Comic a Day

The Great Comic Read Catch-Up /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

As noted on HIGMWTRC today, I am WAY behind on reading comics.  So, I need to read at least 4 every day.  I guess today I am going to count the four I read for the show:

You can hear my thoughts on these books by listening to "How I Got My Wife to Read Comics."  But I will say I really don't like the 3d covers.  They make the comic much bulkier, and, I think, harder to read.  

I am going to try to get a few more comics read before the end of the day.  If I do, I'll let you know tomorrow!  

Always catching up... /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

I am catching up on my comics from the last two weeks.  Lately I have been only reading the comics that I have to read for the show.  It is very bad of me!  But once again, I am determined to catch up before "New Comics Wednesday."

Do we need to thank "The Big Bang Theory" for making that a common knowledge thing?  A lot of my friends and family now know that comics come out on Wednesday.  But I also think we have to give them a wag of the finger for perpetuating the idea that comic book stores are only for males, and socially awkward ones at that.  Our LCB store is a great place, run by a family (husband, wife, kids) and I have, on many occasions, seen other women there.  I think if we look at the demographics of the "typical" comic buyer, we might even see that more of them are like Mark and me than like Sheldon and Leonard.  

But back to the comics I am reading today!  

Justice League Dark #5

This pretty much completes the first story arc of the New 52 JLD.  The team gets together and "fixes" Enchantress, but then breaks up right away.  Madame Xanadu feels she has failed.  Apparently, she just did the whole separate Enchantress from June Moon to get the team together.  Really, Madame X, you didn't think that through very well.  Since the book is continuing, I am sure the team will come together in some way.  I am looking forward to seeing how this continues.  In fact, I like it better than I like…

Justice League #5

The Justice League is trying to fight Darkseid, and, of course, they try to do it individually.  Well, it is issue 5 and they aren't the Justice League yet.  (But I guess, to be fair, JLD isn't the Justice League yet either).  I am wondering if they aren't ever going to be called "The Justice League."  Just because it is the name of the comic, doesn't mean they actually have to name the group.  

Anyway, everyone is going at Darkseid in a free-for-all, and getting beaten.  Batman, in a daring move, reveals his true identity to Green Lantern ("Who's Bruce Wayne?"), and talks him into trying to get the team working as a group.  Meanwhile, he goes after Batman.  And then finds himself, I am guessing, on Apokolips.    Still not a lot of story. 

Legion Secret Origins #4

This book is a really nice retelling of the Legion origins.  I am enjoying it, but don't have much more to say about it.

Superman #5

Seriously unimpressed with this title.  Why does it bore me so?  There is a fake Superman in Metropolis.  Yawn.  I guess that I was so invested in the previous story line (pre-New 52) and the relationships in it, that I am having problems caring about these new people who haven't really (in 5 issues) coalesced into people for me.  I haven't really gotten anything about their relationships to each other or to Superman.  I really don't care about anyone in this comic, let alone Clark/Superman.  

The Flash #5

The art in this book is nice.  The frozen scenes at Iron Heights were really well done.  While I think Iris and Patty look very much alike except for hair color and glasses, that may just be because Barry has a "type."  I'll give the artist the benefit of the doubt, there.   

Catwoman #5

Poor Selina.  First she gets her fence killed, then she steals from the Gotham PD. Inadvertently, but she is, nonetheless, on the bad side of Gotham's dirty cops.  This title has done a pretty good job of redeeming itself from the first (post New 52) issue.  

 

Justice League America #59 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

Break Downs, Part 13

This cover looks like a trip back to the Bwa-ha-ha's!  Things haven't been especially funny lately, so J'onn and Beetle in a big cauldron is amusing.  I think that's Power Girl tied up behind her.  I am not sure how you tie up Metamorpho, though.  Couldn't he just change elements and slip out of the rope? 

In a side note, this issue must mark a point where Mark switched the kind of bags he was using for comics.  Instead of being  taped closed, this one has a line of adhesive all the way across, which is making it difficult to open.  I wonder when he switched back to regular bags?

Not a lot happened in this issue.  At least, compared to the last few issues.  The League did go to KooeyKooeyKooey, where J'onn surrenders to Dreamslayer for the entire JLA.  Apparently he surrenders to save the life of the chief of KooeyKooeyKooey.  This is where I part ways with these superheroes.  Do you really surrender to save one guy, when the lives of so many are at stake.  We'll see how many people may die later, so the chief could live.  Of course, it is possible that J'onn is already being mind-controlled by Dreamslayer using Max's powers.

Batman shows up at the JLA cave, where Sue, Cath, the injured Guy Gardner and Ralph are still present, just in time to receive a message from KooeyKooeyKooey showing all the JLA members there, natively dressed and declaring themselves "The New Extremists."  That can't be good.

And we never got to see the boys in a cannibal's pot.  Lying cover.

Justice League Europe #30 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

Break Downs Part 4:

Note the issue title "The Widening Gyre." No, this is not the Batman series!Again, I have already discussed Part 3 of Break Downs, as a part of JLA.  And, I have to admit, that the story makes much more sense if you read all the parts.  This issue does a credible job of recapping in the first few pages, much more so than JLA does.  

While the news is reporting the apparent deaths of Captain Atom and Inspector Camus, the reader knows better.  And, in fact, Crimson Fox (in her real life identity as head of an international conglomerate) has brought Captain Atom, Ice, Beetle and Ralph (all in disguise) with her to Bialya for a "vacation."  

The group discovers secret tunnels, which are probably what the Queen Bee uses to nab people and brainwash them.  Our heroes use the tunnels to get to the Dome.  Beetle, at least, has figured out that the bullets used to try to kill Max were a plant, designed to make it look like Queen Bee shot Max.  But Beetle figures it must have been a meta-human, since otherwise they would have left a trail.  Beetle is proving his smarts, now.  He thinks it must have been one of the Global Guardians.  

The group breaks into the Dome, and finds the Guardians all "frozen," not literally frozen, Ice, just figuratively.  While Beetle is looking at the computers, trying to figure out what is wrong, Captain Atom notices that Jack O'Lantern is not among those present.  Right then, Jack O'Lantern shows up with Mermaid, and proceeds to engage the JLI in a fight.  During the course of the fight, Jack kills Mermaid, but then "wakes up" the rest of the Global Guardians, proclaiming that the Justice League killed Mermaid.

Queen Bee calls Kurt Waldheim (whom we know now to be a drone of the Queen) to mobilize the JLI to take out the ex-JLI.  Which leads us into part 5, see previous entry!

Oh, and Manga Khan made an obsure appearance, selling something off to a group who wants a planet killer.  Could this be how Despero got loose?

 

Justice League #57 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

Breakdown, Part 9

"Maxwell Lord is back!  And the Extremists have got him!"  

I have never heard of the Extremists.  They look weird.  So much for the cover.  

We actually start off the issue in space.  I don't think I mentioned it at the time, but Despero was in a recent issue.  I think he wants revenge on the JLA.   Lobo is on the trail, looking for Despero for Manga Khan.  Lobo has started giving monologues like Manga Khan and all those who have attended and/or taken correspondent courses from him.  Poor Lobo.  

Camus (Inspector, not reporter; that's what I get for skipping installments) is trying to get a hold of the JLI to report that some robots (Extremist robots!) have gone missing, and that someone named Mitch Wacky might be in danger.  Should I know that name?  But the party at the cave (for Max coming out of the coma) is too loud and Beetle can't really hear -- or doesn't want to try too hard to hear.  But that's okay, because "The Beefeater" shows up to handle the problem.  Head slap.  Poor Camus.

Max makes it to the party, and we see all kinds of heroes there, as well as two little kids.  I have no idea who those kids are.  Who would bring kids to a superhero party?  Those never end well.  But nothing really happens.  Camus and Beefeater show up and join the party, after Max tells them he'll take care of the Extremists problem.  So, while everyone is having fun, Max takes off for KooeyKooeyKooey for some rest and rehab.

At some point, Camus decides to head to the JLA headquarters in New York to look for Mitch Wacky.  While he and Beefeater are looking, Despero arrives and pretty much destroys the headquarters, and maybe severely injures those two.  

And Max arrives on KooeyKooeyKooey, where Mitch Wacky is being forced to build/repair robots for .... DREAMSLAYER!  WHO HAS TAKEN OVER MAX'S BODY!  

Two big story lines.  What will happen next?  I won't know, as I don't have Breakdowns, Part 8.  

Justice League #55 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

Breakdown, Part 5

First page, I am already lost.  Blue Jay?  Who is that?  It appears as though the Justice League renegades, Beetle, Ralph, Ice and Captain Atom, are in conflict with the Global Guardians in Bialya.  One of the GG is dead.  Beetle seems like a voice of reason, wanting to stop the fight and find out what happened to Mermaid, but Captain Atom doesn't.  

Then, a check in with Queen Bee.  She wonders why the JLA is here now, but assumes the Global Guardians will take care of them.  And in another room, Sumaan is expositing about his role in this whole mess.  He had Jack kill Mermaid, I guess to make the JLA look bad.  He is determined to rule Bialya.

The rest of this issue is just action packed.  The renegades from the Justice League are trying to get away from the Global Guardians without a fight.  The Global Guardians are being mind-controlled by Queen Bee.  The rest of the JLI is coming in, at Queen Bee's request, to remove the renegades, who have uncovered the secret chambers where Queen Bee has her mind controlling equipment.

Suddenly, there is a big explosion, and the hidden complex collapses, with everyone inside.  The Queen is distressed because this will reveal her evil machination, and she moves to get out of the country.  Ice has saved all the JLA inside the complex, and they start tending to the other wounded.  The Global Guardians realize they have been mind-controlled, and that Jack O'Lantern is NOT really Jack O'Lantern.  And, by the way, Kurt Heimlich is a robot?  

Ice seems to get some sort of mental call about her family, and she flies off.  Fire follows.  Sumaan kills Queen Bee.  Wow!  This was some issue!

And in a final note, the letter column was put in the middle of the book, to make room for double-page spreads and a ballot to vote on who should be in the Justice League.  It is quite the list.  There are 40 characters listed, and they don't say how many you should vote for.  Maybe six?  Is that what the League usually has?  And you could have a write in vote.  Hmmm.  G'nort's not on the list.  I know who I'd vote for.  Booster, Beetle, Fire, Ice, Elongated Man and Martian Manhunter.  But Sue Dibny comes with Ralph, right?

Justice League #54 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!  This is a 15-PART!!!! miniseries.  I was just reading on the DC wiki that it also signals a move from a humorous book to a more serious book.  We are changing creative teams.  Boo-hoo, sob, cry.  But this might also explain the cover of issue 54, which looks like Blue Beetle and Ice have thrown away their costumes, and are walking into the night together.  

So, the new JLI leader takes over.  The first page shows Kurt in the office of the Ambassador of Bialya.  From this, I learn that apparently Captain Atom has done something in Bialya in the second part of this story arc.  We then see Kurt calling the JLE embassy and telling Sue that she should pack up Captain Atom's bags, so he'd be kicked to the curb when he got back from Bialya.  Meanwhile, in Bialya, Sumaan Harjavti, the brother of the deposed and murdered Rumaan, is plotting with Jack'o'lantern to take out the Queen Bee.  I am not sure if they are the ones plotting against Max in order to get the Justice League to take out the Queen or not, bu it seems as they are.  And then the plane carrying Captain Atom and Camus (a reporter?) out of Bialya explodes.  Since it is Captain Atom, the only people on that plane that I would be worried about are the pilots.

Kurt is on his way to the JLA headquarters, where everyone is worried he's going to clean house, like he did in London (Ralph and Atom both fired).  In fact, he fires Beetle and Ice.  I think Fire used her wiles to stay on.  Guy might have been fired, but didn't let Kurt get a word in.  Then Kurt brings in the Tasmanian Devil and Doctor Light.  Tasmanian Devil really doesn't like Guy.

And even more story...  Crimson Fox, Ralph, Camus and Captain Atom bring Beetle and Ice into a secret group to get the Queen Bee, and return to Max to power so that they can get rid of Kurt Heimlech.  

Again, I am impressed by how much story is told in one of these issues.  The new JLA would probably have taken 5 issues to this one.  I guess maybe it's a matter of liking the new art so much that one can sacrifice the speed of storytelling?  I don't know, but I like these so much better.

Justice League #53 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

First Part of "Break Downs." 

And I am noticing that the next issues are number 3 and number 5.  So I guess, once again, I will miss partial issues in a series.  Darn you, DC.  

I had already forgotten that Max was shot at the end of the last issue.  I was looking at this cover and wondering if it was Beetle in the hospital (after getting beat up by Max), but, no, Beetle is there.  I just thought Guy looked so broken up.  Everyone looks very sad.  And the doctor seems to be telling them someone is dead.  

We get a recap at the beginning of the issue.  Max Lord is shot while out with his current girlfriend.  He doesn't really seem to have been shot-shot, though, as there was no noise, and the bullets appeared from nowhere.  We also learn that Max was once married, to the current head of the Conglomerate (which may be the super-group that Booster left to join?).  I think she must have something to do with it!

So while Max is lying in the hospital, the UN is debating on whether to let the JLI keep their charter.  Since Max is dying, who could possibly run the JLI?  Since Max hasn't really been around, and since the JLI really doesn't seem to do much in the way of fighting super-villians, I think anyone could!

The JLI is standing around in the hospital, debating what to do.  Will Max be okay?  Should Guy be there?  (Since Max didn't have a chance to fire him, he hasn't left yet.)  Fire complains that she feels so helpless, not being out looking for the culprit.  Everyone goes in to see Max, who is in critical condition (and in a HUGE bed).  Booster and his boss (Max's ex wife) come in.  So now there are at least 9 people in this room, standing around the bed.  This is one huge hospital room!  And with all these people, Max's current girlfriend is nowhere to be seen.  Hmmmm.

Then, J'onn gets a call that the JLI is needed.  And Fire, who has just been complaining about not doing anything at the hospital, doesn't want to leave.  Argh.  But the whole JLA goes off to fight rescue people in a subway tunnel that collapsed.  

Once the JLA leaves, the JLA arrives.  The Justice League ANTARCTICA!  Well, they aren't JL-Antarctica anymore, they are just a bunch of second-rate villains.  But they should get to visit Max, too.  They like Max. Perhaps they should have come one at a time, as they really scare the guards and staff.  Eventually things work out, and J'onn puts "JL-Ant" in charge of guarding Max.  

At the same time, though, the UN is getting together to completely reform the JLI, under Kurt Heimlich.  I am not sure who this is.  

And, before I forget, there was a brief interlude with Manga Khan in this issue.  To me, it sounded like he might be after OMAC.  Hmmmm.

Justice League #51 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

Is that G'nort on the cover between J'onn and Kilowog?  

My Dinner with G'nort

It is!  G'nort seems strangely attracted to the JLA (or strangely attractive to the JLA writers).  G'nort decides to pop in for a visit, but finds no one at home.  J'onn is off to meditate, and everyone else is off on business.  He sends G'nort down to watch some TV.  Kilowog hears G'nort talking to General Glory's puppy, and comes in to see if he might want to go out on the town.  Kilowog must be very bored.  And while they are talking, we get a peek at Fire, who appears ready to go out on the town in one of her poorly chosen outfits.  During this run, I really never tire of picking on Fire's clothing choices.  Really, a red, white and blue bandeau with that green hair?  Fire needs a Project Rooftop makeover!

So Kilowog tells L'ron to tell J'onn that he and G'nort are going out on the town.  L'ron does.  J'onn realizes this is a mistake, and runs out to stop them.  He ends up going along, to keep them out of trouble.  First stop, men's clothing store.  J'onn wants them to look a little more normal.  That makes sense.  But nothing fits Kilowog, until G'nort uses his ring to fix up a suit.  And all the bills go to Max.  I bet Max loves that.

Back at headquarters, Booster comes to visit.  I miss Booster.  Isn't it about time for the next issue of the new JLI to come out?  When he hears that J'onn is out with G'nort and Kilowog, he is sure that they will all end up in jail.  And when Beetle wanders in, they agree it just a matter of time.  (I loved the little exchange between Beetle and Booster.  Come home, Booster!)

So, the evening out continues with a Broadway show.  J'onn, J'onn, J'onn, why in the world would you pick CATS as the show to see?  Not only is it a cliché, you have G'nort with you!  Indeed, G'nort reacts much as you might expect to the "cats" on the stage, and the three are ejected from the theater.  "Take them home, J'onn," you might be saying to yourself.  But no, J'onn is persuaded to take them to dinner at no less a place than Windows on the World (which was at the top of the North Tower of the World Trade Center, and was a truly impressive place to visit).  Unbeknownst to our heroes, the restaurant was also chosen by the man formerly known as Black Hand, as the location to celebrate his triumph over his "hero-phobia".  Black Hand was last seen when Guy took Ice on a date to one of his "dancing" establishments.  When our three heroes arrive, G'nort is forced to change his appearance, as "pets" are not allowed in the restaurant.  J'onn is already in his human guise.  They are seated, and G'nort and Kilowog talk J'onn into letting down their disguises for just one toast.  

But that is enough.  Black Hand sees J'onn and G'nort, and instantly loses control. He attacks, and ends up breaking through the glass and taking G'nort with him.  G'nort's ring is in J'onn's pocket (boy, that's a few apostrophes), so he can't fly.  Whoops.  Eventually, they are saved by J'onn, but the three do end up arrested.  They have to be bailed out by Beetle and Booster, who don't let them forget it!

This is CLASSIC JLI.  I love the funny issues best of all.  J'onn trying to cope with the madness.  Booster and Beetle together.  Even Fire's bad outfits.  

(This reminded me of the "My Dinner with Abed" episode of Community.  Not that they were in any way similar in story.  Watch it!)

 

Justice League #50 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

DOUBLE SIZED 50th issue!

Well, this issue wraps up the General Glory story line.  Predictably, the Evil Eye is destroyed by the JLA, and Schmidt (who is also the Evil Eye, a Nazi villian) confesses to having been a part of the set up to defame General Glory, all masterminded by the very man running the whole General Glory operation.  J. Newkirk Sharp did it for love; he wanted General Glory's girl. So he made it appear that General Glory was going insane, then had scientists wipe his memories.  Poor Louise died of a broken heart, so it was all for nothing.  So, that was the first story.  The second story was actually "The Last General Glory Story," which told of what Sharp did.  Then we go back to the JLA, where Lightray and Orion are quitting the League (that makes me happy, as I don't think they ever fit in), and Shilo, the new Mister Miracle, wants to join.   Max and Scott Free don't think he is ready.  

I did like the way Ernie told the General to stop with the exposition.  These guys really do talk to themselves a lot. Maybe General Glory took some classes at the Manga Khan correspondence school, too.  And I wonder how Ernie feels about being so old now, when General Glory appears to be the same age.  Would General Glory have aged if Sharp hadn't made him revert to human form?  Or is General Glory sort of like Captain Marvel?  For right now, all these questions remain unanswered. 

And finally, we get a really weird story about Guy visiting the offices of the comics company that puts out the JLA title in their universe, in order to get a job for the General Glory comic book artist.  I am sure this story must have had some inside meaning at the time, but I am not sure what!  It was written, pencilled, inked and all by Kyle Baker, who has won lots of awards for various comics, and this seems to have been pretty early in his career.  It did have an interesting "villian," Ktrrogarrx, who looks sort of like a giant purple dinosaur with little wings and heat vision.  Ktrrogarrx has his own reasons for wanting to destroy the Earth, which is is not sharing with us. 

I am glad the General Glory story is over, and I think the writers may be, too.  Or maybe had heard complaints, as the tagline on the first page is "At last, the concluding chapter to the seemingly endless General Glory saga!" 

Justice League #47 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

So, the General Glory saga continues.  All five parts are in the JLI title, so I didn't have to pull any extra titles.  That is good.

As we start off, we learn what the rest of the gang was up to while Guy was at the comic book convention.  They were all off to observe Mr. Miracle perform in Washington Square park.  They are all observing from the Beetle craft, when it appears that the escape goes wrong.  Beetle picks up the safe, in which Mr. Miracle is supposedly trapped, with a big grappling hook, and they start to carry it back to the JLA headquarters.  But what do we see?  Scott Free and Oberon in the crowd, almost cursing Beetle's interference.

There are lots of Bwah-ha-has in this issue!  Beetle is having a roaring good time.  

While on the way back to headquarters, the safe, still dangling underneath the Beetle-mobile, opens, and Mr. Miracle falls out.  But it is not Scott Free!  It is someone else.  What could be going on?

Meanwhile, back at Headquarters, Guy is trying to convince J'onn that Captain General Glory should join the JLA.  No one knows him except as a comic book hero, but Guy insists he is the real thing.  And we also learn that Scott is training a replacement Mr. Miracle.  Hmmm, how does that work, I wonder?

While all this is going on, General Glory's arch-nemesis is plotting to get him, and blows up his hideout.  While trying to put out the fire and rescue any squatters in the building, the JLA and General Glory run into a giant Nazi robot.  Do robots sell as many comic books as gorillas?  Do Nazis sell as many comic books as gorillas?  

Of course, the JLA prevails, but the nemesis escapes to fight another day (this is a five part series).  And the JLA ends up with a dog, and with a hero that can actually keep Guy Gardner in line (Yes, Sir!).

JLA #46 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

Well, a bit late today, but still posted.  We went to Mid-Ohio Comic Con today.  It was pretty good.  Not San Diego or C2E2 good, but we still managed to find lots to see and do.  I really think, though, that I have to start remembering the artists whose work I really like, as well as the writers, so when we go to the cons I can know who to look for.  But on to today's JLA.

This is part one of five.  I am going to make sure that all of the five are in the JLA series, and if they are not, I am going to pull the others.  I am tired of not getting the whole story!

After reading the first section, where one old man attacks another old man, I am assuming that Joe is General Glory, and Schmidt is an old Nazi nemesis.  Joe hits the road.  With my super-deductive power, I am going to bet that what he can't remember are the words that turn him into General Glory?  Back to the book...

Now I am discovering how appropriate this book is for today.  Guy goes to a comic book convention to buy the last known first issue of General Glory!  I love how he talks about the geeks in costume, "You'd never catch me dressing up..." and then bypasses paying by using this power ring.  Of course, he gets asked to autograph a copy of the JLI comic where he shares the cover with Lobo, before he got his own personality back.  He didn't like that!  And, it turns out, Guy is also an embezzler, as he "dips into" the JLA funds to buy General Glory #1.  Bad Guy!  

Of course, the old guy turns out to be General Glory, who just needed to see the comic book to know what the magic words were.  And Guy gets to meet his hero.  

 

JLA #45 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

The issue I have been waiting for..."A Fool in Love."  Guy kissing Ice right on the cover.  Although Ice seems a little surprised by it.  

 

We open with Fire returning from a shopping trip where she has again indulged her questionable taste in clothing.  But mainly, we open with Oberon talking to Max about quitting the League.  Since I thought he was principally Mr. Miracle's sidekick, I am surprised he is still there.

But the main story is Guy and Ice.  Apparently, they have been trying to date all along.  Ice really wants to see the good in Guy, but Guy just keeps picking things like cock-fighting as appropriate date venues.  Gah.  How can Ice take it?  But she'll try again, by picking the Ice Capists as a destination.  What, we can say Ice Capades?  Why not?  They still use Oreos for J'onn's favorite cookie (lately, they have been referred to as "Chocos").

No one can imagine Guy at the Ice Capades.  Yes, I will say it!  But does okay with skating bears and Andy the Aardvark.  No problems until, imagined by Beetle and orchestrated by Kilowog, Guy Gardner ON ICE is introduced.  A large, grinning,  ice skating Guy Gardner.  Who finishes his routine by losing his pants and displaying heart covered boxers.  Guy manages to hold it in, besides one frustrated growl, but he didn't say another word.  Until he gets home and his date is over (since he promised Ice that nothing would make him upset), and he finds the Guy costume in his bed.  THEN he starts ranting at at Guy and Kilowog.  And during this tirade, Oberon silently leaves the JLA headquarters, and the JLA behind...

Now, I have to go grab the next bunch for the long box...   Maybe I'll get some JLE, too.

JLA #44 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

Another good cover!  I really like Wally Tortolini!   Although he really didn't intend to be a villain.  Let's see if I can remember all the weapons he has...

Tuning Fork Gun from Sonar

Star Helmet Helmet from Brainstorm

Crowbar (of Crowbar?)

Sword of Cavalier

Power Stone of Black Rock

So Wally has won all these items, but doesn't know how to use them.  He starts playing around, and knocks a whole in his apartment wall.  He wants to get away before the cops come to arrest him, but walks right into the arms of ...  who?  Not the cops, not the FBI.  Someone wants the dirt Wally dug up on the JLA, and wants it bad.  Wally meets a cadre of "men in black" who will stop at nothing to get Wally's notebook. 

Wally is ready to surrender, when he figures out these aren't the cops.  He is going to go down fighting.  The news media starts reporting on the incident, saying that it is, in fact, a group of supervillains attacking, based on the weapons being used.  The villains, watching from "The Dark Side" bar, get angry.  They go to confront Wally.  The "men in black," seeing that there is more attention on them than they want, leave.  Wally "gives" the stuff back to the villains, just in time for the JLA to show up and capture them.  Poor villains.  Not really their fault this time.   Wally gets away again, but realizes that the notebook could cause problems, so he gives it to J'onn.  J'onn and Max decide it needs to be burned!  Burned and the ashes obliterated.  

A few things I really liked in this issue:

 -- Star Trek references (Wally seems to think he is Captain Kirk.)

-- Wally thinking he should give up journalism to write comics.

-- All the "Bwahhahaha"

-- Spit takes in comics!

-- L-Ron!  Even a bit part.  Is L-Ron going to take the place of Oberon?

-- Never give your kid a weird name (Mortimer, Bito...)

-- "I can hurl starbolts!  I can move objects!  I...I forgot to turn it on."

-- The Cavalier looks a lot like Inigo Montoya.   

And, really, Fire has the WORST taste in clothing.  Good thing for her she doesn't really need a superhero costume anymore.

Justice League #37 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

“Intruder Alert”

What could possible be invading Justice League Headquarters this time?
Beetle and Booster are still on clean up duty, and Booster is feeling a little put-out.  Excuse me, Booster, but you could be in JAIL, you know?  Accomplice to embezzlement?  Stealing funds from the UN-funded Justice League accounts has to be a crime.  

This must be when Booster starts doing product endorsements.  He needs money and he so desperately doesn’t want to be a joke.  (Hey, at least he’s not Aquaman.)   Booster goes off to meet with Claire Montgomery...maybe a publicist?  Which leads to Booster coming back to headquarters and QUITTING!  Poor Beetle.  Will he lose his best friend?

As for the B and C stories -- or maybe Booster was the B story?  Remember the alley behind the building?  We find out that the mysterious figure seen previously is actually a reporter, out to dig dirt (literally, garbage) on the JL members.  When Guy goes to investigate noises, he accidentally lets a cat into the building.  The cat (maybe more than a cat?) finds its’ way into Fire’s bedroom, where she is getting dressed, and she once again starts a fire in her room.  Guy goes to investigate and gets attacked by the cat.  He wants to do some vile things to the cat, but Fire prevents it.  Meanwhile, the sprinklers are soaking the building, AGAIN.  Fire really needs to learn to control those new powers.

And what is with the space creature partway through the book?  He looks like a red Martian.  I don’t remember red Martians.  Green and white, yes, but not red.  I guess I will find out.

Before I Forget... JL #36 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

Justice League of America # 36
G’nort by G’nortwest

I thought G’nort should have an apostrophe!  In the previous appearance by G’nort, the dog-like Green Lantern, there was no apostrophe.  In this issue, there is.  The presence of the apostrophe, to me, changes the pronounciation!  G’nort implies the G is NOT silent.  Gah-nort.  That’s my last word on the subject...

Lots of good things in this issue.  “The Manga Khan School of Melodrama” being my favorite.  I would like to take a correspondence course from there!  I am sure the “Scarlet Skier” must be a satire of another superbeing...maybe the Silver Surfer?  No one believes in him, poor Skier.  And really, how much of a dweeb villian do you have to be to have G’nort as your arch-nemesis?  Suffice it to say, G’nort (sort of) saves the day, and rides off into the sunset with (sort of) with his new partner.

I just love saying "G'nort".  

 

 

Justice League #33 and #34 /  by MELINDA Schmidbauer

Two comics again today...making up for last week. 

Justice League America #34

"Island Life"

Major Disaster and Big Sir are living in a flea bag apartment, not doing much of anything besides complaining about being poor (and Big Sir is apparently learning to count cards) when Major D comes across an ad for CLUB JLI.  Yes, the resort on KooeyKooeyKooey is opened for business with hotel, casino, and spa.  But apparently Max doesn't know anything about it.  In fact, Max realizes that Booster and Beetle have, basically, embezzled the start-up funding from the JLA.  

Major Disaster decides that he and Big Sir can fund their plans for world domination by counting cards and winning at the casino.  (Why go to the JLI casino for that?  Wouldn't any casino do?)  Of course, Beetle doesn't recognize them when they arrive, and welcomes them in.  So, they head to the casino, and start betting with a dollar.  Now, even if Big Sir knows what the cards are, I don't see how that guarantees him so many winning hands.  Not at black jack.  Maybe poker.  But he is obviously playing Black Jack, and getting 21s.  I just don't understand how.  Big Sir ends up breaking the bank, when Aquaman appears.  

Evacuate now, he says.  The island is unstable, he says.  And sure enough, before the evacuation can get underway, the island wakes up, dislodges itself and starts to move.  Yes, the island is alive.  Big Sir and Major Disaster lose all the money they just won when it floats off into the ocean (kids, let this be a lesson.  Always get the wire transfer, not the cash.  And why didn't they have to pay taxes?).  

Justice League #35

Well, Booster and Beetle have really messed this up!  The island of KooeyKooeyKooey has drifted (or ran) away, destroying the resort and, especially damaging, the JLA transporter tubes.  No one can escape the island, but no one can get there either.  And apparently Max, Oberon, Ice and Huntress were on their way when the tubes were destroyed.  Now they are marooned in the ocean somewhere.  What to do?  Force a sick Ice to make an ice berg so they don’t have to float in the water.  Of course, Ice is the one that is injured.  She is the only one with real powers.  Stung by jelly fish, she is barely managing to hang on.  The JLA communicators apparently can’t handle being dunked in water, and then sharks show up.  Things go from bad to worse when Max tells Huntress that he “coerced” her into joining.  He is forced to then “coerce” her into forgetting that he said that!

In the meantime, the tourists are getting restless.  Not the natives.  The chief, who talks to the island, expected something like that would happen, and “goes with the flow.”  But the tourists!  They want their luggage, or to go home, or some food.  What can save the island?  Major Disaster, Aquaman and some whales!  Go Aquaman!  They manage to anchor the island on a volcano.  At this point, somewhat portentiously, Booster worries that Max may shot him through the head over this.  Beetle say "Max'd never do that."  Poor, poor Beetle.  Max will do exactly that later.  But for now, Aquaman rescues the stranded JLA members.  Guy arrives in the nick of time to rush Ice off to a hospital.  

So, to make it all up, Booster and Beetle have to provide maid service in the JLA headquarters.  Excuse me?  Maid service?  They embezzled funds, used JLA resources (Kilowog) in a private investment scheme, stranded tourists, and were probably ignoring customs laws.  And they get sentenced to MAID SERVICE?  Something’s wrong there.  

As is something wrong in the alley behind the JLA.  Maybe we’ll learn more about that later.  I hope we haven't see the last of KooeyKooeyKooey.