All-Star Comics #56 is an issue of the series All-Star Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1950.
Synopsis for Justice Society of America: "The Day the World Ended!"
The 31st century is a world without strife, but they're at the mercy of a race of creatures dubbed the Chameleons, who can turn into anyone they see and thereby plunder and victimize society without interference. The mayor of the city of Modernia suggests the problem is that because their society had nothing like crime until the Chameleons come along, and thus they had forgotten how to defend themselves. The suggestion's made that they pull people from the past who are experts in dealing with super-criminals. Namely, the Justice Society of America. While a daring suggestion, their options are limited, because their method of time travel involves losing memories of the future until they return to it. However, one man, Professor Ellery, thinks he's found a workaround for that problem: to take a book written in the Justice Society's own time period, and clip the words into a meaningful sequence to tip the heroes off. Since it's from their own time period, it shouldn't be altered by traveling back to the past. It works, but leaves Ellery with the message "Professor, it is urgent...to commit a...daring crime..." Ellery commits a charity robbery that swiftly brings the Justice Society down on him, and Ellery hands them another note with all the information about his situation.
Just then a policeman comes by and arrests Ellery. The Justice Society becomes suspicious as they've never hard of the criminal the cop claimed Ellery to be. This gets them to realize the policeman must've actually been a Chameleon trying to hinder Ellery's attempt to get help. The heroes pursue and grab onto the "timebus" returning to the 31st century. There, Ellery, his memories restored, takes the Justice Society to a secret headquarters to work out a plan to uncover the Chameleons, but is actually a Chameleon himself. The Justice Society find themselves surrounded by giant robots, but manage to destroy them and realize they're in the Chameleon Headquarters. They find pictures of important Modernia officials, and realize the Chameleons must be planning to impersonate them to cripple the city. The JSA split up to capture the imposters.
Wonder Woman and Flash come in as a Chameleon impersonating the Mayor takes the city seal, under the pretext of hiding it from the Chameleons. Some well-meaning guards attack the heroes and are easily dealt with, but the fake Mayor escapes in the confusion.
Atom and Green Lantern track down a Chameleon impersonating an army general, who's had scientists create a bomb so powerful it'll blow up the entire planet if used. Again the heroes are attacked by the city guards for supposedly holding up an important official. Atom and GL easily take care of their attackers, but their fight goes on long enough for the "general" to escape with his prize.
Hawkman, Dr. Mid-Nite and Black Canary go hunting for a spaceship tycoon who tries to fly off in a new super-fast model his company's just developed. Again the heroes are attacked by guards and fend them off, but their target escapes with the ship.
With their powerful weapons, the Chameleons try to blackmail the human race into surrendering, but Black Canary comes to Modernia's officials and tells them not to give in. Flash found the Chameleons' underground hideout and the JSA are getting ready to attack. After fending off another giant robot, the JSA rounds up the Chameleons and puts them on their stolen rocketship. After it runs out of fuel, they'll be 1100 years away from Earth. The Justice Society return to 1950, feeling like they've been on an adventure but unable to remember any particulars, except for a strange note that the 31st century is eternally grateful.
Appearing in Justice Society of America: "The Day the World Ended!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Chameleons
- Knelo, their boss
Other Characters:
- Professor Ellery
- Mayor Hoving
- General Cadwell
- C.F. Tanner
- Thomas Watkins (clerk)
- Mayor Hoving's guards
- Wallaby (scientist)
- Kenton (scientist)
- A platoon of 31st Century soldiers
- C.F. Tanner's secretary
- Bronson
Locations:
- 20th Century
- 31st Century
- New Modernia
- C.F. Tanner Spaceships, Inc.
- New Modernia
Items:
- Doctor Mid-Nite's Blackout Bomb
- Doctor Mid-Nite's Infra-red goggles
- Green Flame of Life
- Green Lantern Ring
- Hawkman's Nth Metal Wings
- Wonder Woman's Bracelets of Submission
- Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth
- Wonder Woman's Tiara
- 31st Century homicidal robots
- Great seal of New Modernia
- Triple Z Bomb
- Electromatics (31st Century Ray Guns)
Vehicles:
- Skyblaster
Synopsis for "The Girl from Aquaterra"
Appearing in "The Girl from Aquaterra"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- Reprinted in All-Star Comics Archives Vol. 11.
- "The Day the World Ended" is reprinted in Wonder Woman in the Fifties.
See Also
Links and References
