More often than not, I despise time-traveling stories. Everything seems more confusing than it should be, and rarely do they really work in a satisfying way.

This one works.

DC 2000 features time-traveling villain T.O. Morrow, who supplies modern technology to scientists, villains and military personnel in the 1940s in order to create a self-indulgent utopia in 2000, with himself set up as the omniscient Big Brother. But Morrow's machinations draw the attention of the '40s-era superteam, the Justice Society of America, who start intercepting and, when possible, confiscating the high-tech goods.

Soon, however, they run afoul of other brightly garbed superbeings who are also snatching the futuristic paraphenalia. The JSA -- which includes the original Flash, Green Lantern, Atom and Hawkman, plus the Spectre, Dr. Fate, Starman, Hourman and the Sandman -- has no idea who these strangers -- Superman, Batman, etc. -- might be, and quickly assumes they, too, are villains. After all, they're stealing stuff, right?

The conflict between JLA and JSA is handled very well, and the personalities of the various members of each group are distinct and interesting. So, too, are Morrow's various manipulations of time; for instance, he deduces that the introduction of a microwave oven to a naval hospital in 1941 will supply a cure for the common cold by 2000.

This two-part book is a fun read, combining the characters of two great teams at their peak. Highly recommended.

[ by Tom Knapp ]
Rambles: 15 February 2002