- Excuse me. Are you spying on my wife?
Justice Society of America (Volume 3) #13 is an issue of the series Justice Society of America (Volume 3) with a cover date of April, 2008.
Synopsis for "Thy Kingdom Come (Part IV): Supermen"
At the JSA's headquarters, Stargirl is helping the recently returned Jakeem Thunder around for his own room. They are thwarted at nearly every door as the team ranks have swollen to the point that every personal room is now occupied. Frustrated at the fact that he has been out of the team for a long time and is no longer given any special appreciation as a former active member, Jakeem decides whoever is behind the last door is going to give up the room to him. He kicks open a door saying that whoever is in there is "steppin' on ouuut." Rendered speechless by finding Black Lightning and his family helping his daughter unpack. Undaunted they continue on explaining the daughter's problems regarding all thing electronic -- she causes all electronic devices to overload and explode if she gets too close. Despite her father's protests, the mom overcomes his protest to at least let the TV stay. Black Lightning reminds her that Mr. Terrific has lots of high-powered and exotic electronics throughout the mansion and if she touches the television, everything within a hundred yards will short out. He tells her to keep her hands off. He also says the same to Jakeem, who reacts with an open surprised look.
Doctor Mid-Nite analyzes Mister America to help him heal after the beating he received. Mister Terrific analyzes the growing the list of the superpowered beings, who either are named after former gods or related to gods, who have been killed recently. They were all superhuman criminals that posed as Gods. When Mr. America made his escape, he heard the name "Gog" and asks if it means anything to them. Hourman states that he and Liberty Belle found that same name carved into a pillar and at that same time the Earth-22 Superman enters into the room and says the name "means a lot". Mr. Terrific pulls up a hologram of Gog. Power Girl asks the Earth-22 Kal if he recognizes the hologram image of Gog. The Earth-22 Kal answers no but recounts hard that Gog resembles "Magog" from his Earth. Mid-Nite tells them that Gog and Magog are mentioned in several different religions. Superman tells them that Magog of Earth-22 claimed his powers were given to him by a being named Gog and that the Earth-22 Magog claimed to be the last god of the "Third World." Mr. Terrific tells the Earth-22 Superman that the New Earth Magog is not a god but an enhanced human named William Matthews. Williams was born in Chicago and was a missionary who later disappeared in Africa. He returned wearing the armor and attained superpowers while missing. When he returned he directly attacked the New Earth Superman about a year earlier. Mister Terrific does not know why the New Earth Magog attacked Superman. The Earth-22 Superman says he will go ask his younger counterpart.
The Earth-22 Superman flies toward the familiar city of Metropolis recounting how he felt when he first found out about Metropolis of his original Earth-22 from a picture book in his attic as a small child. He arrives at the Daily Planet and hovers outside listening to the banter between Jimmy Olsen and Perry White and laughs commenting that the New Earth counterparts are almost the same as the people he knew on Earth-22. He is overwhelmed at seeing the New Earth Lois Kent however and despite the obvious differences between the two ladies' appearances. He is overwhelmed at the memory of his own wife's death and begins to cry. The New Earth Superman notices the Earth-22 Superman outside as the Earth-22 grieves again at the loss of his own wife and many co-workers who were all killed by the Earth-22 Joker, Superman flies over him and asks if he's spying on his wife. The Earth-22 Superman states to Superman that he didn't mean any disrespect, he's just trying to adjust to seeing all the New Earth counterparts alive when all his own family and friends are all dead and his own failing to save them. Superman asks if he can help the Earth-22 Superman with anything. The Earth-22 Superman says "Yes, you can tell me about Gog". Superman responds that says there isn't much to say. Gog claimed to be from the future and was the only survivor of a nuclear explosion in Kansas that Superman failed to stop. Batman that discovered that Gog's real name was William Matthews and attained superpowers while missing on a missionary jaunt in Africa. Batman and others stated that Williams did not originate from the future but was merely mentally unbalanced. The Earth-22 Superman counters and says that Williams through some unexplained manner was able to "catch a glimpse into my world's past (Earth-22) where I failed to save Kansas which was destroyed". The Earth-22 Superman further explains that his wife and friends were all directly killed by the Joker. While he arrested the Joker, a man calling himself Magog similar to the New Earth Williams killed the Earth-22 Joker for killing all the people in the Earth-22 Daily Planet. The general people accepted Magog's murderous example in dealing with murderous villains and found him not guilty. But even superpowered "heroes" began doing the same.
The Earth-22 Superman is interrupted when he hears a distant voice say that he is a God. The New Earth Superman doesn't seem to hear it but the Earth-22 Superman says the screaming is originating in Gotham noting that former gods and people claiming to be gods have been killed recently by a serial killer. Arriving in Gotham they find that Hercules is fighting a battle with Gog which he is losing. Interrupted by the Supermen arrival, Hercules vents his frustration on the New Earth Superman which is strong enough to bloody Superman's nose. The Earth-22 Superman stands back taking stock of the event as Hercules knocks the New Earth Superman away. Mentally preparing himself for Hercules who is widely venting his lost with Gog onto them, the Earth-22 Superman withstands the same attack that knocked the New Earth Superman away.
Undaunted, Hercules tries to attack again but Earth-22 Superman simply grabs his fist with one hand, removes his golden tunic and sends him flying with a punch, commenting that Hercules is not worthy of compassion after his recent attacks on the Amazons (as shown in "Who is Wonder Woman?"). The New Earth Superman catches Hercules and smashes Hercules into a large statue at high speed completely stunning Hercules. With Hercules unable to get back up, the two Supermen note that Gog is still inside and flash in to confront him. As they enter, Gog teleports away. The Earth-22 Superman analyzes the locale where Gog was and notices traces of volcanic ash. He figures the Justice Society will be able to track where it originated from.
In the Congo, Gog walks down some old stairs carved into a mountain saying he will get rid of all the false gods that walk the world since they will not save it. He rants that he will clear the way for the only savior that can which he counts at the enormous head that is either carved into, or trapped in, the inside of the mountain.
Appearing in "Thy Kingdom Come (Part IV): Supermen"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Lois Lane-Kent (New Earth)
- Lois Lane-Kent (Earth-22) (Flashback only)
Antagonists:
- Gog II (William Matthews)
- Magog (Earth-22) (Flashback only)
Other Characters:
- Batman (Flashback only)
Locations:
- New York City
- Metropolis
- Earth-22 (Flashback only)
- Metropolis (Earth-22) (Flashback only)
- Daily Planet (Earth-22) (Flashback only)
- Gotham City
- Batcave (Flashback only)
Items:
- Cosmic Staff
- Batcomputer (Flashback only)
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue also shipped with a retailer incentive variant cover illustrated by Dale Eaglesham and Ruy José.
- In the recreated Multiverse, Earth-22 is the reality designation that corresponds to the Elseworlds limited series Kingdom Come though with a few minor differences.
- All Earth-22 flashback scenes are painted by Alex Ross. Alex Ross illustrated the original Kingdom Come limited series.
- In the scene of the Earth-22's Superman recounting his wife's murder, the Earth-22 Superman is clearly shown wearing a ponytail in a manner similar to the Post Crisis Superman after he returned to life after being killed by Doomsday.
Trivia
- Reminiscent of the many Pre-Crisis team-ups between the Earth-One Superman and Kal-L, in which these current incarnations of Superman work directly together to battle a common threat.
See Also
- Cover gallery for the Justice Society of America series
- Images from Justice Society of America Vol 3 13
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
- Kingdom Come Recommended Reading
- Kingdom Come (Volume 1) - collected in Kingdom Come
- The Kingdom (Volume 1) - storyline The Kingdom collected in The Kingdom
- Thy Kingdom Come - collected in Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come, Part One and Part Two and Part Three
- Justice Society of America (Volume 3) #9 - JSA #17
- Justice Society of America Annual (Volume 3) #1
- Justice Society of America (Volume 3) #18 - JSA #20
- Justice Society of America Kingdom Come Special Superman #1
- Justice Society of America Kingdom Come Special Magog #1
- Justice Society of America Kingdom Come Special: The Kingdom #1
- Justice Society of America (Volume 3) #21 - JSA #22
- Titans: Who is Troia?
- Justice League: Generation Lost (Volume 1) - storyline Justice League: Generation Lost collected in Justice League: Generation Lost Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
- Batman/Superman: World's Finest (Volume 1)
- Strange Visitor: Batman/Superman: World's Finest #7 - Batman/Superman: World's Finest #11
- Heir to the Kingdom: Batman/Superman: World's Finest #20 - Present