Just in time for Halloween comes one of my two mystical stories, the first appearance of that evil sorceror Felix Faust in my bilingual JLA's continuity. Unlike the Time Lord and Dr. Light, however, even though this is his first appearance here in my comics I establish that Felix has faced off against the JLA before. I figured I couldn't act like ALL of the villains I was using were new, right? If that was the case, who have they been fighting up until this time, right?
This brings up a question I had when introducing Felix: what is the difference between a wizard and a sorceror? I remember I could not decide which English word to use for the Japanese "maho-tsukai." I know I was leaning towards using the "wizard," if only because some people might be familiar with it from things like "The Wizard of Oz." Plus I was already going to use a character called The Weather Wizard so I figured it would muddy the water a little less to stick to one word. HOWEVER, as soon as I realized that the female version of "wizard" is "witch," and I didn't want to call Zatanna a "witch." So I went with sorceror and sorceress. If you read this and find that I used the word "wizard" anywhere, please let me know!
This is one of my favorite covers, but mostly because it was a direct steal from Murphy Anderson's version from JLA #10. I, of course, actually used this visual when I had ten members to dispatch. The story, too, is based on this actual comic, but my story is more straight-forward than the original source.
I took yet another type of beginning for this adventure: I start with Green Arrow on monitory duty in the satellite bemoaning that he is stuck there while others are having adventures. I always liked this type of opening when it appeared in the real JLA comics; it made it feel like the DC universe was vast and always busy. So I was anxious to use the same set-up myself when I got the chance. It also allows me to write the first appearance in "my" DC universe of Aquaman's wife, Mera, and his brother, Ocean Master, along with re-appearances of Robin and Hawkman. In fact, all of these characters would make repeat appearances.
This was the last issue I did during the 1992-93 fiscal/school year, which means it was printed in February or March 1993. I didn't know it then, but this turned out to be the last issue that my good friend Mariko-san helped me with. From April 1993 she got a real job and was no longer able to help me. I did find others to pick up the slack, but looking back I see that she and I had a real connection that I was not able to re-create immediately with anybody else. So here's a final tip of the hat and waist-level bow to Tadokoro-san. She was the first and one of the best assistants I could have asked for.
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