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. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: Robot Duplicates

Membership: Robot Superman, Robot Batman, Robot Wonder Woman, Robot Flash, Robot Green Lantern, Robot Green Arrow, and Robot Martian Manhunter

First appearance: Justice League of America I#13 (Aug. 1962)

Abilities: Exact powers as the originals 

Worst act: Attempted murder

Quote: "I'll allow you to shoot first! But my follow-up arrow will touch you before yours can reach me--and I'll have won!"

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

Well, these guys are different, I'll say that. On the planet Skarn, the life energy of their universe is dying out. This has happened before, so the residents opt to use the same plan they've used before, namely kidnap the champions of a neighboring universe and force them to fight the robot duplicates of themselves, with the loser's universe being one destroyed. 

Snatching the entire league, it is spelled out to the confused heroes. All the heroes are forced, save Aquaman since Skarn has no bodies of water big enough to stage a proper fight. Aquaman is then roped into being the JLA's coach, a role he does shockingly well. 

Seriously, with Aquaman's leadership the JLA manages to defeat the robots and get sent home. 

Although most of his coaching seems to be "Wonder Woman, remember you're an Amazon!"

Bring on the Bad Guys: Doctor LIght

Real name: Arthur Light

First appearance: Justice League of America I#12 (Jun. 1962)

Abilities: Powered suit with various light based attacks

Worst act: Murder, and NOTHING ELSE that will be discussed here. 

Quote: "There is no Justice League anymore, young man! Step in--I want to tell you all about it!"

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

Lord, considered skipping this guy entirely. I mean, for YEARS Doctor Light was basically the Barry Horowitz of DC. A jobber, punching way out of his weight class and getting the utter hell kicked out of him. 

Then some jackass decided that comics had to be grown up and the single dumbest thing DC put out that decade went and made him utterly unusable as a villain or even a concept. "Oh no, he was NEVER really a loser, he was a bad ass! The JLA just mindwiped him and had kids fight him!"

Not sure who comes out looking worse in that situation. His Suicide Squad take was really the best, in that he was a total loser. His luck was the kind where he manages to escape Hell and come back to life...only to suffocate inside his coffin. 

He then escapes Hell once again, only to mistaken for a vampire and shot with a crossbow. 

His first story was a pretty basic. He shows up and when the story starts, is boasting of already taking down the JLA and forces Snapper Carr to write up the caper. He managed to get the drop on Aquaman and with his signal device, lure the JLA and send them to worlds that would render them helpless (i.e. a world of yellow for Green Lantern, fire for Martian Manhunter, etc.). 

He's only foiled because Batman and Superman switched costumes. He then creates duplicates of himself to rob various light related items but team stops him. 

His powers don't seem all that related to light but eh, 1960's. Things were more of a suggestion back then. 

Honestly, killing him off via the Spectre was probably the best thing for him but I have a feeling some fanboy will bring him back. Sometimes dead is better. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: Felix Faust

Real name: Felix Faust

First appearance: Justice League of America I#10 (Mar. 1962)

Abilities: Magic

Worst act: Unleashing hell

Quote: "I--Felix Faust! Long have I studied ancient parchments, old palimpsests, the clay tablets of long-dead conjurers! Now that I have summoned you--I order you to reveal the secret of your supernatural powers!"

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

Another big name, but lord, the kid's already named Faust. Why would you compound on that by calling him Felix?

The JLA was no stranger to magic but Felix here had a very specific goal. He specifically wanted to free three ancient demons from their slumber, so hopefully they would be very cool to him afterwards.

The demons need three specific items to be free, but Felix isn't foolhardy enough to go get them himself. That would be dangerous after all. The crazy thing is, Felix wins. Oh, he gets captured but he techinally frees the demons.

Sort of, the spell won't actually free them until a hundred years pass but still, Felix is doing better than Pete Ricketts. 

This was also first two parter story. Issue 11 focuses more on the three demons lords. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: Aliens from Appellax

Membership: Stone-God, Glass-Man, Mercury Monster, Golden Roc, Fire-Lord, Crystal Creature, and Wood-King

First appearance: Justice League of America I#9 (Feb. 1962)

Abilities: Various

Worst act: Transforming people into stuff

Quote: "So your weakness is fire, Man of Mars? Then that's how I shall overcome you!"

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

Technically this could have been published on the 1st, given this is the first proper origin story of the Justice League, but we'll have it here for completion's sake. 

The aliens here are all competing for the throne of their home world Appellax. They just decided to compete on Earth and change as many people as they can. 

Landing across the globe, each alien attacks the local pop but thankfully a future League member is nearby to stop them. A slight breakdown:

Stone-God (Martian Manhunter)

Glass-Man (Aquaman)

Mercury Monster (Wonder Woman)

Golden Roc (Green Lantern)

Fire-Lord (Flash)

Getting together to see how many meteors crashed to Earth, they discover they all missed one. Rushing to the next one to tackle it, they find themselves turning into trees but thankfully they work together and stop the Wood-King. They next head to Greenland to face the Crystal Creature, but there they find Superman and Batman having already cracked the case. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: Pete Ricketts

 Real name: Pete Ricketts

First appearance: Justice League of America I#8 (Dec./Jan. 1962)

Abilities: Finding alien tech

Worst act: Brainwashing

Quote: "I'm here to claim the million dollar prize money for the capture of the Justice League! To convince you I can deliver the goods--I've brought Green Lantern along! As soon as you show me the million bucks--I'll bring the rest of the Justice League here!"

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

Now, technically the JLA had two appearances before this issue. Superman I#149 is an imaginary yarn and therefore not in canon, while Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane#29 is more of a cameo.

Here a small time hood named Pete Ricketts ends up getting his grubby hands on the Cyberniary, a device that allows one to control a person's mind totally. Which is just laying outside in a garbage pile, as one does. Pete's first idea to test this out on the JLA and when it works, that's when the good ideas dry up. 

Yeah, Pete then decides, since he now as the world's greatest heroes at his total beck and call, why not hire them out to the highest bidder for a small fee? Snapper Carr ends up the saving the day with Dr. Destiny's old gear and Pete ends up in the slammer. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: Aliens from Angellax

Real names: Unrevealed 

First appearance: Justice League of America I#7 (Oct./Nov. 1961)

Abilities: Teleportation, shape shifting 

Worst act: Kidnapping

Quote: "I knew you were following me because, when my alien body was changed over into yours, I received all your knowledge! I was thus aware of you scheme to conceal yourself as you swung open the cosmidoor!"

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

Bit of an odd duck these guys. The whole tale kicks with JLA mascot Snapper Carr and his girlfriend getting kidnapped from a circus. They get rescued, thankfully, but this prompts the team to investigate. The team gets captured, and two of the aliens change themselves into exact duplicates of Barry Allen and Hal Jordan, and from there they lure the rest of the team into the future on a while goose chase, all save for Aquaman.

Yeah, Aquaman is the one to save the day. Why were the aliens kidnapping people? Story is a bit vague on that, plus why would they change the JLA to make them mimic a funhouse mirror reflection? Not an awful tale by any means but certainly not a memorable one. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: Professor Amos Fortune

Real name: Amos "Pudge" Fortune

First appearance: Justice League of America I#6 (Aug./Sept. 1961)

Abilities: Luck manipulation 

Worst act: Attempted murder

Quote: "For many years luck has fascinated me! I've made a long study of it, first as a gambler, then as a scientist! I was convinced that if I could learn how and when luck functions, I'd be able to control it!"

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

Ah, this guy. Almost made him my pick for the 22nd. Seriously, this guy starts out by discovering 'luck glands' in the human body. He removes his bad luck ones and pumps up his good luck...and thus decides to take down the Justice League. I'd figure on hitting Las Vegas myself but then again I lack the fashion sense of the professor. 

Of course, his surgery may not have been as successful as he hoped, as during his attempted crime spree he fails to make off with the loot. Still, he persists and manages to capture the team and put them in his Stimuluck device, which will destroy their good luck glands forever!

Thankfully the Martian Manhunter manages to escape. How? He doesn't have any luck glands.

So Martians have no luck?

He'd come back a few more times, usually with luck or card based schemes. He also is responsible for the creation of the Royal Flush Gang, so there's that. Silver Age through and through. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: Doctor Destiny

Real name: John Dee

First appearance: Justice League of America I#5 (Jun./July 1961)

Abilities: Entering and manipulating dreams, also gravity control

Worst act: Murder and lots of it

Quote: "No one knows me for a master-thief yet--because until now I've stolen nothing!"

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

Wow, this guy. I know, the Sandman series left a heck of a change on the character and the way he's depicted but I'd rather focus on his Silver Age misadventures. 

When we first see him, well, we don't. The story proper starts with the JLA dealing with a massive jailbreak. All the foes of the JLA seemingly escaped and have banded together.

Monty Moran (Martian Manhunter), escape artist 

Captain Cold (Flash)

Professor Menace (Wonder Woman), builds Wonder Woman robots 

Clock King (Green Arrow), more of a straight up thief and called King Clock here

The Electric Man (Aquaman) super powered one of the group

Puppet-Master (Green Lantern)

Things look grim when it appears that Green Arrow helped the crooks escape. When they finally get around to getting Arrow's side of the story, it seems he was actually helping the JLA-because one of them is a traitor! Most of the story focuses on the escaped foes until we met the boss in the last chapter. 

It's Green Lantern. Yup, Destiny had the idea to knock Hal Jordon out and replace him. He manages to use his will-deadening machine on the team but he forgets about GL and thus is taken down.

Looking back, I'm amazed that someone would read this and think, "this guy needs to be a serial killer". He's just so goofy and goofy in a specific Silver Age way. William Atherton played him wonderfully though, so there's that. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: Xandor

Real name: Xandor

First appearance: Justice League of America I#4 (Apr./May 1961)

Abilities: Access to alien weapons 

Worst act: Kidnapping, being a despot

Quote: "Most people on Dryanna secretly call me a dictator! Your friends--certain scientists--hope to overthrow me and establish a government of the people--and want you to lead the revolt!"

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

Major first for this yarn, in that is the issue where Green Arrow formerly joins the team, and what a debut.

Technically, Xandor is more of a background character while the action focuses on the character Carthan. He's a warlord of Dryanna and as characters oft do, he gets into an accident with electromagnetic waves and gains superpowers. 

He's a nice guy though, but Xandor, ruler of Dryanna, thinks he's too nice. So nice in fact he fears he might overthrow him and what with his new abilities he might be able to back that up. 

Thus he exiles him to Earth along with a series of monsters to keep him in check; Carthan would ask the League for help but his powers make that difficult, so he opts for the next best plan of action and kidnaps Green Arrow. He manipulates the League into the fighting the monsters and destroying their controls thus freeing him. 

Not a huge presence and a bit flat all things considered.  

Bring on the Bad Guys: Kanjar Ro

 Real name: Kanjar Ro

First appearance: Justice League of America I#3 (Feb./Mar. 1961)

Abilities: Access to alien weapons 

Worst act: Enslaving planets, kidnapping

Quote: "There! Now that none of you can move a muscle, I can speak to you without your indulging in any heroics...!"

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

Another alien dictator, but this one is also combined with the 'paring the heroes up and sending them to different locations' trope. Ro wants his rivals taken care of, so he paralyses the entire Earth. The heroes are split up and easily take down the other rulers. 

Ro smugly tries to back out of the deal, pointing out that only his former rivals saying his name at the same time would free the Earth. 

Good thing the JLA made recordings of them saying just that, eh?

Kanjar Ro would return in a sequel to this yarn in Mystery in Space I#75, in which he tangles with Adam Strange but he never really reached those levels again.

Bring on the Bad Guys: The Sinister Sorcerers

Membership: Simon Magus, Saturna the Lord of Misrule, the Troll King

First appearance: Justice League of America I#2 (Dec./Jan. 1960)

Abilities: Magic 

Worst act: Breaking all scientific laws, attempted ruling of Earth

Quote: "Four weeks ago, on All-Hallows Eve we three did perform a magical incantation and by our spells put a golden doorway in the sky!"

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

Now this is a first; we have the first (unofficial) super villain team the League ever fought and the very first alternative Earth, even before Flash I#123.

The three miscreants all happen to live in Magic-Land, a sort of Earth where science doesn't exist and magic rules everything. The three wizards aren't happy with their respective stations, so they opt to swap both planets and thus muck up the laws governing both planes. 

Shame most of the League's powers are science based (although Wonder Woman really shouldn't be affected, but eh). Thankfully Merlin steps in and gives the League a hand. 

Yes, apparently THAT Merlin but it never comes up again. This group would never be seen again, but Simon Magus would return in a 1980's World's Finest comic. 

Which a pity, as the whole idea has merit. Admittedly, this is becoming a bit of a trend; i.e., villain pops up and the team gets paired off and each chapter focuses on the group fighting one particular foe. A hold over from the JSA days I guess. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: Desparo

Real name: Desparo

First appearance: Justice League of America I#1 (Oct./Nov. 1960)

Abilities: Hypnotism, teleportation, telepathy  

Worst act: Murder

Quote: "Members of the Justice League of America, you are gathered here to deal with the menace of Desparo! But I--Desparo himself--am taking over! Since I have defeated you all, I now declare this meeting adjourned...forever!"

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

The first villian the JLA fought in their own series. Desparo wouldn't have a lot of appearances but they tended to matter when he did so up. In a mostly "holy crap we're all going to die!" kind of way.

When we first see him, Desparo is fairly skinny (later showings would have him bulked up considerably) but his main focus is on his mind. 

The main character of the first story is a scientist, Jasonar, and his fleeing his world from Desparo. Jasonar needs time to finish a secret weapon capable of defeating the tyrant. Desparo knows about this and heads him off at the pass, easily taking the JLA out in the process.

How? Mostly by beating the Flash in a rigged chess game and teleporting each member or so to a different planet. They manage to get back to Earth, but it turns out JLA mascot Snapper Carr already took care of it. Yeah, remember that secret weapon? Carr found it and used it. Super easy, barely an inconvenience really. 

So not the best introduction but things would get better, although nowadays he tends to be more Doomsday like than Dr. Doom. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: Professor Ivo and Amazo

Real name: Ivo

First appearance: Brave and the Bold I#30 (June/July 1960)

Abilities: Making robots, being immortal 

Worst act: Attempted murder, stealing super powers 

Quote: "Before the chlorine gas in the cylinder overcomes you, Flash--I want you to know I am Professor Ivo, creator of the amazing android, Amazo!"

"I move clumsily--sluggishly! I'm not fast anymore! Master...what's happening?"

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

Considered making these guys two separate profiles, but eh. Last time the League would be in Brave and the Bold, with their next appearance would be in their own series. 

Ivo seems to have 2 motives. First, he builds Amazo for the purpose of stealing super powers; second, he wants to be immortal. 

For the first part he succeeds and manages to capture most of the League with little to no issue. Funny enough he ignores Superman, but this isn't present as arrogance or foolishness on his part. With the other powers at his disposal plus easy access to kryptonite, what would he do with Superman?

As for the latter he also succeeds but it is clearly more of a curse. The JLA escapes and get their powers back, so now he's sentenced to 500 years. Didn't think that one through, did you?

Ivo isn't the JLA main eventer but he's still managed to pop up a decent amount. Amazo has had a longer career. Sort of predates the Super Adaptoid too, what with his many hero powers bit. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: Xotar the Weapons Master

 Real name: Xotar

First appearance: Brave and the Bold I#29 (April/May 1960)

Abilities: Access to time travel, old history books

Worst act: Attempted conquering of Earth

Quote: "Attention--Justice League of America! Armed with the four most destructive weapons ever devise, I have time-traveled 10,000 years from the future to do battle with you! Ready--let the action begin!

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

After the last guy, bit of a comedown. We open to the year 11960 AD, in which master criminal Xotar has his ultimate plan! He has four, count 'em four weapons of unstoppable power! The only weakness, the police has the perfect counter measures to three of them but he doesn't know which ones. 

One of the weapons is a page from the Justice League of America casebook. Sure it isn't complete but it does say the words beaten, so it must detail how the JLA were beaten, right? Hopping back in time, Xotar uses his weapons on the assembled team. He does a pretty good job, but if he paid attention, he'd notice that Superman wasn't present at the meeting he crashed...

Decent and with the time travel hook I'm surprised he didn't pop up again. 

Bring on the Bad Guys: Starro the Conqueror

Real name: Starro the Conqueror 

First appearance: Brave and the Bold I#28 (Feb./Mar. 1960)

Abilities: Mind control

Worst act: Brainwashing, attempted conquering of Earth

Quote: "I am Starro! I have selected you three starfish--who must be distant relatives of mine--to help me conquer this planet!"

Created by: Gardner F. Fox (script), Mike Sekowsky (pencils), Bernard Sachs/Joe Giella/Murphy Anderson (inks)

Moving back into the Silver Age and we're kicking off with something that really set the standard. Instead of each member of the team having a individual chapter and foe, here we get one bad guy and wow. Giant alien starfish; didn't see that one coming. 

I love this guy. He's so simple yet horrifying. He's a starfish and he's going to conqueror your planet! Why? What does he need a planet for? And HOW is pretty darn creepy. He sends out waves of little versions of himself and they affix themselves to your face, letting him see everywhere. 

I also love his introduction. He lands on Earth and explains his plan to some starfish in the ocean, justifying they must be relatives of him. He hasn't been used that much and I think that works in his favor, so when he pops up it's a THING. He's got enough appearances to be recognizable but not enough to be overexposed. 

WWE X Street Fighter II

 Because why not?

Now, for the official line, we have M. Bison (the Rock), Blanka (Ultimate Warrior), E. Honda (Yokozuna), Guile (John Cena), and Cammy (Bianca Belair). These are of course just guesses on my part. I am rather shocked that Cena is Guile as opposed to Cody (movie synergy and all that). 

Chun-Li: Becky Lynch. She's the Strongest Woman in the World, so why not?

Zangrief: Rusev. A bit obvious, I know. 

Dhalsim: A bit harder on this one. I'm going with Kane, since they both deal with fire. 

Balrog: R-Truth. He's not much of a boxer but I think he could elevated to final boss level. 

Vega: Penta. Maybe too obvious, but the mask bit works with both. 

Akuma: Finn Baylor. Fighting demon and all

Dee Jay: Kofi Kingston? Might be too close to his former gimmick.

Evil Ryu: Rey Mysterio (might as well keep it as close to the real thing as possible)

Violent Ken: Dominik Mysterio (same)

Fei Long: Shinsuke Nakamura (grasping at straws with this one)

T. Hawk: Bron Breakker

WWE X Street Fighter

 So, just heard about the latest toy mashup. Street Fighter mixed with the Superstars of the WWE. Three series announced so far, so why not toss my .02 in?

They've already got Ryu (Rey Mysterio), Ken (Dominik Mysterio), and Sagat (Batista) and a few others, so why not suggest the rest?

I'll stick to Street Fighter (1987)

Retsu: The first guy, a bit basic I know but I'll go with Chad Gable.

Geki: Since he's the first fighter masked, I'll say Dragon Lee

Moving into the Americas, we have Joe. I'll go with a deep cut and say Tom Magee

Mike: Angelo Dawkins 

Lee: Ilja Dragunov

Gen: CM Punk

Birdie: Big John Studd

Eagle: The Sandman

Adon: Ludwig Kaiser

Yes, a pinch silly, I know, but eh I'll take anything positive at this point. Might do more games later. 

WWE VS the World XVII

 Another year and another tradition. Rules the same as before, pick who you want to win, most votes win.

RAW VS TNA (Day 1)

With Joe Tessitore and Tom Hanifan at Madison Square Garden 

Tag Team match

The Usos (Jey and Jimmy Uso) VS the Hardys (Matt and Jeff Hardy)

Winner: The Hardys 0-1

Maxxine Dupri VS Rosemary

Winner: Rosemary 0-2

Iron Man Match

Gunther VS Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo

Winner: Lorenzo 0-3

Tag Team match

The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) VS the Ilnspiration (Cassie Lee and Jessie McKay)

Winner: Lee and McKay 0-4

X Match

Dominik Mystero VS Leon Slater

Winner: Slater 0-5

Ladder match

Stephanie Vaquer VS Lei Ying Lee

Winner: Lee 0-6

CM Punk VS Frankie Kazarian 

Winner: Kaz 0-7 with a total shutout for RAW. 

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SMACKDOWN VS AEW (Day 2)

With Michael Cole and Excalibur at the Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX

Jade Cargil VS Kris Stratlander

Winner: Cargil 1-0

First Blood match

Damien Priest VS Jon Moxley

Winner: Priest 2-0

Carmelo Hayes VS Kazuchika Okada 

Winner: Okada 2-1

Chelsea Green VS Willow Nightingale 

Winner: Nightingale 2-2

The Wyatt Sicks (Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis) VS FTR (Dax Hardwood and Cash Wheeler)

Winner: Gacy and Lumis 3-2

Alexa Bliss and Charolette Flair VS the Babes of Wraith (Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron)

Winner: Nightingale and Cameron 3-3

Trios match

Trick Williams, Solo Sika, and Roman Reigns VS The Opps (Samoa Joe, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Katsuyori Shibata)

Winner: Williams, Sika, and Reigns 4-3

Matt Cardona VS Ricochet 

Winner: Cardona 5-3

R-Truth VS Mark Briscoe

Winner: Briscoe 5-4

Cage match

Cody Rhodes VS MJF

Winner: Cody 6-4

And WWE takes the win. 1-1

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NXT VS NJPW (Day 3)

With Vic Joseph at the Osaka Prefectural Gym

Tag Match

Hank and Tank VS House of Torture (Sho and Douki)

Winner: Hank and Tank 1-0

Ethan Page VS Yota Tsuji

Winner: Tsuji 1-1

Jackson Drake and Cappuccio Jones VS The Pretty Boys (Magic Mark and Pretty Richie)

Winner: Mark and Richie 1-2

Jasper Troy VS  Evil

Winner: Troy 2-2

Fallon Hendry VS AZM

Winner: Hendry 3-2

Trios match

 Los Psycho Circus (Psycho Clown, Murder Clown, and Dave the Clown) VS House of Torture (Sho, Ren Narita, Yujiro Takaashi)

Winner: House of Torture 3-3

Jacey Jayne VS Syrui

Winner: Jayne 4-3

Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo VS Douki

Winner: Stacks 5-3

Thea Hail VS Saya Kamitani3

Winner: Saya 5-4

Tag match

DarkState (Osiris Griffin and Saquon Shugars) VS Knock-Out Brothers (Yuto-Ice and Oskar)

Winner: Griffin and Shugars 6-4

Ricky Saints VS Tomohiro Ishii

Winner: Saints 7-4

Pagano and Psycho Clown VS Los Hermanos Chavez (Angel del Oro and Niebla Roja)

Winner: del Oro and Roja 7-5

Trick Williams VS Konosuke Takeshita

Winner: Takeshita 7-6

WWE takes the overall win, 2 to 1. Had fun doing this, hope to see you all next year