One of the books which I feel was underappreciated and ultimately cancelled was Justice League 3001. A wonderful stew of action, humor, with multiple universe interpretations mashed into one wild world, and crazy new versions of classic comic characters, JL3001 was great. J.M. DeMatteis, Keith Giffen, Howard Porter, and Scott Kolins brought us an entertaining and electric romp of a book.
Moreover, it gave us a very interesting Supergirl, a Silver Age-y Kara who was thrust into a universal war and a leadership role in this League.
When the plug was pulled, the 3001 Flash and Batman were pushed back into the present day and were made part of the supporting cast of Blue Beetle.
I admit I didn't buy Beetle regularly, but last month we saw the League in a flashback panel. The Flash and Batman recognized they needed to get back to their time and help their team in the fight against Lady Styx.
Last week, Blue Beetle #13 came out which truly featured the JL3001 team, even promoting it on the cover dress.
This is the last issue for this Beetle creative team of J.M. DeMatteis, Keith Giffen, and Scott Kolins. Maybe realizing this might be their last chance to visit the 3001 universe, this book reads more like JL3001 and less like a Blue Beetle book. That made me happy. There isn't much closure here. The future of the 3001 universe is still up in the air.
DeMatteis and Giffen do make a solid connection between this book and the primary villain of the 3001 universe. And Kolins brings his usual gritty, rough energy to the fight.
But mostly, it was great to see this League one more time. I have missed reading their adventures monthly.
This Flash is something of a super-scientist, even from the standpoint of a future a thousand years in the future. She has cobbled together a cosmic treadmill with our antiquated technology but there was no energy source stable enough to power it and let the Flash guide herself and Batman back into their time.
That is, there was no energy source until she realized that the Beetle's scarab can provide that power.
But even this turns out to be quirky. It is the Flash and Beetle who are thrown into the future leaving Tina (Batman) still sitting in our time.
Meanwhile the Flash and Blue Beetle are dropped right into the middle of battle. And basically this book picks up right where the Justice League 3001 book ended, with the League battling Lady Styx's twisted version of the Legion of Super-Heroes at the League's 'secret' HQ on Paradise Island. .
There is our Supergirl, battering Mon-El. I am wondering if either Giffen or DeMatteis was commenting on the polarization of the Supergirl show fandom. It seems like 50% of the show's fans would love to see Kara batter Mon-El in this way. That said, it looks like this might be a gender-swapped Mon here.
With the added powers of the Flash, the league is able to round up the evil Legion and toss them through a portal and off Paradise Island.
It looks like Fire might be a casualty but then Ice uses her 'celestial' cold to heal Bea.
Hmmm ... okay ... whatever.
Throughout the fight, the star of the book Blue Beetle is trying to defend himself from Wonder Woman because she has mistaken him for a Legionnaire. Thankfully, the Flash shows up to clear his name.
And just like that the League is back together. Seriously, I miss this team and their book. It was great to see them one more time.
This battle might be over and chalked up as a victory but the war is far from over.
In a great Supergirl moment, we see this inspirational Supergirl, consoling her friend and being a leader.
It might not be 'hope, help, and compassion for all' but 'simple human decency will always triumph over evil' is a pretty good line for Kara.
But before the team can get settled, Flash and Beetle are teleported away directly to Lady Styx's lair. In a bit of exposition, Styx reveals that her plans have been in motion for some time and have involved the scarab. In fact, she has been involved in Jaime's life for a while now as Tia Amparo.
With a wave of her hand, she sends both Flash and the Beetle back to the present, marooning Teri once more in our time. And, of course, Jaime has lost his memories of his time in the future. He doesn't remember that Styx is meddling with his life.
I doubt I'll be picking up the Blue Beetle book so it will be interesting to see if Styx and the 3001 Leaguers remain part of the book's makeup or simply pushed aside.
But honestly, I don't care. I thought I would never see the 3001 League and that Supergirl again. One more look was like finding money in the pocket of the pants that went through the wash, a wonderful surprise.
Thanks to DeMatteis, Giffen, and Kolins!
Overall grade: B+
I liked this issue. I'm not a big Blue Beetle fan and I read it mostly because of the reappearance of the JL 3000.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless, Jaime is a funny character in a kind of "Peter Parker". The whole time he keeps a "How did I get myself into this mess?" attitude.
"Maybe realizing this might be their last chance to visit the 3001 universe, this book reads more like JL3001 and less like a Blue Beetle book."
That's my belief as well. I'm glad the creative team decided to solve the final issue's cliffhanger because it was truly annoying.
"There is our Supergirl, battering Mon-El. I am wondering if either Giffen or DeMatteis was commenting on the polarization of the Supergirl show fandom."
Funny. I thought of the same thing.
Anyway, Supergirl was great in this issue. She came up with the plan to achieve victory, she guessed the Legionnaires were being mind-controlled, and she reassured her teammates. This is a bona fide Bronze Age Kara: kind-hearted, fierce, seasoned and snarky. I'll miss her.
"In a great Supergirl moment, we see this inspirational Supergirl, consoling her friend and being a leader."
Do you think this scene will make it to your "Best of 2017" list?
It also appears the Legionnaires were being mind-controlled and Styx's influence is wearing off. Glad of it. They're not villains after all.
I think I recognize most of Legionnaires but I can't tell who the ponytailed, green-wearing girl, the horned, black-skinned, eye-glowing guy and the white blur are. Maybe the white blur is Phantom Girl? And the green ball with tentacles and purple dots? Maybe Brainiac-5?
Honestly I don't care for Lady Styx very much. Too powerful, too all-knowing, too competent. It's the kind of villain that you KNOW will be defeated by some convoluted deus ex machina.
A great issue, nevertheless.
I really hope we see the triumph of JL3001 against Lady Styx, just one special, that’s all we need...
ReplyDeleteThanks for comments.
ReplyDeleteI also don't quite understand the all-powerful Styx. In 3001, she basically rules the universe.
And that Supergirl moment is in the 'best of' pool. We'll have to wait to see if it makes the cut.
"I also don't quite understand the all-powerful Styx. In 3001, she basically rules the universe."
ReplyDeleteExactly. She's older than time, she's massively powerful, she's been ahead of the heroes every step of the way, she can send her enemies back to the past or teleport them away... and I rolled my eyes when she casually nullified Flash and Beetle's powers. So what she can do THAT, too? Okay. You KNOW how she'll go down. Either a Deus ex Machina happens or she'll forget her own powers or grab the Idiot Ball...