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News transcript: JSA SKIP WEEK from Diamond Comics

THE JUSTICE SOCIETY RETURNS!

In its time of greatest despair, the world needed heroes. In a time of great evil, the world needed justice. And during the last great war, the world needed the greatest heroes of all. And it got them.

Now, the Original Super-Hero Team — the Justice Society of America — returns to comics in a nine-book event that teams the legendary champions of the past, among them the original Flash, Green Lantern, Starman, and Sandman, with some of the finest writers and artists working in comics today. It's a brand-new story of the heroes in their heyday — World War II — as the JSA faces an enemy whose power dwarfs that of all the Allied and Axis nations combined.

This thrilling saga is told in the pages of classic titles dating from the Golden Age, some unseen for more than fifty years: the 2-issue ALL STAR COMICS extra-sized "bookends" to the event, starring the entire JSA, and seven one-shots, ADVENTURE COMICS #1, ALL-AMERICAN COMICS #1, NATIONAL COMICS #1, SENSATION COMICS #1, SMASH COMICS #1, STAR SPANGLED COMICS #1, and THRILLING COMICS #1, each featuring a pair of Justice Society members working on different aspects of the same case. Each title features striking cover art by Dave Johnson (Super-Patriot), with stylish, modernized versions of the books' original logos and a unified cover design and trade dress that echo DC's covers from the 1940s. Conceived by STARMAN co-writers James Robinson and David S. Goyer, "The Justice Society Returns" event plays out over three weeks in March, restoring the original JSA to its former glory and sowing the seeds for an all-new, modern JSA, scheduled to debut in its own ongoing series later in 1999.

• ALL STAR COMICS #1
  in stores March 17
  Near the close of World War II, seven desperate German spies summon a mystical being in hopes of eliminating the Allied threat to the Nazis. What they get instead is the Stalker, a being who empowers each spy with the ability to end the war...by ending all life on Earth! Now Hourman, Doctor Fate, the Atom, Doctor Mid-Nite, the Flash, Hawkman, Green Lantern, and the rest of the Justice Society must stop the Stalker's super-powerful avatars and then go after their incredibly powerful master! This extra-sized issue is written by Robinson and Goyer, with art by Michael Lark (SUPERMAN: WAR OF THE WORLDS) and Wade Von Grawbadger (STARMAN, TITANS).

• ADVENTURE COMICS #1 (STARRING STARMAN AND THE ATOM)
  in stores March 24
  Starman Ted Knight and original Atom Al Pratt team up to protect the birthplace of the atom bomb — the Manhattan Project — from one of Stalker's Seven. But to even approach this radioactive raider means death by radiation poisoning. Starman's cosmic rod allows him to fight unscathed, but what sacrifice must the courageous Atom make for America and democracy? Written by Robinson and Goyer, with art by STARMAN's Peter Snejbjerg and Keith Champagne.

• ALL-AMERICAN COMICS #1 (STARRING GREEN LANTERN AND JOHNNY THUNDER)
  in stores March 24
  Original Green Lantern Alan Scott teams up with Johnny Thunder and his amazing Thunderbolt to save the leaders of the Allied Powers — Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin — from one of Stalker's Seven as they convene at the historic Yalta Conference. But when the incalculable might of Alan Scott's power ring and the Thunderbolt's own magic prove insufficient to stop Stalker's servant, the balance of power may rest with the all-too-human Johnny Thunder. Written by Ron Marz (GREEN LANTERN), with art by Eduardo Barreto (SUPERMAN: A NATION DIVIDED).

• NATIONAL COMICS #1 (STARRING THE FLASH AND MR. TERRIFIC)
  in stores March 24
  Original Flash Jay Garrick and Mr. Terrific enter the hellish inferno that was the firebombing of Dresden to confront one of Stalker's Seven, a foe who is marshaling the concussive power of the shelling to make himself a walking super-bomb! As Mr. Terrific struggles to save innocent civilian lives in this most destructive of all bombing campaigns, the Flash must find a way to defuse their explosive foe. Written by Mark Waid (THE KINGDOM, THE FLASH), with art by Aaron Lopresti (Generation X).

• SMASH COMICS #1 (STARRING DOCTOR MID-NITE AND HOURMAN)
  in stores March 24
  Hourman Rex Tyler and Doctor Mid-Nite travel to a remote Scottish island where the Allies are conducting top-secret germ-warfare experiments. There, Tyler's old rival — now one of Stalker's Seven — has come to make sure the Allies reap the worst reward for their bio-weapons folly. Can Hourman and Doctor Mid-Nite win the trust of the strangely paranoid American troops in time to avert the deadly plot? Written by Tom Peyer (HOURMAN), with art by Steve Sadowski (STARMAN 80-PAGE GIANT) and Michael Bair (JLA: YEAR ONE).

• SENSATION COMICS #1 (STARRING WONDER WOMAN AND HAWKGIRL)
  in stores March 24
  Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl fight in the Pacific hell known as Iwo Jima, where one of Stalker's Seven is causing so much indiscriminate bloodshed that American and Japanese forces have, for the moment, put aside their differences to battle this arcane invader. Can two of DC's first super-heroines stop Stalker's minion from triggering all the volcanoes along the Pacific Rim? Written by Robinson and Goyer, with art by Scott Benefiel (Ghost).

• STAR SPANGLED COMICS #1 (STARRING THE SANDMAN AND THE STAR-SPANGLED KID)
  in stores March 24
  The Sandman and his sidekick Sandy join forces with the Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy to take on one of Stalker's Seven — one who is driving everyone in wartime New York stark raving mad! When their mentors fall, the lowly sidekicks — Stripsey and Sandy — must somehow save the Big Apple. From writer Geoff Johns (the upcoming STARS AND S.T.R.I.P.E.) and artist Chris Weston (THE INVISIBLES).

• THRILLING COMICS #1 (STARRING HAWKMAN AND WILDCAT)
  in stores March 24
  When one of Stalker's Seven arrives in Africa, intent on detonating the vast oil reserves that lie beneath the ancient continent, he finds Wildcat and Hawkman waiting to stop him. They've already shown the soldiers of Hitler's Afrika Corps that they're the two fiercest warriors you'll ever run across...but they're only human. And up against a foe with the power of the entire animal kingdom, how can even the Hawk and the Big Cat prevail? Written by Chuck Dixon (NIGHTWING), with art by war-comics legend Russ Heath (BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT ANNUAL).

• ALL STAR COMICS #2
  in stores March 31
  The extra-sized conclusion finds the reunited Justice Society of America face to face with Stalker in a battle for all life on Earth. Of all the epic struggles in the long and storied career of the Justice Society, this final confrontation will be a defining moment in their history, setting the stage for the debut of the modern-age JSA! Produced by the ALL STAR #1 team of writers Robinson and Goyer and artist Lark.

• An in-depth preview of the JSA's greatest adventure can be found in THE JUSTICE SOCIETY RETURNS! DIRECT CURRENTS SPECIAL, an 8-page newspaper co-produced with Comic Shop News, arriving in stores two weeks before ALL STAR COMICS #1. Similar to THE KINGDOM DIRECT CURRENTS SPECIAL, this one-shot features interviews with the writers and artists involved with the books, as well as an array of other special features that are sure to raise interest in this landmark comic-book event. In addition, look for a striking JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA POSTER, painted by STARMAN cover artist Tony Harris, early-solicited for April release in this month's issue of Previews.

• JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA SUPER-SPECTACULAR #1
  Timed to coincide with "The Justice Society Returns!", DC reprints a classic tale of the JSA as part of the revival of a format that was to the 1970's what 80-Page Giants were to the 1960s: the 100-page (including covers) SUPER-SPECTACULARs, reprinting classic stories from the Golden and Silver Ages. And the first "lost" Super-Spectacular is sure to be a classic, reprinting two classic tales of the JLA, an epic battle between the JSA and the Injustice Society, and more!
  
  With a new cover by Mike Collins (WONDER WOMAN #1,000,000) and John Stokes (THE INVISIBLES), JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA SUPER-SPECTACULAR #1 reprints the first Justice League story, "Starro the Conqueror" (from 1960's THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #28); the classic Adam Strange/JLA team-up "The Planet That Came to a Standstill" (from 1962's MYSTERY IN SPACE #75); the JSA's battle with their greatest foes — the Injustice Society — in "The Case of the Patriotic Crimes!" (from 1948's ALL STAR COMICS #41); and an offbeat "Time Pool" tale of the Silver Age Atom, "Suddenly...the Witness Vanished" (from 1973's DETECTIVE COMICS #432).

This project is supported with an oversized, 4-color poster; 4-color display "inserts" to be used in THE KINGDOM counter display; a co-op ad slick; and house and trade ads.

ALL STAR COMICS is a 2-issue miniseries, edited by Dan Raspler and Peter Tomasi. Each 48-page issue has a cover price of $2.95 U.S. Issue #1 arrives in comic-book stores March 17, issue #2 arrives March 31. ADVENTURE COMICS #1, ALL-AMERICAN COMICS #1, NATIONAL COMICS #1, SENSATION COMICS #1, SMASH COMICS #1, STAR SPANGLED COMICS #1, and THRILLING COMICS #1 are all 32-page titles, edited by Dan Raspler and Peter Tomasi, arriving in comic-book stores March 24 with a cover price of $1.99 U.S. each. JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA SUPER-SPECTACULAR #1 is a 96-page special arriving in stores March 10 with a cover price of $5.95 U.S. Early-solicited this month, the JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA POSTER arrives in stores April 7 with a price of $6.95 U.S. THE JUSTICE SOCIETY RETURNS! DIRECT CURRENTS SPECIAL is an 8-page newspaper, arriving in stores March 3. Check with your retailer for availability.

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