(JLA #107-114) - The Crime Syndicate was bored with their domination of the world and looked for ways to make life exciting. Owlman funded a rebellious underground to provide them with a challenge, but Johnny Quick, unaware of his plan, busted up the cell. He bragged to Owlman and was pounded for his troubles. Power Ring located the planet Qward, home of Wesaponers and Thunderers and offered them up as sport. The Crime Syndicate invaded Qward and was having a grand time until Krona s reality-destroying wave wiped out the entire anti-matter universe. The JLA undid the damage Krona caused, and the anti-matter universe was reconstructed, but with some key differences. The Syndicate never invaded Qward, and Power Ring was replaced by an African American man. The Syndicate traveled to the positive-matter universe to find out what had happened. After a crime wave to establish themselves on positive-matter Earth they decided to pose as the JLA. Ultraman, as Superman, still couldn't get confidential files about cosmic events from Washington. Power Ring and Johnny Quick posed as Green Lantern and Flash, and lapped up adoration when they saved a S.T.A.R. Lab from the Rainbow Raiders. Owlman hacked into N.A.T.O. and found some promising information in a S.T.A.R. Lab in San Francisco. The Crime Syndicate revealed themselves and attacked the JLA, battering them and forcing them to retreat. Owlman learned from S.T.A.R. Labs that the positive-matter universe had also been taken apart and reconstructed by Krona. The essential differences between the anti and positive-matter universes that prevented the Crime Syndicate from ever being victorious on the JLA s Earth no longer applied, meaning Earth was theirs for the taking. They attacked Hong Kong and had slaves build a citadel for them until they were attacked and driven off by JLA reservists. The Syndicate wanted another round with the JLA and found them fighting the Weaponers of Qward in Earth s orbit. They decided to pick off the weakened loser, and sat back to watch the fight. Diataria Lysis was afraid of Qwardian leader Roval s insatiable bloodlust, and brokered peace between Qward and Earth. The JLA informed the Qwardians that Krona was responsible for Qward s destruction, and had been defeated by the JLA. The Qwardians returned to the anti-matter universe, but vowed to destroy the Crime Syndicate s Earth for having dared attack them. The JLA entered the anti-matter universe, and forced the Syndicate to ask them for a favor, help in defeating the Qwardians. The Construct, an electronic consciousness similar to the Qwardian doomsday weapon Erdammeru promised the JLA it could contact the weapon. Erdammeru still didn't understand the concept of other and refused to make peace with the Construct, but their connection enabled Green Lantern John Stewart to absorb the weapon into his power ring, defanging the Qwardians. This was broadcast to the populace of anti-matter Earth, and when the people saw that the Syndicate was not invincible and began to rise up against them.

Comments: Created by Gardner Fox & Mike Sekowsky.

Justice League Quarterly established the pre-Crisis history of the Crime Syndicate, but since there no longer parallel Earths they came from Qward. JLA: Earth-2 introduced the Crime Syndicate as brand new characters, so perhaps the Qwardians that mirrored the pre-Crisis Syndicate were erased from continuity by Zero Hour.

CRIME SYNDICATE OF AMERICA (pre-Crisis)

Membership: Owlman, Super-Woman, Ultraman, Johnny Quick, Power Ring

Base of Operations: Earth-3, formerly Limbo

First Appearance: Justice League of America  #29  (August, 1964)

History: