Justice League of America #147
Published and © by DC, October 1977
Title: “Crisis in the 30th Century”
Synopsis: Mordru reaches back through time seeking mystical artifacts, and winds up pressing the superheroes of two Earths into his service.
Writers: Paul Levitz and Martin Pasko
Penciler: Dick Dillin
Inker: Frank McLaughlin
Review: The 1977 iteration of the JLA/JSA crossover adds the Legion of Super-Heroes to what should be a fun, star-studded affair. Sadly, this story falls short of that potential. Mordru reaches back through time seeking some mystical artifacts but ends up grabbing a passel of superheroes instead; that’s a pretty big whoopsie for an entity powerful enough to commit a snatch and grab across a millennia. From there, our heroes of two worlds break into small teams seeking magical gewgaws while the Legionnaires basically stands around helpless. There’s a lot of action but not much actually happening here.
Grade: C
Second opinion: “It’s not bad, but 19 superheroes in one story makes things get a bit crowded.” – Martin Lock, Bemusing Magazine #15, September 1977 … Included on Alan Brightmore’s “Individual Comics That You Should Not Be Without” list, from “A Consumer’s Guide to D.C. Comics, Part 2,” Comics Unlimited #51, October-November 1979. … “Average.” – The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide (second edition), 2003
Cool factor: The Justice League, the Justice Society AND the Legion of Super-Heroes. Yes, please.
Not-so-cool factor: Power Girl flirting with Superman? The Legion getting tsk-tsked by their elders? Mordru’s general incompetence? So many uncool options!
Notable: Also includes a “100 Issues Ago” recap feature looking at Justice League of America #47.
Character quotable: “It took a pair of older and wiser heads to figure out how to snare the wheel.” – Superman, lecturing old dude
Editor’s note: This review was written July 29, 2026.
