Justice League of America #22
Justice League of America #22
The Second Coming part one.
What can I say about this issue that isn't bad? DC seems to be treating this title as promotional material for Justice League Unlimited on Cartoon Network, never mind that that series ended already. JLA takes three of DC's biggest characters, mixes them together with some second tier characters, and then manages to squeeze out the blandest product entirely. It's become impossible to keep apologizing for this series.
Here's what goes down.
The JLA are ready to download Red Tornado's mind into a new body. Some seemingly minor problems arise that delay the procedure. In the meantime, while Batman and Steel are examining the now seemingly regenerated remains of Tornado's old body, we're treated to some odd character moments.
The plotting and pacing of this issue...just no good.
Here's what happens (spoilers ahead!)...
We learn that Red Tornado likes to watch Red Arrow and Hawk Girl have sex.
Vixen reveals she's leeching powers and gets booted off the team.
Amazo comes back.
Got that?
Okay!
Knowing Tornado's sexual kinks is just...wow. Did we really need to know this? When Dwayne McDuffy came on as writer a lot of folks, myself included, were pretty excited. What the hell is this guy thinking? Seriously, wow, that's just fucked up. It was supposed to be a nice character moment between Red Tornado and his wife but that shit is just embarassing.
The stuff with Vixen would be more interesting if it wasn't handled so lazily. There's a scene between Vixen and her ex, the Bronze Tiger, that would have come off a lot better if not for Ed Benes' strange desire to draw Vixen with some hardcore camel toe action. Now this is all set up for later in the issue when she confronts the League, but when that happens, again, the whole thing falls flat. That should have been a weightier moment if you ask me. And after Vixen is kicked off the team, Black Canary takes her aside and says, basically, "You get your powers from your amulet, why don't you get it fixed, lol!"
Back to Benes' art, I love his women. Jesus, every time Black Canary or Zatanna appear it's all I can do to keep from licking the page.
Did I mention Amazo comes back?
The issue itself is all over the place really. We go from Tornado, to SCIENCE! To Vixen getting hugs then to Red Arrow and Hawk Girl sparring (great scene and the redeeming quality of the issue) to moment between Supes, Green Lantern (Hal) and Red Arrow (Supes doesn't like doing the dishes apparently) then to SCIENCE! and mystery action cutting abruptly to "lol! Fired" and finally back to Amazo in Red Tornado's old body beating the shit out of Batman and Steel.
I give up.
Next month's issue is my last. Thank God.
Alex Zalben on Monday's edition of The Stack on Pulp Secret, after reading Trinity, said they should turn JLA into a weekly series.
HAHAHAHA no.
posted by Robert at 12:54 AM
2 Comments:
Hey...I'm way out of the loop, and probably won't get back in, but WTF?? Since when is Steel a member of the JLA? When? And, is it me, or is this the third JLA series?
The comics have changed...I cannot believe how much they've changed...
Hiya, Stormy :)!
Well, Steel isn't actually a member of the JLA right now, he was just making a guest appearance.
He was a member back in the late 90s "JLA" series written by Grant Morrison. He was a second stringer as I remember it.
As for how many Justice League series there has been? Jesus...this is the fourth? Fifth?
There was the original, there was the 80s/90s Justice League International, Grant Morrison's JLA and now this series. That's what I can recall anyway.
But yes, the comics have changed greatly. When the publishers finally realized their audience was mostly between the ages of 18-35, the content greatly...I wanna say matured, but really the situations are a tad more adult.
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