All-Star Comics #58 is an issue of the series All-Star Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1976.
Synopsis for "All Star Super Squad"
Doctor Mid-Nite receives information on the JSA computer alerting the team to various geological emergencies taking place across the globe. If these disasters are not stopped, all life on Earth will be destroyed. The Justice Society splits into teams of two and responds to each emergency. Hawkman and Doctor Mid-Nite investigate an Earthquake in Seattle. They find the young hero the Star-Spangled Kid active on the scene and decide to hold back to see how well the Kid does on his own. Hawkman decides that if things grow beyond his control, then they will intervene on his behalf.
Green Lantern and Doctor Fate investigate a similar disaster taking place in Capetown, South Africa. While there, they encounter Richard Grayson who has been corresponding with government officials on behalf of the United Nations. Seeing that Fate and Green Lantern are having difficulty resolving the nearby geological crisis, Richard changes into his Robin costume and lends a hand.
Meanwhile, the Flash and Wildcat race to Peking, China in response to an active volcano. At super-speed, the Flash burrows a ditch around the perimeter of the volcano to contain the flowing lava, but it is not enough. Both heroes are shocked when a super-powered young woman flies down out of the sky and caps the top of the volcano. She introduces herself as Power Girl and that she is Superman's Kryptonian cousin.
Elsewhere, the true architect behind these environmental disasters reveals himself - Brain Wave.
Appearing in "All Star Super Squad"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Super Squad
- Power Girl (First appearance)
- Robin
- Star-Spangled Kid
Antagonists:
- Brain Wave
- Bank robbers
- Rizzo
Other Characters:
- Stripesy (Cameo)
- Hourman (Cameo)
- Green Lantern of Earth-One (Cameo)
- Green Arrow of Earth-One (Cameo)
- U.N. Ambassador (Single appearance)
- Mr. Katobi
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
- Brain Wave's hover-ship
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #3, Justice Society Vol. 1 and Showcase Presents: All-Star Comics Vol. 1.
- This issue continues the numbering sequence of the original All-Star Comics, ignoring the 1951 title change to All-Star Western.
- Advance copies of this issue were mailed to select individuals. As such, this issue includes a letters column with letters from notable comic enthusiests Roy Thomas and Jerry Bails.
- First appearance of Power Girl. She is introduced as Superman's cousin and has been operating in secret for quite some time. Power Girl is an analog to the Earth-One super-hero Supergirl. It is revealed in a footnote that Power Girl has been operating in secret for several years, considerably longer than Supergirl did on Earth-One. Her full origin was revealed two years later in Showcase #97.
- Power Girl coins the name "Super Squad" in this issue. The Super Squad is not so much a separate team from the JSA, but rather it represents the newest members to the roster beginning with Power Girl and including Robin and the Star-Spangled Kid in subsequent issues.
- The Star-Spangled Kid arrived in the present day after a time-traveling excursion as revealed in Justice League of America #102.
- There is a fan letter from Roy Thomas who at the time "was a prominent fan in the early 60s" of the original JSA/All-Star Comics series. Mr. Thomas would later transition from dedicated fan to a DC Writer and Editor of several JSA titles.
Trivia
- Issue includes an advertisement for Hostess Twinkies featuring Batman, Robin and Commissioner Gordon entitled "The Captive Commissioner".
- Brain Wave, as presented in this issue, is physically different from his last appearance in All-Star Comics #37. His costume is similar to that which is later worn by his son Brain Wave, Jr.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Justice Society Recommended Reading
- Adventure Comics (Volume 1)
- All-Star Comics (Volume 1)
- All-Star Squadron (Volume 1)
- America vs. the Justice Society (Volume 1)
- Infinity Inc. (Volume 1)
- JSA (Volume 1)
- JSA: All Stars (Volume 1)
- JSA Classified (Volume 1)
- JSA: Strange Adventures (Volume 1)
- JSA vs. Kobra (Volume 1)
- Justice Society of America (Volume 1)
- Justice Society of America (Volume 2)
- Justice Society of America (Volume 3)
- Justice Society of America (Volume 4)
- Last Days of the Justice Society Special #1