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JSA

JSA #15 October 2000 [$2.50] Cover Credits: Alan Davis (pencils); Mark Farmer (inks)

Story: "Crime and Punishment"

Credits: David S. Goyer and Geoff Johns (plot, script); Stephen Sadowski (pencils); Michael Bair (inks)

Feature Characters: Atom Smasher, Black Canary II, Sand, Mister Terrific II, Wildcat II, Doctor Mid-Nite II, Starman VII, Hourman III, Sentinel, Star-Spangled Kid II, Flash I, Dr Fate IV, Hawkgirl II, Wonder Woman (Hippolyta)

Guest Stars: Star-Spangled Kid I (alternate timeline version); Metron; Dove II (alternate timeline version)

Supporting Character: Terri Rothstein (saved from death)

Villains: Extant

Synopsis:

Metron, the JSA and Dove face off against Extant in his weird chaotic reality. Dove sacrifices her life to protect Hourman, giving a needed emotional distraction while Hourman sends the members of the JSA to fight Extant at various points in the past, protected from his powers of time manipulation. They know they have to hit him with everything they have. He is almost unstoppable. Finally, Atom Smasher is able to wrest the power of the worlogog from Extant, and the universe revert to its intended state, meaning that the original Star-Spangled Kid disappears.

Extant attempts to escape, but is pursued by Metron and Atom Smasher. The latter realises the power of the object he holds in his hand, and considers saving his mothers life - Metron reminds him that for the timeline to act as it should, 217 people, no more, no less, must die at that instant. He makes a fateful decision at that moment, swapping his mother for Extant, meaning that the villain perishes in the crash in the place of Terri Rothstein. Metron tells him that he may regret his actions in the future, also chastising Hourman for his failure to do more.

Hourman is ashamed of this failure and leaves the JSA, followed by Starman, who needs time to recover from what happened to his city. Atom Smasher also leaves, having gone through some serious emotional stress, and Dr Fate goes on a quest to find his wife. The remaining members of the JSA then visit Valhalla, the heroes graveyard, and pay their respects to the original Atom, Dr Mid-Nite and Hourman, whose deaths at Extant's hands have finally been avenged.