developed on Earths One and Two from those existing on Earth-Prime, and some birthed metahumans from their research. The notable and largest of these was Earth-One's S.T.A.R. Laboratories and Earth-Two's Garrick Research Laboratories, with branches across the United States.

Competitors to these included Dayton Industries and Stagg International of Earth-One, as well as Dodds-Bessing Steel and Tyler Chemical Laboratories of Earth-Two.

Similar to other revolutionary corporate think tanks such as that owned by the Metal Men’s Will Magus and Rex Tyler’s former employer Bannermain Chemical, these organizations fostered cultures of innovation, adapting to radically changing worlds with the advent of superheroes and their supervillain opponents. Regrettably, they didn’t always count the cost.

These legal entities spawned synthetic superheroes Mento, Metamorpho, Sandman, Sandy and Hourman… each of whom gained amazing abilities derived from the innovative research of these companies. Although each had debilitating side effects for those gifted with their synthetic science, as time would tell.

Steve Dayton's company developed the ultra-durable metal known as Promethium and cybernetic weaponry which he incorporated into his Mento suit. With this uniform and its helmet, Dayton aided the Doom Patrol and his wife Rita “Elasti-Girl” Farr.

Wesley Dodd's company refined steel as well as developed weaponry such as ray guns and silicoid guns. While granting users tremendous abilities, the adverse effects of these industry titan's creations led to Steve Dayton's declining mental health and Sandy Hawkins mutated silicon body.

Then there were the dual chemical-based technologies introduced to their respective worlds by Simon Stagg and Rex Tyler. While Stagg built his business from the ground up, Tyler acquired Bannermain Chemical, both growing these companies into successes.

Stagg International uncovered the ancient process of transforming humans into elementals, including Simon’s employee and future son-in-law Rex "Metamorpho" Mason. His science unleashed both good and evil.

Meanwhile, Tyler Chemical Laboratories through its founder's research developed the strength-enhancing drug known as Miraclo, graning its user Rex "Hourman" Tyler with a superhuman  physique for one hour at a time. However, these processes led Rex Mason to losing his humanity, and causing Rex Tyler to become addicted to Miraclo for a time.

Atomic Antagonists Agonize Adventurers

An interesting historic fork in the road occurred when intentional incidents were insidiously instigated at a pair of nuclear power plants. While on one world, these was initiated by the TNT Trio terrorists of Ted Grand, Nat Tryon and Tim Moore under the employ of Lex Luthor which was thwarted by the superstrong caped crusader Superman... the trio's counterparts on a parallel planet these same three were scientists seeking to stabilized their facility from the superstrong caped crusader the Atom.

On Earth-One, the TNT Trio sought to damage a nuclear reactor in the Metropolis of Earth-One, they were opposed by Superman. However, while the hero captured Ted and Tim, Nat was trapped under some lead shielded equipment, hiding his presence from Superman who carried away his crony colleagues. Succumbing to severe radiation poisoning, once Tryon freed himself and made his way to one of his boss' Luther Lairs, he pleaded for Lex's help. Placing his henchman in a specialized suit while bathing him in rays to stabilize his condition, Luthor promised to return once the process was complete within a week. However, Luthor was captured by arch-enemy, resulting in Tryon remaining in this state for over a year until freed during a conflict between Superman and the villain named the Mole. Awakening now as sentient radiation, the metahuman menace known as Neutron was born!

On Earth-Two, following being submerged in the evil-inducing waters of the Koehaha River along with four other Justice Society allies by the golden age Superman of his world, the Atom later awoke craving to gain more power. Arriving at a nuclear power plant in Nevada, the Atom made his way into the reactor room, seeking to bathe in that facility's tholium rays. While Ted and Tim's counterparts were overwhelmed by Atom's indominable strength as he knocked both men out, the Atom was prevented from irradiating himself by the timely intervention of his superhuman godson Albert "Nuklon" Rothstein who pursued him across country.

Seeking revenge upon the men who turned him into a monster, Neutron hunted Ted and Tim before Superman intervened. After a brief battled, Tryon was subdued and imprisoned in a facility that could keep him locked away. However, the immortal villain Vandal Savage of Earth-Two employed a lawyer to legally overturn the case against Tryon, freeing Neutron to frame Superman for a crime he didn't commit. Once all was revealed including Savage's sinister schemes, Neutron was this time kept immobilized in S.T.A.R. Labs. That is, until the Fearsome Five felons freed him to enhance their ranks as they engaged in a rematch with their foes, the New Teen Titans. Once more, Neutron ultimately failed.

As for the conflict between Nuklon and his temporarily insane godfather Al "Atom" Pratt, the lad was able to overpower his elder and shield him from the Tholium radiation. However, Nuklon's own body was irradiated, further mutating him. When an incensed Atom approached the third scientist at that facility, Neutron's Earth-Two counterpart, he was told by the man that the radiation device he activated couldn't re reengaged for six months. Leaving the three men and Nuklon behind, the Atom left to reunite with his fellow Justice Society allies, who ultimately regained their sanity when opposed by Nuklon and his Infinity, Inc. pals

The Mystery of Rubberman: Plentiful Plastic

Among the rogues gallery of adversaries which the golden age Robotman faced throughout his lengthy career on Earth-Two, one undoubtedly bore him a striking resemblance to a long-lost All-Star ally of his years earlier. In fact, the resemblance wasn't just uncanny, but his true origins were even more so, as we unwind this mystery.

This foe known as Rubberman led a gang in a payroll heist, witnessed by scientist Paul Dennis and his intelligent cybernetic canine Robbie. In fact, Dennis and his pet were Robotman and Robotdog, and shortly after witnessing this crime in action, they purused the criminals and were rebelled by their pliable leader.

This led the robotic duo to visit a local circus, where the attraction's owner refers them to the local fire eater who knew the recently departed Indian rubber man personnally. However, when approached by the metal man and his dog, the fire eater breathes intense flames that nearly melt the pair's metallic frames. Dousing their fiery-tempered foe, Robotman and Robbie track down Rubberman himself, who ensnared them in liquid rubber hardened around them. Despite this, the heroes escaped and subdued Rubberman and his gang.

But some questions can be asked: Who was this Rubberman? Why did he resemble a former teammate of Robotman who disappeared years earlier? In fact, this artificial being was a replica of the original Plastic Man, himself a member of the All-Star Squadron who joined the Freedom Fighters and left their native world of Earth-Two to protect the parallel planet of Earth-X.

Prior to Plastic Man's departure from Earth-Two, a gangster allied with a criminal mastermind created synthetic Plastic Men, with the same abilities and appearance of the original, which he used to initiate a crime wave. During this caper, Woozy Winks had himself transformed through this process into a version of his partner Plastic Man. After the pair defeated the crooks behind the elastic clones, apparently all the Plastic Men were eliminated, although conceivably at least one seemingly remained behind. This being reverted to the criminal mindset of Plastic Man's former identity as criminal Eel O'Brien.

And on another parallel planet, Earth-One. the young hero known as Robbie Reed. the possessor of the H-Dial. This lad could "Dial 'H' for Hero" , allowing him to become various superheroes. Twice, Robby become a clone of Plastic Man, first as a hero and years later as a misguided villain for a brief period. During his second adventure in this identity, Robby was defeated by the Plastic Man native to his world, who helped Reed recover his sanity once their battled had concluded.

The Ladies Behind the Legendary Leeches of Parasite & Atoman

While themselves nearly as infamous as their fellow vile villains, the Luthors the Toymen and Pranksters, counterparts Parasite and Atoman may not have achieved their legendary status without the women behind the scenes. For Parasite, this was is former attorney turned wife Lorna Kramer*, a selfless woman who saw the good in the irradiated rogue whom she sought to legally defend. For Atoman, this was the black marketeer who gave prized Kryptonite meteor rock to Nazi scientist Der Teufel to spawn the irradated Atoman.

Black Widow initiated a bidding war with four prominent men including Teufel, demonstrating to potency of the recently discovered Kryptonite which weakened their mutual foe, Superman. Although Widow's relationship with Atoman was tangental through her client and his superior Teufel, together they were able to  hatch a threat upon the Superman of Earth-Two that nearly ended his life. Although Atoman failed to subdue and slay his foe after multiple encounters, Atoman would return decades later to renew their conflict, while the Widow retired from crime.

Lorna Kramer was a German American defense lawyer, working on the early release from prison request of her client, Raymond Maxwell Jensen aka the Parasite. After a period of time together, the pair fell in love, and as a newly wed couple sired twins. Despite this, the strains of Parasite's former criminal past as a recurring foe of Superman coupled with his powers becoming reactived due to an alien invader known as Mister Xavier caused the couple to divorce.

However, Raymond and Lorna's son Troy and daughter Trini inherited the mutated genes of their father, which nearly ended their lives. Having moved with her children back to her native Germany, Lorna eventually sought out her ex-husband who was able to restore their health with his renewed powers. With the aid of scientists, Parasite was able to extra enough energy from a captive Superman to rid the children of their life-threatening “para-fever”, while giving them temporary powers.

Sadly, continuing to be with his ex-wife and children might eventually have debilitating effects on them physically, as well as emotionally for the bad example he was setting. So Jensen left them once more, finding solace is his continual conflict with his greatest foe, Superman!

While neither Heinrich "Atoman" Melch nor Scarlet Widow had any children of their own, the doppelgängers of Troy and Trini were the German Jewish brother and sister Horst and Frieda, children of the telepathic mutant Friedrich who perished protecting his family and Wonder Woman from Nazi sailors using his power for their benefit. Unlike Troy and Trini, Horst and Frieda had neither father nor mother as they were placed in an American orphanage. Such was the sad tale of these children of gifted men with tragic lives.

* The existence and canonicity of Lorna and her children Troy and Trini were verified in the Parasite's entry in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe Vol 1 17.

Sinister Symbionts Siphoning Supermen

Two documented techniques were employed to drain powers possessed by the Supermen, one which left him weakened and the other which potentially had far deadly effects. Interestingly, two pairs of deadly doppelgänger employed each of these techniques against their world's Man of Steel, very nearly leading to the demise of the Last Sons of Krypton. Although each counterpart used a a different technique against Superman than had the other!

The first technique is exposing the heroes to Green Kryptonite, the radioactive substance remaining from the planet Krypton. On Earth-One, the criminal cyborg Roger "Metallo" Corben was implanted with a Kryptonite "heart" with a two-fold purpose, to keep his cybernetic body alive and as a radiological weapon against the modern day Superman. On Earth-Two, the German soldier Heinrich "Atoman" Melch was injected with a Green Kryptonite serum which both empowered his superhuman body and as a radiological weapon against the golden age Superman.

A less common technique is projecting purple energy dampening radiation, coming from an extraterrestrial origin. On Earth-One, janitor turned criminal Raymond Maxwell "Parasite" Jensen was inadvertently exposed to radioactive material brought from outer space, and which Parasite then used against Superman which weakened him. On Earth-Two, scientist turned villain George "Metalo" Grant developed a purple ray projecting weapon which likewise weakened Superman. While Parasite employed his purple ray aura to transfer Superman's abilities to himself, Metalo developed a related super-serum from the purple radiation to grant Grant his Superman-like attributes.

Parasites’ Power Plays

Maxwell Raymond Jensen and Heinrich Melch were the recipients of tremendous power thrust upon them through exposure to extraterrestrial radioactive elements. These substances transformed them into living atomic furnaces, burning through as much energy as they could absorb. As the Parasite and Atoman, these sinister supervillains required devices that would enable them to control these awesome abilities.

In order to maintain and harness this awesome energy, they were in possession of the Power Prism and Power Regulator. While the Parasite developed his Power Prism with the help of the stolen intellect he purloined scientists, Atoman was bequeathed his Power Regulator (or Control Device) from his mentor. That man was Dr. Teufel, a Nazi scientist bent on seeking vengeance against the man he believed was Germany’s greatest foe, the Superman of Earth-Two. And undoubtedly, the prime intellect from whom Parasite obtained the blueprints for his Power Prosm was Teufel’s counterpart on, the alien adversary known as Amalak. And  indeed, Amalak had a seething hatred towards all surviving Kryptonians in his universe, especially the Superman of Earth-One.

The synthetic prism of power enabled the Parasite the ability to drain energies and vitality from individual from afar, while his innate power required him to make physical contact with his prey to enable this energy-drain. Although in its test phase, the prism inadvertently empowered other random individuals, such as Superman’s young friend Jonathan Ross, this defect was later corrected. Parasite used the prism to animate some toxic muck from Earth-Two’s Slaughter Swamp which its famous resident, Solomon Grundy, brought with him to Earth-One on one occasion. This created an Earth-One version of Grundy, similar to how decades earlier the villain Per Degaton used his temporal crystal which empowered his Time Machine to spawn a temporal clone of Solomon in 1941.

Despite this technology which potentially could’ve tipped the balance of power towards Parasite and Atoman, it was the quick wit and strategy of the Men of Steel who always came out on top during their battles with the Supermen.

Mindful Malevolent Metallics Mask Mystery

The Responsometer was a revolutionary device developed by robotics scientist Dr. Will Magnus. Theorizing that the intrinsct properties of various metals reflects "personality traits", and so created this mechanism which when implanted in specific metals gave them a form of sentience. From this invention, Magnus created the Metal Men, consisting of the original six members: Gold, Iron, Lead, Mercury, Platinum and Tin. Over time, other metals and elemental substances would also be implanted with their own Responsometers, spawning various sub-groups similar to the Metal Men themselves. These robots at times teamed up with various members of the Justice League of America on Earth-One, including the Batman whom they worked with throughout the years.

On Earth-Two, sentinence also was implanted in the vehicle originally named Esmerelda and eventually named Goitrude. Throughout the decades of its existence, this car had various forms consisting of numerous parts, yet was aware of its existence and its surroundings. Eventually, it became the property of cab driver Doiby Dickles, and aided its owner and his friend Alan "Green Lantern" Scott of the Justice Society of America in various adventures. Possibly due to exposure from the emerald energies of Scott's green lantern battery, Goitrude gained its intelligence.

The Metal Men was a cohesive unit, working as one, and even on occasion were fused together as an alloy entity. They also from time to time used their shape-changing abilities to become various racing vehicles. Although the "Jovian Metallic Horde" invading Earth-Two originating from Jupiter-Two were also doppelgängers for these Metal Men, they lacked the moldability and individuality, working as cohesive collective replicating the metallic substances they touch.

Goitrude was the forerunner of a generation of special vehicles aiding various superheroes, including the Black Widow, Sand-Car, Atomobile, Esmerelda and the Doll-Plane... driven by the Spider, Sandman, Atom, Wonder Woman's friend Etta Candy and the Doll Man, respectively. 

While none of these other transports evidentially displayed the same self-sentience as had Goitrude, that cab itself passed a portion of its own sentience onto various clones of the supervillain Sinestro, as that renegade former Green Lantern of Earth-One's universe merged his mind with Goitrude's in order to restore his body. It seems that the sentience of the Green Flame Starheart empowering Alan’s lantern also imparted a portion of its intellect to Goitrude, with its emerald energies attracting Sinestro, which he would thereafter absorb.

Sinestro's clones remained on Earth-Two, presumably incarcerated or transported off-world to prevent them from harming humanity. They seem to have have been ingrained with Goitrude's redeeming quality of loyalty, as these synthetic Sinesteos allowed themselves to be easily defeated by the Green Lanterns of Earths One and Two, despite having superior numbers and power matching the pair. Perhaps these clones eventually turned good themselves, with Goitrude’s personally overwriting that of Sinestro’s, who returned to his own native universe.

Mercurially Malevolent Metal Men

Will Magus' and Herbert Crawford's Metal Men were either malevolent machines or menacing mechanisms. On Earth-One, Magus developed his Responsometers which stored personalities within the malleable metallic frames of his Metal Men, originally developed to assist the United States government and later the world in combating various threats, both those originating from their own planet as well as those arriving from outerspace. 

On Earth-Two, Crawford developed a means to communicate with an extraterrestrial metallic horde from Jupiter-Two, luring them to his world where solar rays enlarged these Metal Men. Magus designed his artificially produced Metal Men based on the metals of gold, lead, iron, mercury, platinum and tin. Crawford's alien Metal Men replicated the metals of gold, silver, iron, magnesium and copper (another form of Metal Men remained on an alternate Jupiter that Starman once visited).

While the Mangus Metal Men had dozens of adventures as protectors, the Crawford Metal Men only had one notable appearance opposing the Justice Society of America. However, while the original five robot men of Gold, Iron, Lead, Copper, Mercury and their lady robot Platinum were all destroyed after their debut, Mangus rebuilt them and would continue to each time they were destroyed. The later models proved structurally superior to the originals he built.

Besides the original Metal Men, either a maddened Mangus or a robotic duplicate of his spawned other malevolent mechanized men, These included the Robots of Terror aka the "New Metal Men", consisting of Barium, Aluminum, Calcium, Zirconium, Sodium, and Plutonium. Shortly after, the Gas Gang is unleashed on the world, consisting of Oxygen, Helium, Chloroform, Carbon Monoxide, and Carbon Dioxide. Then there was the most notable Metal Men clones, the Metal Women!

While these various versions of the Metal Men co-existed, so too were multiple copies of the Jovian Metal Men on Earth-Two, consisting of at least four of each metal: Gold, Cooper, Silver, Iron, Magnesium, and Metal-X. All these quartets save the Metal-X men were destroyed during their battle with the Justice Society.

The Metal Women consisted of five female counterparts and a male counterpart of the Metal Men created to be love interests for their opposite numbers. The five Metal Women tragically had their synthetic lives cut short during their first adventure, with only the sole male member Platinum Man remaining functional. He would reappear years later, seeking revenge against the Metal Men while entrapping the honorary Metal Men femme-bot known as "Nameless". Batman and the Metal Men defeated Platinum Man and his robotic minions, while the object of his... and Metal Man Tin's... affection perished protecting them.

On occasion, the Metal Men even transformed into various vehicles, which mirrored those automated entities who took the place of Crawford's Metal Men. These were the vehicles Goitrude, Black Widow, Sand-Car, Atomobile, Esmerelda and the Doll-Plane... driven by Green Lantern's pal Doiby Dickles, the Spider, Sandman, Atom, Wonder Woman's friend Etta Candy and the Doll Man. Sometimes these mechanisms, such as Goitrude and its former host vehicle Esmerelda displayed sentience, while others such as the Doll-Plane and Black Widow were at times self-piloting vessels. Some had metamorphic properties, such as the Sand-Car and Atomobile.

The Metal Men of Earth-One had scores of adventures handling a wide-range of threats, both terrestrial and extra-terrestrial. The Jovian Metal Horde only had a single case with the majority of their members versus the Justice Society on Earth-Two, while the aforementioned vehicles had rendered valuable assistance to their human masters in dozens of cases throughout the years.

Cantankerous Cops Cause Costumed Crusaders Conundrums

Sergeant Harvey Bullock was a... complicated... officer who had been a part of the Gotham City Police Department of Earth-One for an unknown period of time. While he had a spurious reputation that hinted at some unethical behavior, while led to his suspension by Police Commissioner James Gordon, Bullock was reinstated to the police force by the corrupt Mayor Hamilton Hill. As a paw of the mayor, who saw Gordon as a political obstacle, Bullock employed a prank on Gordon which backfired, leading the Commissioner to being in a coma for a short period. Regretting his prior decisions, Harvey sought to restore his reputation and became a notable office within GCPD. His relationship with the vigilante Batman was... also complicated.

On the parallel planet of Earth-Two, Detective McGonigle had a similar salty disposition towards the Batman of his world, going so far as to seeking to uncover the vigilante's secret identity. Both Batman and McGonigle save each other from threats to their lives, when both men pursue an ugly horde of gang members secretly led by Larry Larrimore, who himself disfigured the gang members as he himself had been in an attempt to seek both revenge for himself and a cure for his condition. Despite repeated tries, McGonigle is unable to unmask the Batman, and thereafter left Gotham City Police Department.

Bullock would have tense exchanges with Batman and other members of the Batman family, although he restrained himself and worked alongside these masked manhunters. McGonigle moved the Empire City, joining that city's police force where he became the supervisor of police officer Dan Richards, who was secretly the original Manhunter*. 

At this point, McGonigle gave up trying to uncover the secret identities of costumed crusaders whom he met, with Richards finding his coworker an amusing distraction from the grime of crime. It’s unknown if McGonigle came up in conversations between Batman and Manhunter at All-Star Squadron meetings, of which they were both members.

* This is confirmed in the Batman Encyclopedia entry on Detective McGonigle.

What is a Penny Worth? Enough to Fund the Wayne Foundation

For this year's Super Blog Team Up, we each look back on key foundational issues that led to our comic book journey. Yours truly had his passion for this medium sparked by Batman Family #13, although the road to this issue began years earlier.

It all began when Batman and Robin left town, leaving the infamous Tri-State Gang with a golden opportunity to plunder Gotham City uncontested. Nurturing his budding detective skills, Batman's butler Alfred Pennyworth seeks to track down and disrupt the Gang's activities, leaving behind a trail for his employer to pursue. When Batman and his young ward return to the Batcave, ascertaining Alfred is in pursuit the Tri-State crooks, the Dynamic Duo follow his trail. Although they, like Alfred, are captured by the Gang... all three escape and each confront the felons. When Alfred sees his beloved Master Bruce and Master Dick the target of a dislodged boulder, he pushed them out of the way at the cost of his life. Pennyworth perishes, leaving behind his heartbroken masters.

In fact, Alfred was in a deep deathlike coma, and when his body is retrieved from his mausoleum by physician Brandon Crawford, he enters a dramatic new phase in his life! Simultaneous to these events, Bruce decides to fund a new charity enterprise with his vast wealth, naming it the Alfred Foundation. While this was to honor the memory of noble Mr. Pennyworth, Crawford's experimental research unlocked an ignoble side of this same man! From Crawford's radical radiation treatment, Alfred was transformed into the unearthly anomaly known as the Outsider!

In his new identity, the Outsider sought to disrupt and destroy the lives of the two men whom his alter ego Alfred cherished deeply. Unleashing from the behind the scenes the man-monster known as Blockbuster, the Grasshopper Gang, and even Batman's future Justice League colleague Zatanna against the Caped Crusaders... the Outsider's schemes were designed to tear away the confidence of Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson until they ended up as he felt they had left him. But the memory of their fallen friend Alfred helped them to endure.

Eventually, Batman and Robin were able to vanquish the Outsider, and restore Alfred Pennyworth to the man he once was. Although forgetting his brief path towards villainy, the experience subconsciously shaped his life, subtly hardening him as had young Bruce when faced with his own trauma years earlier. Meanwhile, the foundation of their friendship endured and grew, just as the foundation named after Alfred transformed.

In fact, the Alfred Foundation was rechristened the Wayne Foundation, still endeavoring to help the underserved in the community through monetary means, just as its founders had through their costumed crimefighting. While these events transpired on Earth-One, on the parallel planet of Earth-Two, that world's Bruce Wayne had himself founded his own version of the Wayne Foundation. This was seen in a similar structure to that of its counterpart, as each Wayne built a Wayne Foundation Penthouse. 

Although the Earth-One Penthouse resided in Gotham City, the Earth-Two Penthouse resided in Metropolis, perhaps due to that world's Wayne having divested himself of his business entanglements to pursue a position as Gotham City's police commissioner. This may also be due to the fact that the Justice Society made their home in Gotham City, unlike the Justice League which headquarters their operations in space orbiting the Earth, and so performed charitable works there. The nearest city to Gotham, Metropolis, was Bruce’s next best option for his Foundation. By that point, Alfred Beagle had retired from being a valet, exploring his thespian side in New Stratford where he could put on his own performance as an “outsider” on the stage.

While Alfred Pennyworth of Earth-One would on occasion revert to his Outsider alter ego, his doppelgänger Alfred Beagle had a different type of physical transformation, as he in his younger years engaged in extensive physical fitness to shed some girth, becoming more gaunt like his cosmic twin

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Batman Family #13 was the first issue purchased by a young Doppelgänger aka Mallo, founder of this blog, and had a profound impact in his comic journey. Subsequent purchases of further comics, highlighting the adventures of an older Bruce Wayne's daughter Helena "The Huntress" Wayne along with his teammates the Justice Society, and their team ups with the Justice League sparked an intense interest not only in comic books, but also in the Multiverse. Points of divergence, where one man retains his station as the trusted butler of the Wayne family, while another man transforms into a supervillain for a time. Such is the shear beauty.... of the DC Multiverse!

Super-Blog Team-Up: Foundations

Date: August 21st 2024

Our comic book  journey takes us to foundational works that ignited your collecting passion. We cover works that built the basis of a character such as a 1st appearance or a major storyline development. We can consider a major story or plot line that had major foundational impact on a universe, set of characters or over all genre. A foundation can be a start point, a central point in history, a trigger, a catalyst. The sky is the limit.. the Foundation begins now.

Participants:

Between the Pages Blog - Everything I Need To Know I Learned From Star Trek 

https://www.betweenthepagesblog.com/2024/08/everything-i-need-to-know-i-learned-from-star-trek.html

TEAL Productions/NewsPrint Commando - Witzend A Foundational Comic

Superhero Satellite: The Comics Digest. A foundational entryway to comics from Archie to DC Blue Ribbon and Beyond.

https://charltonhero.wordpress.com/2024/08/21/super-blog-team-up-foundations-a-digest-story/

Dave’s Comic Heroes Blog - Justice League Of America 200.

https://davescomicheroes.blogspot.com/2024/08/justice-league-of-america-200.html

*51 - My First Next Issue, Incredible Hulk #333

https://asterisk51.blogspot.com/2024/08/my-first-next-issue-incredible-hulk-333.html

The Source Material Comics Podcast - “Traumatic Resonance - What I Learned from Deb Whitman” -  https://www.spreaker.com/episode/super-blog-team-up-traumatic-resonance-what-i-learned-from-deb-whitman--61072981

DC Multiverse - What is a Penny Worth? Enough to Fund the Wayne Foundation 

https://earth-one-earth-two.blogspot.com/2024/08/what-is-penny-worth-enough-to-fund.html