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"Stardust Memories": Green Lantern John Stewart and The Atom are on perimeter patrol, searching for an unidentified object has landed on the moon. As they search, they begin talking about music, particularly the song "S

JLA #77 is an issue of the series JLA (Volume 1) with a cover date of March, 2003. It was published on January 29, 2003.

Synopsis for "Stardust Memories"

Green Lantern John Stewart and The Atom are on perimeter patrol, searching for an unidentified object has landed on the moon. As they search, they begin talking about music, particularly the song "Stardust" by Hoagy Carmichael. They try to recall the lyrics, only remembering certain portions, until Batman reminds them to stay focused.

Eventually, Atom and Green Lantern find the object they're looking for, and Atom shrinks down and enters it. Then he forgets how to enlarge himself. On the surface of the moon, John forgets how to use his power ring. The Flash runs out to the moon, grabs John, and brings him back inside.

He continues running, though, as he has forgotten how to stop.

Ray reports that the machine he's in is some sort of alien device, devised to retrieve and store specific types of memories, accounting for the recent memory losses. At the center of the device, Ray finds a black hole no bigger than a speck of dust that is contained by a magnetic field.

Batman decides to fill in some of the other Leaguers about what is happening when he forgets the English language. The device turns out to be a synthetic life form that chooses the memories it takes, particularly those it deems to have artistic value. It calls itself Mnemon.

Wonder Woman and Firestorm go the lunar base and Wonder Woman stops Flash with her lasso. She asks GL what's going on and he tells her he's not sure because he doesn't remember much, but he thinks it has to do with the object on the table.

Firestorm shoots a beam of energy at the object, but Superman arrives and blocks the blast, saving the Atom from accidental harm. Wonder Woman and Firestorm forget who Superman is, however, and begin fighting him, thinking him a villain.

The Atom escapes Mnemon by shrinking and passing between the molecules. As soon as Atom is free, Superman destroys the device with his heat vision.

Now that the black hole is free of its device, Superman grabs it and tries to contain it in his fist. Manitou Raven and Faith arrive as John and Superman fly the black hole through space toward a nearby wormhole, blaming Mnemon's effect on the teleporters for making them late.

Mnemon assails Superman with the memories of destruction, reminding Kal-El of what happened to Krypton. Superman tells the League that Mnemon is offering to remove the memories it's implanted, as well as Kal's memories of how Krypton was destroyed, in exchange for freedom. The Atom helps Superman snap out of it via com-link, telling Kal and Green Lantern they can keep Mnemon's gravity and memory powers under control by creating a magnetic field around it.

Kal and John comply, with Superman providing the electricity and Green Lantern the magnetism. With Mnemon's effects now more subdued, Kal regains focus and throws Mnemon into the wormhole, just as it explodes.

After Superman and the Atom return to the Watchtower, the League gathers around their round table. Faith and Manitou Raven ask how the other Leaguers managed to triumph over Mnemon's memory powers. Batman explains he opened the com-link channel when he lost his ability to speak so Superman would explain what's going on (explaining his quick arrival earlier), while the Atom reveals he used his memory of the song "Stardust" as a decoy to mask his plans from Mnemon. Superman then states that "Stardust" is the only thing Mnemon still remembers, as it used all its other memories to attack Kal's mind.

While Atom again jokingly bemoans not being able to recall all the words to the tune, Mnemon, now in a desolate part of space, sings the parts Ray once remembered.

Appearing in "Stardust Memories"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

  • Artemis (Mentioned only)
  • Hoagy Carmichael (Mentioned only)
  • Mnemon's Creator (Flashback only) (First appearance)
  • Panopea (Mentioned only)
  • Sappho (Mentioned only)

Locations:

Items:




See Also

Recommended Reading

Links and References

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