Open your comics for today's lesson

Justice League of America Nos. 118-119
DC Comics
Creators: Elliot S! Maggin, Dick Dillin, Frank McLaughlin and Julius Schwartz
Cover dates: May and June 1975

I was listening to a news report the other day about the latest advances using radio telescopes to find and contact extra-terrestrial life. I confess, I was only half listening as I did some work around the house, but it seemed as if the commentator on the news program was describing how the telescope was being adapted to search for sounds, not merely light, from out in the galaxy. She went on to discuss how advances had made it possible to search a vast swath of space simultaneously as opposed to a single point in space at a time.

Here's the part I may have heard wrong, but it sounded like the newscaster was comparing the current technology used with that of the tech available when scientists first began listening for radio signals from space with radio telescope technology — just a few years ago. Again, I may have heard incorrectly what the newscaster was saying. But I know the idea of using radio telescopes to listen for signals from space is much older than just a few years. I know this from a number of sources, just one of which is comics. One of my favorite childhood Justice League stories was set in motion by the use of a radio telescope and a misunderstood message.


I now own these two issues, but my first exposure to this two-parter —"Takeover of the Earth-Masters!" and "Winner Takes the Earth!" — was in a paperback novel-sized, black-and-white reprint book published by Tor Books. These two issues of Justice League were reprinted with the story from issue No. 130 all wrapped up in a cover swiped from issue No. 102.

This story is set in motion by a frustrated researcher operating a radio telescope. (Why researchers in the DC Universe are wasting time trying to locate and prove the existence of extra-terrestrial life when Superman and several other aliens are openly running around on the planet isn't raised in the issue, by the way.) Anyway, this researcher — named Dr. Hubble — is frustrated by his lack of results and grumbles to himself, "There's no worse trouble on Earth than this radio-telescope has been! I'd have to be a super-being to communicate with other worlds!" Unbeknownst to Dr. Hubble, he accidentally transmits this message, which is received in a garbled form so it sounds like, "There's ... trouble on Earth … super-being … ."

The alien who intercepts the message mistakenly believes the people of Earth to be enslaved by evil super-beings and dispatches a bunch of lifeforms named Adaptoids to help. These creatures land and are quickly confronted by concerned Justice League members Aquaman, Black Canary, the Flash, Red Tornado and Superman, all of whom are defeated rather handily

A couple, quick side notes: The Adaptoids land on Earth in what the being in charge calls their "raw form" — vaguely circular pink blobs. (Remember, my first exposure to this story was a black-and-white reprint; so I didn't know they were pink in color and always thought the Adaptoids looked a lot like the single-celled alien creatures in the original "Star Trek" series episode "Operation: Annihilate.") Anyway, in the middle of the battle with these five Leaguers, the Adaptoids change their shape — a bottle-like torso with three spindly legs and one eye stalk/tentacle coming out of the top. Again, the being in charge of the Adaptoids refers to this as their evolution "into the form that is perfect for survival on Earth – infinitely superior to the human body!" But then when the five Leaguers renew their attack on the Adaptoids, they are again pink blobs and remain so for the rest of this tale. So they reverted? Why?

The five Leaguers are again defeated and retreat back to the JLA satellite. The second issue opens with the Adaptoids announcing that they have decided all humanity is a disease that needs to be exterminated. Additional Leaguers show up to challenge the Adaptoids in various locations. But Green Arrow, Elongated Man, Batman and the Atom fare no better. The original five dispirited heroes beam their teammates to the satellite to save them, but the Adaptoids follow and a battle royale ensues 22,300 miles above the Earth. I won't ruin the ending of the story for anyone not familiar with it, but the League is finally saved by the timely intervention of yet another longtime member.