Nice! – All-Star Comics #69

Cover Dated: November / December 1977
Released: 23rd August 1977

After three teams of the previous JLA issues, we have almost all of the All-Stars and the original JSA come together – only ten characters this time around! 

As you might have seen I’ve expanded things a little and as such, I need to explain a few plot points that I’ve skipped over. One was Alan generally giving up on his business, to the point that he went bankrupt and had it all closed down on him. At the same time, Commissioner Bruce Wayne has become convinced that our team has lost its way and is doing more dubious action and causing chaos and destruction.

Indeed we open with Alan bemoaning all that he has lost and wondering what he’ll do next, with Garrick assuring him that he’ll help him find something. That is before Power Girl calls him out for not opening a door into their base, because obviously flying isn’t a viable option.

Inside they find Commissioner Wayne who wants to arrest them for their reckless endangerment, something which our team very much doesn’t agree upon. When our Power Girl gets all up in Bruces face arguing the point one of the cops Bruce bought along loses his nerves and fires his weapon (a scene that is a little uncomfortable in more modern times), we’re never told quite what the weapon is but its powerful enough to wound Power Girl enough to risk her very life. The police are quickly taken down by the upset Society and they take away Power Girl for medical aid, against the protests of Bruce.

Bruce isn’t about to give up and uses the arrival of Robin to summon the original JSA to help him apprehend our All-Star’s. We get a nice full page describing what the various old heroes are doing in their civilian identities. When they get an interlude outside the hospital with the young all-stars decides that they’re going to have to sort out this issue. Watching them from the shadows is a mysterious figure that is made to look like Batman watching them as they have the discussion. This is would probably be a little more mysterious if there wasn’t an “also introducing” on the cover, though I’ll admit I missed this the first time around!

It’s then time for the new and old to fight it out, in the Batcave of all places! The fight is for a few pages but we get a chance to see all the well-known sights of the cave, including Mid-Nite causing Flash to collide with the Batmobile, Star-Spangled kid colliding with the Giant Penny and finally Robin slamming Hawkman’s head into the T-Rex.

We then get another interlude where the mysterious watcher (Huntress) watches a mysterious visitor (Superman) check on power Girl where we’re assured that Power Girl is on the mend and it was a very close thing. The mysterious watcher then swings off showing a figure that has a very un-Batman like figure, I’ll admit this where I twigged who it was through Supes from the get-go even in shadows.

A few more pages of fighting until everyone has had their turn, then Superman crashes through the wall carrying Power Girl in his arms. Thoughtfully Supes provided her with a new costume, the high colour she’s worn since the boob window is gone for a lower cut costume and a choker around her neck. She then, still in Supes arms, explains that Bruce is probably under Psycho Pirate’s control, much like Alan. Doctor Fate then puts the whammy on Bruce to remove the influence and he realises just what he’s done collapsing to his knees. Power Girl then gives our poor former Batman a hug, interestingly they’re about the same height, and forgives Bruce for what he’s done over the last few months.

And then in the very last panel, we get the reveal of Huntress as if it’s the major reveal of the issue, even though she was spoiled on the cover!

A nice clearing of the deck episodes, with several plotlines coming to an end. I’m looking forward to where things go next.