Action Comics #623 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of October, 1988.
Synopsis for Green Lantern: "Priest"
Green Lantern follows the yellow beam that destroyed his power battery to a planetoid outside his designated space sector. He encounters a red-skinned alien who siphons his ring's energy and takes him to an artificial planetoid. A robot welcomes Green Lantern by pointing a gun at his face, but Hal destroys it. To his surprise, he then finds a group of yellow-skinned aliens. Among them is the red alien he found earlier, who introduces himself as Priest. He explains that he summoned Green Lantern to help them prevent a war. Suddenly, an army of robots from another alien species crashes in and starts attacking them. Green Lantern helps drive the attackers away, but he fails to save some victims. Hal questions Priest why he hasn't done anything to prevent the bloodshed, and Priest replies that he has taken action: he called for Green Lantern. Having no other choice but to take place in this conflict, Green Lantern agrees to help them stop the war.
Appearing in Green Lantern: "Priest"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Priest (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- Dreadnaughts
Locations:
- Sector 1634 (First appearance)
- Planetoid
- Planetoid
Synopsis for Shazam: "My Week in Valhalla"
Billy Batson wakes to the sound of a armored car robbery, and transforms into Captain Marvel. Captain Marvel arrives and one of the robbers decides to shoot the hostage. Captain Marvel speeds to put his hand between the hostage and the bullet, causing it to blackfire and kill the robber. Distraught at killing the man, Captain Marvel flies back home, back to his Uncle Dudley's apartment, transforming back into Billy Batson.
As Dudley tries to console Billy, Elvira Thickert calls him to run a feature on the family of the robber, learning they were apart of a Neo-Nazi group known as the "Sons of Valhalla". Deciding to do the man's family some good, Billy goes to his apartment, finding his daughter there. Dawn McCullers. He learns that after her father's farm was repossessed, the Sons of Valhalla told him it was a worldwide plot by the Jews, so he signed up. She also asks him to help her brother, Duane, since he was signed up for one of their summer camps. Suddenly a news bulletin about Captain Marvel comes on, and Dawn freaks out, smashing the tv, as Billy swears to help her brother Duane.
Appearing in Shazam: "My Week in Valhalla"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Uncle Dudley
Antagonists:
- Zach McCullers
Other Characters:
- Ralph Decker
- Elvira Thickert
- Dawn McCullers
Locations:
Synopsis for Deadman: "Seventeen"
Appearing in Deadman: "Seventeen"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Delilah & Stella Peckshaw
Other Characters:
Locations:
Synopsis for Superman: "Revelations"
Appearing in Superman: "Revelations"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Hodges
- Billings
Other Characters:
- Superman Cult
- Bob Galt
Locations:
Synopsis for Secret Six: "Standard Allowable Abductions"
Appearing in Secret Six: "Standard Allowable Abductions"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Synopsis for Phantom Stranger: "The Devil Was a Baby"
The Devil as a baby
Appearing in Phantom Stranger: "The Devil Was a Baby"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- The Devil
Other Characters:
- Sister Camille
- Father Davis
Locations:
Notes
- "My Week in Valhalla" is reprinted in Shazam!: The New Beginning: 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition.
- The four-part Captain Marvel story beginning in this issue and ending in #626 is the character's only solo starring appearance between the end of 1987's Shazam!: The New Beginning miniseries and 1994's The Power of Shazam! graphic novel.
- The Captain Marvel story also was intended to take place after Justice League International #7, as a police officer remarks that Captain Marvel "used to be in that new Justice League."
- Crisis on Infinite Earths: The Compendium states this issue happened on Earth-85, presumably referencing the Captain Marvel arc in Action Comics Weekly #623–626 arc. However, it cannot be determined if the other stories told in this issue that don't contradict larger continuity happened on New Earth, Earth-85, or both.
- "Revelations" is reprinted in Superman: The Power Within.
See Also
Links and References
