It has been three months since the last issue of Justice League United was released. In that issue, the Infinitus Saga came to an end, Supergirl had an intriguing moment with Brainiac 5, and the team came together saying they should stay unit and work together. Stargirl and Equinox and Supergirl squealed about how they would be great friends.
Then Convergence happened. Supergirl was canceled and basically placed in limbo. DCYou came about with an attempted reinvigoration of the universe. And Jeff Lemire, the then writer of JLU, left the book.
The 'new' JLU was then given a sneak peek in the back matter of Convergence. New writer Jeff Lemire would have a small core unit of Leaguers. But those Leaguers would bring in mission-specific agents to fight targeted threats. Basically, Parker would suddenly have the every character in the DCU to play with.
Still, there was part of me that wondered. Why no Supergirl? How would that be explained?
Justice League United #11 came out and we learned the new state of this League.
Adam Strange seems to be living as a disembodied spirit in the Zeta-field. He can detect 'Breakers', beings worming into this universe but threatening the space/time continuum.
The current team is Animal Man, Equinox, and Alana Strange.
As for all the other team members? They are gone. J'Onn and Ollie had to 'cut out' without any warning.
And Supergirl? She 'bolted'.
She bolted.
Okay DC. The show is coming out soon. How about we get our act together and give us some news about Kara? How about something more substantial than she 'bolted'.
All that said, I liked the issue and the concept a lot. Fighting some odd evil plants/anti-Green beings, the League recruits Mera, Swamp Thing, Etrigan, and Poison Ivy. It is a trippy read. And the recruitment scenes are a lot of fun.
I am growing fonder of Travis Foreman's art. It is quirky and warped and stylish. But I can't take my eyes off it and I think that is the whole point. His Mera is stunning.
So, even without Supergirl, I guess I am going to get this title. It is sort of like a massive DC Comics Presents!
This was considerably better than any issue of Lemire's second arc and arguably most of the first. Parker seems to have the distinct voices of the core team intact, the guests are cool and the story weird enough to be intriguing for a while. I would prefer a smoother artist but I do think Foreman shines on the weird and wonderful stuff in this issue so I'd much rather have someone with a clear style like him than a more generic artist. I hope Parker gives some attention to developing the regulars in this book ongoing though, Equinox is still too new, she especially needs storylines centred on her. I can't really forgive Lemire for introducing her and then immediately sidelining her to waste our time with the Legion of SuperZeroes.
ReplyDeleteDo you think maybe they still don't have a plan for Supergirl, so Parker and his editors made it as vague as possible while still drawing attention to the fact that she's gone?
I agree with what Thomas says above. Martian Manhunter has his own series, and I think that by saying GA is gone and Supergirl bolted, it was a way of getting that information out there as fast as possible. I'd have hated to see them waste a page or two explaining what, frankly, they don't know. What will the eventual Supergirl series be like or the new direction in Green Arrow and Martian Manhunter? At some point, in a perfect DC universe, we might get the answers in the various titles, though I tend to doubt that.
ReplyDeleteNot a fan of the arc, but I do think the premise is good and I like the new logo.
They might as well call it "Justice League Unlimited" as the premise is the same as the cartoon. Having Supergirl "bolt" makes it sound like she couldn't get away from the team fast enough, and isn't very loyal. I can't blame Lemire for leaving, IF editorial was to blame to make it very UN-Justice League Canada. Is it even set in Canada? Why is Adam Strange in the sitch he's in? A reaction to the "fix" he and Alana were given?
ReplyDeleteAs you pointed out in your SDCC Wrap Up post Anj, they oddly did not have any sort of announcement
ReplyDeleteabout ANY sort of Supergirl title.
Suspect Parker, et al are as much in the dark as we are as to the "official direction" and that the
"she bolted" comment is the best explanation they can come up with till TPTB hand down word from onhigh
what to do next.
Given that, I'm curious what's going to happen in JL3001 and the last panel where we had Silver Age
Kara awakening in 1 hour.
We can only see
Regards
Thanks for comments.
ReplyDeleteI agree there is a sort of negative connotation with 'bolted' - either running away from something or abandoning something.
I would have preferred 'you know why she couldn't be on the team'. Just as vague if not vaguer.
We'll keep waiting for a new book. Maybe a holiday gift?
Feelin' the Luv DC Comics, Feelin' the Luv!
ReplyDelete;)
JF
I'm with everyone else, yes indeed, they likely can't say where Kara is, but 'bolted' is such a loaded term. I'd love someone to have simply said she was off on a mission across the galaxy, visiting her friends at Crucible, or the Red Lanterns - something positive.
ReplyDelete