Welcome to another installment of Judgment Calls. Just remember I
follow no format and never know what I’m doing.
OK I haven’t talked about this book for awhile, but I have to. Young
Justice, a spin-off of JLA, has become very popular. Through the writing
of Peter David, the pencils of Todd Nauck, and the inks of Larry Stucker,
this book has quickly moved to one of my favorites.
This book, simply put, is hilarious. No not funny, hilarious. There is
no single page in any issue that won’t make you crack a smile, if not laugh
out loud.
If you don’t know the premise it’s this: after saving the world (very
humorously I might add) Robin, Superboy, and Impulse formed their team.
After hanging out in the old JLA Secret Sanctuary, they annoyed Red Tornado
enough to decide that the thought of them without adult supervision was
frightening, and he became the team’s mentor. Along the way, they snag a New
Genesis vehicle, and pick up three other members: Wonder Girl, Arrowette,
and Secret.
This book has many stupid premises and well uses the excuse "Hey it’s a
comic! We can do what we want". For instance, the boys encounter a would be
villain "Mighty Endowed" that was a normal woman turned, by a booby trap, into
a being with gigantic, um, breasts. Those breasts could either hypnotize people
or blind them, but they were so large, she fell and couldn’t get up. Of course,
being a Comic Code Approved comic, we never get to see them. Another very
humorous moment was when the boys encountered Rip-Roar, who claimed the Super
Cycle (the aforementioned New Genesis vehicle, that’s alive btw), after
beating Superboy, Impulse, and Red Tornado. Well, Robin proposed maybe
it didn’t want to go with Rip-Roar and after an argument, they decide to, well,
put the cycle in between them and call to it and see who it comes to. Now imagine,
a huge four armed hulked out super-villain clapping his hands and calling "Here
super cycle, come here," with Robin doing the same thing on the other side. Very
funny stuff.
Peter David is a great writer and has a very immature mind, but that’s
what I like about him.
Anyway, this is supposed to be a news article or something, so here is up
coming stuff in YJ. I hear rumors from all over the net that there will be another
member joining in the near future, though who it is is up for debate. Also in issue
#6 the JLA makes an appearance, whether they will give YJ the thumbs up or down is
yet to be seen. Also some months ago, right before YJ#1 came out, people said Peter
David would only be around 6 issues. Well, that comic is fast approaching and I haven’t
heard about a new writer or David leaving, so I don’t know if he’s still going to leave.
Now for other things that are happening: JLA/TITANS is in full swing, and
maybe after this the much waited for Titans relaunch will happen. I mean, how much more
platform do they need?
That’s about it, This month’s profile deals with the only
member of all the incarnations of the JLA, and everybody’s favorite martian:
Martian Manhunter
AKA J’onn J’onzz,
John Jones,
other various identities.
Group Affiliation: JLA
Background: (I didn’t have much time to research, forgive me for
mistakes) He was born on Mars, there where two races, green martians and pale martians. The
peaceful scientific green martians banished the pale martians to limbo. After this, a plague
was destroying the population and J’onn pretty much accepted his fate after his wife and
daughter died. Anyway, a scientist accidentally telaported J’onn here, allowing him to survive the
terrible plague. With no way to get back home, and with his shape shifting ability he
tried to make it in human society. With powers greatly exceeding those of normal people, he decided to
become a superhero.
Role in the JLA: J’onn is the tactician of the group, always thinking of
ways to win and yet is one of the team’s powerhouses. J’onn is always trying to improve the
team, and make them better. J’onn has taken it upon himself to try and train Kyle Rayner
(Green Lantern), as he’s the most inexperienced leaguer.
That’s it! Come back next month when I will write about something.
Copyright © 1998 Patrick Dunning