Slugfest!

This weekend here at Slugfest!, up for your consideration is the much ballyhooed first appearance of Power Girl in All-Star Comics # 58, which sports a cover by Mike Grell. Although this issue is cover-dated Feb. and the indicia says Jan.-Feb. 1976, this book actually hit in stands in November of 1975. Gerry Conway handles the writing and editing, while Wally Wood inks over Ric Estrada's pencils.

When this issue hit the stands, Conway was editor of the DC line of comics and was introducing a slew of new titles, many of them very short lived, like Man-Bat, Blackhawk, Blitzkreig, Freedom Fighters, Sherlock Holmes, and Batman Family. He also had his first Justice League of America story published (issues #125-127), so it must have been quite a thrill to also spearhead the revival of one of the most revered DC series. So does this issue live up to the sensationalism of late? You be the judge!

On Earth Two, Doctor Mid-Nite has called together five other members of the Justice Society to inform them of the coming danger: Within twenty-four hours the world will end! Disaster will strike three cities within the next day! So Hawkman, as acting chairman, splits the groups into three teams: he and Doctor Mid-Nite will head to Seattle, Washington; Flash (Jay Garrick) and Wildcat are sent to Peking, ROC; and Dr. Fate and Green Lantern (Alan Scott) are on their way to Capetown, South Africa.

The scene switches, and we see the Star-Spangled Kid using the Cosmic Rod to fly through the skies of Seattle. He explains that Ted Knight (Starman) is disabled with a broken leg, so he using the Rod for the time being. Lucky for him because a group of armed robbers is making off with the loot from the First National Bank. Using the Rod, he creates a force-field and melts their guns. After a few action-filled panels, the excitement is over and the Kid sits along a curb and thinks back to the time warp that stranded him in the present. (see JLA # 102: And One of Us Must Die! recently reprinted in Crisis on Multiple Earths Vol. 3) But the Kid's mope session is quickly cut short when an earthquake suddenly strikes! As he realizes that Cosmic Rod or no Cosmic Rod, he is in over his head. Hawkman and Doctor Mid-Nite arrive on the seen but decide not to intervene because "offering our help now would destroy what self-reliance" the Kid has managed to regain. Sheesh! Must have been the 70s "Your O.K., I'm O.K." brainwash!

And speaking of brainwashing, we finally get to get a peek as to who is masterminding this whole "destroy the world" scheme: Brain Wave! Driven mad after the Justice Society imprisoned him, the man named Henry King no longer exists. In fact, he looks nothing like the villain that originally appeared in All-Star Comics # 37 as a member of the Injustice Society of America (see picture on left, below.) Anyhow, we learn Brain Wave's real intent is the destruction of the JSA, but if the world gets destroyed in the process....well....



Over in Capetown, while serving as an ambassador for the United Nations, Richard Grayson attends a function and discusses his intentions of recommending a study of U.N. attitudes toward policies of Apartheid. Without warning, an explosion is seen and heard in the distance, and a noxious gas emanating from the blast site quickly blankets the city. Quickly, Robin heads into action!

Doctor Fate and Green Lantern arrrive on the scene after the explosion. After Green Lantern more closely examine the gas with his ring, he discovers it is an artificial disaster, and Doctor Fate realizes the connection between the computer message received earlier at JSA headquarters and the catastrophe. Green Lantern is suddenly overcome by the fumes, but Doctor Fate generates a spell of magical lightning in order to have a natural phenomenon disperse the gas. They quickly trace the gas to the source and find a hole from which it is still escaping. Green Lantern creates a huge plug and corks up the hole, then discovers Robin passed out on the ground.

With the gas under control, Robin revives and Green Lantern and Doctor Fate suspiciously begins to question him asking, "Aren't you a little far from home, pal?" But as Robin protests, the gas hole blows Green Lantern's cork covering sky-high. The force of the mighty explosion knocks out Fate and Lantern, but this time Robin is left concious and on his own to attempt to resolve the problem.

Meanwhile on the opposite side of the world, Wildcat is being swept along in Flash's backdraft as they arrive in Peking to witness the birth of an inexplicable new volcano spewing ash, smoke and lava. Wildcat appropriates a motorcycle from one of the local residents and both heroes race toward trouble. Flash uses friction as he runs to dig a trench that temporarily stops the lava flow. With the situation in hand, they look up and see Power Girl. She grabs hold of a lava flow and turns it onto the volcano's vent and proceeds to stomp on the lava flow until it completely plugs the conduit and stops the eruption. All while wearing heels!

Next, she approaches Flash and Wildcat and introduces herself. Of course, they leave out the part where she has to repeat the explanation five times because the boys can't seem to concentrate on what she is saying!

But the introduction is cut short when a small band of Chinese militia begin an attack. Wildcat starts punching 'em one at a time, until Power Girl literally steps in. She stomps her foot and practically the whole cadre is knocked out! Feeling like she's taken all the fun out of the slugfest!, Wildcat tells her, "Lady, a man could get to hate you."
Power Girl points out that something is seriously amiss because in Seattle, the Star-Spangled Kid is handling the city's disaster on his own; in Capetown, Robin is taking care of a menace neither Doctor Fate or Green Lantern could defeat; and here in Peking, she has done all the work as Wildcat and Flash have stood by helplessly. So she suggests forming a new team, a strike force composed of the JSA and Robin, Star-Spangled Kid, and herself known as the Super-Squad!

So the issue ends as their first mission begins with the search for Brain Wave.

So whadda ya think? Every comics' fan knows the rumor that when Wally Wood created Power Girl, he planned to draw her bust increasingly larger with every subsequent issue until someone called him on it. Personally, I've always considered the anecdote to be apocryphal. This issue also includes a letters page titled All-Star Comments which features missives from two of the biggest Justice Society fans on the planet: Dr. Jerry Bails and Roy Thomas. Back in 1975, both were rather enthusiastic about the return of the series, although the good doctor was a little ambivalent about the whole Super-Squad idea. And unfortunately, people must have agreed with him because the All-Star Comics revival only ran to issue # 74 for a total of 17 issues. However, it is still very interesting to note that 30 years later there is still interest in these books.