Dawn of an Age, Part 1

Note, the parenthesis indicates languages other than Japanese, in this case, English and German.

Tokyo-3
Japan
Katsuragi-Ikari Apartment
Living Room
Next Day

The Phantom Stranger tipped his hat at the two Evangelion Pilots. He opened the door of the apartment, and beckoned the pair to follow.

"So, what's next? More training?" Asuka popped her knuckles in the same ominous manner Wildcat liked to do. Shinji thought she was learning intimidation from a very competent teacher. He had to wonder exactly how intimidating the Batman was, as Mr. Grant conceded the other man was a true master of fear.

"Not at this time, Miss Soryu. I shall show you two some of the best examples of teamwork the meta human community had to offer," the Stranger explained, "the yardstick all other teams measured themselves against."

Shinji's eyes sparkled, "You mean, the Justice League?"

"In time, yes. But even they had legends whose footsteps they aspired to follow. They came forth during a time when hope was in short supply. They led the way, shining bright against the encroaching darkness." The trio crossed the threshold into another time and place. "I am sure some of the things I will show you will make you uncomfortable… but remember this, the true measure of a person is not dictated by their forebearers. The offspring of heroes can become ruthless villains, and the heirs of villains can strive to leave behind their legacies. Silver tongues and honeyed words can turn even the most virtuous man into the worst villain, while a single moment of introspection can turn men back from a path of evil, back into good. For every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future."

Asuka looked at Shinji, "The Justice Society of America. World War Two. The Axis." He nodded, understanding her meaning.

1940
The White House
Oval Office (1)

A white-haired man sat on a wheelchair, studying intently the file on his desk. After a minute of careful consideration, he pushed it towards a thin, haggard man. His face tense with worry.

While the men spoke, the Phantom Stranger summarized the situation, "These men are Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, and Mr. Smythe Stephenson, Chief of the British Security Coordination. They are discussing the imminent attack to Britain, code named Operation Sea Lion. A devastating invasion to the United Kingdom. And how to stop it. At this time, America still hasn't entered the conflict. Without a formal declaration of war, Roosevelt cannot help the British government. A state of affairs encouraged by sympathizers and infiltrated agents of the Axis powers. However, non-conventional measures can be discussed, weighted, and enacted."

Stephenson leafed through the expedient. He extracted several photographs and drawings, spreading them on the desk. Shinji recognized them immediately. Unseen by the two men, Asuka leaned over the desk to look at the images.

Each one clearly labelled with a code name and a location.

Stephenson picked up one photograph. A pale man with a hooded cloak, gloves, short boots and what seemed to be swimming trunks; all his garments were green, which only made his skin seem more like a corpse's. His eyes, hidden in shadow of his hood, seemed to glow in the dark, but unlike the Phantom Stranger's, which held only mysteries, the Spectre's were openly angry and hostile. The label read "The Spectre. Whereabouts: Unknown." (2) The Stranger waved a hand, and time seemed to stop. "The Spectre is one of the most powerful entities to ever walk the Earth. God's Wrath incarnated. This is not the first Spectre to walk the Earth. But that is a story I won't reveal at this time. Enough to say, that since the late 1930's, the Spectre Force has been joined to the soul of Jim Corrigan, a murdered police detective, who has sworn to destroy all evil from the face of the Earth. An impossible task, yet one he embraces fully."

Another showed a man dressed in black and yellow, with what seemed to be an hourglass hanging from his neck. "Hourman. New York City" (3) The Stranger added. "Rex Tyler, a chemist who created a drug that granted him the strength of ten men, enhanced speed, and limited invulnerability. However, the effects only last for an hour, at the cost of a long-term addiction that he had to endure the rest of his life."

"Green Lantern, Gotham City." (4) Asuka read on a picture that actually made her cringe. The Stranger continued, "Alan Scott. After surviving a train wreck caused by sabotage, he found a magical lantern in the wreckage, and used a fragment of it to make a ring. With this magical trinket, he was able to create anything he could will into existence." Asuka scoffed at the costume the man wore. It was clear the man was blind to color! Red shirt and boots, green pants, and a high collared purple cloak with pale green lining. Gott!

"The Flash, Keystone City."(5) "Jay Garrick was granted super speed by a lab accident. At first, he revelled in his power, using it as a toy; until he realized the responsibility that had fallen in his hands. Still, he kept the joy he found in his power until the very end of his life."

Shinji nodded silently. He had already seen the man in action, dying to save Tokyo and his heir; in name, if not in blood. He was very different in the picture. Though his costume was the same, a red shirt with a yellow lightning bolt rising, blue pants, red boots and a winged helmet, he lacked the charisma and respectability of his older self.

"The Sandman, New York City." (6) A creepy looking man in a green suit, purple cloak, and an expressionless gas mask under a hat similar to the Stranger's, holding a strange gun in his right hand, "Wesley Dodds, an idle rich man, tormented by dreams that eventually influenced him into donning a cloak and a gas mask a friend in Great Britain sent him by mail, to strike terror on the criminals of his city."

"Kinda like the Batman, isn't it?" Asuka asked.

"Indeed. They have more than one thing in common." The Stranger commented. "There are many legacies and parallels in the meta human community. Some are direct, some are influences, some are mere coincidence. Many will be the called legacy heroes and villains in years to come. Some are even deliberate. With the exception of the Spectre, all the men who shall gather tonight will have at least one successor in coming years. Some will have only the same name, with different abilities, while others will be direct heirs to a heroic legacy. Not all of them will survive Second Impact or the Impact Wars to follow it."

He paused, "Ask Wildcat what inspired him to don his disguise. I am sure you'll find it interesting. But that is his story to tell, as he enjoys watching his audience's reaction." Shinji and Asuka exchanged a look. Both nodded at each other.

"Hawkman, New York City." (7) A winged, shirtless man, with a Hawk-like helmet, the bird face seemed to be screaming in defiance, "Another idle rich man. However he was also more. A reincarnated soul. Originally, an Egyptian Pharaoh, Khufu, he and his wife were murdered by a treacherous priest, and in turn, he cursed the priest. Their souls have been reincarnating ever since, doomed to die violently at the hands of their enemy."

Asuka snorted, "Really? I think he was just delusional."

"Keep an open mind, Miss Soryu." The mysterious man chided her gently, "The universe has a way to surprise everybody. Magic, technology, and simple determination can defy any expectation. Immortality, reincarnation, prophecy, destiny, ghosts, true devils and angels, and things human minds cannot even conceive, much less understand, that is what magic can show you. On the other hand, there are also aliens, monsters, robots, time-travel, living planets and self-aware virii, worlds within worlds and worlds where history took a different path than the one you know, that is what science can show you. You have taken your first steps into a wider world, a wonderful and dangerous world. A world where magic and science, heroes and villains, future and past, what is and what is not, can meet and collide. Even the current state of the world is consequence of that clash."

Asuka's jaw hung open. That was the most emotion the Phantom Stranger had shown. The normally stoic voice rising beyond his usual calm. Only during the time she had fought for her mother's soul she had heard such emotion in his voice. Surprised, Shinji watched the exchange.

A moment later, his point made, the Stranger turned back to the desk and the pictures on it. "The Atom. Calvin City." (8) A squat and powerfully muscled man in what looked like a circus outfit, with a full mask and a cloak, "Al Pratt, a student bullied due to his short stature. Helping a man down on his luck changed his own. The man he helped was an old boxing champion, Joe Morgan; who trained Pratt to the top of human ability. After a year of training, Al Pratt turned the hated nickname used to mock him, into a name he could be proud of."

"Dr. Fate, Salem." (9) A man dressed in blue and gold, with a golden helmet hiding his face completely, with a yellow cloak hanging at his back and a gold medallion on his chest, similar to the one the Phantom Stranger wore. "Kent Nelson, the son of a doomed archaeologist; tutored in magic, and sometimes, possessed by, Nabu; an ancient entity who once was an Egyptian wizard."

"These eight men came from very diverse origins; born to riches or poverty, wielding magic, science or simple grit and determination. Heirs to ancient legacies, or ignorant of any link to the past beyond their immediate families. Full of life or touched by death. Yet, they unite to strike down evil where they could find it. Had their paths continued as they were scant months or years before, it is doubtful they might have even met, much less stricken friendships deep and enduring. And today, in this foreboding, dark night, the call of their self-imposed duty rings clear in their hearts. Hitler's invasion of Britain must be thwarted. Not by great armies or weapons, but by eight heroes who will meet tonight for the first time."

The Stranger waved a hand, and the normal flow of time restarted. Stephenson studied the file and chose. "(Mr. President,)" he said, "(may I ask for your help to establish my credentials with the Police Commissioner in Gotham City?)"

"Gotham?" Asuka raised an eyebrow.

The Stranger nodded, and bid them to follow through the Oval Office door.

"Much like the Batman would have in later years, Green Lantern has a semi-official capacity as a law-enforcement volunteer. At this time in history, Gotham City has not yet become the corrupt and decaying city the Batman claimed as his turf. Though the seeds of that corruption have been growing for some years. Unlike the others, there were mundane means to contact him, so he was. A simple telephone call summoned Green Lantern to Police HQ, and another put the call to the Flash at Keystone City. So began a friendship that would transcend generations, for their own successors would be life-long friends."

The Phantom Stranger waved a hand, and they reappeared inside an old castle. Full of Nazis! "McMurdie Castle." The Stranger said. "Headquarters for a Fifth Column, infiltrated into England to facilitate the Invasion." Asuka's face twisted into a grimace.

Suddenly, the head of a ram made of green light destroyed a wall, heralding the arrival of Green Lantern and Flash.

"Wait!" Shinji said, "Where are the others? Shouldn't they have some support?"

The Stranger nodded, "Only Green Lantern and the Flash were located by the American government, the others are busy with their own of reach, and ignorat of these events."

Asuka tapped Shinji's shoulder, "Look."

The two heroes made short work of the assembled Nazi soldiers, but the Nazi commander held an Ace in the hole. A heavy combat robot, the Mordmaschine. The Murder Machine. The robot overwhelmed Green Lantern with a powerful blow; and the Flash, despite his speed, didn't fare much better.

"Gott!" The redheaded pilot exclaimed. "How?"

"The Nazi War Machine was powerful and advanced." The Stranger admitted. "Their willingness to explore paths saner minds would not even contemplate would yield many such weapons."

The Nazi Commander barked orders to his soldiers, who immediately bound and gagged the heroes, for their one way trip to Berlin, to be publicly executed.

"How did they escape, Stranger?" Shinji wondered aloud.

"They are not alone. Help is on the way. Though there was no way to contact him, Dr. Fate already knows of the plight of his future companions."

A wave of his hand, and the trio reappeared over the roof of a building in Berlin. Asuka gasped, "I've seen this place in old photos. Hitler had it built for his public ceremonies."

"Asuka!" Shinji pointed at the stage, Hitler himself addressed the multitude below. He had an ancient looking spear in his hands, and it was clear what he intended to do with it, as he pointed the sharp edge towards the colourful figures that hung from a rack.

"(We! The Aryan Race! We have always known that we are DESTINED to rule the world! And tonight! We shall prove it to the whole of Earth! For now, with the ancient Spear of Destiny! The Spear of Longinus himself, the Roman soldier who once used it to kill Jesus Christ himself! I shall execute two so-called 'Mystery Men'! American heroes who dare to pit their decadent and feeble powers against the Master Race!)"

"He's gonna kill them!" Shinji hissed, while Asuka grabbed the edge of the roof wall as if she wanted to rip it with her bare hands.

"This is a memory," the Stranger reminded them softly. "Watch." He looked at the stage, where a ball of light appeared, and two shadows coalesced. "Dr. Fate and Hourman have arrived."

The blinding light forced Hitler to retreat, while the new arrivals fought his soldiers.

"Wait, they have a perfect shot at ending the war right now!" Asuka shook her head, Shinji needed a moment to follow her reasoning. "Why didn't they?"

The Stranger's mouth twisted in a disgusted grimace. "Magic. The Spear of Destiny is imbued with powerful magic, and in the hands of a demented man such as Hitler, its effects are long reaching."

The two pilots looked down, as a swirling vortex formed over the stage, the heavens opened, and five winged horses descended; four white, one black. On their backs they carried warrior women.

"Valkyries? Real Valkyries?" Asuka hissed. "They are just a myth!"

"The gods exist, Miss Soryu, the universe is complex enough for all Pantheons to exist and be real. Yes, even when their very existence is contradictory. Some of them still meddle with the world; the most notable meddlers are those of the Greek Pantheon, patrons of Wonder Woman and both Wonder Girls. The Norse gods are neither soft nor merciful. And Hitler's invocation was heeded."

Dr. Fate led the charge against the Valkyries, but their power was enough to strike true against him, and a powerful blow from the Valkyrie leader, Gudra, sent him flying away. Desperate, the other heroes didn't fare much better.

Down on the ground, Hitler smiled, satisfied with the events. "(Order the ships to the sea!)", he screamed at the top of his voice, "(This very night, we invade England!)" And he returned to the building, leaving the battle rage in the sky.

Asuka's hands itched to intervene, to fight against the Nazi Army by herself if necessary, but there was nothing she could do. She was less than a ghost. Just a witness.

Dr. Fate returned after a few minutes, "(The battle is not yet lost, my friends! There are four more I can call upon, from across the yawning sea, and one of those is possessed of such power that, until the destiny of a world swayed in the balance, even I had been loath to call upon him. Yet now, at last, that moment of truth has come!)"

Four balls of light exploded into being, racing away.

"What did he do?" Shinji gasped.

"He has summoned allies. The Sandman, Hawkman, the Atom." The Stranger whispered. "Brought forth in spheres of light, just like Hourman and Fate himself arrived."

"He said four." Shinji reviewed the names from the file, "the last one must be…"

"…The Spectre." Asuka finished the thought. "If Fate is willing to call the Wrath of God, then the Godzilla Threshold (10) has been crossed." She whispered back to him.

"In the next hours, several divisions of the Nazi army will arrive to the White Cliffs of Dover, supported by planes and ships. By the time the heroes arrive there, the soldiers will be disembarking."

A wave of his hand, and the three stood over the cliff, watching a desperate battle fought in land, sea and sky. The British Navy tried desperately to contain the sea invasion, while the Royal Air Force defended the sky and the Army fought against the invading soldiers. All around them, like a shroud, there was the noise of ammo being shot, the smell of burning flesh and machines, and the screams of the wounded and dying. Shinji felt thankful that all of that was somewhat muted.

Sandman and the Atom fought like possessed men, inspiring the soldiers next to them to fight even harder. Above them, Hawkman struck down plane after plane, using his small size and agility to dodge the bullets flying towards him.

Desperation spread all over the battlefield, as new ships and planes arrived.

Still, heroes fought, dressed in colourful costumes or military uniforms. "(Well, kid.)" Sandman whispered to the Atom, "(It was nice to meet you, even for a few hours.)"

The diminutive mystery man nodded sombrely, "(We'll go down fighting anyhow. What else can we do?)"

A rough voice answered him, as a light shone over the cliffs. "(Perhaps, masked youth, that's all you can do. But Fate's fourth mystic tendril found its objective. And that, that has made all the difference.)" Two gloved hands opened a rent in the very air. "(For that mystic tendril bridged the gap 'twixt the living and the dead…)" The rent in the air opened more and more, revealing a white shape, a cadaverous body dressed in green, full of menace and anger. "(…to call forth, THE SPECTRE!)"

The figure grew in size, more and more, until his feet touched the water. Soon, the very sea looked like nothing but a shallow pool to the pale giant.

"Gott!" Asuka's hands hung limp at her sides. "He is bigger than an Evangelion…"

The Spectre's hands reached for the ships. Heavy war dreadnoughts. Full of men and cannons. Each one able to destroy buildings as if they were mere toys.

For all the world, it was those powerful ships, the pride of the German Sea Forces, what looked like toys in a bathtub next to the Spectre.

Soon, the Spectre lifted a ship over his head; the ship broke in three pieces, barely hanging on to each other. Scores of men falling to their deaths on the raging sea. Before the broken and twisted ship could fall back to the sea, the Spectre threw it against another; both vessels sank into the angry waters, condemning hundreds of soldiers to a watery grave. (11)

After several seconds of sepulchral silence, Shinji managed to ask, "Where… where is the Spectre now, Stranger? With his power, the Angels wouldn´t have a chance."

The Phantom Stranger looked at Shinji for long seconds. "The remit of the Spectre is to avenge innocent blood, dealing violent retribution on murderers. But his human half is subject to human weaknesses. Without a clear target for his wrath, the Spectre would…" He paused, for a moment, the stoic façade broke.

"This slaughter you see now, this violent retribution on soldiers sent to invade and conquer. This is the Spectre acting with a cool head." The pilots felt the ground open under their feet, as a wave of horror chilled the blood in heir veins. They turned back at the slaughter, watching men die by the hundreds at the hands of the giant.

"SEELE murdered half of the world in their bid to apotheosis. They are hidden from my sight. I cannot find them. I cannot act against them. Not directly. The Spectre cannot see them either. Not a single being stepped in magic can."

It took a single moment for both pilots to understand. Neither would be able to say which one had made the first move, but their hands entwined in mute, mutual support.

It was Asuka who found the words, tightening her grasp on Shinji´s hand. "…the Spectre would kill the world to avenge it…"

Author Notes

First of all, a shout-out to Author0fntent for his suggestions with the dialogue. Thanks, buddy!

1. I'm basing this chapter on the stories from Secret Origins, not only for the Justice Society (Secret Origins issue 31, Oct 1988), but also for most of the heroes, as the usual format of the book was to show two stories, one for a Golden Age character, and one for a then modern hero. In cases where the original story and the SO version conflict, SO has precedence. The story as presented in Secret Origins was based on the origin presented in DC Special issue 29 (Sept 1977). That story was part of the pre-Crisis/Earth 2 continuity, featuring the 1940s versions of Superman and Batman. When DC streamlined its universe with 1985´s Crisis on Infinite Earths, the concept of parallel Earths was discarded, and the timelines were fused into a single history. Thus there was a pressing need for a lot of adjustments. for the JSA origin, both Superman and Batman were dropped, but the rest of the story is practically the same.

2. The Spectre debuted in More Fun Comics issue 52 (Feb, 1940). His origin was later expanded in Secret Origins 15 (Jun 1987). The previous versions of the Spectre debuted in The Spectre Issue 0 (Oct, 1994), along with a new expanded origin.

3. Hourman debuted in Adventure Comics issue 48 (Mar, 1940). I think that originally, there were no secondary effects for the Miraclo drug. Those were retconned later. The whole story was retold in Secret Origins issue 16 (Jul 1987).

4. Green Lantern debuted in All-American Comics issue 16 (Jul, 1940). His origin was retold in Secret Origins issue 18 (Sept 1987). Unlike his better known successor, Hal Jordan, the original Green Lantern used a magic ring, was no part of any galaxy spanning organization, and his specific weakness was to wood, not the color yellow. As Asuka comments, he had what probably was the most garish costume in the whole JSA!

5. Flash debuted in Flash Comics issue 1 (Jan, 1940). and his story was retold in Secret Origins issue 9 (Dec, 1986).

6. Sandman debuted in New York World's Fair Comics issue 1 (Apr, 1939), his origin was later retold in Secret Origins issue 7 (Oct, 1986), and later modified in early issues of Sandman (the Vertigo title, which itself debuted with Sandman issue 1, Jan, 1989), adding the influence of Morpheus to his story.

7. Hawkman debuted in Flash Comics issue 1 (Jan, 1940). His story was retold in Secret Origins issue 11 (Feb 1987). However, due to editorial meddling, the Hawkman continuity has become a tangled mess of conflicting stories. So, I'll be sticking to the simplest timeline I can work with. As there will be a limited participation of any Hawkman and Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman, I think it will work.

8. Atom debuted in All-American Comics issue 19 (Oct, 1940). His story was later retold in Secret Origins issue 25 (Apr, 1998). Originally, he was just very strong and agile; but later on, he accidentally received enhanced strength and limited invulnerability.

9. Dr. Fate debuted in More Fun Comics issue 55 (May, 1940). His story was later retold in Secret Origins issue 24 (Mar, 1988). In recent years, Nabu, Khufu, the Spectre, the Phantom Stranger, and even Metamorpho have been linked to Ancient Egypt and also the Biblical Plagues. The Spectre (long before Corrigan, of course) was in charge of the Plagues. Meanwhile, Nabu counseled the Pharaoh and tried to keep the Spectre at bay, the Phantom Stranger warned both that things were going to get really bad (The Spectre issue 14; Jan, 1994). During the 2000 run of the JSA title, the modern team travelled back in time to Ancient Egypt, and met Nabu, Khufu, Black Adam (back when he was a hero), and a previous version of Metamorpho.

10. The truly desperate moment, when nothing you can do can make things worse.

11. Yes, just the same way Asuka does in End of Evangelion. Only with ship against ship, instead of throwing it against tanks. I couldn't resist the imagery for this scene.