Just Imagine...
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. Specific concerns may be found on the talk page. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions.(December 2007) |
Just Imagine Stan Lee is a comic book published by DC Comics. It was the first work by Stan Lee, co-creator of numerous popular Marvel Comics characters, for DC Comics, in which he reimagined several DC superheroes including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and The Flash.
| Just Imagine Stan Lees | |
 Cover to Just Imagine Stan Lee With Jerry Ordway Creating JLA #1, by Jerry Ordway. |
|
| Publisher | DC Comics |
|---|---|
| Schedule | monthly |
| Format | miniseries |
| Publication date | Nov 2001 |
| Number of issues | 13 |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Stan Lee |
| Artist(s) | John Buscema Joe Kubert Jim Lee |
Contents |
[edit] Superman
Lee's version of Superman, real name Salden, debuted in Just Imagine Stan Lee with John Buscema Creating Superman (November 2001). Creators Stan Lee and John Buscema based this version on the character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
His powers include super-strength and super-speed. Salden was the weakest member of the Kryptonian Police Force. He used a flying harness and managed to capture a dangerous criminal in a teleportation lab. However, the criminal put Salden and himself on a one-way trip to an utterly insignificant little blue-green planet: Earth. The two men arrive separately, and both discover that they have gained enhanced physical abilities. The criminal sets himself up as the king of a primitive tribe. Earth is too primitive but it has the potential to develop the technology Salden needs to return to his homeworld. The problem is the world has too many big obstacles in the way to the future: war, crime, poverty, etc. Salden decides to become a superhero in order to rid the world of all the obstacles.
[edit] Batman
Batman, real name Wayne Williams, debuted in Just Imagine Stan Lee with Joe Kubert Creating Batman (September 2001). Creators Stan Lee and Joe Kubert based this version on the character created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger.
Like the original one, this Batman has no superpowers. However, he is in excellent human physical condition, and has a vast personal wealth which allows him access to custom equipment including: night vision lenses in the mask, Kevlar-made costume and electronic sensors that magnify sound, cape-like bat wings so he can glide.
Wayne Williams' father was a policeman who was shot and killed. He is framed for a crime he didn't commit, and vows revenge on "Handz", the gang leader who set him up. In prison, Williams befriends a scientist named Frederick Grant who teaches him how to "develop his mind", as well as sewing and bodybuilding.
While incarcerated, Williams learns his mother is dead and blames Handz. After rescuing the warden, he was given a full pardon. On the outside, Williams feared Handz killing him, so to keep a low profile, he shaves his head. Williams needs money, so he becomes a wrestler under the name "Batman" and makes sure to never unmask in public. In a few short weeks, "Batman" has become a big name in wrestling and is one of the wealthiest men in the world. Wayne Williams finds Grant and entrusts him with his secret. Wayne Williams has the money, skill and strength to fight Handz, but Frederick Grant has the know-how, so the two became partners. To keep a low profile, Wayne gives Frederick a mansion and acts as his bodyguard. Batman eventually tracks down and attacks Handz, who accidentally falls to his death in the conflict. No longer seeking vengeance, Batman begins a mission of justice to fight crime and protect the innocent from villains like Handz.
[edit] Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman, real name Maria Mendoza, debuted in Just Imagine Stan Lee with Jim Lee Creating Wonder Woman (October 2001). Creators Stan Lee with Jim Lee based this version on the original DC character created by William Moulton Marston.
Maria is an activist, protesting against the corporate excavation of an ancient holy site near her village. The CEO has a plan: gain power from the site and take over the world. When Maria sneaks onto the site, she finds a large plaque, and agrees to decode it. When she does, two spirits (one of light and one of darkness) come out of the plaque. The light-spirit bonds to Maria, giving her solar-powered abilities. The darkness-spirit bonds to the male CEO, turning him into a monster. He vows to destroy the village to retrieve both spirits if that's what it takes, then leaves. To save her family, Maria flies to Los Angeles and disguises herself as a normal woman.
[edit] Green Lantern
Green Lantern, real name Len Lewis, debuted in Just Imagine Stan Lee and Dave Gibbons Creating Green Lantern (December, 2001). Creators Stan Lee and Dave Gibbons based this version on the original character created by Martin Nodell and Bill Finger.
A professor is looking for something called "The Tree", mentioned in Norse legends as Yggdrasil, and in Christianity as the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. He finally traces the tree to an area in Africa. But when he finds the Tree, his assistant shoots him, steals a cutting, and runs, intending to sell it to the highest bidder. But the tree shows the professor part of its history, which includes a race of prehumans, then grants him some of its power, to serve as a lantern in these dark times.
[edit] The Flash
The Flash, real name Mary Maxwell, debuted in Just Imagine Stan Lee and Kevin Maguire Creating Flash (November, 2001). Creators Stan Lee and Kevin Maguire based this version on the original character created by Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert.
A normal college girl with a scientist father, Mary's life was very dull and she longed to live the life of the superheroes in the comic books she read. But one day, enemies from her father's past named STEALTH (Special Team of Espionage Agents Licensed to Target and Hit) returned and killed him, but just before he died, he injected her with the DNA from a humming bird, to save her from a life-threatening disease that slowly drained her energy.
[edit] Robin
Stan Lee's Robin is an embittered teen who works for the major villain of Lee's Just Imagine universe, the Reverend Darrk (who has appeared in all the Just Imagine books). Darkk sends Robin out on various assignments, all the while promising Robin something in return. The book opens with Robin attempting his current assignment: to kill Lee's version of Batman.
[edit] Shazam
Lee re-imagines the original Captain Marvel/Shazam premise by having the hero be a mild mannered Interpol agent, Robert Rogers. Teamed with the beautiful, and much tougher, fellow agent, Carla Noral, the two of them are in India searching for the megalomanical master criminal, Gunga Kahn.
Rogers, unbeknownst to himself, is given the power (through an ancient spell conjured by none other than the wizard Merlin) to transform himself with the magic word, "Shazam!", by a fakhir, dying on the streets. In his Transformation, he is a hairy red monster bearing fangs and a necklace of bones.
[edit] Aquaman
Marine biologist Ramon Raymond is experimenting with dolphin DNA to see if humans can live underwater-- and, as comic book scientists so often do, he decides to use himself as a test subject. But, when he swims through a glowing patch of seawater, he finds he can now transform into a being of living water.
[edit] Catwoman
Supermodel Joanie Jordan and her cat Ebony are struck by strange green lightning, creating a link between them and giving Jordan catlike abilities, including super agility, heightened senses, and a set of razor-sharp claws.
[edit] Sandman
On a manned mission to investigate Saturn's moon Titan, astronaut Col. Larry Wilton is out on a spacewalk when his tether is cut by his traitorous colleague Maj. Bryan Bleier. Left for dead, Wilton instead drifts into a mysterious green cloud and finds himself in a bizarre realm of which he always dreamed as a child. It is here that a beautiful girl named Melana grants him the awesome powers of the Sandman.
[edit] JLA
Lee's version of Justice League of America debuted in Just Imagine Stan Lee and Jerry Ordway Creating JLA (February 2002). Members include Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Flash and Green Lantern.
A man called Reverend Darkk is trying to summon a being called Crisis to Earth so he can conquer it. To this end, he creates some henchmen, including Parasite. But Darkk's son, a young boy called Adam Strange, notifies five heroes of Darkk's intent, and they come together. Darkk, beaten, kills his son and then flees. But Strange has powers too, and promises the heroes that he will return in some form. He then dies, and the heroes officially incorporate as the Justice League.
[edit] Secret Files & Origins
In "The Coming Crisis", the National Exposer interviews the members of the Justice League. They explain their origins and warn of Darrk's threat. Wonder Woman gets a hint of the League's future.
Also contains profiles of each hero, Reverend Dominic Darrk, and The Church Of Eternal Empowerment.
[edit] Crisis
Debuted in Just Imagine Stan Lee with John Cassaday creating Crisis.
When one of the Inca Hawk Runes is stolen, Wonder Woman summons all of Earth's new heroes. Sandman arrives with Darrk's body, and warns them of the coming of Darrk's master: a being called Crisis. Crisis arrives on Earth, and only the Justice League can stop him... or could, if there weren't a traitor in their ranks.
[edit] Collections
- JUST IMAGINE STAN LEE CREATING THE DC UNIVERSE BOOK 1
- JUST IMAGINE STAN LEE CREATING THE DC UNIVERSE BOOK 2
- JUST IMAGINE STAN LEE CREATING THE DC UNIVERSE BOOK 3
