Bring on the Bad Guys: The Crime Syndicate

Membership: Ultraman, Owlman, Superwoman, Johnny Quick, and Power Ring

First appearance: Justice League of America I#29 (August 1964)

Abilities: Pretty much the same as the JLA, although Owlman has limited psychic powers

Worst act: World conquering 

Quote: "I'll tell you something so new--it'll curl your hair! I have discovered a way to get us out of the doldrums!"(Ultraman)

Created by: Gardner F. Fox (script), Mike Sekowsky (pencils), Bernard Sachs (inks) 

In the tradition of Two-Face and the rest, today we look at a special series of foes, my favorite of the JLA, the Crime Syndicate of America. Basically the 'mirror-verse' version of the JLA. Funny aside, the concept of an evil mirror first popped up here. The Star Trek episode "Mirror, Mirror" didn't air until 1967. 

I've always had a fondness for multiple Earths and in #29 (after establishing that the JLA live on Earth 1 and the JSA on Earth 2) we see Earth 3. A world in which Christopher Columbus Europe, England fought for its freedom from America, and President John Wilkes Booth was gunned down by noted actor Abraham Lincoln. 

Here we have the Crime Syndicate, with members Ultraman (Superman), who gains powers from kryptonite

Owlman (Batman), who has super intelligence and can have limited control over minds

Superwoman (Wonder Woman), with her shapeshifting lasso 

Johnny Quick (the Flash), the fastest man on Earth 3

Power Ring (Green Lantern), has a magic ring 

Here the Crime Syndicate discover the whole multiple Earth thing, and, being bored as they have utterly conquered their world, set their sights on the new target. Seeking a neutral battleground, they find Earth 2 and thus the JSA gets dragged into this. 

Looking back, rather surprised the Crime Syndicate wouldn't show up again until 1978 and again in 1982 before the whole Crisis blew Earth 3 up. 

I love the idea of the team certainly, but the concept didn't get much further than that. The characters really weren't fleshed out until (in some cases) a few decades later. 

Overall, good concept but a lackluster execution. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: Spaceman-X

Real name: Inapplicable 

First appearance: Justice League of America I#20 (June 1963)

Abilities: Absorbing radiation, super strength 

Worst act: Assault, destruction of property

Quote: Not applicable

Created by: Gardner F. Fox (script), Mike Sekowsky (pencils), Bernard Sachs (inks) 

In the interest of a recap, #19 featured the return of Doctor Destiny. Here, the league handles three separate issues on three different planets. Despite the fact that the problems were caused by machines, the issues they created persist. Unknown to the team, all three planets are linked, in that each machine was controlled by the other planet. 

While on Earth, a giant spaceman shows up and starts wrecking the joint when he isn't helping people out. The twist? Turns out the spaceman is a robot being controlled by the ship, who turns out to be the mastermind and the one behind the machines. 

A twist, certainly, 

Bring on the Bad Guys: The Android Protectors

Real names: Terrane, Ocana, and Etheran

First appearance: Justice League of America I#18 (March 1963)

Abilities: Discharging radiation

Worst act: Discharging radiation, kidnapping

Quote: "We are the three protectors of this world! We brought you here--so you could destroy us!"

Created by: Gardner F. Fox (script), Mike Sekowsky (pencils), Bernard Sachs (inks) 

Not really villains per say, but the antagonists for sure. During their usual meeting, the JLA get shrunk and dragged off to the microscopic world of Starzl. The people are having a tiny problem. Some time ago, the people built three androids to protect them from various threats. The issue now is they are all putting out dangerous levels of radioactivity, so the androids figure kidnapping the JLA would be a solution, one way or another. The members:

Terrane (land protector)

Ocana (sea protector)

Etheran (air protector)

The team splits up and tries to take the androids down but all come up short; which is odd as they don't SEEM that powerful. 

Yeah, it seems their power is based more around confidence. If they think they're unstoppable, they are. The solution? Snapper Carr! Yeah, they figure bring him and don't tell him anything and something this will work. 

It does. Yeah, I can't explain it either. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: The Tornado Tyrant II

 Real name: Not applicable 

First appearance: Justice League of America I#17 (Feb. 1963)

Abilities: Tornado creations and control

Worst act: Attempted world conquering 

Quote: "I have defeated you, Justice League! Now will you acknowledge that evil has triumphed over good?"

Created by: Gardner F. Fox (script), Mike Sekowsky (pencils), Bernard Sachs (inks) 

Another odd one and the first foe that appeared somewhere else first. In Mystery in Space #61, Adam Strange battled a strange creature called the Tornado Tyrant. The creature had a crisis of conscious and renamed itself the Tornado Champion, vowing to be good!

Pity it didn't quite understand what that meant. In order to better understand the concept, it ends up creating its own version of Earth, including versions of the Justice League. Pity that in all this, either an evil double or a newer version of its old persona pops up and declares itself the Tornado Tyrant. The Champion is blocked at every turn, so it figures the best way to handle this is to hop over to Earth 1 and subject the JLA to the same pitfalls the Tyrant is using, hoping they can figure it out. 

Thanks mostly to Green Lantern, the Champion figures out a way to beat the Tyrant. This wouldn't be the end of the Tornado Champion. You might recall him better as the Red Tornado.  

Bring on the Bad Guys: The Maestro

Real name: Not applicable 

First appearance: Justice League of America I#16 (Dec. 1962)

Abilities: Mind controlling music 

Worst act: Theft, kidnapping 

Quote: "Certainly not! I've arranged for you to be so busy dancing--you won't be able to stop them!"

Created by: Gardner F. Fox (script), Mike Sekowsky (pencils), Bernard Sachs (inks) 

An oddity here. Imaginary stories were a unique thing at DC. Basically a what if or elseworld, with the main theme being that it wasn't canon. In other words, this is just a show and you should really just relax. 

So, the story here is actually credited to JLA superfan Jerry Thomas (a mash up of Jerry Bails and Roy Thomas), who on a whim writes to the JLA with a question, what if this villain I just created fought you? He plays the experiment fairly, I'll say.

The Maestro is committing a string of robberies, aided by his music which forces people listening to dance uncontrollably. Shades of the Music Meister, eh?

The JLA is actually fairly stumped for a bit when the Atom comes up with a novel solution. All in all, not bad but I'm honestly curious why this would be imaginary?

Bring on the Bad Guys: The Untouchable Aliens

Real names: Not revealed 

First appearance: Justice League of America I#15 (Nov. 1962)

Abilities: Can becoming intangible, teleporting 

Worst act: Theft

Quote: "They can't see us in this world--because about fifty seconds still separates us!"

Created by: Gardner F. Fox (script), Mike Sekowsky (pencils), Bernard Sachs (inks) 

Slightly different kind of entry this time, in that these fellows aren't really villains. They pop up across the globe and steal various super weapons from various countries and then reappear across the globe, seemingly trying to use said weapons against various cities. 

Ok, so far pretty standard villain plot. The twist? They're actually from Earth, just not the Earth the JLA know. Seems they're world and Earth-1 are separated by exactly one minute. A-bombs going off on both worlds have somehow thrown them out of alignment and now they risk sharing the same physical space. Thankfully Green Lantern is able to save the day.

Like I said, interesting. Admittedly, most of the drama could have been spared if someone had taken the time to explain things but for drama's sake I understand. A pity they never showed up again. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: Mr. Memory

 Real name: Amos Fortune/Bruce Wayne

First appearance: Justice League of America I#14 (Sept. 1962)

Abilities: Via use of a De-Memorizar, can remove memories 

Worst act: Attempted murder, brainwashing

Quote: "That is why you took those pills--to protect your own memories! The side effect of the De-Memorizor blast caused everyone else on Earth to forget the person at whom you aimed!"

Created by: Gardner F. Fox (script), Mike Sekowsky (pencils), Bernard Sachs (inks) 

Big impact this story; first we have Ray Palmer (the Atom) officially joining the team. The crazy thing is, he has zero memory of just HOW that happened. He soon forgets about that too, as the entire population of Ivy Town just got shrunk, including himself. 

Mr. Memory, whoever he is, sets out forming his own gang.

Hector Hammond (Green Lantern): Here is where Hammond evolves himself into a 'man from the future', i.e. a big forehead. 

Pied Piper (Flash foe)

Sea-Thief (Aquaman foe) his only apperance by the way

Angle Man (Wonder Woman)

Dr. Davis (Green Arrow)

The Joker (sort of?)

Yeah, seems the Joker kidnapped Batman on the behest of Mr. Memory, who put his own costume over Bat's but apparently never bothered to look under the hood. 

Martian Manhunter and the Flash get to work as the JLA fights the assembled team manages to snap Batman out of his haze and quickly bust Fortune.