JSA Secret Files #1

JSA Secret Files #1 cover

Date:

 August 1999

Title:

 “Dead Ends” (story #2)

Plot:

Mordru and the Sons of Anubis use a spell to watch an upcoming target: Jared Stevens, aka Fate.

Only scenes and pinups with Legion of Super-Heroes characters are dealt with here.

Credits:

 Steven Grant / James Robinson / David Goyer (Writer) • Eddy Newell / Stephen Sadowski / Alex Maleev (Penciller) • Eddy Newell / Michael Bair / Mick Gray (Inker) • Janice Chiang (Letterer) • Gloria Vasquez / Tom McCraw (Colorist) • Maureen McTigue / Tony Bedard (Editor) • Stephen Sadowski / Michael Bair / John Kalisz (Cover)

CHANGE HISTORY
Date of Change
Content of Change
02/07/00
 Posted
02/11/00
 Typo change
04/28/00
 Reprint status update
07/19/01
 Format revision
Added Appearance Counts and Notes items pertaining to them

Character and Object Tracking
   

Name

Previous Appearance

Next Appearance

Heroes
Black Canary II (Dinah Drake-Lance) None in Legion books JSA #1
 Fate (Jared Stevens) The Book of Fate #12 JSA #1
Sandman I (Wesley Dodds) No appearance; mention only
 
One-shot or Unnamed Heroes:
     Obsidian (Todd Rice)
     Umbra (Tasmia Mallor)

Villains
Mordru (Prince Wrynn of Topaz) Amethyst v2 #4 JSA #1
 
Sons of Anubis (9) None in Legion books JSA #1

Locations
One-shot or Untracked Locations:
     unspecified park
     unspecified lair of the Sons of Anubis
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Analysis Notes
General Mordru appears on pages 40 and 42, and Umbra is mentioned on page 43.  Only panels 6-7 on page 40 are dealt with here.  Pinup appearances are not tracked.
40:5 Mordru must be keeping tabs on his various upcoming victims. He kills Kid Eternity after this (presumably) but before Fate.
The Egyptian motif characters behind Mordru are the undead Sons of Anubis.
42 Although not mentioned by name, this is Mordru, as identified by his “First Appearance” data.  This version is younger (and less experienced) than the one the Legion fought in Legionnaires #50, but presumably older and more experienced than the one seen in the last Amethyst series.  He could presumably be recognized via his outfit from there as well as the Adventure Comics reference, but the odds of anyone recalling that costume are slim.
There is apparent time travel involved in Mordru’s past.  The last Amethyst series apparently took place in the future of the then-current DC universe, and Prince Wrynn was only a teenager there.  The details of how he moved from the Gemworld to the main DC universe as well as back in time are not known.  (Time has always flowed oddly between Earth and Gemworld, but it is not known to flow backwards.)
43 Interesting that they should explicitly mention Umbra here.  She must be a favorite of Robinson’s.
General This issue was reprinted in the JSA: Justice Be Done trade paperback collection.
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Appearance Counts

Character Name

Cover

Panels / Speaking
Heroes
Black Canary II (Dinah Lance) X 1 / 1
Fate (Jared Stevens) 1 / 1
Villains
Mordru (Prince Wrynn of Topaz) 1 / 1
 
Sons of Anubis (9)
1 / 0
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