2011 Pixel People - Justice League International - PDF Cross Stitch Pattern from weelittlestitches

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Originally designed for our JLI lovin' friend, we couldn't wait to share the pattern with you. Featuring Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Guy Gardner, Martian Manhunter, Fire, Ice, and Captain Atom, this is a quick stitch for the comic book fan in your life!

Fabric: 14 count
Grid Size: 98W x 70H
Design Area: 6.43" x 2.71" (90 x 38 stitches)

This listing is for a PDF file of the pattern, not the finished product. (That's in another section of the shop!) You will need Adobe reader to open the files, which you can get free from get.adobe.com/reader.

This cross-stitch pattern comes with a full colour chart with floss legends in DMC, JP Coats, and Anchor, although of course all colours can be replaced as per the stitcher's preference. If you would prefer a black and white chart, please specify in 'note to seller.'

This pattern is simple and suitable for beginners. We've included our best stitching tips for both beginners and more experienced stitchers and if you're completely new to the craft there's a good how-to video courtesy of Yarn Tree at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr_LfGr1v0E

The digital file will be delivered via email within 24 hours of payment. The pattern will be sent to the email on file with Etsy, however if you would like it to be sent to a different email, please specify in the 'note to seller' box during checkout. Due to the nature of digital files, no refunds can be given after the email is sent to the buyer. There is a small window of opportunity before the PDF is emailed where a refund may be issued if desired.

© 2011 Christopher Gable
Patterns are for personal use only. Please do not distribute any copies of the pattern. Finished pieces may be given as gifts, but not sold for profit. Thank you!

$5.00 USD

Justice League America #66 (September, 1992)

"It was never like this in the old days. Sure, we had our share of problems. Green Arrow and Hawkman were constantly bickering-- but deep down they really respected each other. Their differences never led to a blow-out like Superman and Gardner's. I mean, some of us thought Barry was a little square. --But how can you question a guy who makes the ultimate sacrifice? And even though Ralph got a little silly now and then, he always came through in a pinch. I doubt the same could be said of Booster Gold and Blue Beetle. Yeah, I came here to check these guys out-- and I'm not sure I like what I've seen. Spend a couple of days spying on a group like this and you should end up being impressed... Thinking over how this day's gone makes my head spin."

Along with his many other creepy quirks, Ray Palmer was also a bit of a stalker conscientious objector. After the Justice League returned from outer space, the Atom continued to observe them in secret and came to disparaging conclusions. For instance, Maxima's legal troubles were a blemish the Satellite Era would never have been afflicted by after tossing Barry out over that endless murder trial. Ray thought Ted and Booster were a couple of clowns who must have blackmailed somebody to get on the team Red Tornado. While Fire and Ice considered new costumes, the peeping tom Tiny Titan decided to set off a motion detector. After all, he'd been a skeevy voyeur wandering around their headquarters undetected, and wanted to see if they could pull it together against an intruder.



The Mighty Mite's timing was off, as former Green Lantern Guy Gardner had a new ring and wanted to rekindle his abusive relationship with Ice. After having abandoned the team on the last mission and been a dick in general for years, Guy's former teammates turned on him. Meanwhile Batman showed up, and pointed out that no one had checked to see if it was only Guy who had set off the intruder alarm. Sure enough, six inches of scampering stealth were on the loose, and on being made aware of this, Bloodwynd easily detected him with heightened senses. Just so Batman didn't come off too good, the Atom was actually hiding on his cape at the time, then ran up a tree to avoid questioning.

"The last few months of my life haven't gone great..." but the Atom wasn't about to let the League be disgraced by this public spectacle. "I thought the volatile personalities in the Suicide Squad were bad. But Guy Gardner beats them all." The Tiny Titan leapt up, landed on Guy's ring finger, then threw his weight into it. Ray actually used the term "atomized." Ugh. While Guy was injured and distracted, Ray talked some sense into him. Ray basically called Guy on being a jerk who was turning the team into a farce, but they still perhaps needed Gardner's power and the Atom's discipline. "I've been looking for a place to fit in-- and something tells me you have, too. Mellow out, and maybe-- just maybe-- they'll make room for the both of us." Guy was accepted back on, and Batman asked if Ray would also be staying. "Hard telling. This Justice League is quite different from the one I belonged to. I'd like to think this will all work out-- but I have my doubts."

"Together Again" was by Dan Jurgens with Rick Burchett.

Justice League America #65 (August, 1992)

Justice League America stopped Starbreaker from lapping-up Almerac's fear sauce, although the power trio of Bloodwynd, Maxima and Superman did most of the... tongue drying-outing? The former latter middler was persona non rula on her home planet, so she piled into a spaceship with the rest of the team and headed back to Earth.

At their swank new headquarters provided by Maxwell Lord IV, a shadowy figure in a trench coat continued to shadow them from the shadows... or loiter, maybe? Squat. The guy was friggin' squatting...

"So this is it. This is where the Justice League hangs its hat. Nobody here now, but once they return-- things will get real interesting." Spoiler: Not really.

"Of Ashes and Justice" was by Dan Jurgens with Rick Burchett.

Justice League America #64 (July, 1992)

Justice League America, recently reformed under the ever-critical eye of Superman, was off to save Almerac from Starbreaker. This did not go over well with Maxwell Lord IV. "OFF PLANET? Who in the name of sanity authorized the Justice League to go off planet? ...Who does that red and blue, flag-waving boy scout think he is? ...He's trying to run my show! I built this league!"

Elsewhere in the team's new complex, a shadowy figure was alone with his thoughts. "So this is the big news. Justice League reborn. Looks nice. Not as nice as a satellite, but nice. After all these years-- maybe I should give these guys another look. This rather impressive installation looks fairly secure. There probably isn't a man alive who could penetrate its defenses-- except me. Hang on to your hats, boys and girls-- I'm comin' in."

"The Revenge of Starbreaker" was by Dan Jurgens and Rick Burchett.

Martian Manhunter #1 (May, 1988)

Ravaged by a sentient virus contracted during a recent Justice League International mission, the Martian Manhunter sought help from Batman. However, J'Onn J'Onzz was pursued by a demonic vision, and fled to avoid imperiling his friend. Batman had briefly seen the pursuer, and rounded up the JLI for an intervention. Despite the Dark Knight's conviction that the creature was real, Booster Gold noted "The Manhunter's a telepath, right? Isn't it conceivable that his mind could project his own hallucinations outward-- so convincingly that Batman believed it was real?" Captain Atom continued, "Tell me something, Bats-- how do we go about finding a guy who can change shape, turn invisible-- and telepathically black out our minds, to boot?"

"If you're going to whine, Captain Atom-- you can just stay here!" Atom objected to the characterization, but joined Mr. Miracle, Blue Beetle, Red Rocket and the rest in trying to find the Manhunter from Mars...

"Fever Dream" was by J.M. DeMatteis and Mark Badger.

1985 Captain Atom, Blue Beetle and The Question art by Rob Liefeld

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Image Style

• 1990 Martian Manhunter art by Jim Lee @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• 2007 The Question convention sketch by Whilce Portacio @ DC Bloodlines
• 2005 Wonder Woman San Diego Comic-Con sketch by Whilce Portacio @ Diana Prince
• 1986 Vixen fan art by Rob Liefeld @ Justice League Detroit
• 2010 Zatanna Commission by Rob Liefeld @ Justice League Detroit

2011 DC Fifty-TOO! Blue Beetles #1 by Mike Norton

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For Jon Morris' brainchild of a blog full of other Dc Comics "New 52," Mike Norton dug into his favorite DC character and the subject of a pitch long buried in continuity convolution. Read more about Norton and his pitch here.

Wonder Woman Annual #1: “Backstory” (2007)

At the Department of Metahuman Affairs in Washington D.C., Sarge Steel assigned agents Diana Prince and Tom Tresser to target Wonder Woman for observation. This served as a narrative device to cover the histories of Sarge Steel, Wonder Woman, Wonder Girls Donna Troy & Cassandra Sandsmark, plus Tom "Nemesis" Tresser.

Sarge Steel didn’t trust anyone. He was originally Special Forces assigned to Army Intelligence overseas, until a terrorist’s grenade blew up in his hand. “Outfitted with a high-tech prosthetic made of solid steel, Sarge became a high ranking government agent… and proved himself particularly adept at working with superheroes.” These included Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Nightshade, Peacemaker, the Question, Judomaster, and a thinly disguised Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt. The Central Bureau of Intelligence and Task Force X were under his supervision before he was transferred to his current assignment, where his paranoia kept him in the field and his own agents under surveillance. Only his assistant Bess Forbes was exempted, “the only person on the planet he’s afraid of.”

Nightshade also had a cameo appearance in Nemesis' biography, as a member of the Suicide Squad (but still wearing her Charlton costume.) Also: dated Tom Tressor.

“Backstory” was by Allan Heinberg, Gary Frank and Jon Sibal.

IGN's Top Atom/Charlton-related Comic Book Heroes of All Time

In 2009 or so, the comics department of the popular video game website IGN.com put together a list of their Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time, and have finally followed up with the vastly less well considered Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time. I decided to take the highly dubious list apart line by line, but in the process I'll do highly posts for my various blogs. Check out DC Bloodlines for the full list as I make it available...

87) Renee Montoya

She's a lesbian and a Latina, both rarities in mainstream comics, and about the only example to appear in cartoons. Still, I resent the hell out of her for taking over the role of the Question, and she's never carried more than a mini-series.

82) Eric O'Grady (Ant-Man)

The Irredeemable Ant-Man was awesome, but also short-lived with negligible impact.

67) Hank Pym (Ant-Man)

I do not like Hank Pym. I do not like the original Ant-Man. I do not like Giant Man. I do not like Yellowjacket. He has never worked, he has never been loved, and he serves no purpose others couldn't handle better. I can't believe he hasn't died spectacularly and stayed that way.

64) The Atom

I love how the article with this entry is entirely about Ray Palmer, but they picture Ryan Choi. No respect for either, and it's hardly uncommon. Doll-Man might have been the biggest of the early tiny heroes, but the Silver Age Atom clearly eclipsed him to become the best of a bad lot. I've got love for the Ray Palmer version, and contrary to popular misconception, the guy has a lot of cool potential that remains less than fully realized. At least he ranked above the wife beater.

61) Blue Beetle

The original was one of the bigger Golden Age heroes from a smaller publisher, and the star of his own radio show. The new kid just appeared on Smallville, and is a positive image of a young, Latino super-hero. The one in the middle is the only one acknowledged. Ted Kord was an industrialist recasting of Steve Ditko's Spider-Man more in that co-creator's image. He was funny in JLI, and I know he has a vocal following, but I just fell very "meh."

56) Hawkman

Obviously, the Winged Wonder is one of the most famous and long-lived B-listers in comic book history, even if he was just a blatant lift from Flash Gordon, complete with Alex Raymond swipes. He's gotten a hell of a lot more done than Prince Vultan, and his marriage to Hawkgirl has been one of the best examples of how to make matrimony work in comics. He was one of the first overtly political (ideologically, anyway) characters in mainstream comics, and still the killjoy to beat in super-hero teams.

16) Rorschach

I kind of hate Rorschach a little bit. I suppose he's here to represent for Watchmen, but he's also the poster child for pretentious, pointless deconstructionist super-heroes and anti-heroes with nauseating motivations (not to mention personal hygiene.) He's also at heart just a proxy for Steve Ditko's the Question, who is not on this list at all beyond such legacies/knock-offs.