Story: "Face-Off" (22 Pages)

Credits: Geoff Johns (plot, script)
Stephen Sadowski (pencils)
Chris Alamy and Dave Meikis (inks)
Ken Lopez (letters)
John Kalisz (colors)
Heroic Age (color separations)
Peter Tomasi (edits)

Feature Characters:

Atom Smasher II
Sand
Doctor Mid-Nite II
Mister Terrific II
Hawkman I
Hawkgirl II

Supporting Characters: Black Adam

Villains: Roulette
Tap (first appearance; both next in issue #30)
Doctor Spectro (last in Action Comics #760; next in ???)
Fisherman (last in Green Lantern Corps Quarterly #3/4)
Deathstroke (last in ???; next in ???)
Black Spider II (last in ???)
Rainbow Raider (last in ???; next in Flash Vol. 2 #183)
Black Mask (last in ???; next in ???)
Knodar (last in Infinity, Inc. #24)
Calendar Man (last in Batman 80-Page Giant #3)
Evil Star (last in Darkstars #4; next in Superman: The Man of Steel #130)
Cannon II
Saber (both last in Vigilante Annual Vol. 1 #2)
Electrocutioner III (last in ???)
Captain Cold (between Flash Vol. 2 #177 and #182)
Mirror Master III (last in Flash Vol. 2 #178; next in issue #30)
Weather Wizard (last in Adventures of Superman #596; next in issue #30)
Brainstorm (last in Justice League America #44)
Magpie (last in Underworld Unleashed #1; next in ???)
Cat-Man (last in ???)
Riddler (last in ???; next in ???)
Ocean Master (last in ???; next in ???)
Bug-Eyed Bandit II (last in Justice League America #43, next in Adventures of Superman #608)
Deadshot
Captain Boomerang
Punch
Shadow Thief
King
Psycho Pirate (not in continuity for last six characters; see Comment)

Comment: Some of the villains in the crowd are otherwise engaged being 'Jokerised' at present, and their appearance here is apocryphal. One can surmise that perhaps these are not the villains themselves, but petty crooks who get a kick out of dressing up as the big shots for some strange and disturbing reason.

Comment: A number of characters are depicted on a display of 'Fallen Players of the House' and are assumed dead: Behemoth, Firebrand III, Flyboy, Gorgon, Harpi, Impala, Maxi-Man, Prometheus, Ram, Scirocco and Touch 'n' Go. Of course, the House may be exaggerating...

Synopsis:

The JSA are being held by Roulette, owner of 'The House', an underground casino where heroes are pitted against one another in death-mayches for the entertainment of bored super-villains. Black Adam and Atom Smasher are pumped full of aggressors and pitted against one another in a straight fight, while Dr Mid-Nite and Mister Terrific play a game of chess where the loser will be electrocuted. In the past, the House has played host to more lacklustre heroes, but now Roulette knows her grandfather will be proud of her. In her pièce de résistance, Roulette has poisoned both Hawkman and Sand, with enough antidote for one of them in a phial around Hawkgirl's neck. They must battle through a jungle to find her, a jungle that plays host to wild animals ... and a Man-Bat!