The New Golden Age

"The New Golden Age" is a 2022–23 crossover event in DC Comics publications. Written by Geoff Johns, the story follows the Justice Society of America unraveling a mystery following Golden Age heroes and villains. The story comprises an eponymous one-shot and the central storyline in the ongoing ''Justice Society of America'', as well as a tie-in limited series following Stargirl titled ''Stargirl: The Lost Children''.

Publication history

In August 2022, DC Comics announced "The New Golden Age", an event meant to reintroduce readers to the Justice Society of America and other Golden Age characters, as well as explore the past, present and future of the DC multiverse.

Plot

Prelude

In Star City, Green Arrow and Red Arrow are training on the rooftops as he tells Emiko about the time when he and Speedy ended up in the Golden Age of Superheroes and became part of the Seven Soldiers of Victory which consisted of Vigilante, Star-Spangled Kid, Stripsey, Shining Knight, and Crimson Avenger. They did lose a member whose grave stated "Unknown Soldier of Victory". Green Arrow and Red Arrow are then approached by the Jill Carlyle version of Crimson Avenger who states to Green Arrow that Lee Travis needs his help. In Blue Valley, a voice-over narration from Courtney Whitmore has her recapping on when she found out her stepfather Pat Dugan was originally Star-Spangled Kid's sidekick and the day she became Stargirl. Arriving in Myrtle Beach, Stargirl and Pat Dugan hide the S.T.R.I.P.E. armor and arrive at the their hotel. Pat checks in with Barbara Whitmore where he states that he can't remember the last time he met with one of his old friends. At a restaurant called The Last Roundup, Pat tells Courtney about Shining Knight, Green Arrow, Crimson Avenger and his sidekick Wing, and Vigilante. Just then, Jill Carlyle shows up and picks up Courtney and Pat where she takes them to where Green Arrow, Red Arrow, Vigilante, and Shining Knight (alongside his steed Winged Victory) are. While Pat gets re-acquainted with Green Arrow, Vigilante, and Shining Knight, Courtney meets Red Arrow. Jill Carlyle recaps to Courtney about how Wing sacrificed himself to help get Green Arrow and Speedy back to the present where his body was never found. She then takes Green Arrow, Vigilante, and Shining Knight away while stating that Courtney and Red Arrow are too young for this mission. Emiko then takes this time to inform Courtney about the day when Star-Spangled Kid was murdered as she revealed that she looked at the nearby files when nobody was looking. They are going after Clock King. Later that night, Stargirl and Red Arrow move through the skies on her Cosmic Staff where they find the Seven Soldiers of Victory fighting Clock King on the shipwreck that Crimson Avenger died on as they find him alive. While S.T.R.I.P.E. asks Stargirl to get to Crimson Avenger, Red Arrow goes to Green Arrow who stated that he saw his future following that attack from Clock King. As Vigilante knocks out Clock King, Stargirl works to deactivate the time machine as Jill works to persuade Crimson Avenger to come with her. As Jill is told too late by Lee not to touch her, Stargirl has a vision of Wing running with two people with one of them stating that they can't leave Judy Garrick behind. A voice states to Stargirl that the Childminder is coming and that the lost sons and daughters need to be free. Crimson Avenger tells Stargirl to save Wing and to destroy Per Degaton's time machine before it swallows everything. Stargirl evacuates Jill Carlyle before the time machine imploded. While Clock King's body was never found, Lee's body was. Courtney's voice-over narration states that the Justice Society of America and the Justice League were present at Lee's funeral. The next day, Courtney has breakfast with Pat and the Seven Soldiers of Victory as she tells them about the final thing that Lee told her. Later that night, Courtney is told by Red Arrow that she might have a lead on where Wing is. In 1940, Clock King arrives and is confronted by Per Degaton who warned him that the timestream is his domain. Per Degaton decides to use Clock King in his plan to hurt some people.

After Batman's gambit that involved the stabilization of the " Flashpoint" reality, Rip Hunter is told by Bonnie Baxter that the capsules containing the Thaddeus Brown version of Mister Miracle, the original Aquaman who predates Arthur Curry, the as-yet-unidentified Legionnaire of the Golden Age, Betsy Ross, Molly Pitcher, Ladybug, Quiz Kid, Salem the Witch Girl, Cherry Bomb, Harlequin's Son, Steel's great-uncle John Henry Jr., Jay Garrick's daughter Judy Garrick, and the original Red Lantern have failed and that these 13 superheroes have been returned to the 1940s which is rebuilding around them. Rip hopes that they will be re-integrated back into the 1940s without incident.

Main plot

Ten years from now on November 22, Helena Wayne is playing with her friends at Gotham Elementary School as her voice-over narration mentions about her seeing a mysterious person that she calls "The Stranger" (the name she gave for Per Degaton). On November 22, 1940, Johnny Thunder is preparing to take a photo of the Justice Society of America members Atom, Sandman, Spectre, Flash, Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Green Lantern, and Hourman. As Green Lantern states that the team is here, Sandman states that there will be more members as he has dreamed of it. When Atom asks Doctor Fate how many kids Mary and him are going to have, he is told that there are many possibilities as Nabu's magic is not used for entertainment. Though he does claim to Atom that he will have at least one. Flash states that he and Joan Garrick are thinking of starting a family. When Atom asks about Flash, Doctor Fate states that there are some "children lost". The Helmet of Fate starts heating up as Atom and Hawkman work to get it off while Doctor Fate states that he saw "tomorrow". On November 22, 3022, the ruins of the JSA's headquarters are found by the descendants of Green Lantern, Doctor Fate, and Atom as they are ambushed by the Stranger who kills Doctor Fate. Back in 1940, Kent Nelson has the Helmet of Fate off his head while having a nosebleed as the rest of the JSA state that he won't have to deal with this burden alone. On November 22, 1976, Doctor Mid-Nite examines Doctor Fate where he mentions about a female named Salem as Doctor Mid-Nite advises him to get some rest. Star-Spangled Kid and Power Girl come in to see if Doctor Fate is alright. When Power Girl states that they defeated Vulcan and she has proven herself to the JSA, Doctor Fate mentions how Wonder Woman would say something different from Power Girl's ability claim while mentioning that the Helmet of Fate has its gifts and curses. In the present, Kent's grand-nephew Khalid Nassour meets with Detective Chimp who tells him what he knows about the Helmet of Fate and that Deadman might help them exorcise Nabu from the Helmet of Fate. The club's bouncer Wylde won't let Detective Chimp in the club due to its "No shoes, no shirt, no service" rule. When Khalid puts on the Helmet of Fate and turns into Doctor Fate, he has a vision revolving around 3022 where Green Lantern and Atom fight the Stranger. Back in the 1940s, Alan Scott and Doiby Dickles read from a newspaper about Red Lantern burning a navy ship that left a dozen people dead. On October 31, 1951, Green Lantern, Flash, Doctor Mid-Nite, Wonder Woman, Atom, and Black Canary are before a Congressional committee. Back in the possible future, Helena's voice-over narration states that she is planning to hurt the Stranger like he had hurt her. When she heard a sound downstairs, she took a knife and went downstairs. When she found a shadowed figure, she stabs him and finds out that it is actually Batman. Helena now knows that her father Bruce Wayne is Batman as she asks if her mother knows. 13 years ago, Catwoman was in the middle of stealing the Cursed Shen Ring of Hauhet when she is confronted by Doctor Fate. She uses her whip to remove the Helmet of Fate from Doctor Fate and gets away as Doctor Fate warns her that the Stranger is going to kill her daughter. Back at Wayne Manor, Selina Kyle finds out about Helena discovering that Bruce is Batman and argues with him about her going down the possible path that his other sidekicks have gone down. In 1848 in Bel Air, Michigan, Corky Baxter is confronted by his fellow Time Masters as he is telling John Wilkes Booth not to kill someone at the Fort Theater. After Corky is reprimanded, the Time Masters reveal that some of the "thirteen" were lost before they can be reintegrated back into the 1940s and the ones in question are the children. Mime and Marionette are shown painting a room for their child. In the " Watchmen" universe, Cleopatra is working on getting in a building with Bubastis II to find the Watchman. 18 years from now, Helena is visited by someone. Back in the present, Khalid has informed Deadman and Detective Chimp of what he saw as Deadman suggests that they go find someone who is associated with Egyptian gods. 18 years from now, Selina is visited by two people. 13 years ago, Batman was found dead which devastated Selina as she is comforted by the JSA. Helena vows to avenge her father and becomes Huntress. The final panels show the bios of the original Aquaman, Betsy Ross and Molly Pitcher (who were the sidekicks to Miss America), Cherry Bomb (who was the sidekick of Human Bomb), Harlequin's Son (who is the son of the Molly Mayne version of Harlequin), John Henry Jr. (whose bio mentions the death of John Henry and how he brought the last of his murderers to justice), Judy Garrick in her superhero identity of "Boom", Ladybug (who was Red Bee's sidekick), Legionnaire (whose information was redacted and whose appearance is blacked out except for his ring), the Thaddeus Brown version of Mister Miracle, Quiz Kid (who was the sidekick of Mister Terrific), Salem the Witch Girl (who was the sidekick of Doctor Fate), and Red Lantern.

After points of Batman's history and her history are viewed, Huntress narrates about how she found out that the man who killed Batman was empowered by Frederic Vaux. She is shown interrogating a man named Falcone on where Doctor Fate is as she is assisted by Solomon Grundy. After speaking to The Ruby Sokov version of Red Lantern (who is the daughter of the Vladimir Sokov version) on how Salem wasn't found at the Tower of Fate. Huntress narrated that she put together an interim team at the suggestion of Khalid Nassour that consists of Power Girl, Solomon Grundy, Gentleman Ghost, Harlequin's Son, Icicle II, Mist, and Red Lantern II where none of them have found a lead in Khalid's disappearance. Helena talks to her mother about her visions. Two days later, the JSA find Doctor Fate's mummified body. Just then, the Stranger appears where he shoots Power Girl with a Kryptonite bullet where he claimed that he used the same gun to kill John F. Kennedy. He then proceeds to use his time-based abilities to revive and kill Gentleman Ghost, causes Solomon Grundy to rot, opens up the scars that Harlequin's Son sustained from his fight with Wildcat, freezes and shatters Icicle, overloads Red Lantern II, and ages Mist to death. With Huntress left alive, she tries to attack as the Stranger ages her. Catwoman then arrives and buys Huntress time to save the JSA from before an earlier year. Huntress' body ends up sent in time where it is found by Johnny Thunder and Thunderbolt.

Tie-in

On April 13, 1942, two criminals named the Fox and the Crow have committed a robbery as they are being pursued by TNT and Dan the Dyna-Mite who defeat them. Six months ago, Dan the Dyna-Mite in his alter ego of Daniel Dunbar reminisces about TNT getting killed in action. In Blue Valley, Courtney Whitmore does a voice-over narration about Pat's history and how they as Stargirl and S.T.R.I.P.E. defeated Dragon King and Shiv. Barbara Whitmore grounds Courtney due to her slipping grades and will only grant her a pass if it is a major JSA assignment. Pat claims that Wing is still buried in his grave after a visit to it and that the displaced Crimson Avenger claimed that his Wing was alive as Pat claims that she still has friends in Jakeem Thunder and Cyclone. Later that night, Courtney is visited by Red Arrow who has a lead on where Wing is. She tells Red Arrow about Crimson Avenger's claims of the Childminder and the lost children. Changing into Stargirl, Courtney states to Red Arrow that she has to be back before the sun rises. At the house of Dan Dunbar, Stargirl and Red Arrow do some investigating as they recap about TNT's work with the Young All-Stars and the exploits of Sylvester Pemberton's sister Merry Pemberton. Red Arrow mentioned that Miss America's sidekicks Betsy Ross and Molly Pitcher disappeared after World War II and the disappearances of John Henry Jr. and Cherry Bomb as well as Hourman's sidekick Tick-Tock disappearing during an investigation into a Miraclo hijacking. Both of them then hear some message meant for Dan on the radio until an explosion happens telling them to find them. After crashing into an island where he saves his rings, Daniel finds himself younger as a voice states to Dan that he shouldn't have come here.

In the Arrow Cave, Stargirl is shown around the Arrow Cave by Red Arrow as she is then shown the map of Starfish Island where Red Arrow was raised by her captor at a young age. She also mentions to Stargirl that Daniel Dunbar was looking for the missing sidekicks as Stargirl states that they should set sail and find the missing sidekicks. While out at sea, Stargirl and Red Arrow trace Daniel's last known resarch to an island in the Diablo Triangle. Looking at the images of the missing sidekicks, Stargirl recognizes the Newsboy Legion and notes that she knew their clones which is a long story. Then she notes that Betsy Ross and Molly Pitcher disappeared after World War II and Cherry Bomb disappeared while Human Bomb was trying to cure her. Stargirl's narration has her stating that Red Arrow fell asleep researching Ladybug who disappeared like the others and would've been in her 90s by now. Stargirl then has a vision from Air Wave stating that they are too close and that he is trapped with the children as the boat is attacked. After Red Arrow swims Stargirl to the surface, they see an island nearby. They find that the sand is similar to Miraclo. Before they can call Pat, Stargirl and Red Arrow are attacked by egg-shaped robots called Child Collectors. One of the Child Collectors traps Red Arrow inside it completing the nesting programming and flies off. Stargirl finds herself saved by Air Wave, Cherry Bomb, Wing, and Robotman's creation Robbie the Robot Dog. Wing states that they are on Orphan Island and that they can escape as Robbie the Robot Dog states that the only way off this island is death.''Stargirl: The Lost Children'' #2. DC Comics.

Titles

Prelude issues

Main issues

Tie-in issues

See also

* Golden Age of Comic Books

References

{{Stargirl

DC Comics one-shots
One-shot comic titles
DC Comics storylines
Superhero comics
DC Comics titles
2022 in comics
Storylines in comics
Justice Society of America
Golden Age of Comic Books