JLA: Act of God
Encyclopedia
JLA: Act of God is a three issue limited series
published by DC Comics
under the Elseworlds
banner in 2000
. It is written by Doug Moench
and illustrated by Dave Ross
.
The story is a psychological look at what could happen to many superhero
es if their powers were taken away by an unseen natural event, and has them pondering whether or not it is right for them to have powers in the first place.
, Green Lantern
, and Superman
are haunted by their fall from grace: Wally West, formerly the Flash, was unable to save a policeman from being shot in the head; Clark Kent, formerly Superman, could not stop a dam from bursting and destroying a town; and Kyle Rayner, formerly Green Lantern, was beaten by the supervillain Sonar
, an event which drives him to obsession when his Power Ring
will not spark. J'onn Jonzz, the Martian Manhunter
, now stuck in his Martian form, questions as to whether or not some individuals should have special powers, and that maybe the Black Light event happened for a reason, to teach superheroes that just because they save lives doesn't mean they need powers to do so, because people are saved every day by policemen, fire fighters, etc. Other depowered heroes, such as Rex Mason, formerly Metamorpho, see this as a turn for the better now that they are human again. Heroes who never had to rely on superpowers, such as Batman
, and heroes who use technology such as Steel
, Booster Gold
, and Blue Beetle
, are forced to pick up the slack when criminal activity spikes.
Meanwhile, the technological supervillain
s are now in charge of the crime scene, and the only thing in their way is the nonpowered heroes. Toyman
launches an assault on LexCorp
to try and kill Lex Luthor
, and Steel, despite having been critically injured when his armor shorted out during the Black Light and caused him to plummet to the ground, tries to stop him. Toyman proves too powerful and kills Steel. Booster Gold and Blue Beetle arrive on the scene, when Toyman reveals that he had other tech-focused supervillains hidden inside a robot and destroy Booster and Beetle's weapons. The tech villains then abandon Toyman when the National Guard arrives, because they were also paid by Lex Luthor as a doublecross. Toyman is stopped by the combined forces of the National Guard and Hawkman
, and Luthor comes down to gloat to Toyman.
Things are not going well for some of the retired heroes. Lois Lane
leaves Clark, so he moves in with Diana Prince, formerly Wonder Woman
. Green Lantern becomes more and more obsessed with finding a way to defeat Sonar, and Linda Danvers, formerly Supergirl, finds working as a cop insufficient to bring justice to criminals. Natasha Irons
finds that someone stripped Steel's lab down to nothing, and Blue Beetle and Booster Gold have had their weapons stolen.
Nearly a year after the Black Light event, Supergirl, at a meeting with Aquaman
, Martian Manhunter, and the Flash, brings up the idea of still being heroes despite losing their superpowers. She dubs the former superheroes the Phoenix Group because like the mythical phoenix
they plan to rise from the ashes. The four of them begin training with Batman and other heroes who didn't have powers to begin with. Flash leaves for a while, but he comes back when he learns that people are forgetting what the heroes meant.
Meanwhile, at Zen-Gen Biotech Systems Inc., Ray Palmer, formerly the Atom, signs up for an experiment to regain his ability to shrink, despite the fact that his powers came from a belt. The scientists manage to grant Ray the ability to shrink, but he becomes stuck at nearly six inches and the scientists place him in a dollhouse
. While there, he learns that the scientists are employed by Lex Luthor and that with this research they can sell superpowers to anyone who wants to buy. Ray tries to call J'onn, but J'onn can't hear him because he is still small. He then leaves a message in a table in the dollhouse before he starts shrinking down into the table's subatomic structure, but he starts to grow back too fast and causes a miniature atomic blast, killing him. Needing more test subjects, Luthor has a group of villains, led by the Joker, kidnap Metamorpho, Booster Gold, and Blue Beetle.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Group finally finishes their training, and they reveal their new identities. Supergirl is now Justice, Aquaman is now the Hand, Flash is now Red Devil, and Martian Manhunter is now the Green Man. They begin investigating Ray Palmer's death.
Clark leaves Diana when she starts to believe that all that has happened is merely a test from God
and that her powers will return when it ends. Clark winds up living on the street, but receives some money in a homeless shelter. He then moves to a secluded home in the woods.
The Phoenix Group and Batman, with help from Oracle
, discover the truth behind Atom's death when Justice discovers the message on the dollhouse table which was taken as evidence. They then learn of the abductions of Metamorpho, Booster Gold, and Blue Beetle. The Group, along with Nightwing
, head for S.T.A.R. Labs
, where the Zen-Gen scientists are currently working. They find the kidnapped heroes and get into a battle with the tech villains. The Group is victorious in its debut, and they get the villains arrested along with Lex Luthor.
In a final note, Kyle Rayner faces off against Sonar one last time and soundly defeats him, but dies when Sonar impales him on a sharp rock. Clark goes back to Diana and stops her from killing herself. The two marry, Clark goes back to his job at the Daily Planet
, and the Phoenix Group looks on toward the future.
Two years later, Clark and Diana have a healthy baby boy who, unbeknown to the two of them, has the ability to transform matter into whatever he wants. With his birth, he opens the door to many possibilities.
heavily criticized the series, claiming that the characters acted irrationally, the story was nonsensically arranged, the dialogue was unsubtle and could be taken as an insult to intelligence, many tech-based superheroes being disrupted, such as Kyle Rayner and Ray Palmer, as well as the Martian Manhunter's powers despite them being traits of his species, for the sake of the plot. He also noted that Diana's turn to Catholicism felt nonsensical, given that she had met with the Goddess Athena, and having many different encounters with other various deities. Lovhaug also stated that the entire comic was a big "love letter to Batman" as he has to train many former super-powered heroes, who constantly swoon over him as being the best of the best.
Other reviewers have also heavily criticized the irrational characters and severe idiot plot
tendencies. The complete destruction of Clark Kent
and Lois Lane
's relationship was heavily questioned, as was the sudden complete abandonment of both Superman and Wonder Woman's heroics and ideals.
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
under the Elseworlds
Elseworlds
Elseworlds is the publication imprint for a group of comic books produced by DC Comics that take place outside the company's canon. According to its tagline: "In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places — some that have existed, and others...
banner in 2000
2000 in comics
-February:*Strange Adventures vol. 2, #4, final issue cover-dated February - January :* January 5: Goseki Kojima, co-creator of Lone Wolf and Cub, dies at age 71.* January 6: Mad magazine fixture Don Martin dies at age 68....
. It is written by Doug Moench
Doug Moench
Douglas Moench , better known as Doug Moench, is an American comic book writer notable for his Batman work and as the creator of Black Mask, Moon Knight and Deathlok.-Biography:...
and illustrated by Dave Ross
Dave Ross
Dave Ross is a talk show host on Seattle's KIRO-FM radio station, with whom he had been a news anchor from 1978 until his talk show started nine years later in 1987. He has sometimes broadcast his show while on assignment in other locations, including overseas, such as Baghdad, Iraq in April...
.
The story is a psychological look at what could happen to many superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es if their powers were taken away by an unseen natural event, and has them pondering whether or not it is right for them to have powers in the first place.
Plot summary
On May 23, 2000, an event called the "Black Light" causes all technology on Earth to stop working for a split second - and also permanently robs every superpowered being on the planet of their powers. Throughout the story, the cause of the Black Light is never revealed. Heroes such as the FlashWally West
The Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
, Green Lantern
Kyle Rayner
Kyle Rayner is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually in those starring the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of which Rayner is a member. Created by writer Ron Marz and artist Darryl Banks, Rayner first appeared in Green Lantern vol...
, and Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
are haunted by their fall from grace: Wally West, formerly the Flash, was unable to save a policeman from being shot in the head; Clark Kent, formerly Superman, could not stop a dam from bursting and destroying a town; and Kyle Rayner, formerly Green Lantern, was beaten by the supervillain Sonar
Sonar (comics)
Sonar is a DC Comics supervillain. He first appeared in Green Lantern #14, July , and was created by John Broome and Gil Kane.-Fictional character biography:...
, an event which drives him to obsession when his Power Ring
Power ring (weapon)
A power ring is a fictional object featured in comic book titles published by DC Comics. It first appeared in All-American Comics #16 .-Origin:...
will not spark. J'onn Jonzz, the Martian Manhunter
Martian Manhunter
The Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...
, now stuck in his Martian form, questions as to whether or not some individuals should have special powers, and that maybe the Black Light event happened for a reason, to teach superheroes that just because they save lives doesn't mean they need powers to do so, because people are saved every day by policemen, fire fighters, etc. Other depowered heroes, such as Rex Mason, formerly Metamorpho, see this as a turn for the better now that they are human again. Heroes who never had to rely on superpowers, such as Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, and heroes who use technology such as Steel
John Henry Irons
Steel , also known as the Man of Steel, is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. First appearing in The Adventures of Superman #500 , he is the third character known as Steel and was created by Louise Simonson and artist Jon Bogdanove...
, Booster Gold
Booster Gold
Booster Gold is a fictional DC Comics superhero. Created by Dan Jurgens, he first appeared in Booster Gold #1 and has been a member of the Justice League, DC Comics' all-star team of heroes. The character is initially depicted as a glory-seeking showboat from the future, using knowledge of...
, and Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional superheroes that appear in American comic books published by a variety of companies since 1939.-Publication history:...
, are forced to pick up the slack when criminal activity spikes.
Meanwhile, the technological supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s are now in charge of the crime scene, and the only thing in their way is the nonpowered heroes. Toyman
Toyman
The Toyman is the name of three comic book supervillains and one adolescent superhero in the DC Comics universe. They mostly appear in Superman stories. The first Toyman appeared in Action Comics #64 . His real name is Winslow Schott.The Toyman uses toy-based or toy-themed devices and gimmicks in...
launches an assault on LexCorp
LexCorp
LexCorp is the fictional company founded by Lex Luthor in the popular DC Comics Superman series. It made its first proper appearance in John Byrne's The Man of Steel miniseries, which established the post-Crisis Superman setting...
to try and kill Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
, and Steel, despite having been critically injured when his armor shorted out during the Black Light and caused him to plummet to the ground, tries to stop him. Toyman proves too powerful and kills Steel. Booster Gold and Blue Beetle arrive on the scene, when Toyman reveals that he had other tech-focused supervillains hidden inside a robot and destroy Booster and Beetle's weapons. The tech villains then abandon Toyman when the National Guard arrives, because they were also paid by Lex Luthor as a doublecross. Toyman is stopped by the combined forces of the National Guard and Hawkman
Hawkman
Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
, and Luthor comes down to gloat to Toyman.
Things are not going well for some of the retired heroes. Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
leaves Clark, so he moves in with Diana Prince, formerly Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
. Green Lantern becomes more and more obsessed with finding a way to defeat Sonar, and Linda Danvers, formerly Supergirl, finds working as a cop insufficient to bring justice to criminals. Natasha Irons
Natasha Irons
Natasha Irons is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe and the niece of John Henry Irons . Natasha first appears in Steel #1 . She becomes the fourth superhero to use the name Steel when her uncle is injured. In the 2006 limited series 52, Natasha gains superpowers and uses the...
finds that someone stripped Steel's lab down to nothing, and Blue Beetle and Booster Gold have had their weapons stolen.
Nearly a year after the Black Light event, Supergirl, at a meeting with Aquaman
Aquaman
Aquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title...
, Martian Manhunter, and the Flash, brings up the idea of still being heroes despite losing their superpowers. She dubs the former superheroes the Phoenix Group because like the mythical phoenix
Phoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
they plan to rise from the ashes. The four of them begin training with Batman and other heroes who didn't have powers to begin with. Flash leaves for a while, but he comes back when he learns that people are forgetting what the heroes meant.
Meanwhile, at Zen-Gen Biotech Systems Inc., Ray Palmer, formerly the Atom, signs up for an experiment to regain his ability to shrink, despite the fact that his powers came from a belt. The scientists manage to grant Ray the ability to shrink, but he becomes stuck at nearly six inches and the scientists place him in a dollhouse
Dollhouse
A dollhouse is a toy home, made in miniature. For the last century, dollhouses have primarily been the domain of children but their collection and crafting is also a hobby for many adults. The term dollhouse is common in the United States and Canada...
. While there, he learns that the scientists are employed by Lex Luthor and that with this research they can sell superpowers to anyone who wants to buy. Ray tries to call J'onn, but J'onn can't hear him because he is still small. He then leaves a message in a table in the dollhouse before he starts shrinking down into the table's subatomic structure, but he starts to grow back too fast and causes a miniature atomic blast, killing him. Needing more test subjects, Luthor has a group of villains, led by the Joker, kidnap Metamorpho, Booster Gold, and Blue Beetle.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Group finally finishes their training, and they reveal their new identities. Supergirl is now Justice, Aquaman is now the Hand, Flash is now Red Devil, and Martian Manhunter is now the Green Man. They begin investigating Ray Palmer's death.
Clark leaves Diana when she starts to believe that all that has happened is merely a test from God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
and that her powers will return when it ends. Clark winds up living on the street, but receives some money in a homeless shelter. He then moves to a secluded home in the woods.
The Phoenix Group and Batman, with help from Oracle
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
, discover the truth behind Atom's death when Justice discovers the message on the dollhouse table which was taken as evidence. They then learn of the abductions of Metamorpho, Booster Gold, and Blue Beetle. The Group, along with Nightwing
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
, head for S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs, is a fictional research facility, and comic book organization appearing in titles published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Superman vol. 1 #246 , and was created by Cary Bates and Rich Buckler.-Publication history:...
, where the Zen-Gen scientists are currently working. They find the kidnapped heroes and get into a battle with the tech villains. The Group is victorious in its debut, and they get the villains arrested along with Lex Luthor.
In a final note, Kyle Rayner faces off against Sonar one last time and soundly defeats him, but dies when Sonar impales him on a sharp rock. Clark goes back to Diana and stops her from killing herself. The two marry, Clark goes back to his job at the Daily Planet
Daily Planet
The Daily Planet is a fictional broadsheet newspaper in the , appearing mostly in the stories of Superman. The building's original features were based upon the AT&T Huron Road Building in Cleveland, Ohio...
, and the Phoenix Group looks on toward the future.
Two years later, Clark and Diana have a healthy baby boy who, unbeknown to the two of them, has the ability to transform matter into whatever he wants. With his birth, he opens the door to many possibilities.
Criticism
Internet comic book reviewer Lewis Lovhaug (aka Linkara)That Guy with the Glasses
That Guy with the Glasses is a website that mostly showcases satirical reviews of movies and video games. It primarily stars Chicago native Douglas Darien "Doug" Walker as "That Guy with the Glasses". The founder and administrator of the site is Michael Michaud, CEO of the parent company Channel...
heavily criticized the series, claiming that the characters acted irrationally, the story was nonsensically arranged, the dialogue was unsubtle and could be taken as an insult to intelligence, many tech-based superheroes being disrupted, such as Kyle Rayner and Ray Palmer, as well as the Martian Manhunter's powers despite them being traits of his species, for the sake of the plot. He also noted that Diana's turn to Catholicism felt nonsensical, given that she had met with the Goddess Athena, and having many different encounters with other various deities. Lovhaug also stated that the entire comic was a big "love letter to Batman" as he has to train many former super-powered heroes, who constantly swoon over him as being the best of the best.
Other reviewers have also heavily criticized the irrational characters and severe idiot plot
Idiot plot
In literary criticism, idiot plot refers to "a plot which is kept in motion solely by virtue of the fact that everybody involved is an idiot," otherwise "they'd immediately figure out everything and the movie would be over." Reviewing Prime in 2005 critic Roger Ebert said "I can forgive and even...
tendencies. The complete destruction of Clark Kent
Clark Kent
Clark Kent is a fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Appearing regularly in stories published by DC Comics, he debuted in Action Comics #1 and serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
and Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
's relationship was heavily questioned, as was the sudden complete abandonment of both Superman and Wonder Woman's heroics and ideals.
See also
- JLA: Created EqualJLA: Created EqualJLA: Created Equal is a two-issue DC Elseworlds series published in 2000. It is written by Fabian Nicieza and illustrated by Kevin Maguire.-Plot summary:...
, a similar Elseworlds tale involving a cataclysmic event that strikes Earth. - DecimationDecimation (comics)Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
- List of Elseworlds publications