The annual JLA/JSA team-ups

[Shellhead]

As a kid, I loved the annual teamups between the JLA and the JSA. Since the JSA didn't have their own title at the time, the stories always appeared in Justice League of America's monthly title. Sometime before the Crisis, DC stopped doing this annual teamup, although they tried to do a younger generation version, first with Infinity, Inc and the Detroit-era JLA (during the Crisis) and then the following year with Infinity, Inc. and the Teen Titans.

In modern times, I assumed that the existence of both JLA and JSA monthly titles would mean a return to the annual team-up, but I've been disappointed so far. The first team-up was a very ambitious hardcover trade that was marred by sub-par pencils from Carlos Pacheco. The second one, a year later, was mostly just a nice character study of various personalities on the two teams as they interacted at a Thanksgiving dinner. Two obscure villains showed up near the end, but that was just for fun, we don't even see the brief fight.

Since then, nothing. Why can't we have an annual teamup or even crossover with these two teams? Geoff Johns has already laid the groundwork with the concept of the annual Thanksgiving reunion. I suppose it would be difficult to find a credible threat to the combined might of these two teams, but that's pretty much a monthly problem anyway for the writers of these two teams.

[K'Nort]

Because Batman's against it?

[Expletive Deleted]

Because there hasn't been any creative continuity on JLA since Kelly left and because both titles have been focusing on extended multi-part storylines and crossover events lately?The first team-up was a very ambitious hardcover trade that was marred by sub-par pencils from Carlos Pacheco.Not a Pacheco fan? I thought he did a fairly nice job on that project.

[Shellhead]

Because there hasn't been any creative continuity on JLA since Kelly left and because both titles have been focusing on extended multi-part storylines and crossover events lately?Not a Pacheco fan? I thought he did a fairly nice job on that project.

Some of his pencils looked rushed. He did better work on Avengers Forever.

[protege]

and besides, what menaces would they face? what other teams from the past or present would they work with? part of the fun of those team ups for me was in seeing a whole bunch of heroes brought together from different eras, for an annual summer extravaganza. Nowadays, everybody's on one earth, in one present, except for the legion teams- I woudn't mind seeing them, so maybe i could get some sense of what's going on with the Legion, these days.

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

One of the tragedies of COIE was the, to put it politely, the shafting of the JSA in modern DCU continuity. A sad side effect of this was the kibosh on the annual JSA/JLA team-ups. I, too, would like to see the return of these stories. I don't even mind a (gasp) slowed down, character-driven story rather than a big fight scene. After all, the team-ups got a little ridiculous after awhile, when the writers were throwing in another team, like the Freedom Fighters, Seven Soldiers of Victory, LSH, etc. every year. It got a little overwhelming.

I agree that finding a worthy adversary will be a problem. Can't go up against Darkseid every year. But I wouldn't mind something crazy like a new villain/threat for such stories, too.

[Mr. Jixx]

I think it's because it would remind the reader that it's another Xmas, Thanksgiving, etc. It acknowledges the onset of another passing year. And with the Zero Hour timeline already starting to seem dated, I think DC wants to keep ages/continuity/etc as fluid as possible. Maybe after the shake-up of IC, we will see them again.

[venuscameback]

as a child one of the first DC comics i ever read wasa UK reprint of a JSA/JLA cross-over


at least i assume that's what it was. it was what we call "pocket book" size in the UK (slightly shorter than a manga style digest), had full colour and must have been published in the UK in the very early 80s.

the two teams fight - unsurprisingly. what i remember most vividly is that Green Arrow finds himself underneath a gushing geezer, he's out of the battle (temporarily) as he's bouncing on the top of the hot water which has a mysteriously perpetual flow, keeping him up there. i don't recall who made the geyser appear though.

Someone all but takes out Superman - I've no idea who - and as he's lay there out the battle he freezes some ground with his icy breath to make it too slippery for some enemy to cross

Jay Garrick/The Flash was in it, not sure who else.

does anyone have any idea what this comic issue might have been, when originally published? I'd love to get ahold of it to read again & I think my best chance is to find the American original or an American reprint of it


venus

[Expletive Deleted]

A quick Google tells me it could be DC COMICS PRESENTS #20 (April 1980). It's not a JLA/JSA team-up, but it does have Superman, Green Arrow, and a geyser.

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/22595846366.20.GIF

[venuscameback]

A quick Google tells me it could be DC COMICS PRESENTS #20 (April 1980). It's not a JLA/JSA team-up, but it does have Superman, Green Arrow, and a geyser.


thanks, Expletive

the line of dialogue on the cover is v similar to what I remember from inside the book

so I'm wondering if the reprint comic i'm remembering reprinted that story and a JLA/JSa fight/team-up and my addled brain has combined them

v cool to see that cover!

venus

[Phoney Bone]

Anybody have a particular favorite JLA/JSA team-up?

I will always have a soft spot for the for the crossover with All-Star Squadron , going against Degaton and the Crime Syndicate.

I also miss the potential Power Girl/Firestorm romance that was developing over the years before the big Crisis put the kibosh on the team-ups.

[hangmanjury]

I particularly love it when the Lanterns say an oath together.

[venuscameback]

where might I find a list of JLA/JSA cross-over comics?


venus

[Jay!]

Mine is JLA #135-137 where the JLA & the JSA team up with the Fawcett heroes. It's a similiar plot to previous teamups, but I loved this one. I loved the two Flashes and the two Green Lanterns. Most of all I love this one because it is the ONLY JLA/JSA teamup with the E-2 Batman actively involved. Robin is wearing his new outfit. And there's the Joker! Not to mention a brief Superman vs. Captain Marvel!

I miss the teamups. I miss the simpler stories. I hate multi-part epics, multiple covers, and ENDLESS crossovers and revisions.

[Calybos]

A lot of the early ones have been collected in the "Crisis on Multiple Earths" trade paperbacks; I think there are three volumes so far.

[Calybos]

A lot of the early ones have been collected in the "Crisis on Multiple Earths" trade paperbacks; I think there are three volumes so far.

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

Anybody have a particular favorite JLA/JSA team-up?

I will always have a soft spot for the for the crossover with All-Star Squadron , going against Degaton and the Crime Syndicate.

I also miss the potential Power Girl/Firestorm romance that was developing over the years before the big Crisis put the kibosh on the team-ups.

I think mine is the team up with the Freedom Fighters on Earth X where the Nazis won WWII in JLA 107-08(?). That, or the one where the Spirit King murdered the original Mr. Terrific (the disappointing ending that was not resolved until Jon Ostrander finished the story in his great SPECTRE series almost 20 years later prevents it from being my favorite).

[bones mccoy]

Anybody have a particular favorite JLA/JSA team-up?

I will always have a soft spot for the for the crossover with All-Star Squadron , going against Degaton and the Crime Syndicate.

I also miss the potential Power Girl/Firestorm romance that was developing over the years before the big Crisis put the kibosh on the team-ups.

can u imagine ronnie raymond and peegee's kid?
flaming head, big boobage, and a firey temper.

[Phoney Bone]

can u imagine ronnie raymond and peegee's kid?
flaming head, big boobage, and a firey temper.

And that's if it's a boy!

:p

[Sandy Hausler]

I think mine is the team up with the Freedom Fighters on Earth X where the Nazis won WWII in JLA 107-08(?). That, or the one where the Spirit King murdered the original Mr. Terrific (the disappointing ending that was not resolved until Jon Ostrander finished the story in his great SPECTRE series almost 20 years later prevents it from being my favorite).

I'm with you -- Freedom Fighters. But the one immediately preceding it, the one with the Seven Soldiers of Victory, was great as well. Unfortunately, because those two team-ups worked out so well, DC started shoehorning a third team in several other teamups that did not work as well.

Sandy Hausler