All-Star Squadron #4

All-Star Squadron #4 (Dec 1981)

title: "Day of the Dragon King!"

writer/co-creator: Roy Thomas

penciller/co-creator: Rich Buckler

inker: Jerry Ordway

letterer: John Costanza

colorist: Carl Gafford

editor: Len Wein

cover: Rich Buckler & Dick Giordano

Order of Appearance: Phantom Lady is the only Freedom Fighter to appear in this story. 

Other Stars:  Johnny Thunder and his Thunderbolt, Liberty Belle, Shining Knight, Liberty Belle, Dr. Mid-Nite, the Sandman, the Spectre, Starman, Johnny Quick, the Flash, the Atom, Robotman, Dr. Fate, Superman, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman; cameo of Plastic Man

Supporting Characters:
Danette Reilly

Opponents:
The Dragon King; cameos by Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo and Adolf Hitler

Overall Summary: 
The All-Star Squadron heads to Pearl Harbor to see the devastation for themselves, then head off to try to catch the Japanese Imperial Fleet with a surprising result!   

Plot Summary:
The Justice Society members and others involved in the Per Degaton would-be invasion of San Francisco decide to head to Pearl Harbor and see the aftermath of the attack themselves. Unfortunately, Phantom Lady and Plastic Man beg off, leaving the group to stay in San Francisco. Phantom Lady needs to check in with her father, who is sure is a nervous wreck worrying about his daughter. 

The others head to Pearl Harbor, where they are stunned by the destruction. They meet the General in charge, who lets them know that the Japanese Imperial fleet is probably still on their way back to Japan. The super-heroes vote to go after it, and catch it if they can. Leaving a few members at Pearl, the majority of the heroes head west. 

As they near Wake Island or the Midway Atoll, they fall under the spell of the Dragon King. He has synched the Holy Grail in Tokyo with the Spear of Destiny in Germany to weave a spell that converts all of the magic-based members into pawns of the Axis Powers. The non-powered members fight the super-powered members until Hawkman and Dr. Fate realize that the "force-field" has a very specific delineation point. Hawkman goads the super-powered members to chase him back over the "safety line," where all the magic-based heroes return to normal. 

While all this was going on, the Shining Knight and Danette visit the hospital, where they find her brother, Rod Reilly, recuperating from his wounds. 

Review: 

I almost did not feature this issue in my Freedom Fighters reviews, as Phantom Lady literally shows up in ONE panel. However, it clearly explains why she doesn't continue her adventures with the All-Star Squadron, so I figured it was worth it. Also, we get another quick look at a certain Rod Reilly, who although will NOT be doing anything with this group, WILL be having an effect. More on that next issue! 

As for the story.....it's the necessary explanation as to why and how the super-heroes of Earth Two could not have stopped the war as soon as America joined in. DC had already explained that the JSA could not enter Europe due to the Spear of Destiny being in Hitler's procession (in the classic "Origin of The Justice Society" story in DC Special #29) so it makes sense that Imperial Japan would have something similar to protect itself. Not sure if the Holy Grail was the right relic to use, but, whatever. Any old relic would have sufficed, I guess. 

It might be just because I read all three of these All-Star Squadron issues in a row, but this issue seems the least of the bunch. The Rich Buckler art seems more modern than in the previous issues (Superman, Batman, and Hawkman in particular looking more like their modern Earth One versions than the WWII era guys). And the story....it doesn't seem to flow as well, with a lot of stops and starts and side comments about heroes feeling inferior to each other. It was wearing a bit thin by the time the issue was over, I guess. 

Freedom Fanmail
This issue's letter column features letters about the All-Star Squadron give-away in JLA #193. Part of that story featured a sailor named Rod Reilly, who we will soon learn was, of course, Firebrand. This is what Roy had to say about Seaman Reilly, and all the Freedom Fighters. This left me scratching my head, but it didn't bode well for my favorite Nazi-fighting group....

Freedom of Information

• Although the heroes head west from Hawaii towards Japan, Dr. Fate says, "We can fly no further East....!" or become servants of the Axis. His geography is mixed up.  

The Freedom Fighters

assembled by Len Wein