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| "The Justice Society Returns" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 CoverThe Justice Society Returns (2001), trade paperback edition, art by Dave Johnson. | |||
| Publisher | DC Comics | ||
| Publication date | May 1999 | ||
| Genre | |||
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| The Justice Society Returns | ISBN 1-4012-0090-7 | ||
"TheJustice Society Returns" is a nine issuestory arc that ran through a number ofcomic books published byDC Comics in 1999, reviving theGolden Agesuperhero team, which had previously been revived in the 1980s.
The comics involved in this multi-titlecrossover were theretro-revival issuesAdventure Comics #1,All-American Comics #1,All-Star Comics #1–2,National Comics #1,Sensation Comics #1,Smash Comics #1,Star-Spangled Comics #1, andThrilling Comics #1. The names included those of comics released byAll-American Publications, one of the three companies that merged to form the present-day DC, as well asQuality Comics, the rights to which DC purchased in the 1950s.
DuringWorld War II,Nazi sympathizers begin a ritual usingDr. Occult to bring a being known as Koth to Earth, in order to ensure an Axis victory in the war.Hourman and several magical heroes attempt to stop them, but are unsuccessful. The spell goes wrong, however, and the Nazis release a villain known asStalker, whose sole purpose is to end life everywhere. The magical heroes are either killed or captured by Stalker, and only Hourman and Dr. Occult escape. Hourman informs the rest of theJustice Society of America about Stalker, and the group battles with him in Washington, DC. The JSA manages to wound Stalker enough so that he must create seven disciples (the men who originally brought Stalker to earth) to carry on his work while he recuperates. The JSA splits up to battle each of the disciples. Each team is able to defeat a disciple. Dr. Occult gathers everyone together to battle Stalker in Antarctica, where Stalker is building a machine that will destroy all life on Earth. After a long fight, the machine is destroyed and Stalker is defeated.
The story arc was collected in thetrade paperbackThe Justice Society Returns (ISBN 1-4012-0090-7), published by DC Comics in 2003.