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Elseworlds: Justice League
Elseworlds: Justice League, Vol. 3
From some of comics' greatest creators comes the next volume of classic Elseworlds tales featuring the Justice League in Elseworlds: Justice League Vol. 3!
Superman and Batman may hold the title of World's Finest, but Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite are definitely the World's Funnest! In this long-forgotten tale, Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite battle across the entire Multiverse, and almost every character you can think of is along for the ride! Plus, when a cosmic storm passes over planet Earth, it brings a mysterious plague which nearly kills the entire male population and the only two men who survive are Superman and his archnemesis, Lex Luthor!
In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places--some that have existed, or might have existed, and others that can't, couldn't or shouldn't exist. The result: stories that make characters who are as familiar as yesterday seem as fresh as tomorrow.
Collects Conjurors #1-3, Flashpoint #1-3, Superman and Batman: World's Funnest #1, JLA: Created Equal #1-2 and Green Lantern: 1001 Emerald Knights #1.
Superman and Batman may hold the title of World's Finest, but Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite are definitely the World's Funnest! In this long-forgotten tale, Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite battle across the entire Multiverse, and almost every character you can think of is along for the ride! Plus, when a cosmic storm passes over planet Earth, it brings a mysterious plague which nearly kills the entire male population and the only two men who survive are Superman and his archnemesis, Lex Luthor!
In Elseworlds, heroes are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places--some that have existed, or might have existed, and others that can't, couldn't or shouldn't exist. The result: stories that make characters who are as familiar as yesterday seem as fresh as tomorrow.
Collects Conjurors #1-3, Flashpoint #1-3, Superman and Batman: World's Funnest #1, JLA: Created Equal #1-2 and Green Lantern: 1001 Emerald Knights #1.
432 pages, Paperback
First published February 26, 2019
9 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Chuck Dixon
3,429 books1,031 followersCharles "Chuck" Dixon is an American comic book writer, perhaps best-known for long runs on Batman titles in the 1990s.
His earliest comics work was writing Evangeline first for Comico Comics in 1984 (then later for First Comics, who published the on-going series), on which he worked with his then-wife, the artist Judith Hunt. His big break came one year later, when editor Larry Hama hired him to write back-up stories for Marvel Comics' The Savage Sword of Conan.
In 1986, he began working for Eclipse Comics, writing Airboy with artist Tim Truman. Continuing to write for both Marvel and (mainly) Eclipse on these titles, as well as launching Strike! with artist Tom Lyle in August 1987 and Valkyrie with artist Paul Gulacy in October 1987, he began work on Carl Potts' Alien Legion series for Marvel's Epic Comics imprint, under editor Archie Goodwin. He also produced a three-issue adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit for Eclipse with artist David Wenzel between 1989 and 1990, and began writing Marc Spector: Moon Knight in June 1989.
His Punisher OGN Kingdom Gone (August, 1990) led to him working on the monthly The Punisher War Journal (and later, more monthly and occasional Punisher titles), and also brought him to the attention of DC Comics editor Denny O'Neil, who asked him to produce a Robin mini-series. The mini proved popular enough to spawn two sequels - The Joker's Wild (1991) and Cry of the Huntress (1992) - which led to both an ongoing monthly series (which Dixon wrote for 100 issues before leaving to work with CrossGen Comics), and to Dixon working on Detective Comics from #644-738 through the major Batman stories KnightFall & KnightsEnd (for which he helped create the key character of Bane), DC One Million , Contagion , Legacy , Cataclysm and No Man's Land . Much of his run was illustrated by Graham Nolan.
He was DC's most prolific Batman-writer in the mid-1990s (rivalled perhaps in history by Bill Finger and Dennis O'Neil) - in addition to writing Detective Comics he pioneered the individual series for Robin , Nightwing (which he wrote for 70 issues, and returned to briefly with 2005's #101) and Batgirl , as well as creating the team and book Birds of Prey .
While writing multiple Punisher and Batman comics (and October 1994's Punisher/Batman crossover), he also found time to launch Team 7 for Jim Lee's WildStorm/Image and Prophet for Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios. He also wrote many issues of Catwoman and Green Arrow , regularly having about seven titles out each and every month between the years 1993 and 1998.
In March, 2002, Dixon turned his attention to CrossGen's output, salthough he co-wrote with Scott Beatty the origin of Barbara Gordon's Batgirl in 2003's Batgirl: Year One. For CrossGen he took over some of the comics of the out-going Mark Waid, taking over Sigil from #21, and Crux with #13. He launched Way of the Rat in June 2002, Brath (March '03), The Silken Ghost (June '03) and the pirate comic El Cazador (Oct '03), as well as editing Robert Rodi's non-Sigilverse The Crossovers. He also wrote the Ruse spin-off Archard's Agents one-shots in January and November '03 and April '04, the last released shortly before CrossGen's complete collapse forced the cancellation of all of its comics, before which Dixon wrote a single issue of Sojourn (May '04). Dixon's Way of the Rat #24, Brath #14 and El Cazador #6 were among the last comics released from the then-bankrupt publisher.
On June 10, 2008, Dixon announced on his forum that he was no longer "employed by DC Comics in any capacity."
His earliest comics work was writing Evangeline first for Comico Comics in 1984 (then later for First Comics, who published the on-going series), on which he worked with his then-wife, the artist Judith Hunt. His big break came one year later, when editor Larry Hama hired him to write back-up stories for Marvel Comics' The Savage Sword of Conan.
In 1986, he began working for Eclipse Comics, writing Airboy with artist Tim Truman. Continuing to write for both Marvel and (mainly) Eclipse on these titles, as well as launching Strike! with artist Tom Lyle in August 1987 and Valkyrie with artist Paul Gulacy in October 1987, he began work on Carl Potts' Alien Legion series for Marvel's Epic Comics imprint, under editor Archie Goodwin. He also produced a three-issue adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit for Eclipse with artist David Wenzel between 1989 and 1990, and began writing Marc Spector: Moon Knight in June 1989.
His Punisher OGN Kingdom Gone (August, 1990) led to him working on the monthly The Punisher War Journal (and later, more monthly and occasional Punisher titles), and also brought him to the attention of DC Comics editor Denny O'Neil, who asked him to produce a Robin mini-series. The mini proved popular enough to spawn two sequels - The Joker's Wild (1991) and Cry of the Huntress (1992) - which led to both an ongoing monthly series (which Dixon wrote for 100 issues before leaving to work with CrossGen Comics), and to Dixon working on Detective Comics from #644-738 through the major Batman stories KnightFall & KnightsEnd (for which he helped create the key character of Bane), DC One Million , Contagion , Legacy , Cataclysm and No Man's Land . Much of his run was illustrated by Graham Nolan.
He was DC's most prolific Batman-writer in the mid-1990s (rivalled perhaps in history by Bill Finger and Dennis O'Neil) - in addition to writing Detective Comics he pioneered the individual series for Robin , Nightwing (which he wrote for 70 issues, and returned to briefly with 2005's #101) and Batgirl , as well as creating the team and book Birds of Prey .
While writing multiple Punisher and Batman comics (and October 1994's Punisher/Batman crossover), he also found time to launch Team 7 for Jim Lee's WildStorm/Image and Prophet for Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios. He also wrote many issues of Catwoman and Green Arrow , regularly having about seven titles out each and every month between the years 1993 and 1998.
In March, 2002, Dixon turned his attention to CrossGen's output, salthough he co-wrote with Scott Beatty the origin of Barbara Gordon's Batgirl in 2003's Batgirl: Year One. For CrossGen he took over some of the comics of the out-going Mark Waid, taking over Sigil from #21, and Crux with #13. He launched Way of the Rat in June 2002, Brath (March '03), The Silken Ghost (June '03) and the pirate comic El Cazador (Oct '03), as well as editing Robert Rodi's non-Sigilverse The Crossovers. He also wrote the Ruse spin-off Archard's Agents one-shots in January and November '03 and April '04, the last released shortly before CrossGen's complete collapse forced the cancellation of all of its comics, before which Dixon wrote a single issue of Sojourn (May '04). Dixon's Way of the Rat #24, Brath #14 and El Cazador #6 were among the last comics released from the then-bankrupt publisher.
On June 10, 2008, Dixon announced on his forum that he was no longer "employed by DC Comics in any capacity."
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 20, 2019
Collecting all of the Elseworlds stories into a series of graphic novels is a fantastic idea. The stories contained within are hit and miss. I'll give a brief review of each.
Conjurors by Chuck Dixon & Eduardo Barreto - 4 stars
An Elseworlds where magic has overtaken science as the preeminent driving force for society. Features some obscure magical characters of the DC universe as they battle some elder gods who gifted magic to humans in the first place. The premise is actually very similar to what's going on now at DC post Dark Nights: Metal. Eduardo Barreto's art is exceptional.
Flash: Flashpoint (1999) by Pat McGreal & Norm Breyfogle - 3 stars
This is not part of the big Flashpoint DC event. It's just an Elseworlds book with the same name. The Flash was paralyzed while saving JFK from a bullet in Dallas. Now Barry Allen is the fastest thinker on the planet. While excavating an alien site on Mars, Wally West discovers a device that could threaten all of Earth. This could do with being fleshed out a bit more, but I dug it. Norm Breyfogle's art looks great.
Superman and Batman: World's Funnest by Evan Dorkin & a whole team of DC's best artists - 3.0 stars
A fun romp through the many DC dimensions as Mister Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite inherently destroy each one. I like that they were able to get so many signature artists to illustrate each earth.
JLA: Created Equal by Fabian Nicieza & Kevin Maguire - 4 stars
Y, the Last Man set in the DC universe. This was actually released a few years before Y. Superman and Lex Luthor are the only men left on Earth after a comet kills off the rest of the men. Kevin Maguire's art is sublime. I wish he would do more projects. I love his expressive art.
Green Lantern: 1001 Emerald Nights by Terry LaBan & Rebecca Guay - 3 stars
Terry LaBan does a splendid job of merging the Green Lantern mythos with One Thousand and One Nights, using genies in the place of Green Lantern rings. Rebecca Guay's art is gorgeous and ethereal giving the book the look of an ancient manuscript.
Conjurors by Chuck Dixon & Eduardo Barreto - 4 stars
An Elseworlds where magic has overtaken science as the preeminent driving force for society. Features some obscure magical characters of the DC universe as they battle some elder gods who gifted magic to humans in the first place. The premise is actually very similar to what's going on now at DC post Dark Nights: Metal. Eduardo Barreto's art is exceptional.
Flash: Flashpoint (1999) by Pat McGreal & Norm Breyfogle - 3 stars
This is not part of the big Flashpoint DC event. It's just an Elseworlds book with the same name. The Flash was paralyzed while saving JFK from a bullet in Dallas. Now Barry Allen is the fastest thinker on the planet. While excavating an alien site on Mars, Wally West discovers a device that could threaten all of Earth. This could do with being fleshed out a bit more, but I dug it. Norm Breyfogle's art looks great.
Superman and Batman: World's Funnest by Evan Dorkin & a whole team of DC's best artists - 3.0 stars
A fun romp through the many DC dimensions as Mister Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite inherently destroy each one. I like that they were able to get so many signature artists to illustrate each earth.
JLA: Created Equal by Fabian Nicieza & Kevin Maguire - 4 stars
Y, the Last Man set in the DC universe. This was actually released a few years before Y. Superman and Lex Luthor are the only men left on Earth after a comet kills off the rest of the men. Kevin Maguire's art is sublime. I wish he would do more projects. I love his expressive art.
Green Lantern: 1001 Emerald Nights by Terry LaBan & Rebecca Guay - 3 stars
Terry LaBan does a splendid job of merging the Green Lantern mythos with One Thousand and One Nights, using genies in the place of Green Lantern rings. Rebecca Guay's art is gorgeous and ethereal giving the book the look of an ancient manuscript.
April 24, 2020
Nice collection of Elseworlds stories. The JLA: Created Equal is a especially nice one. Recommended
December 12, 2024
Just not as much fun as they should be.
July 19, 2025
3.5/5
DC’s Elseworlds have offered glimpses into versions of their characters that might have been for more than three decades. Yet, outside of the odd collecting of one-shots and their sequels or limited series receiving a trade release, many of these tales have been left to fade into obscurity. That changed in the mid to late 2010s as DC began printing collected volumes of Elseworlds tales, including this 2019 volume that represented the third set of Justice League tales.
Sort of, anyway. Only one of the releases (the two issue JLA: Created Equal from 2000) can rightfully claim to be a Justice League story. Instead, the volume focuses on characters and runs beyond Batman and Superman (who had their own respective volumes). To some extent, this volume feels like a miscellaneous volume under the Justice League umbrella. Though, to be fair, “Elseworlds Miscellaneous” doesn’t exactly have a nice ring to it.
The results are mixed but interesting. Opening the volume is the three issue Conjurers series from 1999, set in a DC universe devoid of the trinity or the JLA but where magic has trumped science. It’s a fantasy story, one that sees various DC characters in that arena come to the fore and face down a threat alongside the 1990s incarnation of the Challengers of the Unknown (here given the nicknames of their original Silver age counterparts). How you feel about the fantasy genre will likely determine how you feel about it but this one left me a bit cold.
Next up is Flashpoint. No not THAT Flashpoint from 2011 but a 1999 three issue run, set in a world in which the Barry Allen incarnation of the Flash was the first and only superhero to show up on the scene before being left paralyzed by a bullet while saving JFK’s life in Dealy Plaza. Set largely in an alternate
retro-futuristic 1999 combining elements of the Silver Age with our modern world, with Barry’s technology and the immortal Vandal Savage’s advances in health care serving as its foundation. That is until an artifact is found among the Face on Mars and the Martian pyramids at Cydonia by Barry’s nephew Wally West threatens this future. The first two issues are strong, setting up the world and blessed by Norm Breyfogle’s artwork. Sadly, it doesn’t quite stick the landing but it’s a good read even if the ending comes up short.
Lending the collection its cover is Superman and Batman: World's Funnest. As the cover and title might suggest, Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite fight their way across the DC multiverse from the Silver Age to the DC Animated Universe and crossing over into a number of comic titles. It’s a hilarious tale that gently parodies and pays homage to much of the company’s history and features a wealth of artwork styles, sometimes by the original artists of various eras and series. To say more risks spoiling something that turned into a legitimate laugh out loud read at times. For anyone more than remotely familiar with DC’s comics, it’s an utter delight and makes the volume worth checking out on its own.
The one definitively Justice League tale here is the aforementioned Created Equal from 2000. In it, DC’s Earth at the turn of the millennium is hit by a cosmic storm wipes out every human/alien male on Earth with the exception of Superman and a power-suited Lex Luthor. There’s a weight to Fabian Nicieza’s writing, a genuine sense of both loss and hope for a better world out of the tragedy in the first half. That hope comes under threat in the second half which, despite having been published a quarter-century ago, felt oddly timely in its themes and message (not to mention offering an intriguing pre-echo of the 2025 Superman film playing in cinemas as I write this review). Though two issues, it could easily have had a third expanding the middle part of the narrative given the time jumps involved in the opening pages of the concluding installment. The result is possibly the strongest story in the entire collection, all the more ironic as it’s the one proper Justice League title here.
Rounding off the set is Green Lantern: 1001 Emerald Nights. As the title might suggest, this is a play on the 1,001 Arabian Nights that combines some of those tales with the Green Lantern and other parts of the DC mythos. Rebecca Guay’s artwork is the highlight of this one-shot, suggesting great age while also finding a nice fusing of familiar DC elements and characters into a Middle Eastern setting. The writing from Terry LaBan does little to elevate this above a mere retelling with Green Lantern elements affixed to it, which is a shame given the potential. The result remains a nice but undemanding read that is really carried by Guay’s impressive artwork more than by the story itself.
Like many a collection, this is a mixed bag. There’s some good stuff here, particularly in the middle when the two series and the utter joy that is World’s Funnest. Others will depend on how you feel about fantasy or a re-telling of familiar tales in DC clothing. Even so, there’s enough here to keep a reader of DC’s output happy for a few hours discovering what might have been Elseworlds in the multiverse.
DC’s Elseworlds have offered glimpses into versions of their characters that might have been for more than three decades. Yet, outside of the odd collecting of one-shots and their sequels or limited series receiving a trade release, many of these tales have been left to fade into obscurity. That changed in the mid to late 2010s as DC began printing collected volumes of Elseworlds tales, including this 2019 volume that represented the third set of Justice League tales.
Sort of, anyway. Only one of the releases (the two issue JLA: Created Equal from 2000) can rightfully claim to be a Justice League story. Instead, the volume focuses on characters and runs beyond Batman and Superman (who had their own respective volumes). To some extent, this volume feels like a miscellaneous volume under the Justice League umbrella. Though, to be fair, “Elseworlds Miscellaneous” doesn’t exactly have a nice ring to it.
The results are mixed but interesting. Opening the volume is the three issue Conjurers series from 1999, set in a DC universe devoid of the trinity or the JLA but where magic has trumped science. It’s a fantasy story, one that sees various DC characters in that arena come to the fore and face down a threat alongside the 1990s incarnation of the Challengers of the Unknown (here given the nicknames of their original Silver age counterparts). How you feel about the fantasy genre will likely determine how you feel about it but this one left me a bit cold.
Next up is Flashpoint. No not THAT Flashpoint from 2011 but a 1999 three issue run, set in a world in which the Barry Allen incarnation of the Flash was the first and only superhero to show up on the scene before being left paralyzed by a bullet while saving JFK’s life in Dealy Plaza. Set largely in an alternate
retro-futuristic 1999 combining elements of the Silver Age with our modern world, with Barry’s technology and the immortal Vandal Savage’s advances in health care serving as its foundation. That is until an artifact is found among the Face on Mars and the Martian pyramids at Cydonia by Barry’s nephew Wally West threatens this future. The first two issues are strong, setting up the world and blessed by Norm Breyfogle’s artwork. Sadly, it doesn’t quite stick the landing but it’s a good read even if the ending comes up short.
Lending the collection its cover is Superman and Batman: World's Funnest. As the cover and title might suggest, Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite fight their way across the DC multiverse from the Silver Age to the DC Animated Universe and crossing over into a number of comic titles. It’s a hilarious tale that gently parodies and pays homage to much of the company’s history and features a wealth of artwork styles, sometimes by the original artists of various eras and series. To say more risks spoiling something that turned into a legitimate laugh out loud read at times. For anyone more than remotely familiar with DC’s comics, it’s an utter delight and makes the volume worth checking out on its own.
The one definitively Justice League tale here is the aforementioned Created Equal from 2000. In it, DC’s Earth at the turn of the millennium is hit by a cosmic storm wipes out every human/alien male on Earth with the exception of Superman and a power-suited Lex Luthor. There’s a weight to Fabian Nicieza’s writing, a genuine sense of both loss and hope for a better world out of the tragedy in the first half. That hope comes under threat in the second half which, despite having been published a quarter-century ago, felt oddly timely in its themes and message (not to mention offering an intriguing pre-echo of the 2025 Superman film playing in cinemas as I write this review). Though two issues, it could easily have had a third expanding the middle part of the narrative given the time jumps involved in the opening pages of the concluding installment. The result is possibly the strongest story in the entire collection, all the more ironic as it’s the one proper Justice League title here.
Rounding off the set is Green Lantern: 1001 Emerald Nights. As the title might suggest, this is a play on the 1,001 Arabian Nights that combines some of those tales with the Green Lantern and other parts of the DC mythos. Rebecca Guay’s artwork is the highlight of this one-shot, suggesting great age while also finding a nice fusing of familiar DC elements and characters into a Middle Eastern setting. The writing from Terry LaBan does little to elevate this above a mere retelling with Green Lantern elements affixed to it, which is a shame given the potential. The result remains a nice but undemanding read that is really carried by Guay’s impressive artwork more than by the story itself.
Like many a collection, this is a mixed bag. There’s some good stuff here, particularly in the middle when the two series and the utter joy that is World’s Funnest. Others will depend on how you feel about fantasy or a re-telling of familiar tales in DC clothing. Even so, there’s enough here to keep a reader of DC’s output happy for a few hours discovering what might have been Elseworlds in the multiverse.
September 11, 2025
It's the final volume of the Justice League Elseworlds and it's the best one, in the sense that there's no terrible story in this one, albeit there's not a single fantastic one either.
Conjurors: The focus of this one is magic and how civilisation became dependent on it. The story features B- and C-heroes only, but it is well written and was fun. The problem I have with it, is that Books of Magic already exists within the DC universe, which explores a similar concept, only it's utilised much better. Still, I do appreciate stories like this. -> Good
Flashpoint (1999): The Flash got paralysed in the 60s and there hasn't been another Flash in this universe. When space travel becoms available a mysterious artifact on Mars triggers a chain of events. The writing is good, but the plot twists can be seen from miles away. Nothing groundbreaking, but it's solid. -> Good
Superman and Batman: World's Funnest: Just looking at the cover of this volume I feared the worst and expected an obnoxious and tedious endeavour of getting through this story. This is partially true, as the writing and these imps in general are exhausting. The main purpose of this one is to highlight different artists, as these imps travel throughout the DC universe. It's fun to see different styles of artwork, but I could have done without the poor attempt at comedy. -> Mediocre
JLA: Created Equal: The highlight of this volume, because both the artwork and the writing is stellar. It's a tale about misogyny and how different a society without men would be. There's cool concepts and I like that many of the female cast of the DC Universe gets to shine. Having a man being the main antagonist was a bit on the nose, but I like that the story doesn't shy away from brutal and/or dark twists. I do wish, this would have been expanded a bit more and I feel like the initial premise wasn't explained clearly enough.-> Good
Green Lantern: 1001 Emerald Nights: This is very unique, both the artwork and the premise. Unfortunately, this is mostly retelling of One Thousand and One Nights with a tiny bit of Green Lantern lore. The balance is about 90% to 10%. If the scale would be a bit more even and the story would include more DC characters set in new roles, this could have been great. As such, this feels like very generic. -> Good
As a whole I can't recommend any of the 3 Justice League Elseworlds volumes. Some of the tales are worth reading once, some are not worth reading at all; none are worth reading twice.
Conjurors: The focus of this one is magic and how civilisation became dependent on it. The story features B- and C-heroes only, but it is well written and was fun. The problem I have with it, is that Books of Magic already exists within the DC universe, which explores a similar concept, only it's utilised much better. Still, I do appreciate stories like this. -> Good
Flashpoint (1999): The Flash got paralysed in the 60s and there hasn't been another Flash in this universe. When space travel becoms available a mysterious artifact on Mars triggers a chain of events. The writing is good, but the plot twists can be seen from miles away. Nothing groundbreaking, but it's solid. -> Good
Superman and Batman: World's Funnest: Just looking at the cover of this volume I feared the worst and expected an obnoxious and tedious endeavour of getting through this story. This is partially true, as the writing and these imps in general are exhausting. The main purpose of this one is to highlight different artists, as these imps travel throughout the DC universe. It's fun to see different styles of artwork, but I could have done without the poor attempt at comedy. -> Mediocre
JLA: Created Equal: The highlight of this volume, because both the artwork and the writing is stellar. It's a tale about misogyny and how different a society without men would be. There's cool concepts and I like that many of the female cast of the DC Universe gets to shine. Having a man being the main antagonist was a bit on the nose, but I like that the story doesn't shy away from brutal and/or dark twists. I do wish, this would have been expanded a bit more and I feel like the initial premise wasn't explained clearly enough.-> Good
Green Lantern: 1001 Emerald Nights: This is very unique, both the artwork and the premise. Unfortunately, this is mostly retelling of One Thousand and One Nights with a tiny bit of Green Lantern lore. The balance is about 90% to 10%. If the scale would be a bit more even and the story would include more DC characters set in new roles, this could have been great. As such, this feels like very generic. -> Good
As a whole I can't recommend any of the 3 Justice League Elseworlds volumes. Some of the tales are worth reading once, some are not worth reading at all; none are worth reading twice.
March 22, 2025
Come for the terrific first three tales! The last two, well, take ‘em or leave ‘em.
The first two are the reasons I got the collection. I already had the third. The first is Conjurors. I’m the incredibly rare fan of Bloodwynd. He appears out of his costume possibly for the first and only time in this fun elseworld in which DC’s magic gets to run the show. Stanley & his Monster have a rare outing (I honestly have no idea why they haven’t gotten to enjoy a little more limelight), among others, but this is ultimately a Phantom Stranger story, and well worth it. Chuck Dixon was never near enough appreciated.
The second is the original Flashpoint from Pat McGreal, which I stumbled on more than a decade ago in back issue bins. This one focuses on Barry Allen and is great good fun.
The third is World’s Funnest, which is an able excuse to trot out artists and art styles from throughout DC’s history. If you never saw the point of Mxyzptlk or Bat-Mite, you just never saw them done right, and this is about as right as they can get.
I admit to skimming over Created Equal and 1001 Emerald Nights. The former is poorly executed compared to its predecessors in the collection (a big idea that ignores everything interesting about it in order to have another showdown between the last two males…this certainly wouldn’t have played out like that if done today), and I’ve read the latter before and after the first three, I didn’t have interest enough at this time to read it again.
So the collection is more than solid but maybe could’ve used two different stories to close out, more equal to the task. But three big winners out of five ain’t bad.
The first two are the reasons I got the collection. I already had the third. The first is Conjurors. I’m the incredibly rare fan of Bloodwynd. He appears out of his costume possibly for the first and only time in this fun elseworld in which DC’s magic gets to run the show. Stanley & his Monster have a rare outing (I honestly have no idea why they haven’t gotten to enjoy a little more limelight), among others, but this is ultimately a Phantom Stranger story, and well worth it. Chuck Dixon was never near enough appreciated.
The second is the original Flashpoint from Pat McGreal, which I stumbled on more than a decade ago in back issue bins. This one focuses on Barry Allen and is great good fun.
The third is World’s Funnest, which is an able excuse to trot out artists and art styles from throughout DC’s history. If you never saw the point of Mxyzptlk or Bat-Mite, you just never saw them done right, and this is about as right as they can get.
I admit to skimming over Created Equal and 1001 Emerald Nights. The former is poorly executed compared to its predecessors in the collection (a big idea that ignores everything interesting about it in order to have another showdown between the last two males…this certainly wouldn’t have played out like that if done today), and I’ve read the latter before and after the first three, I didn’t have interest enough at this time to read it again.
So the collection is more than solid but maybe could’ve used two different stories to close out, more equal to the task. But three big winners out of five ain’t bad.
August 3, 2022
I sense that the Elseworld series is not for everyone, but the creativity that goes into these stories is fantastic. Although the opening story arc, The Origin of Magic, suffers from frequent point of view shifts that could have been better framed to guide readers through the arc’s muddled opening, by the final issue the arc regains it focus. Flashpoint, no relation to the event that started the New 52, is fine. However, the other remaining stories are what sealed the rating for me. The third story follows Batmite and Mr. Mxyzptlk fighting across the DC multiverse. The fourth focuses on a reality where all men but Superman and Lex Luthor die, making the story a critique of masculinity and an exploration of motherhood. The final story is an Arabian Nights inspired take on the Green Lantern that features incredible art on par with what I’ve seen in The Sandman series. My love of these last three stories is strong enough to outshine my other criticisms for me.
June 1, 2023
Anthology of alternate-universe DC stories. They're 3 or 4 stars each. I'm giving 4 stars to the collection.
Conjurors: Jennifer Morgan, Deadman, the Phantom Stranger, and Blue Beetle in a magic-based world. 4 stars.
Flashpoint: Barry Allen is a quadriplegic after taking a bullet in the spine saving JFK. Featuring Vandal Savage, Ralph Dibny, and the Martian Manhunter. 4 stars.
Batman and Superman: World's Funnest: Mr. Mxyzptlk goes on a deadly rampage across the Multiverse while trying to catch Bat-Mite. 4 stars.
JLA: Created Equal: A space virus kills every man and boy in the world except Superman. My favorite thing about this is a new character, Maria Contranetti, a stand-up comic who gets hold of a Green Lantern ring and becomes a "super-villain wannabe". 3 stars.
Green Lantern: 1001 Emerald Nights: Wicked Sultan Ibn Rayner is entertained and enlightened by a story Scheherazade tells him of the great Al Jhor Dan and Princess Katma. 3 stars.
Conjurors: Jennifer Morgan, Deadman, the Phantom Stranger, and Blue Beetle in a magic-based world. 4 stars.
Flashpoint: Barry Allen is a quadriplegic after taking a bullet in the spine saving JFK. Featuring Vandal Savage, Ralph Dibny, and the Martian Manhunter. 4 stars.
Batman and Superman: World's Funnest: Mr. Mxyzptlk goes on a deadly rampage across the Multiverse while trying to catch Bat-Mite. 4 stars.
JLA: Created Equal: A space virus kills every man and boy in the world except Superman. My favorite thing about this is a new character, Maria Contranetti, a stand-up comic who gets hold of a Green Lantern ring and becomes a "super-villain wannabe". 3 stars.
Green Lantern: 1001 Emerald Nights: Wicked Sultan Ibn Rayner is entertained and enlightened by a story Scheherazade tells him of the great Al Jhor Dan and Princess Katma. 3 stars.
September 24, 2023
yeah I guess! My favorite story was the World's Funniest but I'm kind of a sucker for DC's naval gazing trips across the multiverse so!
Sidenote: the Arabian Nights GL story is SUCH a missed opportunity on using actual GL lore (genuinely this is nitpicky but Katma and Hal come on!!!! Also Kyle and Hal's firstnames switch midway through and it's weird!!!!) and it seems to be adding some greek mythological elements into the stories in a way that I find kind of uncomfortable BUT it sure is really, REALLY lovely to look at!!
Sidenote: the Arabian Nights GL story is SUCH a missed opportunity on using actual GL lore (genuinely this is nitpicky but Katma and Hal come on!!!! Also Kyle and Hal's firstnames switch midway through and it's weird!!!!) and it seems to be adding some greek mythological elements into the stories in a way that I find kind of uncomfortable BUT it sure is really, REALLY lovely to look at!!
March 22, 2019
Interesting. Not the best Elseworlds volume but imaginative as always.
April 7, 2019
Entertaining, some were good, some were not.
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