JSA (Volume 1) with a cover date of January, 2003. It was published on November 13, 2002.
Synopsis for "Paradox Play"
Mister Terrific and Hawkgirl sit in complete darkness until Terrific activates his T-Sphere to grant them light. Terrific believes they're stuck in some form of a tesseract. They turn the corner and find Captain Marvel has half of his body stuck in a time-rift. He's suddenly completely sucked in as he tells them that Black Adam is coming for him. Kendra notices sand on the ground and recognizes it as from the 12th century. They're both surprised when Terry Sloan makes an appearance behind them. He's incredibly relaxed about accepting them being from the future as he had already worked it out as the only possibility. Terry tells them he just witnessed Black Barax leaving and mentioned the need for a new power source.
Else where, Black Barax attacks civilians demanding the power source be brought to him. The Freedom fighters arrive to attack Barax. Barax becomes excited when he spots the Ray as potential power source with his ability to explode.
Hawkgirl ushers the Terrifics to Washington, D.C. where there are reports of Black Barax attacking.
In Gemworld, Doctor Fate is ushered to meet Cutter by Flaw. Cutter explains his Amulet of Anubis was actually made by him. Cutter explains Nabu's origins, and how he is a being of energy. He tells him the amulet came from Cilia, where the first race of evolved beings came from. He then goes on to explain how Mordu has always existed, beyond time itself as a lord of chaos. He tells Doctor Fate that Mordu originally came to Gemworld to find a soul worthy of possessing to give himself power.
In Washington, Terry Sloan threatens Black Barax by proposing he will commit suicide. Barax realizes as a potential descendant of him, he can't possibly allow this to happen as he would cease to exist. Barax takes the bait and teleports back to his century. After he leaves, the JSA members joke that he bought the lie as there is no way they'd know if Barax was truly a descendant from Terry.
Michael Holt and Kendra head into the time cube. Since it's from ancient Egypt, she knows she can control it with her telepathic commands to send them to Captain Marvel.
Appearing in "Paradox Play"
Featured Characters:
- JSA
- Black Adam (Mentioned only)
- Captain Marvel
- Doctor Fate
- Mister Terrific
- Hawkgirl
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Black Barax
- Child (Disguised as Cutter)
- Flaw
- Lords of Chaos (Mentioned only)
- Mordru (Cameo)
Other Characters:
- Ahk-Ton
- Anubis (Mentioned only)
- Lyta Hall (Mentioned only)
- Khufu (Mentioned only)
- Lords of Order (Mentioned only)
- Nabu (Mentioned only)
- King Quanto (Mentioned only)
- Vandal Savage (Cameo)
Locations:
Items:
Notes
- This issue was reprinted in JSA Omnibus Vol. 2.
- This is followed publication-wise by JLA/JSA Secret Files and Origins #1 which leads into JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice. That storyline features Atom-Smasher with the JSA, so likely occurs before JSA #41.
- The Red Bee appears in this issue. This is impossible as it occurs in April 1944 and he was killed in All-Star Squadron #35, a comic set in 1942.
See Also