Comic Title: Best of DC #21
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: February 1982
On Sale Date: November 5, 1981 Newsstand Date November 5, 1981
Source: Comic Reader, #196

Newsstand Date November 5, 1981
Source: Comics Journal, #68

Newsstand Date November 5, 1981
Source: Amazing Heroes, #6

Copyright Date October 13, 1981
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1981
DC publication dates beyond April 1981 listed by the LoC
represent shipping dates NOT newsstand sale dates

Cover Price: $0.95
Page Count: 96
Editor: Len Wein

See Also: The Guide to DC Giants

Title: "The Day That Dropped Out of Time"
Pages: 38

Feature(s):
Justice Society of America (of Earth-2)

Writer: John Broome
Artist: Irwin Hasen
Artist: Lee Elias
Artist: Paul Reinman
Artist: Joe Kubert
Artist: Frank Harry

Reprinted From:
All-Star Comics #35 (1947)

Feature Character(s)

• Justice Society of America (last appearance in All-Star Comics #34; next appearance in All-Star Comics #36)
• Hawkman (last appearance in Flash Comics #84; next appearance in Flash Comics #85)
• Flash (last appearance in Comic Cavalcade #21; next appearance in All-Flash #29)
• Green Lantern (last appearance in All-American Comics #86; next appearance in Green Lantern #26)
• Atom (last appearance in Flash Comics #83; next appearance in Comic Cavalcade #22)
• Doctor Mid-Nite (last appearance in All-American Comics #86; next appearance in All-American Comics #87)
• Johnny Thunder (last appearance in Flash Comics #84; next appearance in Flash Comics #85)
• Wonder Woman (last appearance in Comic Cavalcade #21; next appearance in Sensation Comics #67)

Villain(s)

• Per Degaton (a lab assistant; origin revealed; next appearance in All-Star Squadron #3)
• Kale (Degaton's assistant; next appearance in Justice League of America #208)
• Degaton's men (no further appearances)
• A persian army (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Professor Malachi Zee (last appearance in Justice League of America #209; next appearance in All-Star Squadron #2)
• Professor Appleby, Braun, and Staley (a chemist, a physicist, and a biologist; no further appearances)
• Alexander the Great and his army (no further appearances)
• The Mayor of Gotham City (no further appearances)

Comments:
Due to Degaton's meddling in the time stream and the JSA's subsequent reversal of his actions, the memory of this adventure is erased from the minds of the world. In effect these events never happened. Degaton's memory is later restored by a dream in the flashback in All-Star Squadron #3 and again in All-Star Squadron #14. Each time he resumes his goal of conquering the world by changing history.

Johnny Thunder does not have his own solo chapter.

Synopsis:
The JSA discovers a relic written in Macedonian script that concerns an adventure none of them can remember. Wonder Woman uses the magic sphere to learn how the object was created.

Per Degaton, the assistant of Professor Zee, has stolen the professor's time machine and changed history. As a result, objects begin to disappear around the world. All scientific knowledge is disappearing. The JSA is summoned to Zee's hospital bed where he reveals Degaton's plan.

The JSA splits up to combat Degaton. Flash searches for valuable penicillin to save Professor Zee. He locates a supply in the Colossal Caves which are constructed with a metal that resists Degaton's change. However, Degaton is also using the cave as a base. Flash escapes with the penicillin and returns to warn the JSA about Degaton's army.

Atom encounters Degaton's army as they try to steal gold to finance their army. He fails to stop them, but learns that Degaton changed the outcome of a key battle in history. Hawkman protects the mayor of Gotham City from Degaton's forces, but he too fails to stop Degaton. Dr. Mid-Nite is dispatched to protect the top scientists in hopes that they can restore the scientific losses brought about by the changes.

When Zee awakens he informs the JSA that Degaton altered the outcome of the Battle of Arbela in 331 B.C. Green Lantern is dispatched to locate Zee's time machine. He finds it, but Degaton sends him 10,000 years into the future. GL unknowingly changed the controls and arrives just 10 years in the future.

Green Lantern then meets the JSA of the future who are being hunted by Degaton's forces which now control the world. GL transports them back to 331 B.C. to help restore the rightful outcome of the Battle of Arbela. The JSA assists Alexander in defeating the Persians, who are themselves aided by Degaton's forces. When the JSA wins the battle, the 20th century is restored to normal. All memories of the changes are erased, but Degaton still remembers them in a dream.