I came across this “100 Issues Ago” panel in an old JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA and thought I’d tidy it up and re-purpose it. If one month = one issue, what was I reading 100 Issues Ago?
Palmiotti and Gray had been doing some sterling work with the Freedom Fighters over several series in the years running up to this, bringing the team together in INFINITE CRISIS AFTERMATH: THE BATTLE FOR BLUDHAVEN before a couple of FREEDOM FIGHTERS titles that was coming to an end with this penultimate issue.
Here Uncle Sam battles and finally defeats the Jester who had been trying to take his place as a more tyrannical spirit of America. The celebrations are muted due to the death of one of the team and the issue ends with the President having to shut them down.
I enjoyed the team’s dynamics and, following FLASHPOINT and the rise of the New 52, Palmiotti and Gray would try to launch other versions of these heroes: Phantom Lady (with Doll Man), the Ray, and Human Bomb had their own mini-series but it went nowhere, sadly. It wasn’t until the recent FREEDOM FIGHTERS title that the characters reappeared – but that’s set on Earth-X and features different versions again.
Looking at the other comics in my collection from this time shows various series starting to wind down as something big was around the corner . . . which we’ll have to address next month.
Crisis on Earth-Prime 
The only new things for me that month were Mystery Men, which is not based off the movie with Ben Stiller, but is about a group of pulp style heroes dealing with a problem in the 1930s, 1940s? I liked it, but I don’t think I’ve read it since.
The other book was Avengers Academy Giant-Size, which was a 60-70 page one-shot where Arcade tries to kill a bunch of the teen heroes to bolster his rep. Which goes about as well as it usually does (Avengers Arena being the notable exception that hadn’t happened yet). It was originally going to be a three issue miniseries called Games of Death, but Marvel decided it would sell better as a higher priced one-shot. Go figure.
Other than that, yeah, stuff I was buying from DC winding down. The Annihilators mini-series and the Power Man and Iron Fist mini-series both wrapped up, too. On the other hand, I think next month is the start of one of my favorite ongoing series of the last decade.
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That MYSTERY MEN title you mention sounds familiar, but don’t think I’ve read it.
I think next month is the start of one of my favorite ongoing series of the last decade.
Come back next month and let us know what it is – I’ll probably need something to cheer me up after talking about you know what…
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