< Previous | Return to JLA (1997) | Quotes from this issue | Next >

JLA #4 (April 1997)

Cover

JLA #4 - cover by Howard Porter and John Dell
[Click on the Cover to enlarge]

Invaders from Mars

Story Credits

Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciller: Howard Porter
Inker: John Dell
Colourist: Pat Garrahy
Seperations: Heroic Age
Letterer: Ken Lopex
Editor: Ruben Diaz

Starring

Feature Characters

Villains

Hyperclan (As seen last issue)
Seventy Pale Martians (Behind the scenes.)

Notes

J'onn J'onzz had been playing the Hyperclan from both sides by masquerading as Armek.

Martians have complete control over their molecular structures. The war like Pale Martians had been exiled from Mars for their interference on Earth millennia ago. Earth was apparently meant to be the home to a superhuman race but the Pale Martians "snapped one too many DNA chains" and left the race as normal humans plus a number of "metahumans".

The Still Zone seems to be another name for the Phantom Zone.

Batman can hold his breath for three minutes fifteen seconds.

Synopsis

Superman deduces the same thing as Batman and realises that the Kryptonite being used against him is a telepathic projection of the Martians (he should have been dead hours ago with that kind of exposure) and breaks free. With this cue J'onn J'onzz shifts from his disguise as Armek, he then rescues the JLA from execution. Suddenly it's a Battle Royal as the Justice League of America square off against the Pale Martian Hyperclan for the fate of the Earth.

Superman is against Protex, driving them deep into the Earth's mantel where the heat weakens the Martian, Wonder Woman battles Primaid on the edge of space, Aquaman dispatches Zum while Green Lantern and the Flash double team the real Armek. Meanwhile Batman rounds up the four Martians that he took down earlier.

As the rest of the Martian Fleet descends on Earth's cities the mind control broadcasts are ended allowing Superman to broadcast to the world informing the people of the Martian's vulnerability to fire. This allows the local authorities to contain the invaders until the League arrives. In the aftermath J'onn J'onzz as the last surviving Green Martian must act as judge and punisher to the Pale Martians wiping their minds to leave them as seemingly normal humans scattered across the globe.

In response to the alien invasion the League use materials mined from the destroyed Orbital Refuge and the confiscated Martian mothership to build a Watchtower of their own on the lunar surface to serve as the Systems first line of defence and as the new headquarters for the Justice League of America.

< Previous | Return to JLA (1997) | Quotes from this issue | Next >

The Captain's Unofficial JLA Homepage X. December 2000. WEBMASTER: Jason Kirk (jmkprime@yahoo.co.uk). The Justice League, the Justice Society, related icons and images are copyright DC Comics or their original creators/artists and are used without permission. This site is non-profit making and in no way exists to defraud the original artist/writers/owners of the discussed material - it is a work in homage and it is hoped that it is seen as such. Displayed on a reusable monitor.