Originally, T-bolt was from a dimension where all life was electric in nature. He even had a wife and kids. The idea that he's from Mxy's 5th Dimension is a post-Crisis development, first seen in JLA #28. Some unimaginative dickwa... er, clever soul in editorial decided that all the magical tricksters like Mxy, Bat-Mite, Aquaman's little buddy Qwisp (who was from an undersea kingdom, not another world), and T-bolt must be from the same place.

Cei-U!
I summon Shocko!

Justice League of America #37
August 1965 (June 10, 1965) $.12

Cover Art: Mike Sekowsky (Penciller), Murphy Anderson (Inker)

“Earth — Without a Justice League!” 24 pages

Julius Schwartz (Editor), Gardner Fox (Scripter), Mike Sekowsky (Penciller), Bernard Sachs (Inker), no lettering or coloring credits

FC: Aquaman, The Atom, Batman, The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkman, The Martian Manhunter, Superman, Wonder Woman, teamed as the Justice League of America; all but The Flash appear only in flashbacks to their individual origins
GS: The Atom, Doctor Fate, The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Johnny Thunder, teamed with Mr. Terrific as the Justice Society of America
Reintro: Mr. Terrific (Terry Sloane)
Reintro: The Thunderbolt
Intro: Johnny Thunder of Earth-One [modern]
Intro: The Lawless League of America
Intro: The Atom of Earth-A (Barney Judson)
Intro: Batman of Earth-A (Bill Gore)
Intro: The Flash of Earth-A (Race Morrison)
Intro: Green Lantern of Earth-A (Monk Loomis)
Intro: The Martian Manhunter of Earth-A (Eddie Orson)
Intro: Superman of Earth-A (Ripper Jones)

Synopsis

Curious to learn if he has an Earth-One counterpart, JSA member Johnny Thunder commands his Bahdnisian Thunderbolt to take him to Earth-One to meet his double. Unfortunately, that reality's Johnny is a criminal, who knocks the good Johnny out and usurps control of the Thunderbolt. Ordered to commit a robbery, T-bolt encounters Earth-One's Flash and is forced to flee. The villainous Johnny next commands him to alter the past to prevent the super-heroes of the Justice League from coming into existence, creating an alternate reality he dubs “Earth-A.” Assembling his gang, he sets out to plunder the world.

Meanwhile on Earth-Two, the JSA attempt to track down their wayward teammate. Doctor Fate's magic reveals the situation on Earth-One, and the team travels there to rescue Johnny. Though unable to revive their Johnny, the heroes successfully stop the evil Johnny's crime spree and capture his gang. T-bolt cleverly tries to subvert Johnny's commands by interpreting them literally but is forced to help his new master escape safely. Astonished to discover their Justice League comrades no longer exist, the JSA disguise themselves as various Leaguers, hoping the ‘reappearance’ of the vanished heroes will make Johnny blurt out what he did to them. The ersatz JLA interrupt Johnny's next crime and hold the Thunderbolt at bay.

Escaping, Johnny forces his unwilling servant to reveal the Society's ruse, then commands him to give the League's powers to members of his gang, creating a criminal version of the JLA. When the Justice Society ― still posing as the JLA ― track him down again, he makes the Thunderbolt return them to their true forms and orders his team to attack.

Behind the Scenes

The Earth-One Johnny Thunder's criminal JLA is only referred to as the “Lawless League of America” editorially. The characters themselves never use the term.

Cosmology

Based on comments made by Earth-One's Johnny Thunder, that dimension also has an Asian nation of Bahdnisia, whose sorcerers can command the power of the extradimensional Thunderbolts.

Meeting Minutes

Johnny Thunder claims in this story that he was unaware of the JSA reorganization, despite having been present when the decision was made in The Flash #137.

The Good Guys

Mr. Terrific was last seen in his solo series in Sensation Comics #63 (July 1946).

The Thunderbolt was last seen in the “Johnny Thunder” story in Flash Comics #89 (November 1947).

The Thunderbolt states in this issue that he cannot be commanded to kill.

The Bad Guys

It is not clear if Earth-One's Johnny Thunder is the same age as his Earth-Two doppelgänger or if he is twenty years younger, as are the Earth-One Superman, Batman, and others. However, since Johnny's command of the Thunderbolt is predicated on the unusual circumstances of his birth (born on July 7, 1917) and the Earth-One JT commands T-Bolt in this story, it is logical to assume the same conditions prevail in his case.

Fashion Watch

The wings are missing on the Earth-Two Flash's boots throughout this issue and the next.

The Earth-Two Green Lantern wears a mask styled like his Earth-One counterpart's throughout this issue and the next. The mask is colored green instead of purple in several panels of this issue.

The tops of Mr. Terrific's slipper-style boots change color from panel to panel of this issue and the next, appearing in green, white, yellow and red.

Points to Ponder

Although Superman and the other Earth-One super-heroes have repeatedly demonstrated that history is unalterable, the Thunderbolt is able to alter Earth-One history and create the divergent reality called Earth-A in this story. This may be possible because T-Bolt's magic is that of another dimension.

As noted up top, the Earth-Two stories are being presented in order of publication. Thus, we interrupt "Crisis On Earth-A" to bring you:

The Brave & the Bold #61
August-September 1965 (June 24, 1965) $.12

Cover Art: Murphy Anderson, signed

“Mastermind of Menaces!” 24 pages

Julius Schwartz (Editor), Gardner Fox (Writer), Murphy Anderson (Artist), no lettering or coloring credits

FC: Black Canary, Starman
Reintro: Larry Lance
Reintro: The Mist (true name unknown)

In the latest of a series of clueless crimes, Park City financier Alan Moreland robs himself under the hypnotic influence of a bouquet of specially-treated flowers from the Drake Flower Shoppe, the business owned by the Black Canary in her civilian identity.

Later, Ted Knight visits the florist shop on his way to a nearby observatory, receiving a boutonniere from his JSA teammate. During his astronomical research, Knight experiences a strange phenomenon: inexplicably, his eyes no longer detect starlight. Shortly after, the flower he wears begins broadcasting hypnotic commands intended for another businessman. Overhearing where the victim is to abandon the loot, Knight assumes his Starman identity and waits at the spot for the criminals to make their pickup. Just as he is about to leap into action, Starman finds his cosmic rod inoperative. Undeterred, he takes on the trio of crooks anyway. He has them on the ropes when he is struck down by a sonic blast transmitted through the flower worn by one of the thugs.

Returning to their hideout, the crooks report to their boss, Starman's old foe, The Mist. The criminal mastermind brags of the success of his scheme to rob the wealthy by having one of his men visit the Drake Flower Shoppe daily and surreptitiously treat all outgoing deliveries with a chemical of Mist's invention, which allows him to transmit hypnotic commands through the treated flowers.

Meanwhile, Larry Lance has discovered that the common denominator among the victims of the clueless crimes: each had received a delivery from the Drake Flower Shoppe the day of the robberies, a fact confirmed by Starman. The two men are startled when Dinah goes into a trance and abruptly enters her office. Starman uses his now functioning cosmic rod to allow Larry and himself to eavesdrop on the hypnotized Dinah reporting the day's deliveries to The Mist. The villain, who has been listening in on their conversation, deduces that the cosmic rod failed because the frequency used for his hypnotic broadcasts combined with the ambient noises in the observatory to interfere with the rod's reception of starlight. Armed with this information, he anticipates an easy defeat for Starman.

Infuriated to learn of her role in the wave of robberies, Dinah dons her Black Canary costume before discussing strategy with Starman and Larry. The trio split up to guard the three sites Mist plans to rob, Starman giving the Canary a miniature, quasar-powered cosmic rod to use as their secret weapon. The JSAers foil their assigned crimes easily while Larry deliberately allows his robbery to take place. Following the thieves back to their hideout. He is captured after reporting his location to the others.

When Starman bursts into his arch-foe's headquarters, The Mist springs his trap, reproducing the conditions that negated the cosmic rod's powers. Badly outnumbered, his greatest weapon useless, Starman is knocked out. The Canary arrives next and uses her cosmic rod ― unaffected by Mist's sonic devices as anticipated ― to thrash the gang and smash their equipment. Starman recovers in time to administer the coup de grace to Mist himself. Afterward, Dinah returns the miniature rod to Starman with thanks, explaining she prefers her own methods.

Cosmology

The city out of which Black Canary operates is identified as Park City in this issue.

The Good Guys

Dinah Drake and Larry Lance marry sometime between Larry's last appearance in the “Black Canary” story in Flash Comics #104 (February 1949) and this issue.

Black Canary uses a new pellet — this one containing a fine red dust — from her choker's amulet in this issue.

Larry Lance should not be confused with his villainous Earth-One doppelgänger, introduced in the “Batman and Black Canary” story in The Brave and the Bold #91 (August-September 1970).

Starman constructs a new cosmic rod in this issue. This version, miniaturized and powered by quasar energy instead of ordinary starlight, is never seen again but it is possible that the technology was later incorporated into the original cosmic rod.

The Bad Guys

The Mist was introduced in the “Starman” story in Adventure Comics #67 (October 1941) and was last seen in the Starman story in Adventure #77 (August 1942).

Fashion Watch

The bodysuit, belt and boots of Black Canary's costume revert to their usual black/blue coloring.

Starman's holster reverts to its usual brown coloring.

Points to Ponder

It is probable that the Mist learns the true identities of Starman and Black Canary during his surveillance of the Drake Flower Shoppe but if so, he does not take advantage of this knowledge in Silver or Bronze Age continuity.

Since starlight consists of the same wavelengths emitted by our own sun, it is not clear how Ted Knight can be prevented from seeing starlight without completely blinding him.

I thought it was interesting that T-Bolt chose to change Batman's history by interfering with his first case, rather than preventing the murder of his parents. I suppose Gardner Fox wanted to avoid the uncomfortable implication that in order to "fix" history, they had to let the Waynes die.

Strongly seconded!

Justice League of America #38
September 1965 (July 22, 1965) $.12

Cover Art: Mike Sekowsky (Penciller), Murphy Anderson (Inker, main image), Bernard Sachs (Inker, head shots)

“Crisis on Earth-A!” 24 pages

Julius Schwartz (Editor), Gardner Fox (Writer), Mike Sekowsky (Penciller), Bernard Sachs (Inker), no lettering or coloring credits

FC: Aquaman, The Atom, Batman, The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkman, The Martian Manhunter, Superman, Wonder Woman, teamed as the Justice League of America
GS: The Atom, Doctor Fate, The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Johnny Thunder [and The Thunderbolt], Mr. Terrific, teamed as the Justice Society of America
Villain: Johnny Thunder of Earth-One
Villains: The Atom, Batman, The Flash, Green Lantern, The Martian Manhunter, Superman, teamed as the Lawless League of America
Intro: Absorbo-Man (destroyed in this story)
Intro: Medusa Man (destroyed in this story)
Intro: Repello-Man (destroyed in this story)

Synopsis

Although the Lawless League has all the powers of the Justice League, they lack the knowledge and experience to use them effectively. The Justice Society heroes exploit this fact, and their awareness of the Leaguers' weaknesses, to hand the villains utter defeat. Green Lantern uses his magic ring to compel the defeated criminals to reveal how the evil Johnny Thunder eliminated the real JLA. But when GL and Doctor Fate enter the timestream to correct history, they find they cannot undo the Thunderbolt's magic.

Frantic to eliminate the JSA, Johnny commands the Thunderbolt to hurl a hurricane and an earthquake at them. Even the forces of nature can't overcome the heroes, however, and a desperate Thunder retreats to the moon. There he directs his reluctant servant to create three colossal monsters, each with a different super-power. When the Society arrives in pursuit, the magical monstrosities defeat all but Doctor Fate, whose sorcery destroys the creatures. Almost insane with desperation, the villainous Johnny orders T-bolt to attack Fate. The backlash from their magical combat buffets and batters Johnny mercilessly, until at last he gives his final command: that time be reversed to before he met the Earth-Two Johnny and that the meeting never happen.

With everyone but the Thunderbolt completely unaware of the preceding events, the Justice Society and the Justice League conduct business as usual.

The Good Guys

Hawkman is shown as being able to remain aloft without his wings in this issue, correcting the error in Justice League of America #22.

I don't know if Robinson had either B&B team-up in mind specifically (there's not really time in either story for them to sneak off for any hanky panky, plus Larry's underfoot in both) but he was certainly intending a callback to this approximate time period.

Cei-U!
I summon the behind-the-scenes sordidness!