WARNING! MY CUP RUNNETH OVER WITH SPOILERS! CLEAN UP ON AISLE FOUR!
Title: The Bigger They Come...
Release Date: March 1999
Writer: Mark Millar
Penciller: Mark Pajarillo
Inkers: Walden Wong and Marlo Alquiza
JLA Members: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Martian Manhunter, the Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Steel, Plastic Man, Huntress, Zauriel, and Oracle.
Guest Stars: The Atom, Firestorm, Power Girl, the Creeper, Fire, Green Lantern (Jenny Hayden), Black Lightning, Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Aztek, the Ray, the Elongated Man, Obsidian, Mister Miracle, Lightray, Animal Man, and others I couldn't recognize.
Bad Guys: Amazo and T. O. Morrow.
Cameos: Captain Marvel, Starman, Dr. Light, and the Doom Patrol (mentions only).
So what happens?
To kick the story off, Green Lantern and the Flash go visit Professor Ray "The Atom" Palmer to offer him JLA membership, but he turns them down--he says he's happier now teaching classes at Ivytown University...
Meanwhile, in the Florida Everglades, a tip from mad scientist T. O. Morrow leads Wonder Woman, Steel, and Huntress to the upgraded-but-deactivated Amazo android, which is scheduled to wake up in an hour with all the powers of the Justice League. Steel gets to work trying to keep Amazo from waking up...
And in Tokyo, Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, and J'onn J'onzz (shapeshifted to look like a Japanese reporter) meet to discuss the future of the JLA. Supes wants to expand the League's membership, but Bats thinks the current membership levels are fine. Much witty repartee ensues...
Back in the Everglades, Amazo switches itself on a whole half-hour early. Turns out Morrow couldn't stand the idea of helping the JLA, so he lied about how much time they had. That heel! Anyway, Amazo has all the powers of the current incarnation of the League, and he's stomping on everyone, even when Superman, Batman, and the Martian Manhunter get on the scene. Desperate to stop the killer android, temporary JLA membership is extended to another 20 superheroes. Unfortunately, Amazo is now displaying all of the new members' powers, too--his upgrade allows him to assume the powers of any JLA he goes up against, no matter who the members are. But the Atom figures out how to beat him--he pops over to the Everglades and has Superman announce that the JLA has been disbanded. Result: Amazo no longer has any powers at all, and he shuts down. Recognizing that the Atom's most useful ability lies in his scientific knowledge, the JLA gets him to accept a position as the Justice League's part-time science consultant.
Cool Moments!
Again, not exactly a "moment", but this issue has the second-coolest JLA cover...
Also, the name the Martian Manhunter uses in his disguise as the Japanese reporter is Hino Rei. The name was suggested to writer Mark Millar by a friend who thought he'd catch on to the joke, but he didn't: Hino Rei is the real name of Sailor Mars.
Cool Quotes!
The Atom on his microscopic office at the university: "It's interesting how enthusiastic the students get when you include super-heroics in the syllabus. The dean doesn't like my methods, but I told Third Year the answers to their optics paper were sitting on my micro-desk if they could figure out a way to read them."
The Atom on the benefits of being a professor: "Four students have a crush on me. Three of them are girls..."
Clark Kent, sternly, to Bruce Wayne: "Frankly, I think you should know that these constant adolescent displays of independence are getting tiresome. Your peevishness is starting to have an adverse effect on the team."
Bruce Wayne, surprised: "Hh. I almost thought you were serious."
Clark Kent, grinning: "I've been practicing."
Power Girl, to Plastic Man: "No, I don't want to know why they call you 'Eel,' Mr. O'Brien."
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