Justice League of America #165 (April 1979) VG $2.00
Issue #165 of Justice league of America is significant for a couple of reasons. It is the last issue of a six-issue story-arc that featured Zatanna and her parents, Zatara and Sindella. It is in this story that Zatanna’s mother dies but before she does, she reveals to her daughter her origin. She makes known that she is the only person born in her generation of the human sub-species known as Homo magus and that she has in her brain a secret power source known as the Medulla Jewel. It is also revealed that when Homo sapiens and Homo magus of the opposite sex first meet, they are instantly attracted to each other. Because of this the Homo magus prefer to remain hidden and are also known as the Hidden Ones. Realizing that her daughter also possesses the Medulla jewel, Sindella uses the last of her power to destroy her jewel causing the army of the Hidden Ones to be defeated in the battle against the JLA. In the process, Sindella dies (again).
The other significant thing about this issue is that it is the last one to be edited by Julius Schwartz. Mr. Schwartz, or Julie as he was known, had been editor of the Justice League of America magazine since it was first published in November 1960. He and Gardner Fox co-created the Justice League of America along with a number of Silver age characters.
As for Hawkgirl, she does appear in the story and at the start of the battle we witness that she is capable of waxing philosophically while at the same time she is whacking bad guys on the head with her mace.
Later, while in the heat of battle against a mace-swinging Valkyrie, Hawkgirl becomes concerned when she thinks her teammates are in danger. With Wonder Woman looking on, as she takes off in the direction of the rest of the League, the Pinioned Princess is zapped out of the sky by the Highlord of the Hidden Ones. By the end of the story, she has recovered.
From the solicitation: “A Mother of Magic!” Written by Gerry Conway, with art by Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin. Characters: Justice League of America [Superman; Batman; Flash; Wonder Woman; Zatanna; Hawkgirl; Black Canary; Elongated Man; Green Arrow; Red Tornado]; Zatara; Sindella; Highlord (villain); Sir Hugo Holcraft (flashback). Note: Last issue edited by Julius Schwartz. Cover by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez. Cover price $0.40. Grade: Very Good
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