IMPEL DC Cosmic Cards recounts the ballad of the Millennium saga
As a child of the 80s, I was a teen of the 90s. And as a teen of the 90s (living in middle-class suburbia), I had way more disposable income than any 14 year-old had a right to - so I spent my money on these: IMPEL’s DC COSMIC CARDS (INAUGURAL EDITION) released in 1991. This was no friviolous expenditure, you need to understand. This was about a decade before every household in North America would have access to the internet and if you wanted to know about a specific comic book character you either needed to A) own the comic book or B) have a really knowledgable friend who could tell you all about them. DC COSMIC CARDS were the cheaper, more convenient solution. (Actually, the most effective solution would be access to all six volumes of Who’s Who in the DC Universe - but let’s be reasonable here.)
In this example, some poor copy-editor needed to find a way to make Millennium sound exciting in three pragraphs or less. This is rather amusing, since Millennium is almost universally panned as one of the worst DC cross-over events to come out of the 80s. (I actually don’t agree with that - as a passive Green Lantern Corps fan, I find that the event has it’s own unique merits). The art on the front of the card doesn’t match up with the summary text on the back, and probably wouldn’t have really meant anything to anyone unless they’d read all 8 issues (and corresponding tie-ins) of the Millennium event first-hand. This particular 3-set of cards were illustrated by Joe Staton - the very artist who illustrated 1988’s Millennium event - so, that’s a nice touch of authenticity. I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure this artwork was created specifically for these cards.
On card #1 we have the team that will eventually become The New Guardians surrounded by Manhunters. OK - check. Card #2 we have the Suicide Squad, the Justice League, some Green Lanternsandthe Spectre beating up on more Manhunters. The only recognizable Suicide Squadder on the card in Captain Boomerang - I had to really squint to recognize the Privateer and the other two driving the jeep (who’s names escape me at the moment). Card #3 is the real pièce de résistance: Guy Gardner cutting the head off of a Manhunter with a green knife construct. (Thankfully the Manhunters were robots, so this doesn’t really constitute as violence.) Staton would be the regular artist for the first 14 issues of Guy Gardner’s 1992 ongoing series (as well as it’s 3-issue Guy Gardner Reborn prequel) - so this is fitting. Guy Gardner rocketed to fame in the mid-to-late 80s as the anti-hero of the GLC and Justice League, and thus made him a “cool” character and I remember prizing anything I owned featuring Guy Gardner, so this card would not have been an exception.
It’s noteworthy that the IMPEL Cosmic Cards collection contained NO Batman-related characters (unless you count Nightwing - who was a major player in the Teen Titans at the time), but I’m sure we’ll delve into that some other time.
Beyond his art, Neal Adams is rightfully remembered as an eternal champion of creators’ rights and for the part he & his work played in the Comics Code revision of ‘71 but his contribution to John Stewart’s creation is – I think – a rather underrated aspect of his career, especially as it’s such a great reminder of the kind of person he was. Taken from an interview conducted and transcribed by Allen W. Wright over at the Green Arrow: Bold Archer fansite, here’s Neal discussing John’s beginnings (x).
Guy doesn’t look at him while he places a plate on the table, right next to his beer. He moves so quickly that Hal barely has time to process everything and say something about it.
By then, Guy’s already halfway across the bar.
“Hey,” Hal raises his voice enough so that it can be heard over the constant noise of loud talking and music, “I didn’t order this!”
“Just shut up!” Guy turns back to him, with an odd expression Hal can’t quite understand. “Eat that, will ya?”
“But I didn't—”
“’S on the house!” His cheeks turn red under the lights and Hal blinks, slowly.
Alright. That’s fair enough, Hal guesses. After all, free food is free food.
He brings the plate closer to himself, feels his stomach rumbling at the sight. Right, when was the last time he remembered to eat something?
Well, nevermind that. The first bite into the fried mozzarella stick and Hal’s eyes close on their own, something akin to a shiver taking over him. God, that tastes good. He hadn’t even noticed he was hungry — but that’s hardly something odd.
Hal only looks up again after the third stick is halfway into his mouth. Guy’s right there, he’s still there, closer than before, and there’s this softness to him that makes Hal stop halfway through his second bite.
Guy couldn’t have known, could he?
There’s no way he noticed, right?
“Hey, what’s wrong,” leaning closer, Guy’s frowning now, peering over the plate, “why d'ya stop?”
Hal has trouble swallowing.
“Why did you give me this?”
“Food’s food, Jordan,” Guy tells him, crossing his arms, “don’t waste it.”
Okay. That’s fair. “Alright, alright. But I’m payin’.”
His stomach feels warm when Guy laughs, loud and generous with the sound.
You know how friends groups when one of you comes out and then everybody comes out and it turns out you’d all been LGBT the entire time and some ppl even knew before you did? Yeah like that
Guy walked into every room like he was picking a fight. Because the more every villain and intergalactic despot hated him– the more they wanted to kill him– the less they thought about killing any of his friends.
The team is back together! But it is far from smooth sailing for the JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL. Many growing pains must be acknowledged, not the least of which is how to deal with the international quandry MAX LORD has left them in. As CHECKMATE sets its sights on the country of Zambesi, the JLI prepare to counter! All in this action-packed issue of JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL!
Find out what happens in Justice League International #2:Batgirl and the JLI, out May 25!
The Team no one believed is BACK! In theory. BOOSTER GOLD was approached by BATMAN himself with the idea of reuniting the JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL, but the task might be more difficult than it first appeared.
There is a long and storied history for the first international superteam, and some are far less amicable to the call than one would hope. Can Booster keep it together? And in the end, WHO will be on the ultimate Superhero Team?
You can only find out in this issue of JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL. all shipping restrictions may apply pre-order today with your nearest licensed retailer and pass the 52 question pop quiz he gives you about obscure comic book knowledge in order to be allowed access to the premise a second time
Find out what happens in Justice League International #1:Reunited and It Feels So Good, out May 18!
After a series of setbacks, the JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL has to face one of their newest challenges… SOCIAL MEDIA! When a series of old interviews with GUY GARDNER start circulating and a former teammate publishes a tell all novel, the team that defined a generation of superhero celebrities has to handle the CONSEQUENCES… before MAXWELL LORD does it for them!
Find out what happens in Justice League International #4:Justice League International… Canceled!?, out June 8!
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