Joshua, John :: All-Star Squadron 'continuation project' commissions

All-Star Squadron #96, homage to Infinity Inc issue #2

Artist: John Watson (All)

2 Comments - 871 Views - 0 Like

All-Star Squadron #96, homage to Infinity Inc issue #2 Comic Art

Additional Images:

Prelims - with Commander Steel rather than Starman!

Infinity Inc #2 - inspiration

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All-Star Squadron #102, homage to X-Men issue #22

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Artwork Details

Title:	All-Star Squadron #96, homage to Infinity Inc issue #2
Artist:	John Watson (All)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Commission
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	871
Likes on CAF:	0 1
Comments:	2
Added to Site:	12/31/2019
Comic Art Archive:

Description

Though I say so myself, I think this is a pretty spectacular way to finish my commissioning year off: All-Star Squadron #96, art by John Watson. As always, this is based on the cover of a comic written, plotted or scripted by Roy Thomas, in this case Infinity Inc #2, original art by Jerry Ordway.

Story: this is the final part of "Uncle Sam - Traitor!". With the Freedom Fighters imprisoned pending trial, they are verbally attacked by an unlikely source - Senator Thomas Wright! Starman is immediately suspicious - his cousin, Sandra (Phantom Lady) Knight had strongly hinted of a close link between the senator and Black Condor, and Starman had realised that Wright was the Condor's secret identity. Liberty Belle agrees to interview the senator on Libby Lawrence's radio show, and Starman and GL are able to detect faint energy waves feeding into him from afar!

Freeing Uncle Sam, Phantom Lady and the Black Condor from jail, a team of the All-Stars track the energy waves to their source - an abandoned warehouse, packed with high-tech equipment --- and the floating image of a giant brain! The Brain Wave (his real form absent, and unseen by the heroes) reveals that not only had he created a physical image of Uncle Sam which had committed the sabotage (in issue #93), but he had also been behind several attacks on the team (Kulak's image in issue #68, Robotman's "dream of death" in #81, and taking advantage of, and mentally controlling, a magically-weakened Superman in #89, to try and turn public opinion against him). Obviously he'd also created the "Tom Wright" image who lambasted the Freedom Fighters.

As the villain attacks the All-Stars, GL's ring weakens his mental grip just long enough for the real Uncle Sam to smash the mechanisms which boost Brain Wave's powers, and the feedback knocks Brain Wave out. With Robotman having recorded the villain's confession, the Freedom Fighters are freed on Presidential order, with all charges dismissed, and Tom Wright reappears, claiming to have been held hostage by Nazi sympathisers, and impersonated as part of a plot to discredit Uncle Sam.

Elsewhere, Henry King is frustrated that he has failed to defeat the heroes, but fairly soon he won't need the mechanical enhancements --- one more test, and then it'll be time to take on the JSA directly!

I'm so glad to have this one done - not just because John did such an amazing job on it, but also because it means I can finally reveal Brain Wave's behind-the-scenes role which I've had in mind since I started these commissions several years ago.

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About the Owner

	John Joshua
Joined:	May 2015
Last Login:	September 2025
Country:	UNITED KINGDOM
On CAF:	John's Want List Artworks Commented On Liked Art Site Activity on CAF

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Aidan (Re-Legion ) Lacy
Member Since 2005

1 - Posted on 12/31/2019

Epic ....had fun playing with this cover myself but John ACED it. Happy New Year and here's to 2020 commissions !

Will Cox
Member Since 2006

1 - Posted on 12/31/2019

Another 5-Star piece by Mr Watson. Wonderful re-imagining!

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