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

All-Star Squadron Annual #8, homage to Avengers issue #86

Artist: Christopher Ivy (All)

2 Comments - 984 Views - 0 Like

All-Star Squadron Annual #8, homage to Avengers issue #86 Comic Art

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Avengers #86 - source

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Artwork Details

Title:	All-Star Squadron Annual #8, homage to Avengers issue #86
Artist:	Christopher Ivy (All)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Commission
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	984
Likes on CAF:	0 1
Comments:	2
Added to Site:	12/20/2020
Comic Art Archive:

Description

Latest "Continuation Project" commission - All-Star Squadron Annual #8, art by Christopher Ivy, based as always on the cover of a comic written, plotted or scripted by Roy Thomas, in this case Avengers #86, original art by John Buscema and Jim Mooney.

Title: "The Man Who Created Images!"

Story: At the end of issue #118, Wonder Woman told Hawkgirl that the male members of the JSA - including her paramour Hawkman - were missing! The Amazing Amazon reveals that, as the team's secretary, she had received letters from her comrades outlining their individual battles with criminals who all had links to the mysterious Brain Wave, and that each JSA member had sent the notes before deciding to hunt the villain down.

However, Wonder Woman's own investigations had identified a likely hideout for Brain Wave, and she's come to recruit some aid in capturing him. Considering - and quickly rejecting - the idea of using more of the JSA members' girlfriends (after all, Dian Belmont is dead, and many of the ladies are unaware of the secret identities of their boyfriends, to say nothing of having no powers), Wonder Woman has instead been lining up the female members of the All-Star Squadron to join her.

Alongside Hawkgirl and Wonder Woman stand Liberty Belle, Firebrand, Phantom Lady, Miss America, Fury, Mary Marvel and Bulletgirl - and the assembled heroines speed to an abandoned tower, arriving before the JSA members. They interrupt Brain Wave reminiscing about his origins, but are temporarily held at bay by the villain's powers and face capture - until the JSA arrive, and the two teams join forces to battle him, eventually knocking him from a high window and defeating him.

(The heroes think Brain Wave is dead as a result of an image cast by the villain, but in reality Henry King's life is saved when his smock catches on a projecting beam. Deciding that discretion is the better part of valour, Brain Wave opts to lay low while the heroes depart - but he'll return to menace them again!)

I know this is somewhat at odds with the story told in all-Star Comics #15, and (in slightly different form) retold in Starman #69, but both versions have issues - the use of the JSA's girlfriends makes no sense given their lack of powers, lack of knowledge of their boyfriends secrets, and (as shown in All-Star Squadron #18) Dian Belmont's death, whereas the Starman re-telling writes out several characters. So I decided that Roy might have gone for a slightly different version, just as he made some alterations to his reworking of the stories in All-Star Comics #11 and #13 (and just as I tweaked the story of All-Star Comics #14 in my All-Star Squadron Annual #6). I hope no-one is too offended by a bit of retroactive continuity!

(It also amused me to rejig the theme of the DC 1991 Annuals - Armageddon 2001 - to a wartime setting as Armageddon 1942. Yes, I'm easily pleased... )

Fantastic work by Chris Ivy in adapting the Avengers cover for this one - it's been too long since he's done a cover for me, and I need to get more from him in future. Enjoy!

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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

Posted on 12/20/2020

Chris Ivy did my first ever commission and he is my gold standard. I love the idea of The Spectre replacing Goliath. Well done

John Joshua
Member Since 2015

Posted on 12/20/2020

Aidan (Re-Legion ) Lacy wrote:

Chris Ivy did my first ever commission and he is my gold standard. I love the idea of The Spectre replacing Goliath. Well done

As the only Squadron member who can grow to giant size, the Spectre is my default choice for Goliath (as also seen on issues #70 and 85) - unless I can substitute a giant villain, of course.

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