The day after the " Bizzaro Jerry " episode of SEINFELD aired on October 4, 1996, I got a call from my sister Katherine who wanted to know if the show had given an accurate take on the Bizzaro world. I told her "pretty much". But the episode reminded me more of Earth-3 from the Silver Age of Comics. The world that was introduced in Justice League of America No. 29 (August 1964) in a story titled Crisis On Earth Three. Written by Gardner Fox and illustrated by Mike Sekowsky the story introduced the Crime Syndicate of America with it's evil counterparts of Superman (Ultraman) , Batman (Owlman) , Wonder Woman (Superwoman) , the Flash (Johnny Quick) and Green Lantern (Power Ring). This was one of the best remembered stories of the Silver Age.
We were shown a bit Earth Three's history. For instance Columbus discovered
Europe. President John Wilkes Boothe was assassinated by Abraham Lincoln. And British colonists won their independence from America. But we weren't really given any details about life on Earth-3. Or any real background on the members of the Crime Syndicate. That would change in 2000 in the graphic novel JLA:EARTH 2 written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Frank Quitely. In this story we find that Clark Kent (Ultraman) is the cuckold husband of Lois Lane (Superwoman) who is having an affair with Bruce Wayne (Owlman). It's a world where evil and corruption are the norm. Where the slogan on money reads " In Mammon We Trust " and Benedict Arnold's face is on the dollar bill.
Another variation on an evil counterpart to the Justice League appeared during the Silver Age at Marvel Comics. The Squadron Sinister made their first appearance in the final panel of Avengers No.69 (October 1969). They were Hyperion (Superman) , Nighthawk (Batman), the Whizzer (the Flash) and Dr.Spectrum (Green Lantern). No Wonder Woman counterpart this time around. In the next issue Avengers No.70 (November 1969) the Squadron are defeated by Thor ,Captain America ,Goliath and Iron Man. The story written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Sal Buscema gave fan-boys a battle they had long wanted to see...the Avengers vs. the Justice League.
The evil twin is a superhero comic book cliche that has existed as long as there
have been superhero comics.It goes back further to ancient mythology. Any number of heroes has at one time or another had to fight an " evil twin ". One of my favorite examples is Professor Zoom a.k.a the Reverse-Flash. Eobard Thawne made his first appearance in comics in The Flash No.139 (September 1963) and was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino. A man from the distant future he possesses the same super-speed powers as the "Fastest Man Alive". Wearing the same costume as the Flash , only with the colors reversed ,Thawne has been a thorn in the side of the Flash throughout the Silver Age and beyond.
Go and grab some comics!! Right HERE!!
Now let us run at super speedster speeds and travel waaay back to March 12th 2010 and see the very first Judo Comics TV
hosted by the man of half a dozen masks, Mr. Incognito:
Hmmm.Maybe the Squadron Sinister wasn't a cracked mirror version of the JLA.Maybe they were another dimension's version of the Crime Syndicate.
ReplyDeleteOoops! Owlman was actually Thomas Wayne Junoir.The Bruce Wayne of Earth-Three was murdered alon with his mother.
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