July 1944: The Mansion of Miss Venus, headquarters of the Justice Society of America:
Captain America had gathered his team together for the first time in four months. Not since the Blue Diamond's betrayal of them and his subsequent near defeat of the team in his Diamond Mine, had the team gotten together. At least, some of the active members of the group were in attendance.
Captain America looked around at his group. Also present in the assembly were his second-in-command, the Sentinel; his chief advisor, Doctor Mid-Nite; Flash, who had recently returned to full time status; Hawkgirl; and finally, Starman, hero of Opal City.
Miss Venus had made a brief appearance to tell Cap that Wonder Woman, Dr. Fate, the Fury, and the Sub-Mariner were occupied by an adventure in another realm, assisted by Hercules. Also missing from the group were Cap's loyal sidekick, the Star-Spangled Kid, and Toro. They'd been excused from the meeting.
Cap addressed the group. "Thank you all for coming. I know that the last few months have been hard on us. Ever since that Blue Diamond travesty back in March, we haven't been acting as a team. I understand your feelings. The Torch was a friend of mine, too. I even liked the Hulk. And the Blue Diamond's betrayal has brought up some matters of trust among us. But I have to say this to you . . . It's time to move on! Four months of grieving and wallowing in our despair while the world is at war is too much. There are a lot of people out there who have suffered much more than we have in this war. Think of the innocent victims, the children, those who have been tortured by war atrocities . . . the helpless, the injured and dying and hungry and scared. Think of them. They don't have the luxury of taking time off to pity themselves. The Nazis certainly aren't taking time off. Neither are our boys in combat. They can't just stop and reflect on their difficult lot.
"And they've had to deal with the Axis super-villains, like Icicle and Sumo and Master Man and a lot of others. We've stood by and let them deal with these guys who they obviously can't handle alone. People like the Seven Soldiers of Victory and solo guys like Doc Savage and Mr. Terrific, have stepped in to take up the slack. But we're the elite. We have a job to do, and the people of America trust us to do it. We are supposed to motivate them. What kind of example are we setting by playing hooky after our first bloody nose? Why aren't we showing the same determination the whole rest of the world is? Why are we acting like quitters? We've indulged ourselves long enough! Its time to get back to work. I know your hearts and I trust that you'll all join my in this. And if there's a 'Nay' vote amongst you, then you're free to leave, but by God, I don't want to know you anymore!
"Anyway, I've said my peace. The rest is up to you. Join me or don't, all I can say is . . . break's over! Time to get back to work! Who's with me?"
Every member of the team raised his hands. The Sentinel stood up. "On behalf of all of us, Cap, we're with you. We've been on the sidelines long enough. Let's get back in the game!"
Everyone present agreed. Cap suppressed the big smile he was feeling. Maybe this wasn't the entire team, but it was enough to start with. The Justice Society of America was back!
A few blocks away, in a clubhouse paid for by Alan Scott, Bucky the Star-Spangled Kid had reconvened the Young Allies. Toro was there, along with Johnny Thunder and Marvel Boy. Only the Fury was missing, still away on her adventures in mystic realms, searching for Wonder Woman.
"Thanks for coming, guys," the SS Kid said. "The Fury can't make it but I'm glad you three are here. You might know that the JSA is having a few problems lately and hasn't been living up to their potential. Cap is trying to rally the troops and he can do it if anyone can. But just in case he doesn't, I'd like us to do what we can to fill in the vacuum left by the big guys. We formed this team to prove ourselves, and this is our big chance. Even without the Fury, we can do great things. The Seven Soldiers of Victory have been trying to pick up the slack, and I say we join them! Let's make this one count, huh guys? Whattaya say?"
Similar to the JSA vote, the result was unanimous. Bucky, like Cap, had worked his team into a patriotic frenzy. It was time for the Young Allies to shine!
Elsewhere, beyond the bounds of normal time and space, was the dimension of the God-Realms: Time moved differently in this mystic universe, and so little time had passed here, although months had gone by on Earth.
The Rainbow Bridge glinted a spectacular glow, surrounded by the twinkle of stars in the night sky. At the end of the bridge was the majestic realm of Asgard, home of Odin and his pantheon of Norse gods.
Crossing the bridge were a team of formidable heroes, led by Diana, princess and champion of the Amazons. She was accompanied by four others . . . Hercules, demi-god prince of Olympus; Dr. Fate, sorcerer Avatar of the Lords of Order; The Fury, novice heroine and trainee of Wonder Woman; and Namor the Sub-Mariner, prince and heir to the throne of Atlantis.
They were there for a single purpose - To get help in tracking down the abducted Wonder Woman. She'd been spirited away through time and space by two notorious criminals, and this proud, powerful group was determined to get her back, especially her daughter Diana. To this end, they were seeking the aid of the Asgardian prince Thor.
Heimdall, guardian of the Rainbow Bridge, saw the figures approaching and took a fighting stance. He was trained to defend Asgard against all intruders and no stranger could enter without permission of the Royal family. Heimdall kept his horn at the ready. One loud blow of the instrument and the armies of Asgard would be alerted to danger and charge to defend their realm.
Heimdall recognized Wonder Woman, since she'd recently been a guest there. But he didn't know the others and they had no permission to enter the Golden Realm.
"Well met, good Heimdall," Diana said, saluting the Asgardian sentry.
"Hail and well met, Princess Diana of the Amazons," Heimdall replied, "I greet thee as a friend, but I canst not allow thee to bring thy companions into the realm. No stranger enters the great realm of Asgard without consent of Odin or his valiant son."
Hercules pushed passed Diana. "Doth thou not know who I am, sentry? I am the son of Zeus and royal prince of Great Olympus! I should be welcomed with all pomp and pageantry."
"I shall have word of thy arrival sent swiftly to my Lord, almighty Odin," Heimdall said. "He shalt most assuredly permit thy entry and thou shalt be greeted with all due respect."
"I shall not wait here on the bridge like a lowly squire!" Hercules yelled. "Stand aside and make room for your betters!"
"No man enters this land without consent," Heimdall said. "Not while I doth still have breath in my body."
Hercules sneered and approached Heimdall menacingly. Heimdall raised his sword and shield. But the battle never began. Diana jumped in between them.
"Cease this display of unprincely arrogance, Olympian!" she yelled. "Your father deemed that you would follow my lead, and that is what you will do or the next hand raised against you will be my own!"
Hercules had a moment of fury when he seemed likely to strike the Amazon. Namor was ready to step in and defend the daughter of Hippolyta. But then Hercules' mood changed. He was bound to his father's mandate of following Diana's lead. Also, he found himself liking this woman. She had spirit. Much like her mother. He began to smile. "Hah! Thou art a hellion, Diana. Thou does thy mother proud. I admire thy fire and thy fair beauty. I shall hold my wrath, for a time."
Diana nodded and turned to Heimdall. "Forgive my traveling companion, valiant one. He is notoriously headstrong. But if my open invitation from Thor still stands, I'd like to reenter the realm, if I may."
Heimdall gestured for her to proceed. "Thou may pass, milady."
"I thank you, good sir," Diana said, and then looked back at her partners. "Wait here. I won't be long."
Fury and Doctor Fate acknowledged the order. Namor was not happy with being left behind but accepted her wishes. Hercules said nothing and was determined to be only so patient before he took matters into his own mighty hands.
Back on Earth, in July '44; the Potomac waterfront:
The recent success of the Seven Soldiers of Victory had inspired the US government to try and form another team of costumed adventurers. It was called the Freedom Trio, and it consisted of the Ameri-Commando, the Colonial, and the All-American. They were a trio of former OSS* agents, retrained for the purpose of providing another inspiration for the public and the troops. This was their freshman outing.
*(Office of Strategic Services, later to be renamed the CIA.)
Informants had leaked to the OSS that a former prohibition gang had recently reformed under a new leader and was selling weapons to anyone . . . including members of the America Nazi party, who were using the weapons for terrorist activities. So far, the Seven Soldiers of Victory had stopped the terrorism attempts, but that didn't stop the gang from selling more. Their new leader was very determined.
But he wasn't subtle. It was almost as if he was daring someone to catch him. Like he was waiting for someone to find him. But whoever he was expecting, it was the Freedom Trio who found him first.
They burst into the waterside warehouse. Just as they had been informed, there was a meeting of a dozen-or-so mob types in dark suits. The gangsters saw the trio bounding in and reached for their weapons. The Freedom Trio had an ace-in-the-hole. It was a device designed by Doc Savage, called the Screecher . . . and it was loud!
The mobsters held their ears, but the Trio was protected by special earplugs. While the mob was stunned, the three heroes hit them hard and fast. All-America had a baseball bat, while the Colonial had a musket that fires rubber stun pellets. The Ameri-Commando had several weapons hidden under his trenchcoat.
The fight was quick and easy. The mob boys fell and the three heroes celebrated their first victory. It was short lived.
They saw someone coming out of the back room. He wore a bright red suit and a blank facemask with eyeholes that had no eyes behind them. No neck or head was visible and it seemed that the mask was floating above a headless body. The slim man was unarmed but he walked toward the Trio with total confidence.
"Stay where you are and don't move!" the Ameri-Commando ordered, suddenly nervous.
The man with the mask continued to walk toward them. The trio all got a premonition of danger.
"Stop right there and take the mask off!" the All-American said, trying to sound assertive.
The masked man stopped. "As you wish."
He removed his mask - and the Freedom Trio screamed in unholy horror! It was the last thing they'd ever do in this life!
The 25th Century, in New America:
In the techno-organic lair of the Elite Forward, preparations were being made and the headquarters was a buzz of activity. Vandal Savage watched as his team of laborers and technicians prepared things for the soon-to-come showdown with the nigh-invincible Solaris.
Savage stroked his beard, as he looked upon his greatest weapon . . . the Star Imploder! Savage had built a fantastic device that could destroy vast stars by triggering an implosion that would turn the star into a singularity. Savage smiled at his handiwork. It was almost time to make his move against Solaris and his ally, Zarrko.
Not far away from the headquarters of Elite Forward, Nathaniel Richards was leading the mesmerized Wonder Woman down a large corridor in a white building. The entranced amazon stared with blank obedience as she followed the man who controlled her, body and mind.
Richards approached a large door with an eagle emblem. "This is it. You will wait here until I return, Wonder Woman."
"Yes, I shall wait," she said.
Richards spoke to the guards at the door, who introduced him. He was escorted inside. Wonder Woman stood alone in the hall, unable to move or even think. Despite the tiny voice inside her that cried out to be free, she was essentially a zombie, acting only when Richards ordered her to.
Richards stuck his head out of the door. "Come here," he ordered.
"Yes, I obey," she said, and accompanied him inside the room.
Inside was a futuristic version of the Oval Office, complete with the huge bald eagle painted on the floor. This was the office of the President of New America, the man who had christened himself the Tomorrow Man.
Richards led Wonder Woman to the desk. The chair spun around, revealing a bald, portly, middle-aged man with untrustworthy eyes and a lecherous grin.
"Another gift," Richards said. "A new tribute for the Tomorrow Man. And if I may say, this one may be the strongest and loveliest yet."
The man behind the desk was known as Zarrko, or as Lord President. Zarrko beamed with satisfaction at the Amazon. "Ahh, superb. This one was called Wonder Woman, was she not?"
Richards nodded. "The first of several. We have hopes of bringing you the second and greatest of this dynasty. But for now, enjoy the original. May I present Queen Hippolyta, Matriarch of the Amazons."
"Sensational!" Zarrko said. "A worthy gift for your President. She will bring a flair to the games. You've done well, Richards. I approve a further grant for your continued work."
"Thank you, Lord President," Richards said. He watched satisfied as Zarrko lustfully studied his female captive. Soon, Richards thought, he and Savage would eliminate that smug grin from his stupid face. And then they'd deal with the real enemy . . . Solaris!
Back in 1944:
The Justice Society busted into the Potomac waterside hideout of the mob that had been selling weapons. When the Freedom Trio didn't return, the Feds called in the big guns. The JSA arrived with little subtlety.
After entering, the team looked around. The place was a shambles and unconscious mob wise guys lay sprawled all over the place. In the center of everything were the prone bodies of the Freedom Trio. Doctor Mid-Nite examined them. He looked up sternly at Cap. "We're too late, They're gone!"
"Damn!" Cap hissed.
Flash sped around examining the gangsters. "These guys are all alive. They've taken a beating, but they'll live."
Hawkgirl looked down at the Freedom Trio. "Look at their faces!" she said, appalled.
"They look horrified!" Sentinel said. "I've never seen such an expression of total fear!"
Starman looked at their eyes, frozen wide in terror. "You would almost think they were scared to death!"
Asgard, in the palatial home of the prince and heir:
Thor, god of thunder, had servants bring fruit and wine to Diana as she sat relating her tale.
" . . . And your hammer seems our best hope of reopening the portal through time," she said, seeming outwardly calm, but a mass of worry on the inside. Her mother's safety was utmost on her mind.
"Thou need sayeth no more, fair Diana," Thor said. "We are comrades in arms, and no true warrior would ere turn his back on a fellow warrior in need. Furthermore, I do owe thy good mother for helping me rescue my beloved Sif from Vandal Savage and his League of Immortals. Have no doubt that the Son of Odin shall not rest until the Amazon Queen is safety returned to thee."
"You have my gratitude, noble Prince," Diana said. "You are the most valiant of gods."
The servants introduced to new arrivals. "Show them in," Thor said.
Balder, Thor's best friend, also known as the 'Light of the Realm' entered. He was accompanied by the blonde Valkyrie named Brunnhilde.
"Hail and well met, fair Diana," Balder said. "Tis a treat for mine eyes to see thee once again."
"Aye," the Valkyrie said. "Thou art a most welcome sight. Thou art the only woman who hath ere bested me and I await a chance to vindicate myself."
"A second bout must wait, good Brunnhilde," Diana said. "My mother is in great danger and I must hurry to her assistance."
"Hippolyta?" the Valkyrie said. "Thy noble mother is imperiled? She is a comrade of mine! If the Amazon Queen is in danger, Brunnhilde the Valkyrie would fly to her assistance."
"As would I," Balder said. "I, too, have a past with thy dear mother and queen. I would see her returned safe and well."
Diana was pleased. This was better than she had hoped for. Three reinforcements, when all she expected was one. "I thank you all, and we have no more time to waste. My mother needs us, now!"
"Then let us away!" Thor said. "Allow merely a brief stop to inform my sire and liege. Then we four comrades shall battle time and every other obstacle that the Fates throw at us, and we shall not say 'Enow' until the Wonder Woman is safely among our number!"
Back on Earth, in Washington, DC.
The Young Allies had finished their meeting and went out to get some ice cream as a way of celebrating their new commitment to upholding the law and the legacy of the JSA.
As they walked along, a shadow passed over them. The SS Kid immediately got a premonition of danger. Someone was stalking them from above. The rest of the team finally noticed and they all looked up. A large man was descending. He wore blue tights, with a red cape and a red 'U' on his chest.
"Ultra-Man!" the SS Kid yelled, alarmed.
The criminal from Counter Earth grinned a smug grin. "Hey there, kid. Glad ya remember me."
Toro began to simmer with rage. Ultra-Man was part of the 2nd incarnation of the Injustice Gang, who were responsible for destroying the Human Torch. "Slime ball!" Toro screamed.
"Toro, stop!" the Star-Spangled Kid called, to no avail.
The flaming youth launched himself at the villain from Counter Earth, pelting him with balls of fire. Ultra-Man stood with his arms folded, unimpressed by the attack. He yawned. "Oooo, I'm so scared. Please stop," he quipped.
Taking a breath, he exhaled and blew a powerful wind at Toro, extinguishing the boy's flame and hurtling the boy into a wall. Toro passed out.
"On your toes guys," the SS Kid said. "This jerk is dangerous! Break and attack!"
They fanned out, flanking the powerful villain. Bucky confronted him face-to-face, hoping to give his two friends a chance to take the enemy down. Ultra-Man seemed almost bored.
Bucky, knowing that he had no chance against Ultra-Man, faced him with nothing but a shield. "Why don't you haul your big, ultra butt back to your own planet before the JSA clobbers you again, huh?"
"Very bored at this point," Ultra-Man said.
Marvel Boy fired a bolt from his "Light Jewel" at Ultra-Man. The jewel had the power to neutralize energy. When it hit Ultra-Man, he shuttered, feeling a slight diminution of his power. He realized that Marvel Boy had a threatening ability. He couldn't allow many more of those blasts or he would end up powerless.
He leaped at Marvel Boy with blinding speed. Before the space-trained boy could react with either his jewel or his Kree Martial Arts, he was slapped by Ultra-Man. The slap was hard enough to kill an elephant but the Jewel erected a protective field around the Boy that allowed him to survive with only minor injuries.
Johnny Thunder watched his nervously. "Sei U!" he cried.
All at once, in a flash of thunder and lightning, Ytz appeared. Ytz was the pink genie-like mystic Thunderbolt who served Johnny Thunder. "What can I do for you, Master Johnny?"
Johnny pointed at Ultra-Man. "I don't like him. Stop him!"
"Yes Master," the Thunderbolt said.
The Thunderbolt fired bolts of supernatural energy meant to immobilize Ultra-Man, but the man from Counter-Earth sensed the mystic energies of his foe and knew that he couldn't let himself be hit by the rays from the strange pink being. Ultra-Man was vulnerable to magic and a foe like the Thunderbolt was just the kind he tried to avoid.
Using his incredible speed to evade the Thunderbolt's next few attacks, he listened in with his ultra-hearing and noticed that the Thunderbolt only did what the kid in the bow tie told him to. And the pink thing called him "master". It occurred to Ultra-Man that the magic creature would be useless without the kid's orders.
Circling around the Thunderbolt at top speed, he grabbed Johnny Thunder before Johnny cold command the Thunderbolt to stop him. Ultra-Man used a nerve pinch to render Johnny unconscious.
"Master Johnny!" The Thunderbolt yelled, unable to act without a specific command.
"Your boss is in sleepy land," Ultra-Man said. "And you'd better get back to whatever La-La Land you came from or I'll snap the brat like a twig."
The Thunderbolt couldn't save Johnny. If he stayed, Johnny would be killed. He had no choice but to return to the fifth dimension. "Sorry, Master Johnny," the Thunderbolt said, and vanished back to his native realm.
Ultra-Man immediately forgot about Johnny Thunder and dropped him on the concrete. He used his x-ray vision to find the Star-Spangled Kid, who had concealed himself nearby, waiting for a chance to rescue his friends. Ultra-Man zoomed over to the spot where the SS Kid was hiding.
"Hi again, junior," Ultra-Man said. "Nobody hides from me. Now come on. We've got an appointment."
The Rainbow Bridge:
Diana, Thor, Balder, and the Valkyrie reached the bridge where Hercules, the Fury, Doctor Fate and the Sub-Mariner were waiting. Namor recognized Thor but was suspicious of the other two.
Hercules stepped up. "Ah, Thor. Many years has it been since last we did meet. How fares thee, golden hair?"
"Well met, good Hercules," Thor said. "Thou doth look hail and well."
"Aye, and eager to begin our quest!" Hercules said. "Let us begin, that Hercules may thrash the varlets who absconded with the beauteous Hippolyta."
"Yes, let's begin immediately," Diana said. "Dr. Fate?"
The wizard in the golden helmet nodded and began to cast a spell. After a few minutes concentration, he opened a rift that pierced normal space. Magical beacons from Fate's amulet stretched into that strange void, hunting for a trace of the kidnapped Queen Hippolyta.
"I believe I have it!" Fate said. "I've found a temporal footprint in the fourth dimension. I can track her."
Thor raised his hammer. "Then it is time for the God of Thunder to take a hand. My mighty Hammer, Mjolnir, will complete the task begun by the sorcerer. Stand thou aside, good comrades!"
Thor spun his hammer, creating a second doorway. His new portal joined Fate's original portal and merged into a large vortex peering deeply into the space/time continuum.
"If Fate's navigation is true, then this portal will lead us into the far future," Thor said. "Once we step through, we will be transported to an age as yet unknown, where we will battle for the life of Wonder Woman!"
"Then let's not hesitate another second," Diana said. "Is everyone ready?"
Everyone agreed loudly and eagerly. The Fury was a bit nervous but she wasn't going to let Hippolyta down. If Wonder Woman was in trouble, she was determined to help. "Let's go!" she said.
"Fine!" Diana said. "Follow me!"
Diana stepped fearlessly into the vortex, and her seven allies followed. Their next stop . . . the future!
An old Vaudeville theater in Washington DC:
The Star-Spangled Kid opened his eyes. He was bruised and battered but the pain told him that he was still alive. He seemed to be on a stage. "Where . . . ?"
"Wake up, eager young cadet!" a voice said. "The show's about to begin!"
Bucky saw the apparently headless man in the red suit with the floating mask. "Who or what are you?"
"You don't recognize me, eh boy?" the mystery man said. "I don't blame you. I've changed quite a bit since we last me. Since you killed me!"
"I did what?" the SS Kid asked. "Who the heck are you? What do you want?"
"I want to talk to you about justice," the strange being said. "A concept you don't seem to grasp. Either that or you are a massive over-achiever. You play the role of the hero, but are you truly one? That's why I thought it appropriate to have our discussion in a theater. True, the owners and employees protested, but they're content to let me do what I want now."
The masked being gestured to the audience seats. The SS Kid looked and saw that the first two rows were filled with the unmoving bodies of theater people. They stared blankly, their faces were masks of total horror. Bucky had never seen such an expression before but it would haunt him forever.
"Are they . . . ?" Bucky began to ask.
"Quite deceased," the man said. "History's first mass heart attack."
"What did you do to them?"
"Ah, there's the rub, isn't it?" the masked man said. "You are responsible for their fates. As for what I did . . . I simply took off my mask!"
The Star-Spangled Kid was totally befuddled. What was this maniac talking about?
"You still haven't figured it out, have you, you little cretin?" the masked man said. "Well let me spell it out for you. You knew me on Counter-Earth. My name was Johnny Sorrow."
It all started to come back to Bucky. Johnny Sorrow had allied himself with the evil Squadron Sinister, who had conquered half of Counter-Earth. His subspace transporter had torn a world in half. While the JSA was on Counter-Earth battling the Squadron, Bucky scuffled with Johnny Sorrow as they crossed through sub-space. Bucky stole the device from Sorrow during their struggle and Sorrow drifted away, lost in sub-space, with no way to escape!
"Do you remember me now?" Sorrow asked. "Do remember the day you killed me?"
"But you're alive."
"Am I?" Sorrow said. "Take a good look. I have no flesh or body. I am no longer even remotely human. I am a walking ghost. And it's all your fault! The day you stranded me in sub-space, was the beginning of a nightmare. I drifted helplessly in limbo for what seemed like an eternity. God knows how long I was there, assuming time even exists there. Occasionally, I came across a portal but couldn't reach them. But finally, I did. I fell into another world. It was a place you couldn't imagine! There are places beyond what we can perceive or even conceive. And these realms are inhabited!
"Call them entities, or demons or nightmares . . . Call them what you will, but these horrific creatures exist. And they feed! One such being swallowed me up and regurgitated me out. The pain was more than any human should ever experience or could possibly describe. I was a mass of free-floating-vomited particles, alive but not alive. Eventually, an intelligent mystic being called the Intercessor used his power to reform my atoms into a living colony of mutated energy. I was part and parcel of that horrible realm. I existed but was not living.
"Eventually, he created a mask for me, a kind of vessel to contain my newly altered form. The mask allowed me to become somewhat corporeal, to manifest myself in a humanoid - albeit invisible - form. And then they let me go! I'm not sure why they sent me back to Counter-Earth. I think it was just to watch the chaos that would be unleashed when I discovered my new power. Or rather, my curse!
"I went to see my wife Andrea. My love, my lifeline. I haunted her for days. Frightened and tentative, I debated speaking to her. Finally, I made my presence known. I was a fool! I did not yet fully comprehend what had happened to me. I didn't know what I had become. I made the mistake of removing my mask, and then what was invisible became horribly visible. My new form was visible in its entirety. She saw the real me . . . The face of Sorrow! She died in horror!
"After that, I thought of you, boy, and I vowed to avenge myself against you! I made a deal with Master Menace and he found a way to send me here to your Earth. I took over that pathetic gang as a way of baiting you. But recently I encountered my old ally Ultra-Man, who was also exiled here. He agreed to help me get my revenge. He hates your Justice Society, as well. I sent him out to capture you. And now that I have you and you've heard my story, let me ask you . . . Is this justice? Did I deserve what happened to me? Did my wife deserve it? Is this your idea of justice?"
Bucky was trying to sort this all out in his head. "I'm sorry as hell about what happened to your wife, but I'm not going to stand here and argue philosophy with a maniac. We're not Plato and Socrates, debating the nature of justice. You got yourself into this when you decided to help the Squadron Sinister take over Counter Earth."
"And my wife!" Sorrow screamed, "What did she do?"
"Again, I'm sorry about her," Bucky said. "But you killed her, not me."
An enraged Sorrow slapped the Kid hard. "Shut up! You not going to disgrace her memory by playing innocent! What happened to her was your fault! What happened to me was your fault! I just wanted you to know that before I killed you! I wanted you to know who I am and why you deserve to die!"
Cap had heard about the fight between the Young Allies and Ultra-Man. He and the JSA rushed to the scene. They found Paramedics tending to Toro, Marvel Boy, and Johnny Thunder. When they saw Cap, they forced themselves to stand respectfully.
"What happened?" Cap asked.
The three young heroes explained as best they could, until the point where the last of them was defeated.
Cap was worried about Bucky. What did Ultra-Man want with him? "Johnny, can your Thunderbolt locate the Star-Spangled Kid?"
"I think so," Johnny Thunder Said. "I'll call him right now!"
Back at the theater . . .
Johnny Sorrow was about to remove his mask. Bucky kept his eyes closed, but that wasn't enough. He had to stall for time. He needed to play the psyche game. He had learned the game from Dr. Mid-Nite.
Bucky began to laugh. Sorrow hesitated.
"What's so funny, boy?" Sorrow asked, annoyed at the Kid ruining his big moment.
Bucky grinned. "Aside from your ugly suit and your bad acting, there's also your pathetic inability to accept responsibility for your actions. You are so pathetic!"
Sorrow trembled with rage. "Just keep smiling, boy! You'll die laughing!"
Bucky did just that. "Pathetic."
Sorrow slapped him again. "Stop laughing and open your eyes! Accept your fate like a man!"
"What would you know about being a man?" the SS Kid quipped.
Sorrow continued to slap the Kid. "Shut up and look at me!"
Just then, there was a burst of pink lightning and loud thunder. The JSA had arrived, via the magical powers of the Thunderbolt. Captain America saw Bucky being beaten. "Hang on, Kid!"
Ultra-Man suddenly leaped into view. He almost crushed Cap. Fortunately for Cap, Flash saw him coming and was just a tad faster. He yanked Cap out of the way. Ultra-Man's fist went through the ground. The Green Lantern responded by blasting Ultra-Man with energy from his ring. The mystic properties of the ring stunned Ultra-Man. The Thunderbolt, on orders from Johnny Thunder, added his mystic power to the attack. Flash, Hawkgirl, Starman, Marvel Boy, and Toro also ganged up on Ultra-Man.
Cap and Dr. Mid-Nite bore down on Johnny Sorrow. "Let the boy go!" Cap said. "He's a better man than you and I'm going to let you hurt him!"
"Nonsense!" Sorrow said. "You heroes are a dime-a-dozen. But a good villain is hard to come by," he reached for his mask.
"Don't look at his face!" Bucky yelled, "You'll die if you look at his face!"
Cap and Mid-Nite immediately realized what had happened to the Freedom Trio. This man had some sort of power similar to the Psycho Pirate. He pulls off his mask and someone dies of fright! Cap averted his eyes. Doctor Mid-Nite, however, merely took his special goggles off. Now he was essentially blind.
Johnny Sorrow removed his mask. Cap tossed his shield at the ropes holding the curtains. The curtain dropped, blocking the other members of the team from Mid-Nite and Sorrow. It was just those two now!
With his mask removed, Sorrow became a living nightmare and he expected Mid-Nite to scream and die, as everyone else did. To his amazement, Mid-Nite stood calmly, as if nothing was happening. Sorrow was stunned. "This is not possible!" he whispered.
Before he'd taken his goggles off, Mid-Nite noticed a mirror in the wings. Mirrors were not unusual in a theater. Appearance was a big thing to actors. Mid-Nite wasn't sure if he could find the mirror without seeing it but his memory was good and he believed he had the location basically pinpointed. He backed up and then quickly leaped for the mirror.
He found it! He pulled it off the wall and held it in front of him. Johnny Sorrow saw his reflection for the first time. All the horror of that universe he so feared was encapsulated in the mirror before him. His mind was still human and, despite having experienced the nether-realm, this intense exposure was too much for him. He put his mask back on and dropped to his ethereal knees, crying. "Horrible . . . " he whimpered.
Meanwhile, Ultra-Man was getting pummeled. The mystic energies of the Sentinel and the Thunderbolt were hurting him, and Marvel Boy was slowly draining his power. The others were relentless as well. Ultra-Man tried to flee but he was caught in a green energy net created by the Sentinel. The magic net was the final straw and Ultra-Man fell to the ground, defeated.
Soon, he lay in a magic slumber, induced by the Thunderbolt. Next to him was the sobbing Johnny Sorrow.
"They're too dangerous to lock up," Dr. Mid-Nite said. "What do we do with them?"
"The Thunderbolt will have to exile them somewhere," Cap said. "Maybe send Johnny Sorrow back to that place he came from. I'm sure that Ultra-Man will love it there."
The Star-Spangled Kid sat alone in a corner, considering his responsibility in this whole matter. Was what he did to Johnny Sorrow justice? Did his wife deserve her fate? When he first dreamed of becoming a hero, he never considered things like this. He never expected so much . . . sorrow!
Next issue: Diana and her allies battle Vandal Savage and Nathaniel Richards in the 25th Century. While back in 1944, the Sentinel/Harlequin relationship comes to a tragic conclusion. Paul Kirk: Manhunter and the Shadow guest star. Don't miss Justice Society of America #39!