Justice League Unlimited#19 reunites writer Mark Waid with the overworked but still amazing Dan Mora as the implications of the League's amnesty plan unfolds.
Some people...
...are NOT happy about it! Jim Gordon gives Batman an earful on his thoughts on the matter.
It doesn't help that Lex Luthor blabbed to the media about the Justice League's offer of amnesty to select super villains. Lex can't help but make a power move to make things about himself.
The public thinks the amnesty plan is somehow carte blanche to all villians. It is not.
Some super villains are showing up, doing shit and claiming amnesty as if it's a shield against arrest or getting the crap beat out of them by super heroes. Again, it is not.
The program does have it's successes. Doctor Polaris, master of magnetism and long time foe of Green Lantern, is instrumental in stopping the rampage of radioactive bad guy Neutron.
Meanwhile, perennial butt monkey Air Wave (really, Mark Waid, stop fucking with this poor guy) is used a conduit to facilitate the return of the Brainiac Queen.
Next let's pick up with the Justice League Intergalactic Special#1 which involves a mission with Star Sapphire, Adam Strange, Green Arrow, Argus*, Galaxy and Dreamer going to Naltor to locate some missing Green Lanterns.
*Argus, we are constantly reminded is NOT a dog.
 |
| This is Argus. |
It's a sprawling cosmic tale beautifully illustrated by Travis Moore.
Naltor is a planet of pre-cogs that has fallen into hard times and under the corruption of Maal Sinestro, the Witch Queen.
Nia Nal, aka Dreamer, is not a particularly willing member of this expedition. Or welcomed for that matter. Her participation in Amanda Waller's Absolute Power initiative has left a lot of heroes distrustful of her. And she is the target of various governments for crimes committed in Waller's employ.
Or as Nia puts it, "I'm a wanted woman in three countries and a wanted man in six."
This version of Nia Nal, Dreamer, originated on television in Supergirl, portrayed by trans-gender actor Nicole Maines. Nicole has kept the character alive by writing various projects for DC Comics including this special.
Nicole is joined on this issue by co-writer Jadzia Axelrod, a trans-gender woman who created the character of Galaxy featured in a series of YA graphic novels published by DC.
Galaxy is the story of a young man on Earth who discovers he... or rather, she is a super powered alien princess in exile.
A resident of Philadelphia, Jadzia Axelrod has a local connection as a student at Guilford College here in Greensboro.
Axelrod made her gender transition in 2015 at the age of 36, and named herself "Jadzia," inspired in part by Jadzia Dax from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
You might spend our $5.99 on the Justice League Intergalactic Special#1 and expect to get an extra length complete space adventure and you almost do...
Except...
It ends on a cliffhanger.
I spent $6 on a comic book that doesn't end?
Dreamer and Galaxy fall unconscious and this leads us into
Justice League: Dream Girls#1.
Yeah, this year's DC Pride Event book is not a self contained special but a 4 issue mini-series firmly rooted in the current DC Universe.
Or as Wonder Woman and one of her Amazonian sisters.
While struggling with the Key's wicked manipulations, Nia Nal (Dreamer) struggles with her complicity in Amanda Waller's schemes and her own identity. This sequence where Nia is channelling John Constantine is particularly raw and powerful.
Speaking through Nia Nal, I would express praise for Nicole Maine's bravery for exposing her own fears and worries.
The main series did present some problems for me with lots of references to book and events I have not read. (I am not up to speed on the Galaxy YA graphic novels.) But I was able to pick up on things pretty well. Nicole Maines and Jadzia Axelrod deliver a pretty solid adventure with lots of action, humor and drama.
In our current political and social climate, I am impressed that DC still produces a Pride comic book. And I think making that Pride event a mini-series set firmly within current DC continuity is a bold choice.
The series has back ups that spotlight LGBTQIA+ characters such as Batwoman and Poison Ivy.
As is the case with DC's Pride Events, we get an autobiographical feature, this year from legendary comics artist Klaus Janson whose tale of coming out parallels his discovery of and passion for comics. It's not an easy tale to read with Klaus encountering some brutal bigotry and hate but it is a heartfelt and inspiring tale.
And that is that for this week's Spinner Rack.
Next week: Batman!
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