They flew over Washington, DC, with a majesty that suited the Justice Society of America. However, they were not the JSA. Not quite. Led by Hawkman, these heroic adventurers were collectively the Society of Substitute Heroes, a JSA reserve force. They were only to be called in if there were a major crisis . . . And now they had been called.
Hawkman led the way, as grim as ever. Beside him flew his wife, who was now known as Hawkwoman. Close behind glided the scarlet clad Starman. Young Johnny Thunder rode astride his Thunderbolt, acting like a cowboy, with a big, boyish smile. He had his Thunderbolt create a platform for Atom, Star Spangled Kid and Stripsey to ride on. The house which the JSA main team used as an HQ came into view and the reserve team descended to the street.
Hawkman barged into the mansion without knocking, determined to learn immediately what the emergency was. He looked around. No one was there.
"It looks like no one's home," Hawkwoman said.
"Evidently," Hawkman added. "So who sent the message?"
"I did," a sultry voice said.
They all turned to see who was speaking and saw the most beautiful women they've ever seen . . . The woman known as Miss Venus. The men hesitated, momentarily overwhelmed. When Hawkwoman saw this, she stepped to the front.
"And you are?" Hawkwoman asked.
"Miss Venus."
"Ahh, yes," Hawkwoman said. "Our benefactor. Pleased to meet you."
Hawkman came to his senses and slipped back into his stern, official mode.
"You summoned us?" he demanded. "You may own the building but you have no authority to send out a class-1 emergency signal. Only Captain America can do that. Where is he?"
"I don't know," she answered. "That's the trouble. The Justice Society is missing!"
"Missing!" Johnny Thunder shouted. "Holy cow!"
"How long?" Starman asked.
"Two days," Miss Venus replied.
"Then we should . . . " Starman began, but was cut off.
"Just a minute!" Hawkman interjected. "Two days isn't a long time in our business. Our operations don't run on a schedule. Sometimes they take days. What makes you think there's a problem?"
"They were only going from here to Opal City," she said. Starman's eyebrows raised at the mention of Opal. His Opal.
"It should only have taken them a few hours. They never brought back what they went to get and they never reported to the government. No one has seen or heard from them."
"That still doesn't mean . . . " Hawkman began, but this time it was he who was interrupted.
"Hold on just a second," Starman snapped. "If Opal is involved, I want to hear more. Tell me everything you know!"
Two Days Earlier . . .
The main JSA team had been called together by Captain America. Sentinel, Flash, Wonder Woman, the Sub-Mariner, Wildcat, Dr. Mid-Nite, the Black Canary and Dr. Fate were all seated at the meeting table, awaiting Cap's arrival. Miss Venus watches it all. She is not in the room, but in this house, the rules of physics are different..She sees all that occurs here.
Wildcat yawned. "If Mr. America called us together on such sort notice, the least he can do is show up on time."
Namor sneered at Wildcat. "One such as you should not criticize a man of Captain America's stature."
"Back off, elf ears!" Wildcat snapped. "I respect Cap, but I can gripe if I feel like it!"
"I do not want to hear your 'gripes' and I do not like the way that you address me. I am Namor, Prince of Atlantis and I shall have respect!"
Wildcat was leery of Namor's anger and strength, but he was not one to back down from anybody. "I'm tired of this royalty crap. You don't get respect until you earn it."
Namor stood, fuming. "Then let us settle this in combat, to see who is the better man."
Wildcat knew he couldn't fight Namor one-on-one, but was stuck for a way to get out of it gracefully.
"Stop this at once!" ordered Sentinel, second-in-command of the JSA, but Namor was too angry to listen to him.
Hippolyta listened to this impatiently. Her people have often settled disagreements by combat, but this was pointless. She knew that part of the reason for this show of testosterone was her presence. Namor was putting on a show for her. He couldn't allow himself to be dishonored with her watching. She believed he would kill Wildcat. That was the way it is in a duel of honor. Wildcat didn't understand Namor. She did. She decided to use Namor's attraction to her to end this idiocy. She took Namor's arm and pulled him back to his seat.
"It's very rude of you to ignore me this way, Prince Namor," she said. "Is Wildcat more interesting than I?"
"Surely not!" he said, becoming aroused by her touch and her interest. "But honor demands -- "
"Wildcat doesn't understand those of noble birth. Forget him. You flatter him by acknowledging his jibes. You should be talking to me instead."
Namor was so enthralled by Hippolyta he forgot about Wildcat. "You are quite correct, your highness. You have my full attention."
Wildcat was disgusted by the display and annoyed that he had to have another of these royal pains-in-the-butt pull his fat out of the fire. But deep down he was glad for having gotten a graceful way out.
Dr. Mid-Nite watched all this with the keen eye of a specialist in human nature. This team had the potential for greatness, but the volatile egos had to be carefully handled or it could all self destruct.
Flash sped over to the other side of the table where Wildcat was sitting, and whispered in his ear. "Sometimes silence is a good thing. If you don't like Namor, just ignore him. This constant bickering isn't helping anyone." Before Wildcat could answer, Flash was back in his seat. Black Canary was lost in thought, barely noticing any of this. She was worried about the welfare of their recently discovered android friend, the Human Torch.
Dr. Fate sat impassively, as if he were above it all.
Captain America arrived. Black Canary sat up when she noticed the Human Torch - in his non-flaming, human form - walking in behind Cap. She'd taken a sisterly interest in the Torch's welfare. He was like a scared little puppy and her heart went out to him.
"Sorry I'm late, gentlemen," the star-spangled hero began. "I would have been here much sooner but I had an overlong, tedious debate with the powers-that-be at central intelligence. Fortunately, the final result was a positive one. They are allowing the Human Torch to remain with us. We are to 'use' him . . . 'use' was their word . . . in our fight against the Axis forces. He is assigned to the JSA for the duration of the war. We are to teach him how to be a super-hero."
"Good," Black Canary said. "I was afraid they'd want to dissect him or something."
The Human Torch was staring at Black Canary. He was having feeling he didn't understand. His artificial intelligence simulated human emotions, but he was basically a child. All these sensations were hard to sort out. The most confusing thing to him was why Black Canary dominated his thoughts.
"The Torch has chosen a name," Cap said. "Torch, do you want to tell them what it is."
"James," the Torch said. "I call myself James."
"Why James?" Flash asked.
"I picked it . . . Out of a book."
"Can we call you Jim?" Canary asked.
The Torch shuffled a bit. When she spoke to him he got confused. "Yes. You can call me Jim."
"All right," Cap said. "Have a seat with the rest of the team, Jim. We have a mission. Another mystic artifact reclamation. Dr. Fate, what do you know about the Nemesis statue?"
Dr. Fate spoke in his usual monotone voice. "A powerful icon. It is a repository of evil and of dark magic. The possessor would have incredible power."
Cap nodded. "Rumors on the grapevine have it that someone in the gangs of Opal City has the statue and is auctioning it off. The heads of Intelligence are afraid that Nazi spies may get a hold of it. They're not sure they believe it but they're not taking any chances. They want us to rough up the Opal gangs and bring the Nemesis Statue back for safety."
"Doesn't sound like something that needs the whole team," Wildcat said.
"No, it's a minor assignment," Cap said. "But I want to use it as a test for our newest members: Wonder Woman and the Human Torch. Here's how the mission will play out. Dr. Fate will use his powers to lead us to the statue. Sentinel will lead the assault. Wonder Woman and the Torch will bear the brunt of the battle. Namor will stay by Hippolyta, covering her back, in case she gets into trouble. Black Canary will back up the Torch."
Both Namor and the Torch were very happy to hear that. Cap continued.
"Flash and Wildcat will wait outside as a reserve force in case a rescue is needed. I will be observing the entire operation. Dr. Mid-Nite, I want you to observe this with me. You have excellent insight. I could use it."
Dr. Mid-Nite nodded politely.
"So is everyone clear on what they have to do?" Cap asked.
Everyone was clear. Cap nodded. "Okay, team, let's go!"
Miss Venus finished her story. "So that's it," she said. "They went and no one has heard from them. I did hear a strange report on the radio however. Something about a giant black cloud, or shadow, that appeared over Opal at just about the same time as the JSA would have been arriving there."
Starman nodded. "I heard about that cloud report. I think I know who might be behind it. I hadn't done anything about it until now because I didn't know where to find him. But if he's involved in the disappearance of the JSA, we should find him now!"
The Society of Substitute Heroes flew over Opal City.
"So you think that the Shade is behind this?" Hawkman asked.
"Yes I do," Starman answered. "And he's not someone to be trifled with."
"So how do we find him?" the Atom asked.
"Johnny," Starman said to Johnny Thunder, "get your Thunderbolt to use his power to sense dark energy, the black forces of the shadow dimension."
"Will do, Mr. S," Johnny said.
The tiny shadow being known as Smudge - a sort of demonic cherub - floated outside the dwelling of it's master. It spotted the group of heroes coming closer. It flittered inside to warn the lord of the house.
"Master!" Smudge yelled. "It is Starman and some of his costumed accomplices! They come!"
The Shade was sitting in his chair reading and sipping ginger tea. As always, he was immaculately dressed. "Are they indeed?" he said calmly. "Then I suppose I should prepare to greet them."
Outside, the heroes hesitated before rushing in.
"How should we handle the incursion?" Hawkman asked. "You know the Shade better than any of us."
"If the Shade has become powerful enough to take on the Justice Society, including Dr. Fate and Sentinel, then he's not the man I knew. I say we hit him full force!"
Before they could bust in, something burst out. Shadow creatures! Shadowy beasts of all shapes, with huge maws, lunged forward and attacked the team. Hawkman and Hawkwoman were immediately entangled. Atom, Star-Spangled Kid and Stripsey dropped down to the ground to be able to use their mobility and evade the creatures but they were no match for the Shade's power. Starman fought his way forward but his progress was slow.
"Hey, Bolt," Johnny Thunder yelled to his magic servant. "Do something about these things, willya? Use light or something!"
"Yes, Master Johnny," the Thunderbolt created Light-energy equivalents to the shadow creatures. When they ran into each other, both creatures would cancel each other out. The Thunderbolt's trick managed to clear a path to the Shade himself.
"C'mon, Bolt!" Johnny said. "Let's get the jerk!"
Johnny, on the Thunderbolt's back, raced into the Shade's lair. Unfortunately, before he could order the mystic creature to do anything, he was knocked unconscious by a club-wielding Smudge. Thunderbolt watched helplessly as the Shade approached Johnny. The Thunderbolt could not act until Johnny ordered him to.
"Nice of you to stop by," the Shade said. "Sorry it's to be such a short visit."
Before the Shade could deliver a killing blow, he was on the receiving end of blast from Starman's cosmic rod. The Shade was knocked back against the rear wall.
"You want him, you'll have to get through me!" Starman stated.
The Shade recovered and rose to his feet, dusting off his clothes. By now, the rest of the Substitute JSA have joined Starman. The Shade is surrounded.
"Is there something I can do for you gentlemen? Dear lady?" the Shade asked.
"Where is the Justice Society?" Hawkman demanded to know.
"Is there some reason you're asking me?" the Shade said with a smile. "They don't usually check in with me, you know."
"Stop messing around!" Atom growled. "Tell us where they are!"
"Ah, it's the little muscle man," the Shade quipped. "I didn't see you down there. Like a stool?"
"Let me at him!" Atom roared as he raced forward, but the others restrained him.
"Perhaps he'll mature when he grows up," the Shade added.
"Enough of these games, Shade!" Starman said. "It was obviously you who were responsible for the black shadow cloud that swallowed up the JSA! Where are they?"
"Oh, so that's the reason for all this," the Shade said. "Your logic is flawed, as usual. If I could make the JSA disappear, I would have done the same for you as well."
"Maybe we got to you before you had a chance to use the Nemesis statue," Star-Spangled Kid said.
"The Nemesis Statue?" the Shade said. "This story gets more and more interesting! Perhaps we should sit down and discuss it."
No one moved.
"Then I'll sit," the Shade said as he sat. "Smudge, get us some tea. Now then. I heard the report of the shadow over the city and I believe I also heard about some underworld types auctioning off a statue with - How did they say it? - unnatural capabilities!"
"An auction? When?" Hawkman demanded to know.
"Three days ago I believe."
"Then it was sold already when Cap and the others went after it!" Starman said. "Shade, do you have any idea who it was sold to?"
"All I heard was that it was a foreign power."
"Nazis!" the Atom cried.
"He's so emotional!" the Shade said.
"Can we believe anything this guy says?" Stripsey asked.
"I wouldn't," the Shade answered.
"I believe him," Starman said. "The Shade is a fast thinker. If he had the Nemesis statue, he could have used it in time to do to us what was done to the JSA. I don't think the Shade is our man."
"Well that's sorted out, then," the Shade said. "Ahh, here's Smudge with the tea. Anyone care for a cup?"
"No, Shade!" Starman exclaimed. "But there is one more thing. What do you know about the Nemesis statue?"
"You lot should read more," the Shade asked. "Knowledge is power. It's rather have knowledge stored in my brain than to have a good right hook. Not that you'd agree with that, of course."
""Well can you tell us stupid, musclebound costumed morons about the statue?" Starman asked.
"If you promise to leave here after I'm done and not try to capture me."
"That's agreed."
"Very well then. Gather around children, and I shall tell you a tale. A tale of magic and of a musclebound hero. A tale that begins in ancient Cimmeria!"
The magician named Thulsa Doom stood before the black statue that looked like a combination cat and bird. He waved his arms and chanted. In through the opening in the roof of the fortress came a flowing stream of black, flaming tendrils. The streams flowed into the statue. The sorcerer smiled. By using the ancient scroll he'd found, he could turn this lifeless statue into a talisman powered by all the black magic and dark, evil thoughts in the world. The more evil thoughts and black magic across the globe, the more powerful the Nemesis statue would be. Soon it would be so powerful that it would be like having his own genie. The Nemesis statue would be able to grant him any wish. Just a few minutes more, and he would be all powerful!
Unseen by Doom, someone else had crept into the fortress. An old adversary of Doom's . . . Conan the Barbarian!
Conan had been hired to steal the statue from the fortress, not knowing who the occupant was. Conan didn't like magic and was tempted to just leave. He'd faced Thulsa Doom before and although he'd triumphed, it was not a pleasant experience.
Only two things kept the barbarian from fleeing. One was the large sack of gold that awaited him if he brought the statue back. The other was that his friend Red Sonja was rumored to have come to this place weeks ago and hadn't returned. If she was there, Conan wouldn't leave without her.
Thulsa Doom sensed the presence of a hated enemy. "The barbarian!" he hissed. "Slay that animal, my loyal ones! He must not be allowed to stop me!"
Doom's obedient servants took up arms and rushed toward the Cimmerian who had come out of hiding. Conan drew his broadsword. "If it's a battle you want, toads and insects, then, by Crom, you have found the man to fulfill your wish!"
The servants didn't have a prayer. The mighty barbarian carved a bloody path through the lackeys. Doom noticed that Conan was coming for him, but he had an ace up his sleeve . . . "Come slave!" he cried to his last servant. "Come and kill a filthy barbarian!"
From out of the next room stepped the beautiful, red dressed, chain-mail clad warrior woman known as Red Sonja! Conan was surprised.
"So there you are girl!" Conan said. "I've been looking -- "
Sonja swung her sword at Conan. He barely got his own sword up to parry in time. "What are you playing at, girl?!" he yelled. Then he noticed the blank look and jerky movements of Sonja, and he realized that she was entranced. He didn't want to kill her but if he didn't than sooner or later she would kill him.
Doom, in the meantime, had finished the chant and the statue was now capable of delivering him the world. "And now . . . Destiny!"
Doom reached out for the statue. His fingers were inches from supreme power. Conan didn't know what the statue was, but some instinct told him not to let his enemy touch it. He scooped up a sword from one of the dead men and threw it at Doom.
The sword lopped off the sorcerer's arm. Doom screamed in pain and instinctively drew back his bloody stump, clutching it. "I'll make you suffer the torments of the Netherworld for that!"
Sonja almost connected while Conan was looking at Doom. He managed to dodge, although she nicked his arm. He moved away from her. She drew her knife and prepared to throw it at him.
Doom was reaching out with his other hand. Again he was inches from triumph when Red Sonja threw her knife at Conan. Conan avoided it, and it flew onward, hitting Doom in the neck. Doom shrieked again and fell over. Conan raced over and touched the statue. "If this statue has any power, I command it to rid me of this jackal Thulsa Doom forever!"
Flames rose up from the ground and demonic hands grabbed Thulsa Doom. "Nooo!" he screamed. "Please no! Not this! Have mercy!!"
"The torments of the netherworld!" Conan said with a smile.
Thulsa Doom was dragged away to the infernal regions. Red Sonja was about to stab Conan in the back but when Doom vanished, she suddenly came to her senses.
"Ooooh. What?" She looked around and sees Conan. "By Mitra! Conan! What's happening? Everything is foggy. Where's Thulsa Doom!"
"He's gone, girl! He will not be back."
"I have the feeling that I missed something," Red Sonja said. "Why are you here?"
"I came to steal this statue."
"You can have it," she said.
Conan looked at it. "I don't want it now. I don't trust it! I'm going to bury it somewhere! Somewhere very deep, so I won't be bothered by it again! Then you and I can go get an ale and we'll talk about old times!"
The Shade sipped his tea as he concluded his tale. "And so the statue was taken away and buried by the barbarian warrior. No one ever knew where. But I've heard that a mercenary grave robber unearthed in and brought it back to the United States for sale. Apparently, the Opal crime syndicates bought it at a surprisingly low figure and sold it to a foreigner for a huge profit. And that, by little ones, is the end of the story. So now, if you please, leave my home."
"A deal is a deal, Shade. We'll go. Thanks for the info," Starman said. "Come on, team. We'll have to look for the JSA somewhere else."
"I shouldn't waste the time if I were you," the Shade said. "If the Justice Society have not returned, and since we know they were swallowed up by the dark power of the Nemesis Statue, and since the Nazis clearly want the JSA dead, then there is only one logical conclusion . . . The Justice Society of America is no longer with us. JSA . . . R.I.P."
The Society of substitute heroes was shocked into silence.
Somewhere else in Opal City, hidden from prying eyes, is a black statue that looks like a combination bird and cat. Next to it sits a man . . . a man in a red skull mask. He is smoking and laughing, celebrating being the man who destroyed the Justice Society of America!
Next issue: The fate of the JSA is revealed. The substitute JSA battles the Red Skull and his all-powerful Nemesis statue, and the Silver Surfer makes a guest appearance, all in Justice Society of America #6!