Justice League of America: It's a Guy Thing

• Credits: by HarveyKent
• Published: February 7, 2002
• Link: Justice League of America: It's a Guy Thing

July, 1986: Hal Jordan (Green Lantern), Ralph Dibny (Elongated Man), and Oliver Queen (Green Arrow), along with Wally West (the Flash II), go on their annual summer guy trip, the first without Barry Allen (the Flash). After some friction between Ollie and Wally, the heroes team up to take down Reverend Green of the Church of Nature, who turns out to be the Matter Master. [“Justice League of America: It's a Guy Thing”]

• July, 1986: Hal Jordan (Green Lantern), Ralph Dibny (Elongated Man), and Oliver Queen (Green Arrow), along with Wally West (the Flash II), go on their annual summer guy trip, the first without Barry Allen (the Flash). Wally feels very uncomfortable in the backseat of the car. At a diner, Ollie gets into a fight with a big bully (something that happens on every year's trip) and ends up fighting seven guys at once, while Wally looks on with concern, and Hal and Ralph do nothing. Finally, when one man takes out a broken bottle, Wally uses his super-speed to remove the weapon, which makes Ollie angry. Wally and Ollie argue, with Wally threatening to leave the JLA at a moment's notice. The four head down the road once more. [“Justice League of America: It's a Guy Thing, Chapter 1: Trading Barbs”]
• At Ralph and Hal's prodding, Ollie apologizes to Wally, telling him how great a hero he is as the new Flash and explains that he called Barry “Patch” because of his ability to come up with a quick solution in a crisis. Continuing down the road through the night, they spot a giant fire-monster (they encounter some kind of menace on every year's trip) wrecking a barn. Stopping the fire-monster while in costume, the heroes meet the farmers who own the barn, a couple named Tom and Sarah Steeger. They explain that a man named Reverend Green of the Church of Nature came into town a few months back, causing rapid abundance of crops, but then demanding 50% of the profits. Those who didn't pay lost everything. [“Justice League of America: It's a Guy Thing, Chapter 2: A Friendly Word”]
• Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Elongated Man, and Flash II burst into one of Reverend Green's church meetings and accuse him of creating the fire-creature that attacked the Steeger farm. Green, feeling threatened, creates creatures of fire, air, and water, and sends them to attack the JLAers. After a battle, the Flash II guesses that Green's power is in his medallion, and Green Arrow shoots the medallion off, dissipating the creatures. Reverend Green turns out to be Mark Mandrill, the Matter Master, who reshaped his mentachem wand into the medallion. Delivering the Matter Master to the police, the four continue on their trip. Ollie calls Wally “Patch” for his quick thinking. [“Justice League of America: It's a Guy Thing, Chapter 3: Patch”]