The Mystery Men of 1975

 Christopher Bird, aka Mighty Godking, was playing my favourite game on his blog this month. Marvel recently broke the news  that Jonathan Hickman is going to be writing an Avengers series featuring  a roster of 18 heroes.

Bird said " I figured I could pass the time by making my own list of people.  And I thought we could make a game of it, oh boy!". His criteria are that the heroes have to be "professionals willing to endure public exposure" who could "easily serve with the team for years".

It seems obvious to me that The Avengers ought to resemble the team from the movie, by and large, with the Vision, the Black Panther, Giant-Man and the Wasp. It's past time that situation was repaired. But Bird chimed with me because a) I play this game all the time, as we've seen here, a time or two and b) because I've been thinking it should have been played with the Justice League of America. In the mid-Seventies.

While re-reading 100-page Super-Spectaculars for the Materioptikon, I was struck by the League's lack of direction after the departure of Len Wein for Marvel.  He had scripted two years of nostalgic stories featuring Silver Age sci-fi menaces and Golden Age revivals.1975 would only deliver more of the same but with an additional note of bilious humour from Bates and Maggin. Here's what DC had to offer in early 1975:

 ...and here's some contemporary Marvel product:

Of course. DC also had the vengeful Spectre:

But Marvel Comics just have that edge; they look transgressive compared to the polite and elegant DC mags, just as they did in the Sixties. When Marvel goes Kozmic, it's Starlin's satirical Universal Church of Truth; with DC it's Denny O'Neil and the Martian Manhunter on Mars II.


So I'm proposing a Bronze Age League that speaks to the readers who followed GL/GA's road trip, the return of The Batman, and the DNA Project. A League based in a recognisable world of recession and political chicanery, rather than on Rann or a geostationary satellite.


The League is not the Legion, so I'm going to refer to the charter from 1977's Amazing World of DC Comics issue 17. This organisational document stipulates  no more than ten members on active status. This ceiling is in accordance with a UN agreement to limit the JLA's power. (There's a whole story arc right there). 

I would cull several members who had either limited usefulness or who smack too much of the Silver Age. Wein had already dispatched Hawkman; I would dismiss Aquaman, the Atom and with some reluctance, Elongated Man, Flash and Red Tornado.Although they added humour and pathos, Ralph and Reddy dominated the JLA during Wein's tenure. Barry Allen just bores me and I want to avoid his campy Rogues Gallery.


So: who makes the final cut?

1. Batman: Obviously, the World's Greatest Detective is here to lend strategy and technology.

    2. Superman: The emotional and symbolic centre of the League, Clark is also might personified.

     3. Green Lantern: I'm going with the John Stewart version as audience POV figure. Also, cooler than Hal.

   4. Green Arrow: I disliked the corny, 70s swinger Ollie became under Maggin; I want the firebrand liberal.

  5. Black Canary: I would use her ultra-sonic power for communications, relaying orders in the field from Bats while riding a motorcycle.

  6. Metamorpho: This cult character combines pathos and absurd humour. With his inspired and wacky supporting cast, the Element Man is a subversive parody of Marvel's Ben Grimm.

 7. Talia: I wanted a ruthless, espionage-type character and was drawn firstly to Paul Kirk/Manhunter. But I also wanted another female Leaguer and the Thorn seemed too much of a loner (plus: crazy). So I chose the Daughter of the Demon for her allure and the potential of betrayal.

 8.  Phantom Stranger: The League's most mysterious member would still madden Bats by popping up to advise on devil-cults and possession.


 Cult favourites like Dr. Fate and Wildcat would still be re-launched in a JSA revival alongside an adult Robin. For that reason, I've resisted adding Supergirl or Batgirl to the League, who would be duplicated by Power Girl and The Huntress.


 I think it’s a good mix of the iconic and obviously the creative team is Haney and Aparo!
You're welcome to post your dream team of  JLAers  in the comments but only up to ten DC characters, please. 


Coming soon: White Tiger
All images are presumed copyright of their respective owners. Quotes/paraphrases from "The Old Order Changeth" copyright Mightygodking.