Justice League of America: The Bronze Age Omnibus #2
In "The Return of Anakronus!", the Justice League of America faces a twisted challenge when a brainwashed Cary Bates leads the Injustice Society in a battle that mirrors a past conflict with the Justice Society—only this time, the JLA’s subconscious guilt over defeating the JSA in disguise clouds their judgment. With the Spectre stepping in to restore balance by calling on divine power and a final push from Elliot S! Maggin, the heroes unite across eras to turn the tide. The story concludes with a quiet moment in Julius Schwartz’s office, setting up the next chapter in the JLA’s legacy—written by the very creators who brought this epic to life. Cover by Karl Kerschl.
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As the JLA battle Cary Bates (as a villain brainwashed by the Wizard) and the Injustice Society (ISW), they are defeated due to the subconscious memories of the JLA defeating the JSA earlier (disguised as the ISW). The Spectre saves the day, when he asks God to restore the JSA using his ring of life, as well as Maggin egging Bates on to defeat verbally. The ISW is then defeated by the JLA/JSA, and Bates and Maggin are returned to Earth-Prime, with no memories of what happened (The Spectre wiping their memories clean), to solve: JLA's next story to be penned while in Julius Schwartz's office.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).