What is the Revenge of the Brainiac Queen, trailed on Dan Mora’s decent cover?
Refusing to appear until the final page, apparently.
Oh well, it’s not like anyone has been clamouring for the return of the nasty robot from Absolute Power
What I have been wondering is how the world at large would react to the revelation that the League is letting villains become trainee members via an amnesty programme. You know, reasonable, easily controllable fellows like… Lex Luthor. You know who isn’t pleased?
Former Commissioner James Gordon, that’s who.
And the project isn’t exactly popular with every member of the League.
Not even those whose perspectives can be a little out there.
As for how reforming villains in the field are doing, Luthor, Dr Polaris and Starro the Conqueror are side by side with Wonder Woman. The Flash and Captain Marvel. The problem? Two villains who haven’t been invited to play nice, atomic nightmare Neutron…
… and mad magician Felix Faust.
Elsewhere in the universe, Green Lantern Guy Gardner is leading a mission to Oa to drop off a very special object for safekeeping.
They come across an unfamiliar spacecraft drifting over a planet, just as the power ball is propelled out of Guy’s hand and into space.
Within seconds the aliens in the mystery ship are horrified as they spot what’s occurring on the world below.
OK, maybe I was distracted by the thrill of seeing folk from Hykraius, homeworld of Legion of Super-Heroes member Tellus, a telepathic fish, but I didn’t immediately clock what was likely going on here. It seems the power ball has upgraded some dinosaurs. That could make for excitement next month – I do hope they get capes.
I was pleased to see writer Mark Waid face the obvious risks of the League’s amnesty programme, I expected them to be waved aside in favour of splashy fights involving goodies and baddies, side by side. But we get both – some fun action sequences and some pleasing character moments. I especially like seeing a bit of kickback against the class system built into this latest League, with Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman and Mr Terrific at the top, and everyone else under the colourful boots.
Waid does a fine job of juggling the balls he’s put into the air, power ball included, even if the back and forth plotlines do lead to that tiresome Brainiac Queen. He skilfully incorporates a long-forgotten aspect of Dr Polaris’ backstory into the argument around letting villains into the League. And the dialogue is sparky too, I was surprised to see that Creeper/Livewire podcast put to good use, I’d assumed it would never be seen again after its recent inauspicious debut.
The artistic juggernaut named Dan Mora keeps things visually thrilling, whether we’re in a fight or a conversation. That opening image of Jim Gordon is terrific, as is the fight with Silver Age JLA enemy Faust and Bronze Age Superman bad guy Neutron. And goodness me, that reporter and cameraman look rather familiar.
The colours are beautifully balanced by Tamra Bonvillain, which can’t be easy given the sheer number of brightly clad characters and varied backgrounds. And Ariana Maher does a splendid job of keeping the attractive character fonts straight.
I know I’ve been enjoying this series more than a lot of people – will this issue change any minds?
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 