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Shotgun Reviews presents:
Justice
League International:
Turning a Legend Upside Down
by: Russ Ray
The Justice
League of America was a mainstay of the DC Universe throughout
the Silver Age and on after the Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Earth's mightiest superheroes (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman,
The Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman and The Martian Manhunter)
banded together to fight villains so powerful that only their
combined might could defeat them. Villains like Starro the
Conqueror, Despero, Felix Faust, the Royal Flush Gang, Doctor
Destiny and more met the league head-on every month.
The roster
changed and names moved in and out, but the JLA never seemed
to lack in firepower until late in its run. A weak team of
Steel, Vibe, Gypsy, Vixen and JLA mainstay Martian Manhunter
ended the book's 260-something issue run in the mid-80's.
In the
aftermath of the Legends crossover, a new league was being
formed. However, it was reduced to second-string characters
like Blue Beetle, Mr. Miracle, Captain Marvel and Guy Gardner.
The only original members were Batman, Martian Manhunter and
Black Canary.
In 1987,
"Justice League" was relaunched. The first 6 issues were not
that impressive. The personalities were too disparate and
so strong that they were pulling against each other. Batman's
leadership approach was resisted by Guy Gardner and ridiculed
by Blue Beetle, Booster Gold and Mr. Miracle. Black Canary,
Martian Manhunter and Captain Marvel seemed caught in the
middle, while Dr. Fate was just nonexistent.
In #7,
the Justice League fell under the banner of the U.N. Maxwell
Lord became the League's director of operations. Martian Manhunter
took over as leader from Batman and things lightened up considerably.
Any JLI issue from #7 on up to #60 (as well as Annuals #2
through #5) is well worth the money. From this point on, the
JLI took a different approach: they became funny.
J'onn
was portrayed as a strong leader with a secret desire for
Oreo cookies. Blue Beetle and Booster Gold were sometimes
con men and always down on their luck. Guy Gardner was the
catalyst for almost anything bad that was going to happen.
Fire was the outgoing flirt. Ice was the shy type. Mr. Miracle
was a whipped husband. And Batman... was still Batman.
My favorite
books to read in the late 80's and early 90's were JLI and
its spin-off Justice League Europe. As I did research for
this article, I cracked open some books that I hadn't looked
at for 5 years, and they still make me laugh out loud. Some
of my all-time favorite moments:
- Mr.
Miracle can work with New Genesis technology, but he can't
put together a gas grill behind his house
- Batman
knocking Guy Gardner out with one punch
- Beetle
and Booster's casino on the island of Kooeykooeykooey
- Oberon
trapping the miniature warriors sent to destroy the league
during the Dominator Invasion in Roach Motels
- Guy
Gardner's dates with Ice (the first time at a XXX peep show,
the second time at an Ice Capades where a Gardner balloon
dropped it's pants)
- Hawkman
insisting that the old JLA was better and lecturing other
members to clean up their language
- The
JLE and the Injustice League taking French lessons in the
same class
The reason
that all of these things were funny is that they either involve
absurd problems with even more absurd solutions or they treat
superheroes as average everyday people. It was the "Seinfeld"
of the comic book medium.
There
are those who pooh-poohed JLI for being too funny for it's
own good. Although I tend to agree that showing Darkseid sitting
by the fireplace and reading "Mein Kampf" is a bit too much,
I think it was a great title. The humorous slant to writing
has resurfaced recently in books such as DC's Young Justice
and Marvel's Heroes For Hire. Booster Gold has also been seen
recently in the pages of Green Lantern as well.
Russell
Ray works for a pharmaceutical company in Indianapolis, Indiana.
When he was growing up and reading these series, he never
once thought about Black Canary or Fire or Ice or Big Barda
or Hawkwoman or Power Girl or Crimson Fox or Catherine Cobert
getting in any minor scuffles and accidentally kissing. Never.
And certainly not all at once. Any comments, questions or
colorful curses should be directed to russell_ray@hotmail.com.
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