Anthonynotes
08-17-2001, 12:26 AM
Or rather, trivia related to the non-big-3 characters (Supes, Bats, Wondy) appearing on the show...enjoy!
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MARTIAN MANHUNTER: Aka J'onn J'onzz (pronounced "John Jones"). Green-colored alien from Mars. First appearance: "Detective Comics" #255(?), November 1955 (reprinted some time ago by DC; lead story features Batman, since it's his comic, natch). In the comics, J'onn was yanked from Mars by accident by some scientist on Earth via a teleportation device (and/or pulled forward in time a few decades I think), after which he's left stranded on Earth (and said scientist dying of a heart attack or somesuch). J'onn tries to make the best of a bad situation and acclimates himself into Earth culture, taking on the secret ID of a police detective named John Jones (I know....I didn't make up the names, OK? :-) The Manhunter was one of the founding members of the JLA in the regular comics, and has been a mainstay through every version of the team...
The Martian Manhunter possesses most of Superman's powers (superstrength, superspeed, "Martian vision" [like heat vision], flight, etc.), and also possesses an array of telepathic powers and shapeshifting abilities (thus allowing him to assume human form for his secret ID). His weakness is fire (yes, fire, not some exotic little glowing green rock...). He also IIRC was revealed to have liked Oreos in the 80's...
HAWKGIRL: While Hawkgirl and her cohort, Hawkman's origins have been SNAFU-ed beyond all belief, I'll do my best here: Hawkgirl first appeared as Hawkman's wife(?) in the sixties, and both IIRC came from the planet Thanagar. Hawkgirl possesses wings made of an antigravity metal that allows her to take flight. Hawkman used various ancient medieval weapons (maces, etc.) to fight crime with, and I presume Hawkgirl might've used the same/similar. Hawkgirl was never a JLA member AFAIK, but presumably was added here to give more than one female member of the team besides Wondy. IIRC, Hawkgirl lived in Chicago(?). There were versions of Hawkman/Hawkgirl in the 40's-era comics who were the reincarnated versions of Egyptian royalty (instead of being from space), something the cartoon might also go with for Hawkgirl.
GREEN LANTERN: While Hal Jordan in the comics was the 60's-early 90's era main GL featured, there were others on Earth, and John Stewart (the African-American featured in this cartoon series) was one of them. As a member of the GL Corps, Stewart served rather notably since his 70's/early 80's debut. These days, no idea what he's up to, though I imagine it isn't something very pleasant (with the way the whole GL mythos got screwed over to make room for Kyle Rayner, the "current" GL, but I digress...). As with other GL's, Stewart could conjure up various forms with his power ring, and was ineffective against the color yellow.
FLASH: Presumably (if they reveal his secret ID) Wally West, the current Flash (vs. the one from the Superfriends-era, his predecessor Barry Allen). First appeared: in a late 50's "Flash" comic issue. While visiting a police lab in Central City (home of the Flash, a midwestern city the size of/comparable to St. Louis), Wally got splashed with chemicals while standing too close to a cabinet during a lightning storm, granting him superspeed. He served with his mentor as a sidekick to the Flash (Barry) for years until Barry got killed off in the mid-80's. Wally then replaced his fallen mentor as the Flash. As rehashed by me various times, the Flash's powers seem to let 'im do anythign short of making instant coffee (using his superspeed to "vibrate" his molecules to turn invisible/go through walls and solid matter/travel to other dimensions, running at ludicrous speeds, travel through time, etc.---see that "Fastest Mice Alive" fanfic story :-). Likely, the cartoon'll leave out the "sidekick to a predecessor Flash" and just make Wally the one and only Flash that's existed in the animated universe (to save on headaches :-) The Flash is another JLA staple in the comics...
And since she hasn't appeared in awhile...
WONDER WOMAN: The Amazing Amazon first appeared in 1941, and since then has been a DC staple. She serves as a representative of Paradise Island in "Man's World". She was created out of clay by her mother (and said clay was given life by the Olympian gods). Traditionally, she worked in Washington DC for the Army in her secret ID as Diana Prince (and dated Steve Trevor, an Army officer); these days in the regular comics, she goes without Trevor or the secret ID/Army job. Her powers include superstrength (presumably Superman-class), some superspeed (but not Flash-level), flight (depending on who's writing), some invulnerability (with the arm braclets used to deflect objects/projectiles), and a lasso that compels whoever's wrapped in it to tell the truth. Shares a distinction with Superman, Batman, Aquaman, and Green Arrow as having been in continuous publication since the 40's.
Not having been seen in any major venue since the Superfriends was cancelled in the mid-80's (those Macaroni-and-cheese ads don't count), it'll be interesting to see her in action again...
I'll also note that missing from the show's Aquaman, who in the comics was a founding member of the JLA. Guess it must've been too hard to think of plotlines in each ep that would involve water ;-)
Though I hear he has a cameo in the new series...
-B.
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MARTIAN MANHUNTER: Aka J'onn J'onzz (pronounced "John Jones"). Green-colored alien from Mars. First appearance: "Detective Comics" #255(?), November 1955 (reprinted some time ago by DC; lead story features Batman, since it's his comic, natch). In the comics, J'onn was yanked from Mars by accident by some scientist on Earth via a teleportation device (and/or pulled forward in time a few decades I think), after which he's left stranded on Earth (and said scientist dying of a heart attack or somesuch). J'onn tries to make the best of a bad situation and acclimates himself into Earth culture, taking on the secret ID of a police detective named John Jones (I know....I didn't make up the names, OK? :-) The Manhunter was one of the founding members of the JLA in the regular comics, and has been a mainstay through every version of the team...
The Martian Manhunter possesses most of Superman's powers (superstrength, superspeed, "Martian vision" [like heat vision], flight, etc.), and also possesses an array of telepathic powers and shapeshifting abilities (thus allowing him to assume human form for his secret ID). His weakness is fire (yes, fire, not some exotic little glowing green rock...). He also IIRC was revealed to have liked Oreos in the 80's...
HAWKGIRL: While Hawkgirl and her cohort, Hawkman's origins have been SNAFU-ed beyond all belief, I'll do my best here: Hawkgirl first appeared as Hawkman's wife(?) in the sixties, and both IIRC came from the planet Thanagar. Hawkgirl possesses wings made of an antigravity metal that allows her to take flight. Hawkman used various ancient medieval weapons (maces, etc.) to fight crime with, and I presume Hawkgirl might've used the same/similar. Hawkgirl was never a JLA member AFAIK, but presumably was added here to give more than one female member of the team besides Wondy. IIRC, Hawkgirl lived in Chicago(?). There were versions of Hawkman/Hawkgirl in the 40's-era comics who were the reincarnated versions of Egyptian royalty (instead of being from space), something the cartoon might also go with for Hawkgirl.
GREEN LANTERN: While Hal Jordan in the comics was the 60's-early 90's era main GL featured, there were others on Earth, and John Stewart (the African-American featured in this cartoon series) was one of them. As a member of the GL Corps, Stewart served rather notably since his 70's/early 80's debut. These days, no idea what he's up to, though I imagine it isn't something very pleasant (with the way the whole GL mythos got screwed over to make room for Kyle Rayner, the "current" GL, but I digress...). As with other GL's, Stewart could conjure up various forms with his power ring, and was ineffective against the color yellow.
FLASH: Presumably (if they reveal his secret ID) Wally West, the current Flash (vs. the one from the Superfriends-era, his predecessor Barry Allen). First appeared: in a late 50's "Flash" comic issue. While visiting a police lab in Central City (home of the Flash, a midwestern city the size of/comparable to St. Louis), Wally got splashed with chemicals while standing too close to a cabinet during a lightning storm, granting him superspeed. He served with his mentor as a sidekick to the Flash (Barry) for years until Barry got killed off in the mid-80's. Wally then replaced his fallen mentor as the Flash. As rehashed by me various times, the Flash's powers seem to let 'im do anythign short of making instant coffee (using his superspeed to "vibrate" his molecules to turn invisible/go through walls and solid matter/travel to other dimensions, running at ludicrous speeds, travel through time, etc.---see that "Fastest Mice Alive" fanfic story :-). Likely, the cartoon'll leave out the "sidekick to a predecessor Flash" and just make Wally the one and only Flash that's existed in the animated universe (to save on headaches :-) The Flash is another JLA staple in the comics...
And since she hasn't appeared in awhile...
WONDER WOMAN: The Amazing Amazon first appeared in 1941, and since then has been a DC staple. She serves as a representative of Paradise Island in "Man's World". She was created out of clay by her mother (and said clay was given life by the Olympian gods). Traditionally, she worked in Washington DC for the Army in her secret ID as Diana Prince (and dated Steve Trevor, an Army officer); these days in the regular comics, she goes without Trevor or the secret ID/Army job. Her powers include superstrength (presumably Superman-class), some superspeed (but not Flash-level), flight (depending on who's writing), some invulnerability (with the arm braclets used to deflect objects/projectiles), and a lasso that compels whoever's wrapped in it to tell the truth. Shares a distinction with Superman, Batman, Aquaman, and Green Arrow as having been in continuous publication since the 40's.
Not having been seen in any major venue since the Superfriends was cancelled in the mid-80's (those Macaroni-and-cheese ads don't count), it'll be interesting to see her in action again...
I'll also note that missing from the show's Aquaman, who in the comics was a founding member of the JLA. Guess it must've been too hard to think of plotlines in each ep that would involve water ;-)
Though I hear he has a cameo in the new series...
-B.