Finally, a true "Look! Up in the sky!" sighting.

JLA #27

It's a bird!
It's a plane!
It's..... Sailor Mars?!

Keen observers of DC Comics' "Justice League of America" ("JLA" for short) may have noticed a recent nod, not to Sailor Moon, but to Sailor Mars.

In the March 1999, #27 Issue of the comic book, Clark Kent (Superman) introduces Hino Rei to Bruce Wayne (Batman). "Hino Rei" is "Rei Hino" backwards--which is Sailor Mars' name in "Sailormoon."

Scan from the comic... this image may take some time to load.

Not convinced that this is a valid Sighting? There's more!

In this "JLA" story, Hino Rei is actually an alien, by the name of J'onn, who has the ability to take on any human form and gender. J'onn has taken on this disguise and name. This alien also happens to be from the planet Mars and whose alter-ego is known as "The Martian Manhunter"!

Credits

DC Comics
"Justice League of America JLA"
Issue #27, March 1999
Writer - Mark Millar
Editor - Dan Raspler
Penciller - Mark Pajarillo
Inkers - Walden Wong & Marlo Alquiza
Letterer - Ken Lopez
Colorist - Pat Garraky
Color Separations by Digital Chameleon
Assistant Editor - Ali Morales

Cover
#27 Cover
On a side note, anyone who's been following the Batman stories (whether in the recent Warner Bros. animated series or in the DC comics) knows that Bruce Wayne lived in Japan during his late teens. While studying there he learned martial arts, became fluent in the language, practiced the customs, ideals, religion and business practices. Wayne Enterprises even has an office building in Tokyo. So needless to say, the Dark Knight knows who the real Rei Hino is!

We can only hope that "JLA" writer Mark Millar is able to sneak more of this past his editor, Dan Raspler. (Or perhaps they're both "in" on this?)

Special thanks to "The Lunar Archivist" who made the initial Sighting and to Michael Stancel for supplying the scans and providing additional information.


Back to the SOS Page