The Unknown Soldier of Victory! last edited by Thor_Ul on 09/18/18 06:46PM View full history

    Its the 100th meeting of the Justice League of America and to celebrate the occasion, the invitations have gone out to every hero they have crossed paths with during their time in existence. Some are able to attend, others can't make it for various reasons - Jonn Jonzz is helping to rebuild Mars, Snapper Carr is too embarrassed after his betrayal and Adam Strange is on Rann with the Zeta Beam days away. Among those who can make it are Diana Prince (Formerly Wonder Woman), Metamorpho, Zatanna and the Elongated Man.

    Rather than hold their celebration in their sattelite headquarters, the League have returned to their original base in a mountain side. A nice touch sees the Atom arrive via the telephone - something that was a trademark move of his in the early Silver Age. With everyone assembled, the ladies make to cut the cake - but as they do so, the whole group suddenly shimmer and fade out of sight. When they reappear, it is on Earth-2 and in the presence of a downcast looking Justice Society of America.

    As the dust settles, Doctor Fate uses his powers to show the Earth - 1 heroes exactly what has been going on. Around the entire world there has appeared a cosmic hand - and with it the threat that said hand will close and therefore crush Earth-2 out of existence - unless total world domination is handed over to the mysterious criminal behind its sudden appearance within 48 hours. Twice the JSA have tried to overcome the "Hand" and twice they have failed. However, the arrival of the JLA and friends has given the JSA renewed hope.

    Doctor Fate invites Zatanna and Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt to join him in a mystic incantation and they summon Oracle (Long before Barbara Gordon had the name!) who is the fount of all knowledge regarding things that have happened in the past - he cannot, however, predict or foretell the future. Oracle proceeds to tell the heroes of a character called the Nebula Man. The Seven Soldiers of Victory were the only heroes who could possibly overcome the threat of the Nebula Man, and although one of their number died to do so, overcome him they did.

    Suddenly, the heroes of two worlds realise they cannot remember who the Seven Soldiers of Victory are - or were! The Oracle reminds them (and the reader); the members of the Seven Soldiers of Victory - who were also known as the Law's Legionnaire's are ; Vigilante, Star Spangled Kid, Stripesy, Crimson Avenger, Shining Knight, Green Arrow and Speedy. Oracle tells the heroes they cannot remember the Seven Soldiers because they no longer exist in this time period. Their epic battle with the Nebula Man ended in an almighty explosion, which sent the seven heroes down the corridors of time into the past. The only hope of rescuing the 7 Soldiers - and perhaps of overcoming the hand that threatens life itself - is to travel back in time to find them and bring them back to the present. Quickly dividing into teams, the heroes are sent by Oracle to their 7 destinations. Diana Prince opts to remain behind and inform any other heroes of the state of play.

    As the heroes set off, Oracle recounts the tale of how the 7 Soldiers came together in the first place. Arch Villain the Hand had been told he had a limited amount of time to live, and so he gathered his criminal friends around him to commit such acts of theft in his name that he would never be forgotten.

    However, he didn't reckon on the heroic Seven Soldiers of Victory. Green Arrow and Speedy foiled Professor Merlin's attempt to rob a gold mine; The Star Spangled Kid and Stripesy prevented The Needle from stealing scientific artefacts; The Shining Knight foiled the Red Dragon's attempt at looting a wealthy village, The Crimson Avenger and Wing stopped Big Ceaser from turning off the power in NYC, which would have given them the freedom to loot the city and the Vigilante foiled the Dummy and his plans of blackmail. The group then traced the evidence back to the hand, and a well aimed bullet from Vigilante ensured they escaped his electronic trap, while seemingly ending the Hand's criminal activity. From then on the Seven Soldiers of Victory fought crime together.

    As Oracle concludes his tale, we find our first team - Dr Fate, Elongated Man and the Atom back in Aztec Mexico. Billowing out from a nearby temple is the unmistakable sight of Scarlet smoke and the Crimson Avenger. Trouble is, the Avenger is now living as King of the Aztecs. Quietly following the "King" into his chambers, the heroes try to convince him to come quietly. However, Crimson Avenger, believing he is under threat from these intruders calls his guards and stuns the newcomers with a power blast. As the heroes come to, the Crimson Avenger begins to interrogate them. Suddenly the heroes break their bonds and the battle is on. Elongated Man handles the henchmen, while Doctor Fate has a power struggle with Crimson Avenger. The Atom settles matters by propelling himself from a guard's spear through to the chin of the Crimson Avenger. Having kayoed the Aztec "King" the heroes rid him and them of his so-called power source, a Crimson rock that was convincing him he was Aztec King. Regaining his senses, Crimson Avenger joins the others as Oracle calls them back through the passages of time to the present.

    The issue concludes as we enter a scientific laboratory, in which none other than the Hand is revealed as being responsible for the hand that now threatens the existence of Earth -2.

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    By this point it is clear that the usual Bronze Age Justice League is starting to take shape, as opposed to the silver age version of the team. Bringing together the wide ranges of the superhero community, the team is celebrating its 100th meeting, but no sooner does it happen than a great threat reveals itself. The collection of heroes for the meeting make it that there are lots on hand to face this threat, but it is soon revealed that the threat can only be bested by the Seven Soldiers of V...

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