By 1981, George Pérez was coming into his own. His pefected self-inked style was still in development, and within just a few years he would have master of his craft. By the late 80s and up until he his horribly unfortunate passing in 2022, he was the unparalleled super hero illustrator in my book.
DC… Marvel… it didn’t matter.
He brought 100% uniqueness to each and every character, including the many “multi-versal variants” that comics has.
Some artists would draw such characters as more or less identical. Not Pérez! Each face, hair style, body type, etc. was unique to that character.
I was 11 when this dropped and it is hilarous that decades later I can sit and stare at this like I did all those many years ago.
The Justice League of Earth-One side served as the basis for characters in the animated Super-Friends and many had more of a pop culture presence to a kid of that era.
But it would be the Justice Society of America of Earth-Two that would become my favorites.
I remember loving the minor differences in the tiaras of the 2 Wonder Womans, the graying temples and “S” shield of the JSA Superman, and that oh-so-difference mask of the Earth-Two Hawkman.
I will forever be sad that I did not put up the money and commissioned him redo this for me in his mature final style. He was working in the industry and doing fan commission works until the cancer took him.
And every story I’ve read about him said he was a total mensch to the fans.
I so very much miss his work.