- This is an eternal battle, my young friend... a struggle thatcan never really be finished-- never really be won.
Last Days of the Justice Society Special #1 is a one-shot with a cover date of July, 1986.
Synopsis for "Last Days of the Justice Society"
Following the Crisis On Infinite Earths, the remaining surviving members of the Justice Society along with Sandman's partner Sandy and Hawkman's wife Hawkgirl gather in the estate of Carter Hall in a funeral service for Helena Wayne and the Earth-Two Dick Grayson, whom they knew became the Huntress and the Earth-Two Robin. They also realize that, with the merging of the Earth universes to form one single universe with one Earth on which most of the surviving superheroes from those universes now coexist, their own team has become redundant and past their time. Earth-Two Hawkman calls for the Justice Society to be immediately disbanded when the Spectre appears unto them, crying out in pain before he collapses. Dr. Fate touches the Spectre and is immediately flooded with images of something that took place in 1945, something that is far different from what the rest of the Justice Society team that was active at the time remembers:
- On the day of Franklin D. Roosevelt's funeral, the Justice Society sees a rip in the sky, which they surmise is another reality trying to enter into theirs. The members with the power of flight attempt to fly into the rip to investigate, but they are soon repelled. The Spectre reveals that the point of origin of the "rip in the sky" is from Germany, which makes the team as well as President Harry S. Truman realize that Adolf Hitler has a powerful mystical weapon that he intends to use not only against the Allied troops, but also against the whole world. The Justice Society travels as far as they dare outside the limits of the Sphere of Influence, then bravely enter into that zone without Superman and all superheroes with magic-based powers, only to be picked off one by one by Nazi troops as they enter into the bunker where Adolf Hitler is using the Ancient Spear of Destiny. Though Hawkman survives long enough to confront Hitler, it is too late: fire pours into the room and devours its inhabitants, then it spreads throughout the whole Earth, devouring everything on it and the planet itself, until nothing remains.
After revealing this alternate history to the Justice Society members of the present time, Dr. Fate shows them that the "rip in the sky" is now over them at this point in time: what Hitler had done in 1945 with the Ancient Spear of Destiny is now coursing its way through time. Dr. Fate now transports the team back in time to 1945, to the point where they see that Hitler has started using the Spear to cause a worldwide catastrophe, and he reveals that Hitler has tapped into the power of the Spectre, while he was lying dormant following his confrontation with the Anti-Monitor, to make the catastrophe happen. Dr. Fate takes the heroes to the world of Asgard, the home of the Nordic gods, also revealing that Hitler has linked the fate of their Ragnarok, the "twilight of the gods", to that of the universe.
Knowing that the only way to keep Hitler's linkage of the Ragnarok to the universe's destruction from taking place is to change the course of the Ragnarok's outcome, Dr. Fate merges the members of the Justice Society along with Sandy and Hawkgirl with the Nordic gods who are out to battle the demons come to destroy them. Team members Flash, Johnny Thunder, Green Lantern, Starman, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, and Wildcat perish in the battle, but as the Justice Society prevails until there is only Surtur the fiery demon left to battle, the perished team members are brought back to life and they all join together for the defeat of Surtur -- everyone except for Power Girl and the Star-Spangled Kid, who have been purposely withdrawn by Dr. Fate from this confrontation. As the Justice Society defeats Surtur, Power Girl and Star-Spangled Kid see that the whole battle is starting all over. Dr. Fate reveals that the battle must be repeated over and over in order to protect the universe from the intended fate of the Ragnarok. He transports them out of Asgard and back to the Hall Estate in the present time, then is soon transported there by the Spectre who now joins with his Master. Dr. Fate now informs the members of Infinity, Inc. what has transpired.
As the course of the Ragnarok is changed, Hitler sees that his plans to destroy the world have been defeated. He eventually marries his mistress Eva Braun and they retreat into their underground suite, where they both poison themselves and commit suicide.
Appearing in "Last Days of the Justice Society"
Featured Characters:
- Justice Society of America (Flashback and main story) (Also in an erased timeline)
- The Atom (Al Pratt) (Flashback and main story) (Also as a statue) (Merges with Vidar)
- Batman/Bruce Wayne (Earth-Two) (Flashback only)
- Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson) (Flashback and main story)
- Doctor Mid-Nite (Charles McNider) (Flashback and main story) (Also as a statue)
- The Flash (Jay Garrick) (Flashback and main story) (Also as a statue) (Dies) (Resurrected) (Merges with Freyr)
- Green Lantern (Alan Scott) (Flashback and main story) (Also as a statue) (Dies) (Resurrected) (Merges with Thor)
- Huntress/Helena Wayne (Earth-Two) (Flashback only)
- Johnny Thunder (Flashback and main story) (Also as a statue) (Dies) (Resurrected) (Flashback and main story)
- Hawkgirl (Shiera Hall) (Flashback and main story) (Also as a statue)
- Hawkman (Carter Hall) (Flashback and main story) (Also as a statue) (Dies) (Resurrected) (Merges with Odin)
- Hourman (Rex Tyler) (Flashback and main story) (Also as a statue)
- Mister Terrific (Terry Sloane) (Flashback only)
- Power Girl (Kara Zor-L) (Flashback and main story) (Also as a statue)
- Robin/Dick Grayson (Earth-Two) (Flashback only)
- Sandman (Wesley Dodds) (Flashback and main story) (Also as a statue)
- Sandy the Golden Boy (Flashback and main story) (Also as a statue)
- The Spectre (Jim Corrigan) (Flashback and main story) (Also as a statue)
- Starman (Ted Knight) (Flashback and main story) (Dies) (Resurrected) (Merges with Heimdall)
- Star-Spangled Kid (Sylvester Pemberton) (Flashback and main story) (Dies) (Resurrected)
- Superman/Kal-L (Earth-Two) (Flashback only)
- Wildcat (Ted Grant) (Flashback and main story) (Also as a statue) (Dies) (Resurrected) (Merges with Tyr)
- Wonder Woman/Diana of Paradise Island (Earth-Two) (Flashback only)
Supporting Characters:
- Aesir (Notional Dimension) (First appearance)
- Frey (First appearance; dies) (Resurrected) (Merges with The Flash/Jay Garrick)
- Heimdall (First appearance; dies) (Resurrected) (Merges with Starman/Ted Knight)
- Odin (First appearance; dies) (Resurrected) (Merges with Hawkman/Carter Hall)
- Thor (First appearance; dies) (Resurrected) (Merges with Green Lantern/Alan Scott)
- Tangrsni and Tanngnost (First appearance; unnamed)
- Tyr (First appearance; dies) (Resurrected) (Merges with Wildcat/Ted Grant)
- Vidar (First appearance; dies) (Resurrected) (Merges with The Atom/Al Pratt)
- French Army (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Infinity, Inc. (Flashback and main story)
- Brainwave Jr. (Flashback and main story)
- Doctor Midnight (Beth Chapel) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Jade (Flashback and main story)
- Hourman (Rick Tyler) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Northwind (Flashback and main story)
- Nuklon (Flashback and main story)
- Obsidian (Flashback and main story)
- Fury (Lyta Trevor) (Flashback and main story)
- Silver Scarab (Flashback and main story)
- Wildcat (Yolanda Montez) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Joseph Stalin (In a photograph only) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Red Army (Flashback only)
- The Presence (Behind the scenes)
- United States Government (Flashback and main story) (Also in an erased timeline)
- President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Deceased) (In a photograph only) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- President Harry S. Truman (Flashback only) (Also in an erased timeline)
- United States Army (Flashback only) (Also in an erased timeline)
Antagonists:
- Adolf Hitler (Dies in flashback) (Also in an erased timeline)
- Eva Braun (Dies in flashback) (Cameo)
- Generalstab (Flashback and main story) (Also in an erased timeline)
- Albert Speer (Single appearance) (Flashback only)
- Gotthard Heinrici (Single appearance) (Flashback only)
- Joseph Goebbels (Flashback only)
- Hermann Göring (Flashback only)
- Martin Bormann (Flashback only)
- Wilhelm Keitel (Single appearance) (Flashback only)
- Nazi Army (Flashback and main story) (Also in an erased timeline)
- Loki (Notional Dimension) (First appearance; dies) (Resurrected)
- "Doomsday Gang" (Notional Dimension) (First appearance) (All die) (Resurrected)
- Fenrir (First appearance)
- Frost Giants (First appearance)
- Garm (First appearance)
- The Midgard Serpent (First appearance)
- Surtur (First appearance)
- "Doomsday Gang" (Notional Dimension) (First appearance) (All die) (Resurrected)
Other Characters:
- Blue Beetle/Ted Kord (Earth-Four) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Blue Devil (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Captain Atom/Allen Adam (Earth-Four) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Catwoman/Selina Kyle (Earth-Two) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Eleanor Roosevelt (Flashback only)
- General Steve Trevor (Earth-Two) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Green Lantern (John Stewart) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Justice League of America
- Batman (Bruce Wayne) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Firestorm (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Hawkman (Katar Hol) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Hawkwoman (Shayera Thal) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Martian Manhunter (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Superman/Kal-El (Earth-One) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Lois Lane-Kent (Earth-Two) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Marvel Family (Earth-S)
- Captain Marvel (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Mary Marvel (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Nightshade/Eve Eden (Earth-Four) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- The Outsiders
- Black Lightning (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Geo-Force (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Halo (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Katana (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Metamorpho (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Plastic Man (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- The Question/Vic Sage (Earth-Four) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Robin (Jason Todd) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Sandman (Garrett Sanford) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Superboy-Prime/Kal-El (Earth-Prime) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Teen Titans
- Changeling (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Cyborg (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Jericho (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Nightwing (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Starfire (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Wonder Girl (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- The Thunderbolt (Mzzttexxal) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Uncle Sam (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Vigilante (Adrian Chase) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Demons (Mentioned only)
- Doctor Phosphorus (Mentioned only)
- Ghosts (Mentioned only)
- The Great Darkness (Unnamed) (Mentioned only)
- Hela (Mentioned only)
- Ishtar (Mentioned only)
- Kryptonians (Mentioned only)
- Minerva (Mentioned only)
- Muspellsons (Unnamed) (Mentioned only)
- Ormazd (Mentioned only)
- Osiris (Mentioned only)
- Ra (Mentioned only)
- Suttung (Mentioned only)
- The Swamp Thing (Mentioned only)
- Richard Wagner (Mentioned only)
- Theodor Busse (Mentioned only)
- Walther Wenck (Mentioned only)
- Godzilla (Mentioned only)
- King Kong (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Hypertime (Behind the scenes)
- Alternate Earth-Two Timeline (Hitler uses the Spear of Destiny and the Ragnarök to conquer Earth) (Single appearance) (Unnamed) (Erased)
- 1945
- Earth (Destroyed)
- Atlantic Ocean
- Germany
- United Kingdom
- London (Cameo)
- United States of America
- New York City
- Washington, D.C.
- Capitol Building (Destroyed) (Cameo)
- Earth's Moon (Cameo)
- Mars (Cameo)
- Venus (Cameo)
- Earth (Destroyed)
- 1945
- Notional Dimension/"The Ragnarok-Land" (First appearance; unnamed)
- Timestream
- Alternate Earth-Two Timeline (Hitler uses the Spear of Destiny and the Ragnarök to conquer Earth) (Single appearance) (Unnamed) (Erased)
- Pre-Crisis Multiverse (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Earth-Four (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Earth-One (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Earth-S (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Earth-Two (Flashback only)
- Earth
- Mount Olympus (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Earth-X (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Antimatter Universe (Mentioned only)
- Earth-Prime (Mentioned only)
- Heaven (Mentioned only)
- Post-Crisis Multiverse (Behind the scenes)
- New Earth (Flashback and main story) (Origin)
- April, 1945
- Germany
- Berlin (Flashback only)
- Hitler's Bunker (Flashback only)
- Reichstag (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- River Elbe (Flashback and main story)
- River Rhine (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Dresden (Mentioned only)
- Leverkusen (Mentioned only)
- River Niesse (Mentioned only)
- River Oder (Mentioned only)
- Berlin (Flashback only)
- The Netherlands
- Arnhem (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- United States of America
- New York City
- Hyde Park (Flashback only)
- New York City
- England (Mentioned only)
- Canada (Mentioned only)
- Russia (Mentioned only)
- Germany
- 1985
- April, 1945
- Speed Force (Unnamed) (Behind the scenes)
- Heaven (Mentioned only)
- New Earth (Flashback and main story) (Origin)
Items:
- Batsuit
- Doctor Fate's Half-Helmet
- Doctor Midnite's Goggles
- Gravity Rod
- Hammer of Thor
- Helmet of Fate
- Hermes' Helmet
- Heimdall's Horn (First appearance)
- Hourman's Hourglass
- Lasso of Truth
- Nth Metal
- Sandman's Gas Mask
- Soultaker Sword (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Spear of Destiny
- Starheart
- Sunbright Blade/The Sword of Victory (First appearance)
- Wonder Woman's Tiara
Vehicles:
- Naglfar (First appearance)
- Wildcat's Motorcycle (Flashback and main story)
- Wonder Woman's Invisible Plane
Events:
- Crisis on Infinite Earths (Flashback only)
- Ragnarök
- World War II
Concepts:
Notes
- This story takes place in late 1985, a few months after the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths #12.
- The events of Sandman (Volume 2) #26 reveal that the world of the eternal Ragnarök is actually an alternate dimension created by the "real" Pre-Flashpoint Odin to simulate the Twilight of the Gods and find a way to prevent their deaths.
- With Dr. Fate's magic, the JSAers are fused with Norse gods during the Ragnarok battle. Green Lantern is fused with Thor; Flash, with Frey; Hawkman, with Odin; Starman, with Heimdall; Wildcat, with Tyr; Atom, with Vidar.
- This is the last time we see the Justice Society members except for Power Girl, Star-Spangled Kid, Spectre, and Dr. Fate participate in any present-day stories in the New Earth reality until 1992. They remain locked in the Ragnarok battle until the time of Armageddon: Inferno #3-4, when they are replaced by Abraxis' daemen. The story was originally intended to be a retirement of using the Justice Society in present-day stories, with the focus shifting on their continued Golden Age adventures in Young All-Stars (Volume 1) and those of their original Earth-Two successor group Infinity, Inc.
- Infinity Inc. #30 deals with the members of that team mourning the disappearance of the Justice Society in this story. Prior to this, in issue #27, Brainwave Jr. helps ease the suffering of Lyta Trevor remembering her pre-Crisis past of being the daughter of the Golden Age/Earth-Two Wonder Woman by erasing her memories of such.
- This story is also briefly recapped in Armageddon: Inferno #3, though instead of the Spectre being laid low by his confrontation at the Dawn of Time with the Anti-Monitor in Crisis on Infinite Earths #10, he was struck by the Ancient Spear of Destiny thrown by Kobra as he attempted to steal it from a museum.
- Though the story happens after the Crisis on Infinite Earths, there are still Pre-Crisis elements in the continuity of New Earth, particularly in the 1945 flashback sequences where we still see the Golden Age versions of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman among the gathered Justice Society heroes present. The "sweeping effects" of the Crisis have not yet taken hold at this point, and in the 1940s do not take hold until Mekanique releases them in All-Star Squadron #60.
- Some details from the continuity of Earth-Two are confirmed in this story:
- Hawkgirl and Sandy the Golden Boy participate with the group in this story, though at the time they were not officially members of the Justice Society.
- During the battle, a caption mentions Canadian forces taking "Arnhem, Belgium", and American forces marching up to the Zuider Zee River. Arnhem is in The Netherlands, and there is no Zuider Zee River, as the Zuiderzee was a bay.
- This issue is reprinted in Last Days of the Justice Society of America.
Trivia
- The adventures of the four surviving heroes of the Justice Society continue in other angles of the DC Universe:
- Power Girl becomes independent for a few years before she joins the Justice League International in the 1990s. She rejoins the Justice Society in the 2000s, learning that her post-Crisis history of being born the granddaughter of the Atlantean sorcerer Arion was a lie. She also briefly reunited with her Earth-Two cousin Kal-L during the events of the Infinite Crisis until he died at the hands of Superboy-Prime.
- Star-Spangled Kid adopts the new identity of Skyman and continues as the leader of Infinity, Inc. until his death at the hands of Injustice Unlimited.
- Dr. Fate gathers up heroes to deal with Glorious Godfrey during Darkseid's Operation Humiliation and becomes a member of the Justice League, dealing with a "change of personnel" during his time with the League. He rejoins the Justice Society during the time of Zero Hour, where Kent and Inza Nelson would perish at the hands of Extant. Their power is briefly wielded by Jared Stevens before the mantle of Dr. Fate is later passed on to a resurrected Hector Hall who becomes a member of the Justice Society.
- The Spectre returns to active duty as a superhero, mostly going independent and going through changes in abilities as well as "changes in personnel", switching from Jim Corrigan to Hal Jordan to final host Crispus Allen.
- The bodies of both the Huntress and the Earth-Two Robin were claimed to never have been found at the end of Crisis on Infinite Earths #12.
- The Spectre mentions an event that he and Dr. Fate took part in which is a reference to the clash against the Great Darkness from Swamp Thing (Volume 2) #50.
- The death of Adolf Hitler in this issue is portrayed concurrently in Weird War Tales #50 and Unknown Soldier #268. That was one busy bunker on April 30, 1945.
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