Justice League International #17 (September 1988)

Tags

Batman, Big Barda, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Fire, Green Lantern (G'Nort), Jack O'Lantern, L-Ron, Manga Khan, Martian Manhunter, Modern Age Captain Atom, Oberon, Queen Bee, Rocket Red #4, Wandjina

“Only the Dead Know Bialya”

• Writer: Keith Giffen
• Pencils: Kevin Maguire
• Inks: Al Gordon
• Colors: Gene D’Angelo
• Letters: Bob Lappan
• Cover: Kevin Maguire & Joe Rubinstein
• Editor: Andrew Helfer
• Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

This issue picks up where Justice League International #16 left off. I did not review that issue for this blog because Captain Atom was not featured at all. Check out Boosterrific.com for a fantastic summary of that issue. The two-sentence version is this: Maxell Lord sends Batman, Fire, Blue Beetle, and Booster Gold undercover to Bialya to find out what the dictator Rumaan Harjavti is up to.  Meanwhile Big Barda, Martian Manhunter, Rocket Red, and Gnort are hot on the Cluster’s trail to rescue Mister Miracle. The most notable thing about Justice League International #16 is that Batman goes undercover as Bruce Wayne.

This issue opens at the JLI New York Embassy. Oberon and Captain Atom are watching news reports of the coup in Bialya. Colonel Harjavti has been assassinated and Queen Bee has assumed control of the country.  Cap is very upset that he isn’t with the team in Bialya.

 

Captain Atom’s ego is bruised because he was left behind. He believes that with his military background, he would have been an ideal choice for the mission. All his angry tirade results in is hurt feelings for Oberon.

In Bialya, Batman has ditched his Bruce Wayne “disguise” in favor of a Maxwell Lord disguise. He and Green Flame have been holed up in their hotel room, not permitted to leave, for two days. Batman escapes up a wall to go find Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, ordering Green Flame to not leave the room.

Booster and Beetle are being held in a cell in less-than-favorable conditions. When a guard brings them a “bucket of slop,” Booster taunts him into shooting him. When the guard pulls out his gun, he lurches into the cell bars and knocks himself out. As Booster retrieves the cell key, he explains to Beetle that he noticed the guard was wearing his Legion flight ring, which Booster is telepathically linked to. The two heroes escape their cell, only to be grabbed by unseen hands once they are out.

Meanwhile, Queen Bee and Jack O’ Lantern are watching video of their mindless drone Wandjina. Jack thinks Wandjina is dangerous and unpredictable, but Queen Bee assures him the creature is completely under her control. She also says it is time to “induct Mr. Lord.”

Mr. Lord (aka Batman) turns out to have been the one that captured Booster and Beetle. They hear gunshots above them and fear that Green Flame may be in trouble. Green Flame is just fine, as she drops from above into Booster’s arms, wearing nothing but her underclothes. She explains that she was washing her hair when Queen Bee’s men stormed in looking for Max. She jumped out the window in her underwear and hoped for the best. The team splits up.

Batman shakes their pursuers and the heroes meet up on a nearby rooftop (or possibly alleyway). The Wandjina turns up, too. Beetle recognizes him as someone the League met way back in Justice League #2, but he is clearly being controlled by an outside force. The team scatters just as Wandjina delivers some sort of powerful nuclear blast thing.

 

The Wandjina reaches down to do something horrible to Blue Beetle (and judging by the cover, it is indeed HORRIBLE) when the cavalry arrives in the form of Captain Atom.

Captain Atom and Wandjina throw various energy blasts at each other as the rest of the JLI scramble out of their way. Batman is, naturally, upset that Cap showed up at all, as he was told to stay behind in New York.

 

This fistful of “spaaak” is brought to you by Bob Lappan.

Captain Atom defeats (kills?) Wandjina, leaving him to face the fury of Batman. Bats’ chastisement of Nate is cut short when Queen Bee arrives on the scene. Thinking the Bialyan people will back him, Batman lays into the Queen, calling her “the bottom of the barrel!” This is when the JLI discovers the Bialyan people like their new monarch. Queen Bee tells the JLI their lucky she won’t report their actions to the U.N. and asks Jack O’Lantern to escort them out of the country.

Meanwhile, out in space, L-Ron informs Manga Khan that his captive (Mr. Miracle) is from New Genesis, and is the son of Highfather. Khan orders his robot to set a course for Apokolips. Perhaps Darkseid will barter with him now!

Pursuing Manga Khan is Martian Manhunter, Rocket Red, Big Barda, and G’Nort. They use New Gensis boom-tube technology to try and catch up with Khan. The issue ends with the ship winking out of existence. To be continued.

Captain Atom next appears in Who’s Who Update ’88 #2.

The “Bwah-ha-ha” period of the Justice League was always fun and I thoroughly enjoyed every issue. I loved that Captain Atom saved the team in this issue (even if he did disobey Batman’s orders to do so). Story and art are both As here. I absolutely love the Giffen/Maguire team.

If you are a fan of this era of the Justice League, there’s a new podcast dropping today that you will really love. From the Irredeemable Shag (of Firestormfan.com and one half of the Fire & Water Podcast) comes the Justice League International: Bwah-ha-ha Podcast. This podcast “chronicles the adventures of the Justice League International era by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis,” and is part of the Fire & Water Podcast Network. The first episode can be found here and even though (as of this writing) I have not heard the show, I know it will be one of the best comic-book-review-podcasts available. Shag doesn’t mess around.

(All characters and images belong to DC Comics and I am not making any profit off this blog.)

 

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The L.A.W. (Living Assault Weapons) (September 1999 – February 2000)

Tags

Aquaman, Avatar, Batman, Big Barda, Bill Clinton, Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Fate, Golden Age Blue Beetle, Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), Judomaster, L.A.W. Captain Atom, Martian Manhunter, Nightshade, Orion, Peacemaker, Plastic Man, Rama Kushna, Sarge Steel, Steel, Superman, The Flash, The Question, Wonder Woman, Yves Fortè

Writer: Bob Layton
Pencils: Dick Giordano
Inks: Bob Layton
Colors: Tom Ziuko
Letters: John Workman

The L.A.W. (Living Assault Weapons) was a six-issue mini series published by DC Comics starting in September 1999 and running to February 2000. The series logo on each of the six covers spotlighted one specific member of The L.A.W., with the first issue featuring Blue Beetle. The following five issue covers featured old Charlton characters the Question, the Peacemaker, Nightshade, Judomaster and Captain Atom. The six covers, when lined up, formed one complete picture. And everybody got a new costume!

So what was the world like in September 1999? Bill Clinton was in the White House with Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street. Rescuers were still searching for survivors of the İzmit earthquake (there were just over 17,000 dead from the 7.6 magnitude quake in Turkey). Greece was hit by an earthquake and multiple aftershocks. If you had a time machine and a hankering to go to the movies, you might catch American Beauty, The Sixth Sense, or The Iron Giant. Of course, you might also see Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, or Wild Wild West, so it’s sort of a crapshoot.

The basic story of L.A.W. (Living Assault Weapons): the team was formed in response to the disappearance of the JLA after they were attacked by the Avatar (who used to be Judomaster’s sidekick “Tiger”).

After causing the Justice Leauge  to disappear along with their Watchtower, Avatar then attacks a European Space Agency launch facility. During the attack, Captain Atom shows up to stop him, but he is quickly defeated and captured by the Avatar (way to fail, Cap). The Avatar keeps Captain Atom trapped within a large crystal that contains his powers, which he needs to carry out his plan.

Nate references his wife Plastique, which I love, even if it is something of a continuity headache.

Senior Advisor of Metahuman Affairs, Sarge Steel, is asked by President Clinton to go to the Swiss Alps (where the Peacemaker Project is located). The Peacemaker Project has a wide variety of information; specifically, information regarding the Avatar and the disappearance of the JLA. As Sarge Steel is arriving, the Avatar’s Ravanans are attacking the Peacemaker Project. With the help of the new Peacemaker, Mitchell Black, they are able to defeat Avatar’s henchmen before too much of the base is destroyed.

During the fight at the Peacemaker Project, the Blue Beetle and the Question are investigating a group of Avatar’s followers. They meet up with Judomaster who was going out on his own to correct a wrong that he had committed (although the particular “wrong” is not revealed, we do learn Judomaster was sent away from Nanda Parbat by Rama Kushna). The three heroes are attacked by Avatar’s group of followers and they flee in Blue Beetle’s Bug. While fleeing, they are contacted by Sergeant Steel to come and meet him in the Swiss Alps.

When they arrive at the Peacemaker Project’s base, they discover that Nightshade is also there, recovering from a procedure that Fate had performed to remove a succubus that was inhabiting her body. She has developed new powers as a result of the procedure. She can now easily travel through shadows and use them to form a shadow cyclone as a weapon against the Avatar’s Ravanans. She is able to prevent the Ravanans from capturing French Ambassador Yves Fortè.

During a battle with Avatar and his Ravanans, Peacemaker, Blue Beetle, The Question, and Judomaster are defeated and Judomaster is taken back to Avatar’s base. While they are detained, Judomaster reveals to the group that the Avatar is actually his former sidekick, Tiger.

Nightshade is able to locate the missing JLA and the Watchtower by utilizing her new powers. She is able to free them from the stasis that the Avatar had placed them in and the JLA help her repel the attacking Ravanans. The JLA return to Earth to battle the remaining Ravanans while Peacemaker, Blue Beetle, and The Question travel into outer space to destroy the targeting system that the Avatar has in place to destroy all of the military outlets in the world. Blue Beetle successfully shuts down the system and averts a major catastrophe. Judomaster then meets with the Avatar and, knowing that he is beaten, the Avatar gives up his mission.

The L.A.W. are able to free Captain Atom and all of the members go their separate ways. (When Cap emerges from the crystal, he is wearing his “Kingdome Come” costume.) The Blue Beetle decides that he is going to take some time off from being a super-hero for a while so that he can better understand who he truly is.

The reason for the wikipediaish entry for this series and lumping it all into one entry is simple: this is a Captain Atom blog, not a Charlton Comics blog. Don’t get me wrong, I love the old Charlton books. But Captain Atom hardly figured into this series at all. There is lots of Blue Beetle action though, including a dream sequence that features the Golden Age Dan Garrett Blue Beetle.

Dick Giordano and Bob Layton’s art is superb and Bob’s story is pretty good. If this had turned into an ongoing series, I certainly would have picked it up. I give The L.A.W. (Living Assault Weapons an A.

Captain Atom next appears in JLA Showcase 80-Page Giant #1.

(All characters and images belong to DC Comics and I am not making any profit off this blog.)

 

 

 

Convergence: Justice League International #2 & Convergence #6 (July 2015)

Tags

Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Bret Blevins, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Captain Marvel (Shazam), Chip Kidd, Creeper, Fire, Huntress, Ice, Jade, Joe Rubinstein, Ken Branch, Kevin Conrad, Mark Campos, Martian Manhunter, Mike Manley, Modern Age Captain Atom, Nightstar, Obsidian, Paul Renaud, Red Tornado, Ron Marz, Sotocolor, Tom Napolitano, Wonder Woman

“Punchline”

• Writer:  Ron Marz
• Pencils:  Mike Manley
• Inks:  Joe Rubinstein, Mike Manley, and Bret Blevins
• Colors:  Sotocolor
• Letters:  Tom Napolitano
• Cover Artists:  Paul Renaud, Chip Kidd, Mark Campos, Ken Branch, and Kevin Conrad

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

(You’ve been warned.)

Okay, a couple of things that bug me right off the bat.  First, no mention is made of Ted’s broken arm from the previous issue, and second is the title.  If the prior issue was called “It Only Hurts When I Laugh, Part 1,” shouldn’t this one be titled “It Only Hurts When I Laugh, Part 2?”

I was super excited about Convergence and was really digging it at first.  Now, not so much.  While this issue had a few good moments, overall I felt it fell flat.  And Captain Atom was really under-used.

Picking up where the last issue left off, Shazam is counseling Wonder Woman atop the Daily Planet building..  He asks if there is really a need to fight the other heroes.  Wonder Woman says she doubts the other heroes will simply surrender, as it is something they would not do themselves.  She jumps off the roof.

On a nearby rooftop, Blue Beetle and Martian Manhunter are having a similar discussion.  Beetle says he has to try and talk some sense into the other heroes, and swings down to the street to talk to Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman assures Beetle that she is not the Diana he knows and that it is her intention to fight as Telos wants.  She will not entertain the notion of anything other than fighting, and warns him that her team will win.  Beetle says he won’t put Metropolis in danger and says if they have to fight, they’ll do so outside the city in the wasteland.  Wonder Woman leaves, telling Beetle to meet her when he is ready.

Later, the two teams face off outside of Metropolis.

And it is ON.

Martian Manhunter takes on Shazam (which makes sense, as I think they are pretty evenly matched), and Captain Atom takes on Jade and the elder Blue Beetle (which makes no sense – sure, Jade and her constructs can give him a run for his money, but an old man in beetle armor?).

Young Beetle manages to get his hands on Wonder Woman’s sword, but she grabs him by the throat and flings him against a boulder some distance away.  There, he meets old Beetle, who says he walked away from the fight because he believed there had to be a better way.

The two are immediately set upon by a squad of Telos robots.  Young Beetle makes a joke which chagrins old Beetle.

The two trade jokes as they combat robots, but an earthquake (telosquake?) drops a boulder on top of old Beetle, pinning him down.  Young Beetle uses robot parts as a lever to pry the boulder off his older self and the two limp back to the battlefield.  There, they discover the JLI has been defeated.

Wonder Woman says she did what Telos wanted: defeated the other heroes.  She never intended to kill them.  Somehow, I think this goes against the spirit of what Telos said (but – as revealed in the pages of Convergence itself – Telos may have switched his loyalties and perhaps no longer gives a damn about the cities).

The JLI returns to their HQ battered and bruised, but alive.

Ted goes off to “think things through” (again with the offer from Fire to keep him company).  He’s upset no one remembered that this was his birthday, but also realizes that might not be a high priority for his super buddies.  Entering his room, he is doused by a bucket of water and finds his room decorated by the one super hero buddy who’d never forget his birthday: Booster Gold.

So the story ends.  Very little Captain Atom (he had no lines, did most of his combat off-page, and was easily defeated).  This series should have been titled Convergence: Blue Beetle.  It wasn’t bad.  I liked the interaction between the old Blue Beetle and the young Blue Beetle.  I liked the acknowledgement of how close Beetle and Booster were.  But, overall, I’m unhappy with Convergence.  It seems as if all this buildup was for nothing.  I loved the artwork of this issue and give it an A but the story limps along with a C.  Overall, I’d say this is a B book.

Also, the Bronze Age Captain Atom had a cameo in Convergence #6:

(All characters and images belong to DC Comics and I am not making any profit off this blog.)

Justice League International #14 (June 1988) and #15 (July 1988)

Tags

Al Gordon, Batman, Big Barda, Blue Beetle, Bob Lappan, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Fire, Gene D'Angelo, Green Lantern (G'Nort), Green Lantern (Guy Gardner), Ice, J. M. DeMatteis, Keith Giffen, L-Ron, Manga Khan, Martian Manhunter, Max Lord, Mister Miracle, Modern Age Captain Atom, Oberon, Rocket Red, Ronald Reagan, Steve Leialoha

“Shop… Or Die”

• Writers:  Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis
• Pencils:  Steve Leialoha
• Inks:  Al Gordon
• Colors:  Gene D’Angelo
• Letters:  Bob Lappan

Despite being featured prominently on the cover of this issue, Captain Atom has only a cameo appearance.  He shows up in two panels and has no dialogue. A new “villain” is introduced in the form of Lord Manga Khan.  The DC wiki description of Manga Khan: “The self-ascribed lord is an intergalactic broker with connections throughout several galaxies. He is more or less considered the used car salesman of the galaxy. Manga Khan leads the bartering firm known as the Cluster and is willing to trade in any commodity of reputable value. Assisting Khan is his robotic major domo L-Ron, who is reportedly Manga Khan’s only real friend, and often serves as the sounding board to his employer’s often long-winded rants.”  When he is introduced, he has just harvested the last of the resources from an unnamed planet. L-Ron tells Khan that he has discovered a new planet with even more resources – Earth. Manga sends drone ships to the planet.

On the planet Khan has just drained, a pod crashes and G’Nort steps out.  His ring tells him this world is Yecktamecktokovia and until recently it was “pretty civilized” and not the wasteland it is now.  G’Nort encounters a native who presumably tells him of what Lord Manga Khan has done and the fact he is headed for Earth because G’Nort himself flies to Earth.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Ice Maiden and Green Flame are trying to join the Justice League but Martian Manhunter isn’t interested. In the home of Scott Free and Big Barda, Mister Miracle, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle are watching a football game when the program is suddenly pre-empted by an alien broadcast about interstellar barter.  L-Ron informs the people of Earth that if they do not enter into trade negotiations with Khan’s Cluster, they will simply take what they want and leave Earth an empty husk.  He warns them to shop or die.

On the moon, G’Nort sees the Cluster preparing for invasion. He attacks.  The story is to be continued in the next issue.

“Gnort and South”

• Writers:  Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis
• Pencils:  Steve Leialoha
• Inks:  Al Gordon
• Colors:  Gene D’Angelo
• Letters:  Bob Lappan

Picking up where the last issue left off, Justice League International #15 features Captain Atom more prominently.  On sale March 15, 1988 and cover-dated July 1988, this issue opens with Manga Khan’s Cluster being attacked by Green Lantern G’Nort.  L-Ron informs his master that the Green Lantern attacking isn’t even assigned to this sector, leading Khan to believe G’Nort is a rogue Lantern (“or an idiot,” L-Ron points out).

L-Ron informs Manga Khan that any damage G’Nort could do would be negligible, which makes me wonder just how powerful the Cluster is.  I mean, the Green Lantern rings are supposed to be the most powerful weapon in the universe.  This is probably the first hint that G’Nort isn’t exactly what he seems to be (but that is a story for another time).  Despite this, G’Nort somehow takes out the Cluster’s main power unit and their cloaking shield goes down. At the JLI’s New York embassy, Oberon sees the Cluster suddenly appear on his screens along with a power surge in Australia.  The surge blows out his monitor so Oberon hits the big “alert” button to warn the Justice League.  The surge also shorts out Mr. Miracle’s “arm unit” (his interface with his mother box) on board the JLI shuttle (where he is accompanied by Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Green Flame, and Ice Maiden).  In the last issue, Martian Manhunter had not signed Green Flame and Ice Maiden on with the JLI.  Booster is lamenting the absence of Guy Gardner but Green Flame tells him that she and Ice Maiden are the two heaviest hitters on the Global Guardians team (she also mentions that they are probationary members of the JLI).  The shuttle flies on toward Australia.

In orbit around Earth, Captain Atom, Martian Manhunter, and Rocket Red #4 have hitched a ride on a S.T.A.R. Labs space shuttle.  Martian Manhunter and Cap are wearing space suits.  I kind of have an issue with this.  Didn’t the Millennium mini-series establish that Cap could survive the vacuum of space without a space suit?  The Bronze and Silver Age Captain Atoms could.  See, look at this panel…

From Justice League International #10

I suppose it is possible that the heroes who were in space were only surviving because of a spell Dr. Fate cast or something. Martian Manhunter tells his team that all they have to do is prevent Manga Khan’s fleet from reaching Earth. The trio exits the shuttle and approach the Cluster.  At first the ships do nothing, but then they send out fighter.  It dawns on Cap that he can’t use his powers because if he does, he ruptures his suit.  If he ruptures his suit, he dies. Approaching a giant structure in Australia, the JLI shuttle is attacked by Manga Khan’s men.  Ice Maiden quickly proves her value by blasting a soldier off the shuttle with an ice blast.  Mr. Miracle and Booster leave the shuttle to fight while Blue Beetle sets her down. In space, Cap watches as Rocket Red and Martian Manhunter tear into the Cluster’s ships.  He informs J’onn that he has a plan to hold the Cluster’s forces at bay until the “powerhouses like Superman can get in on this.”

L-Ron informs Khan that G’Nort has broken off his attack on the Cluster and is instead going after the fighters.  Manga Khan is pleased, as this will save them a considerable amount in comparative damages.

Cap’s plan is to use the surround debris to batter the fighters and give them something to run from.  J’onn is less than thrilled with the plan but goes along with it as it is as good a plan as any.  Just when they are about to be toasted by an incoming fighter, G’Nort shows up and rescues them.  Cap believes G’Nort is just the advantage they’re looking for.

Back on Earth, the rest of the League is having troubles besting the Cluster’s ground troops.  Green Flame and Ice Maiden actually prove their worth, much to Mr. Miracle’s surprise.  He flies into the Cluster building while Booster and Beetle take refuge with Green Flame and Ice Maiden under Booster’s force field.

Back in space, G’Nort proves his worth by taking out some drones with wreckage from the debris field.  To the League’s surprise, the Cluster ships begin to withdraw.  On the flagship, L-Ron explains to Manga that they are reaching a point where the taking of Earth is no longer profitable (due to the Justice League’s intervention).

Back on Earth, the Cluster is also retreating.  However, Mr. Miracle is still inside one of the ships as it leaves the planet.  Before he can escape, he is grabbed by one of Manga’s men.

Rocket Red, Martian Manhunter, and G’Nort break the news of Scott’s abduction to his wife, Big Barda.  She suits up and insists on going after him.

The issue closes with a cute exchange between Batman and Guy Gardner in which Guy is trying to convince the dark knight into returning to the JLI.  This sets up the next issue, which does not feature Captain Atom so I won’t be reviewing it for this blog (but it was a really good issue and you should check it out).

This story was cute, but there still isn’t a lot for Cap to do in the Justice League.  His role increases when Justice League Europe hits the stands, but that’s still to come.  I’m not crazy about Steve Leialoha’s work on these issues, but I think it was a step in the right direction.  I give Justice League International #14 & 15 a B-.

Convergence: Justice League International #1 (June 2015)

Tags

Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Chip Kidd, Creeper, Fire, Huntress, Ice, Jade, Ken Branch, Kevin Conrad, Mark Campos, Martian Manhunter, Metallo, Mike Manley, Modern Age Captain Atom, Nightstar, Obsidian, Paul Renaud, Red Tornado, Ron Marz, Shazam, Sotocolor, Tom Napolitano, Wonder Woman

“It Only Hurts When I Laugh, Part 1”

• Writer:  Ron Marz
• Pencils & Inks:  Mike Manley
• Colors:  Sotocolor
• Letters:  Tom Napolitano
• Cover Artists:  Paul Renaud, Chip Kidd, Mark Campos, Ken Branch, Kevin Conrad

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

>>>SPOILERS<<<

(You’ve been warned.)

The Convergence continues and after a four-year absence from the DCU, the Modern Age Captain Atom returns (along with his JLI team-mates).  And Cap is front and center on the cover.

The story opens in pre-Zero Hour Metropolis.  Ted Kord (Blue Beetle) is still alive (and having a fling with Fire) and Captain Atom is still in the Justice League.  Metropolis is one of the cities being terrorized by Telos and is surrounded by a power-dampening dome.  Metallo shows up with an army of metallic men and announces he is seizing control of the city.

He doesn’t wreak havoc for long before the Justice League turns up.  Led by Blue Beetle, the only member who has powers is Red Tornado (his android body uses technology, not super powers, and he feels no effect from the dome).  The citizens of Metropolis are used to being saved by Superman, but the man of steel is not around.

Unable to use their powers, Fire, Ice, Martian Manhunter, and Captain Atom rely on their strength, fighting skills, and weapons to take out the metallic army.

Beetle tries to keep the mood light by being funny (but not quite as funny as he was in the Keith Giffen/J.M. DeMatteis era of the Justice League) even as he is ripped out of the bug (receiving a broken arm in the process).  Beetle takes out Metallo using an undetermined gadget of his own design, which results in all the metallic men shutting down.

A local shop owner accosts Blue Beetle, wanting to know who is going to repair the damage to his store.  He makes a snarky comment about there being no “real heroes” left in the world.  The team returns to their Metropolis headquarters to assess their damages.

Aside from the Bug being severely damaged and Beetle’s broken arm, the team is fine.  Metallo was sent to Dr. Emil Hamilton, who can keep him contained.

The team calls it a day.  Ice volunteers for monitor duty.  Blue Beetle and Martian Manhunter head for the workshop where Beetle begins repairs on the Bug.  He complains that there isn’t time anymore to fix things.  They mention an unsuccessful attempt to break the dome a year before and Beetle says things would be easier if Booster Gold were around.  He says he never really wanted the leadership position and offers it to Martian Manhunter (who declines).  They are both troubled by their need to fight while at the same time having no one to fight.

Ice rushes into the workshop and tells them to get to the roof.  Telos is addressing the city.  He announces that he is bringing down the domes and the various cities must fight each other to establish dominance.

Telos warns that if any of the heroes attempt to circumvent his will, the citizens of the cities will “pay the price.”  As soon as the dome is gone, everyone feels their powers returning.

Blue Beetle says he doesn’t like feeling manipulated.  He doesn’t want to fight other heroes, he wants to fight Telos.  Martian Manhunter points out that this may be the only chance they have to save Metropolis and they need to embrace it.

The sky darkens and a group of super-beings drop to the roof of the Daily Planet building.  The group, led by Wonder Wonder, consists of Earth-22’s Shazam, Obsidian, Nightstar, Jade, Huntress, Creeper, and Blue Beetle.   They are ready to fight whoever they can to establish dominance and save their world.

I have been a fan of Ron Marz since his excellent Green Lantern run in the mid-to-late 1990s.  This is no exception.  I love seeing the human side of super-heroes (Blue Beetle’s self-doubt, for example) and that seems to be something Marz excels at.  Mike Manley’s art is clean and crisp (I particularly like the menacing look he gave the newly-repowered Captain Atom).  I’d say this book is an A.  I can’t wait for the conclusion.  Blue Beetle versus Blue Beetle is the sort of comic book battle I love.

Until this issue came out, I had no idea how much I missed Ted Kord.  But, did his broken arm really heal that quickly?

Justice League: Futures End #1 (November 2014)

Tags

Captain Atom, Cyborg, Dawnstar, Equinox, Gabriel A. Eltaeb, Grodd, Jed Dougherty, Jeff Lemire, Killer Frost, Martian Manhunter, Mechaneer, Mike McKone, Mongul, New 52 Captain Atom, Stormguard, Taylor Esposito, The Flash, Vostok, Wildfire

“HomeWorld Part 2 of 2”

• Writer:  Jeff Lemire
• Pencils & Inks:  Jed Dougherty
• Colors:  Gabriel A. Eltaeb
• Letters:  Taylor Esposito
• Cover Art:  Gabriel A. Eltaeb & Mike McKone

In the interest of remaining spoiler-free (and because I still haven’t caught up on Futures End), I’m just going to be posting some images from the book for now.  Captain Atom is still out there and still doing the super hero thing (or possibly the super villain thing, depending on your perspective).  I like Jed Dougherty’s Captain Atom, but I’m not super crazy about his Captain Adam.  Weird, I know.

The New 52 Captain Atom (at his most Dr. Manhattan-like) leaves the DCU (again) in a blaze of glory.  We thought he had died in the pages of The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Man, but five years down the road he’s back in Futures End and not taking any crap.

Unable to best his foes (and proving he has lost touch with his own humanity), Cap decides his only option is to destroy himself.

Equinox (or is it Martian Manhunter?) stops Cap in his tracks and saves the day.  She (he?) sets Nathaniel Adam free.

It was Martian Manhunter, of course, using his telepathic powers to give Captain Atom inner peace.  This may be (at last) the end of the New 52 Captain Atom.  The upcoming Convergence series may make the New 52 Captain Atom a thing that never even existed.  Time will tell.

Justice League International #13 & Suicide Squad #13 (May 1988)

Tags

Al Gordon, Amanda Waller, Batman, Black Canary, Blue Beetle, Bob Lewis, Booster Gold, Boris Dmitravich Razumihin, Bronze Tiger, Captain Atom, Captain Boomerang, Carl Gafford, Deadshot, Duchess, Green Lantern (Guy Gardner), Hammer, Javelin, John Economos, John Ostrander, Luke McDonnell, Martian Manhunter, Max Lord, Modern Age Captain Atom, Molotov, Mr. Miracle, Nemesis, Nightshade, Oberon, People's Heroes, Red Star, Rick Flag, Rocket Red #4, Rocket Red Brigade, Ronald Reagan, Sickle, Steve Leialoha, Suicide Squad, The People's Heroes, Todd Klein, Vixen

“Collision Course”

• Writers:  Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis
• Pencils:  Keith Giffen
• Inks:  Al Gordon
• Colors:  Gene D’Angelo
• Letters:  Bob Lappan
• Cover Art:  Steve Leialoha & Al Gordon

It is the crossover we’ve all been waiting for.  Justice League International comes face to face with the Suicide Squad.  Part one hit the stands on January 12, 1988.  This had been building in the DC Universe, with Batman uncovering clues to the Suicide Squads existence for months.  Once he discovered what they truly were (supervillains used by the government for covert ops in exchange for reduced sentences), he vowed to Amanda Waller to bring them down.

Tom Tresser, a.k.a. Nemesis, has been captured in the Soviet Union and has been held prisoner there.  He’s been accused of attempting to kidnap a Russian dissident named Zoya Trigorin.  The news has gone public, and Batman follows the story while on monitor duty at the New York JLI embassy.  Batman knows Nemesis, and thinks he’s a “good man.”  While on monitor duty, the dark knight was talking to himself, explaining to Oberon that it helps his thinking process.  Oberon warns Black Canary to stay clear of Batman, as he’s acting a lot more weird than usual.

In a Washington, DC hotel room, Amanda Waller is shouting at Rick Flag via telephone.  Amanda is the creator of the Suicide Squad and Rick Flag is the mission leader.  Rick wants to take the Squad to the USSR to rescue Nemesis, but Waller warns him that the only reason the capture was publicized was to lure them to Russia.  She orders him to stay at Belle Reve and not to go after his teammate.  After Rick hangs up with Waller, Nightshade asks him what the plan is.  Despite the fact that they are fully aware that this is a trap, Rick and Nightshade agree to go ahead with a rescue effort.

Back in New York, Batman is pumping Rocket Red #4 for information (his armor is mislabeled with a “13”).  Dmitri says that just because he’s a Soviet citizen, that doesn’t mean he knows anything about Nemesis.  He says if Batman’s friend is in prison there then he must have done something wrong.

At Belle Reve, Flag has assembled his team (Vixen, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, Bronze Tiger, Javelin, Nightshade, and Duchess).  There is a gratuitous and unnecessary shot of Nightshade’s buttcheek.

Flag takes the Squad to an airfield and briefs them on a plane bound for Russia.  When Amanda Waller finds out what Rick has done, she goes immediately to meet with President Reagan in the White House.  She suggests he sends the JLI to Russia to retrieve Nemesis.  He agrees and Waller goes off to meet with Maxwell Lord.

At the JLI New York embassy, Batman is trying to convince Martian Manhunter, Booster Gold, Oberon, Captain Atom, Black Canary, Mr. Miracle, Guy Gardner, Blue Beetle, and Rocket Red #4 to go after Nemesis (invade Russia – again).  Oberon is upset that J’onn (Martian Manhunter, leader of the JLI) would even entertain the notion.  His argument is interrupted by a call from Max, however, sending the JLI to Russia.

On the JLI shuttle en route to Russia, it is revealed that a team of super villains has banded together to attack the very prison that is holding Nemesis.  The JLI all agree it is an unusual coincidence.

J’onn is on the video-phone with Boris Razumihin, the Russian bureau chief for the JLI.  Martian Manhunter assures him the situation – and Guy Gardner – are under control.  Guy has had problems in the Soviet Union in the past.  When he hangs up with Martian Manhunter, Razumihin calls Gorbachev, reminded that Russia has super-heroes of their own.

In New York, at Mt. Sinai Hospital, Amanda Waller pays a visit to Max Lord.  Lord is recovering from the events of the previous issue.  She warns him that the JLI had better maintain the secrecy of the Suicide Squad and she hints that if Max doesn’t play along he might end up dead.

On the other side of the world, the Rocket Red Brigade is training when they receive orders and move out.  Meanwhile, in Moscow, Red Star of the People’s Heroes meets with a Russian government official who warns him of the approaching heroes and villains.  Red Star steals his car and drives off.

When the JLI reaches the prison, they enter the warden’s office and Batman gets right to bullying the warden, demanding to see Nemesis.

The warden says he’s under orders that no one is to see Nemesis.  He also says he thought the Justice League was there to protect them from the villains.  The warden receives a call and then agrees to take the JLI to Nemesis.  Rocket Red #4 reveals that he radioed his government connections and convinced them to allow the JLI access.  As they head to Nemesis’ cell (with Batman griping about J’onn’s leadership abilities), the Suicide is slipping into the prison via the loading docks.  Upon reaching the cell, the JLI finds Nemesis unconscious on the floor.  Batman suggests he was beaten and demands that the cell be opened.  Rocket Red #4 says there’s no way he was beaten and he will not open the cell.  J’onn warns Batman if he doesn’t cease his arrogant, juvenile behavior, he’ll be booted out of Russia and the League.  Batman agrees (after a dramatic pause) and asks Martian Manhunter what their next step should be.  This is when the Suicide Squad appears, facing the JLI.

In New York, Max warns Amanda that even though the situation is bad for the Suicide Squad, it can always get worse.  The Rocket Red Brigade is 60 minutes away from the prison and Red Star is ten miles away.  To be continued (erroneously, it says the story is to be picked up in the pages of Suicide Squad #10 but it was actually continued in #13)…

At the time, I was reading both Justice League International and Suicide Squad, so I was super excited about this crossover.  Not a lot happened in this issue, as it was merely setting up the conflict that would happen in the next issue of Suicide Squad.  I give this an A- for story and a B for art (after all these years, I still go back and forth on what I think about Keith Giffen’s talent).

“Battle Lines”

• Writer:  John Ostrander
• Pencils:  Luke McDonnell
• Inks:  Bob Lewis
• Colors:  Carl Gafford
• Letters:  Todd Klein
• Cover Art:  Steve Leialoha & Al Gordon

Part two of this crossover, cover dated the same month as Justice League International #13, was released to the public on February 2, 1988.  It picks up where Justice League International #13 left off, with the Justice League face-to-face with the Suicide Squad in the corridors of a Russian prison.  Ostrander really seemed to have a thing for Russia.  He introduced Mikhail Arkadin (Pozhar) when he was writing The Fury of Firestorm, and Soviet-era hero-team Rocket Red Brigade were featured in the Ostrander-written Doom Patrol and Suicide Squad Special #1.  With the Suicide Squad blundering beyond the iron curtain (not for the first time, either), it looks like John Ostrander was DC’s go-to guy for Russian super-hero stories.  At the time these were published, I didn’t really care for the Russian stories so much.  Looking back now, I really like them.  They serve as a reminder of how it was growing up during the Cold War and being afraid of the Communists, building them up in my mind as something far more efficient and sinister than they really were.  As much as I disliked the Russian angle, I was a huge John Ostrander fan in the mid-80s.  I just about exploded with joy when he started writing Captain Atom, but that joy was short-lived (the series was cancelled just a few issues into Ostrander’s run).  Although I still don’t like some of the stuff he’s written, I think it is safe to say I’m still a John Ostrander fan.

Rick Flag warns his people that they will push through the Justice League if they have to.  Rocket Red #4 (Dmitri Pushkin) warns everyone that he’s gotten word that the People’s Heroes, Red Star, and the Rocket Red Brigade are on their way.  Duchess recognizes Mr. Miracle but doesn’t know from where she knows him (Duchess is actually Lashina – one of the Female Furies – with amnesia).  When she approaches Miracle, Blue Beetle intercepts and flips her.  She begins tearing the prison apart (tearing down the door to Nemesis’ cell) and using the pieces as weapons.

Batman shames Deadshot, who turns his back on the dark knight.  Martian Manhunter confronts Vixen – a former member of the Justice League.  He is surprised to find her hanging out with super-villains.  After some heated words, he hugs her.  Captain Boomerang attempts to burst Guy Gardner’s protective energy bubble.  Captain Atom and Nightshade exchange some unfortunate dialogue.

“We’re supposed to be boyfriend/girlfriend,” Cap says.  What is he, a junior high student?  “Stick close to me in this rhubarb.”  Rhubarb?  Why did he…? Who calls super hero fights “rhubarbs?”  Is it supposed to make him sound hokey and old-fashioned?  That makes sense, actually.  He’s displaced from his own time.  Like DC Comic’s own Captain America.  Still, I’ve never heard “rhubarb” used this way.

Flag confronts Batman, asking him if his team can just get Nemesis and get out, before things get out of hand.  Batman refuses.  He tells Flag that he warned Amanda Waller against using villains.   Bats also says that if Nemesis truly is a member of the Suicide Squad, he’s not the Nemesis Bats once knew.  When Batman begins to walk away, Flag grabs him to stop him.  Bats punches him and they begin to brawl.  Meanwhile, Blue Beetle and Duchess are still facing off, but Beetle refuses to hit her.  Mr. Miracle dodges Deadshot’s attack while Black Canary wonders why these villains and heroes have teamed up again (she faced the Suicide Squad once before).  She pauses trading jabs with Bronze Tiger long enough to learn he won’t explain his team to her.

Dmitri enters Nemesis’ cell to question him (he is incorrectly drawn with a number 7 on his armor again).  Nemesis explains that he was attempting to help the author Zoya Trigorin escape Russia (defect, I guess).  Javelin and Booster Gold face off against each other.  This is particularly interesting because of the similarity in their costumes.

Meanwhile, back in the United States, Amanda Waller is still visiting Max Lord’s hospital room.  Waller is upset because the JLI is supposed to be in Russia only as backup for the Suicide Squad, the existence of which they are unaware of (most of them at least; clearly Captain Atom and Batman know of the Suicide Squad).  But the JLI is butting heads with her team.  She tries to convince Max to pull them out, but Max Lord reveals he knows a lot of Amanda Waller’s dirty secrets.  She threatens to break his foot and Max calls for his nurse.

Back in the USSR, the People’s Heroes, the Rocket Red Brigade, and Red Star are closing in on the JLI/Suicide Squad fast.  Back at the prison, Blue Beetle is doing his level best to bring down Duchess while Captain Atom and Nightshade take part in a little foreplay.  Seriously, get a room you two.

In another secluded corner (does this prison have no guards?), J’onn and Vixen are still making peace with each other.  Dmitri approaches them with Nemesis and says the JLI and Suicide Squad must work together to save Nemesis.  While Dmitri feels Nemesis’ jailing was warranted, he knows the Russian government will treat the prisoner unfairly and have him killed.

The two teams stop fighting each other.  Deadshot was apparently about to blow Mr. Miracle’s head off.  He actually pulls the triggers when Bronze Tiger tells him to stand down.  Luckily, Mr. Miracle seems to have the ability to dodge bullets.  Now, that’s miraculous.

Batman and Rick Flag are still working out their differences with their fists when the truce is called.  Justice Leaguers and Suicide Squaders alike tell the men to stand down, but no one steps between Flag and Bats.  Would you?  Finally, after Batman loses a bat-ear, Bronze Tiger and Blue Beetle pull them apart.  Flag is well beaten, and can barely walk.  Nightshade opens one of her portal thingies and the Suicide Squad leaves.  Before they leave, Nightshade plants a kiss on Nemesis, which bugs Cap.

*

When the People’s Heroes, Red Star, and the Rocket Red Brigade show up at the prison, the Justice League informs them they’ll be taking Nemesis into custody.  Martian Manhunter explains that the JLI’s charter and agreement with the Russian government gives them the right to take Nemesis with them.  Back in the U.S., Max is threatening to sue Amanda (for her assault on him a few pages back).  They are interrupted by a special news report explaining what has happened in Russia.  Max’s only concern is that J’onn granted a (brief) interview with the press.  Later, at the “JLI vehicle hangar,”  Batman expresses his displeasure with the current incarnation of the Justice League and quits.  No surprise there; Batman really doesn’t fit in with them anyway.

At Belle Reve, Flag is taken off to the infirmary.  Captain Boomerang is happy that for once two people he hates beat the hell out of each other instead of himself.

*

This two-parter did a thing that happens in comics that I really dislike.  After all that set-up, while we’re getting ready for an all-out throw-down between all these super powers, something happens at the last second and the fight is avoided.  Aside from that, it was fairly well-written (even if Cap was mostly just in the background) and well-drawn.  I am a fan of Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and John Ostrander as writers, and Luke McDonnell did a fine job as well.  I give these two issues a combined A-.

DC: The New Frontier #5 (September 2004)

Tags

Ace Morgan, Captain Atom, Darwyn Cooke, Dave Stewart, Earth-21 Captain Atom, Flash, Green Arrow, Jared K. Fletcher, Martian Manhunter, New Frontier, Superman, Wonder Woman

This 2004 series, created by Darwyn Cooke, was supposedly influenced by other DC series such as Kingdom Come, The Golden Age, Watchmen, and The Dark Knight Returns.  Like The Golden Age, New Frontier takes place primarily in the 1950s, and depicts the Golden Age superheroes (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman) meeting Silver Age characters (Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter). It was intended to bridge the gap from the end of the Golden Age to the beginning of the Silver Age in the DC Universe.

The mini-series takes place on Earth-21 in DC’s multiverse.  Captain Atom does not appear in this series and doesn’t appear to exist in this continuity.  However, in Book 5 we are introduced to Nathaniel Adam, an Air Force Captain working out of Cape Canaveral, Florida.

It seems that on Earth-21, Nate is just an Air Force career man with no super powers.

He butts heads with Green Arrow, who seems incapable of getting along with other heroes no matter what continuity he exists in.

Just when it looks like Green Arrow and Captain Adam are about to come to blows, Superman intervenes and nips that crap in the bud.

Superman gives a rousing speech about destiny and fighting oppression and persecution.

Martian Manhunter shows up, and everyone’s attitude shifts almost instantly.  Guess old John Jones has been mucking about in peoples’ heads again.

The good cheer only lasts as long as Superman is fighting.  When the monster burns him and dumps him in the sea, everyone seems to be in despair.  Could be that in his own grief, Jones let go of his grip on their minds.

Captain Adam shows up in the pages if the next and final issue, but is more of a background character.  This particular issue contained his meatiest role.  He never does gain any super powers, but fights alongside the superheroes anyway.  Of course, Superman is not dead and in the next issue the heroes win and everyone lives (more or less) happily ever after.

DC: The New Frontier #5 was written, pencilled, and inked by Darwyn Cooke.  Colors were by Dave Stewart with letters by Jared K. Fletcher.

Justice League International #11 (March 1988) and #12 (April 1988)

Tags

Batman, Black Canary, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Dr. Light (Kimiyo Hoshi), Dr. Mist, Green Flame, Green Lantern (Guy Gardner), Icemaiden, Martian Manhunter, Max Lord, Metron, Modern Age Captain Atom, Mr. Miracle, Ms. Wootenhoffer, Oberon, Rocket Red #4, Rumaan Harjavti, The Construct, Tuatara

“Constructions!”

• Writers:  Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis
• Pencils:  Kevin Maguire
• Inks:  Al Gordon
• Colors:  Gene D’Angelo
• Letters:  John Workman

Max Lord summons Martian Manhunter and Captain Atom to his office.  He was somehow under the impression that Superman, Hawkman, and Green Lantern Hal Jordan had joined the ranks of the Justice League.  J’onn explains to Max that those heroes had only lent a hand during the Manhunter crisis and have since moved on.  This angers Max, who says he needs “prime heroes – not a bunch of weak-kneed second-stringers.”

Max regains his composure and says he needs help from the most powerful heroes. He says a super-villain is after him.  Somewhere else, someone is secretly watching the meeting in Max’s office on a wall of monitors.  Ominous.

In the New York Embassy, Black Canary is showing the new Rocket Red (#4) around.  He is replacing the last Rocket Red JLI member (#7), who turned out to be a Manhunter.  He cracks wise with Canary, and reveals to her that he lost a tooth when she kicked him in the face (in Justice League #3).  Oberon notifies them of an alert from Captain Atom and Martian Manhunter, so Black Canary and Rocket Red (who asks to be called “Dmitri”) head there.

The Justice League heads for Max’s building in their shuttle.  Blue Beetle warns Mr. Miracle against any further roof-landings while Rocket Red and Green Lantern Guy Gardner get to know each other.  Booster Gold complains of an upset stomach from the League teleporters, and proceeds to vomit in the shuttle.  What a team.

As they approach the building, the JLI shuttle is fired upon by heat-seeking missiles.  Mr. Miracle and Blue Beetle evade the missiles by crashing the shuttle into Max’s building (What, was Guy too busy chatting with Dmitri to do a little creative ring work?).  The team manages to survive the crash without taking out any civilians.  While working out their next step, they are surprised to see Captain Atom fighting some sort of artificial intelligence.

Batman takes charge (mere seconds after he pointed out that Black Canary was in command on this mission), ordering Guy Gardner to neutralize the robot tentacles with his ring.  When the tentacles go for Batman, Black Canary knocks them back with her sonic scream.  Batman is chagrined by her rescue.  As Rocket Red blasts the robot tentacles, Mr. Miracle discovers they are being controlled from within the building.  Black Canary orders Guy to use his ring to create a power surge in the building’s electrics.  As a result, the tentacles – and the entire building – lose power.

Meeting up with Captain Atom and Martian Manhunter, the JLI learns that the building attacked them without provocation.  Max Lord explains that the building’s computer system was taken over by an outside force that is out to get him.  The team thinks Max is being paranoid, but don’t deny that something is going on with the Lord Building.  Batman suspects the enemy may be the Construct, a “nearly invincible computer mind capable of controlling every electronic device on the planet” that the old Justice League defeated once before.

Searching a nearby mountainside for the source of the power emanations controlling the Lord Building, the JLI is attacked by a giant robot – the Construct.  The Construct swings at the shuttle, spouting standard-revenge-against-the-Justice-League crap.  The shuttle dodges the giant robot, and Captain Atom deploys with Guy Gardner, Booster Gold, and Martian Manhunter.

Captain Atom – boob that he is in this series – tries a battle cry or two.  He keeps getting shut down by Martian Manhunter.  It is funny and goofy but actually makes a lot of sense.  At this point in Nate’s personal continuity, he has only just become a legit superhero and not just a government agent posing as a superhero.  He’s trying to fit in, right?

Somewhere else, the battle is being watched on a bank of monitors (which reveal even what is happening inside the shuttle) and commented upon by someone off-panel.  The order is issued for the Construct to return to base.  Someone else (also off-panel) discovers the bank of monitors and exclaims, “What is going on here?”

Realizing the Construct went down to easily, the JLI follows it.  Meanwhile, the monitors are revealed to be in a huge underground complex.  Someone sitting on a floating chair with his back to the reader appears to be having a conversation with the giant computer.  The computer says it is being used, forced to aid someone in their plans of world domination (which includes making android duplicates of world leaders).  The computer called floaty-chair in to help it because it has been turned into a slave.

The Construct crashes in through the well, saying, “Master, help me.”  Floaty-chair seems surprised, as does the Justice League (the Construct was always a sentient entity and had no “master”).  They follow it into the mountainside secret base only to be confronted by the New God Metron (floaty chair guy).

To be continued next issue…

No backup story in this issue.  Cap was given some good goofy lines.  The whole thing is just set-up for the next issue.  It isn’t as fun as JLI usually was, but by no means a stinker.  It was a popular book at the time and it prominently featured Captain Atom, so I loved it.  Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire were certainly churning out some great, fun books in the 80s.  A sold “A.”

“Who is Maxwell Lord?”

• Writers:  Keith Giffen & J.M. DeMatteis
• Pencils:  Kevin Maguire
• Inks:  Al Gordon
• Colors:  Gene D’Angelo
• Letters:  Bob Lappan

The issue opens with Metron explaining to the Justice League that his knowledge is his power.  Time and Space are his kingdoms to rule.  And he is very angry.  He says the Justice League has violated the sanctity of his “Earthly chambers” and damaged his “information retrieval unit.”  Blue Beetle is indignant, but Mr. Miracle cuts him off and tells Beetle to let him do the talking.  Captain Atom thinks Metron is powering up to attack and blasts him.  Mr. Miracle tackles Cap, saying he doesn’t know what he’s dealing with, that Mr. Miracle himself is the only one who knows what they’re dealing with.

Metron, completely nonplussed by Cap’s attack, asks Mr. Miracle who these fools he’s surrounded himself with are.  Captain Atom, insulted, wants to attack Metron again.  Metron wants to “explain” some “universal truths” to Cap.  The other Leaguers stand between Metron and Captain Atom to protect their comrade.  Metron begins to attack while Miracle desperately tries to cool the god off.  He reveals to all those present that he is the son of Highfather – one of Jack Kirby’s “New Gods,” and ruler of New Genesis.  Whatever computer entity is monitoring this did not know that Miracle was from New Genesis (technically he was from Apokolips and was raised by Darkseid).  Metron says he was summoned to this place (I guess it is like his Earth “outpost”) by the machinery itself crying out in pain and terror.  He says that prior to the JLI’s arrival, he felt the machine’s sentience.

There is a quick cut-scene involving the Global Guardians.  Green Flame and Icemaiden are collecting their paychecks.  They learn the Guardians have lost their United Nations funding and this is their final paycheck.  Tuatara and Dr. Mist are also present.  Later, Green Flame and Icemaiden show up at the nearest JLI embassy and apply for membership.  Back in the States, Metron has destroyed the machinery after learning the consciousness has fled.  He follows the Justice League shuttle in his Mobius Chair.  Mr. Miracle manages to make a pretty decent Star Trek joke as they fly after the fleeing intelligence.

Back at the Lord Building, Max is beating himself up for sending his team into a trap.  He’s wondering what’s he’s become (nothing compared to what he will become in a few years) when a dead body falls out of his closet.  It is Ms. Wootenhoffer, Max’s personal assistant and Manhunter agent that was killed in Justice League International #9.  Max’s computer reveals it killed her, and that Metron has destroyed it’s “home unit.”  It recommends that it uploads itself into NORAD’s mainframe.  The computer knows Metron is on his way and must work quickly if it is to succeed in taking over the world.  Max, finally growing a conscience, begins to rip the machine apart.  The computer reminds Max of the spelunking accident which took the life of his old CEO the day they stumbled into Metron’s lab.  It reminds him of how they took over the business world together and amassed a great wealth.  It reminds him of how they worked together to make a new Justice League, to “save the world from itself.”  It reminds him of how it manipulated the Royal Flush Gang into fighting the Justice League and how it used satellites to attack Rumaan Harjavti’s Bialya (in Justice League #4 and Justice League #7, respectively).  Max says he remembers, and that (even though the machine had been keeping him alive since Ms. Wootenhoffer shot him) he has had enough.  Max destroys the machine.

At the moment the machine “dies,” Metron senses it.  He bids Mr. Miracle farewell and flies away.  Back in his office, Max begins to bleed from his gunshot wounds.  He collapses.  The following day, Mr. Miracle and Oberon visit with Max’s doctor at the hospital he was admitted to.  He says Max was lucky the JLI found him when they did, otherwise Max may have died.  Oberon says he believes Max “has the right stuff,” and Mr. Miracle says Max isn’t being kicked out.  Martian Manhunter scanned Max’s mind and decided not to punish him (this is problematic for events that happen later on with Max Lord).  The issue ends with Max asleep in his hospital bed, clutching a Justice League pager.

This was a good issue, certainly “A” material.  Just a little light on Captain Atom.  He seemed to get shoved off to the side a lot, at least until the Justice League Europe series.  It was a good issue for Mr. Miracle fans, though.  I’m still a huge fan of Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire.

Cover Run: The DC Comics Art of Adam Hughes (June 2010)

Tags

Adam Hughes, Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Dr. Fate, Elongated Man, Fire, Flash, Gene D'Angelo, Ice, Josef Rubinstein, Martian Manhunter, Modern Age Captain Atom

I like Adam Hughes.  He’s one of the better artists to have worked on Justice League America.  He has an eye for bodies, particularly female bodies.  I liked his take on Captain Atom.  But, the cover of Justice League America #31 always bugged me.  And it is for a nitpicky little reason.  See, Captain Atom is on the cover.  But Cap isn’t in the book.  Now, he is part of the overall story arc, “The Teasdale Imperative,” but he wasn’t part of this issue, which is part one.  The cover was inked by Josef Rubinstein and colored by Gene D’Angelo. It was one of the many covers included in Cover Run: The DC Comics Art of Adam Hughes.

On a semi-related note, Splitting Atoms is one year old today.