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Ahead of Grant Morrison and Howard Porter’s iconic JLA run, DC’s greatest heroes have come together in an oft-forgotten miniseries and a surprising new status quo.
The history of the Justice League is filled with many different incarnations of the team. But by the mid-90s there were a number of different teams and titles depicting the adventures of DC’s First Team, including Justice League International and Justice League Europe, where DC’s greatest heroes were spread across different teams. The “Breakdowns” storyline spread through the titles and led to the eventual disbandment of all teams, heralding the start of a new era of Justice League which united the so-called “Big Seven” group that is still apparently the core of the League roster.
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This new version of the League reunited in the 1996 miniseries Justice League: A Midsummer Nightmare by Fabian Nicieza, Mark Waid and Darick Robertson. The story centered around a world similar to the regular DC Universe, but also oddly different from this one in many ways. In this new world, many individuals called “Sparkers” were awakening with powers.
One thing that was visibly lacking was any knowledge of DC’s most well-known superheroes. The heroes themselves didn’t even know it. Kyle Rayner was drawing a Green Lantern comic that he believed to be completely fictional. Bruce Wayne was trying to help orphan Jason Todd, Clark Kent was a mild-mannered reporter, and Diana Prince was a principal. Additionally, Wally West was a teacher in Blue Valley, J’onn J’onzz lived with his family on Mars, and Arthur Curry was the new board member of a fish packing company.
After an incident at the Daily Planet and a meeting with Thomas and Martha Wayne reminds both Clark and Bruce of their true identity as Superman and Batman, the two meet to discuss this unknown world. Meanwhile, Wally sees Kyle’s Green Lantern comic book and, reminding him of his recent nightmares, travels to New York City for answers.
Batman tracks down the whereabouts of Arthur and Diana and he and Superman set off to remind their friends of their true identity. As Superman takes the gentle approach of an evening flight to refresh Wonder Woman’s memory, Batman dips Arthur’s head into an aquarium to remind him that he can breathe underwater. With Wonder Woman and Aquaman on their side, the heroes decide the only way to stop what is happening is together.
After locating the newly awakened Green Lantern and Flash, the six heroes determine that the villain behind the extraordinary new status quo is a more powerful Doctor Destiny. They needed Martian Manhunter’s help to find him, but J’onn isn’t as willing to quit his fantasy as the rest of the heroes. It is only after his fantasy ignites that he wakes up, unhappy to be united with his fellow heroes.
Hearing that Green Lantern was drawing the location of the source of the world’s changes in his comic book, the seven heroes take off to face off against Doctor Destiny, only to learn that Destiny is not the mastermind. Fate has sold his soul to a villain called Know Man who claims to be the Savior of Earth. He believes Earth’s current heroes are not equipped to handle an incoming threat and that an Earth full of powerful individuals is the real answer.
With brute force resulting in Superman simply being thrown into space, Batman hatches a plan that combines the powers of Manhunter and Aquaman with Doctor Destiny’s new ability to turn dreams into reality. By combining their powers, Manhunter is able to reach the inhabitants of Earth and wake them up from the dream world of Destiny.
Know Man accepts defeat, hoping the heroes are up to the challenge of the threat to come. The Seven decide that if they are, it will be together – as a brand new Justice League. This marks the end of the JLI and JLE era and establishes a new status quo for the Morrison and the Porter. JLA race that brought back the team’s most familiar modern roster.
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