Today’s Comic> Justice League International #8

What cost? Ice, Fire, Vixen, Rocket Red, fun...

Justice League International #8

DC Comics (June, 2012)

Batwing, called in by Batman to help find the terrorists as well as a friend of Vixen, teams with Booster to take on Lightweaver, who escapes. So does his boss and the mastermind, Breakdown, who has the power to break down and rearrange matter. The third member is Intersek, whose power I’m not quite clear on, but she’s “controlling emergency bands worldwide”, possibly as part of Breakdown’s plot to destroy all governmental structures because he’s kind of nuts. Chairperson Bao gets the hospital director on her side and gets the remaining JLIers kicked out of the hospital just as OMAC attacks looking for a doctor.

OK, the art is good and the fights well done. That’s all the right you have here. The rest angers me after being such a huge supporter during the first arc. Everything I loved about that is gone. The JLI has to prove themselves again? Really? Gee, they only SAVED THE ENTIRE PLANET FROM BEING DESTROYED! OMAC attacking heroes like he’s a Marvel character? Batwing being brought in for…well, I can imagine why. DC really wants this character to succeed (after screwing over every black New 52er save Cyborg and one-half of Firestorm, a character they screwed up royally and has an upcoming crossover with this comic because…stuff) and are pushing him hard, even though characters non-comic fans know well like Static were so poorly handled. So kick out Vixen and put him. OMAC couldn’t sustain a title but the people in charge really like him and want him in the JLI so out goes Rocket Red I guess.

This comic was no fun at all. Lightweaver and even Intersek have potential but Breakdown appears to be another overpowered, anti-establishment nut job that the heroes are going to have to overcome by some weakness that I’m betting will come out of nowhere. And while I’m placing bets, Chairperson Bao is either part of this scheme or she’s going to be a constant thorn in the team’s side in a position of power that she will rapidly not deserve yet will still have to give the team problems. Because we aren’t allowed to have the world cheer on their heroes anymore in the DC Universe.

In short, forget every compliment I’ve given this series. Sadly, the first arc doesn’t appear to be the norm for this series after all and Jurgens has really let me down here, unless this is more meddling from the higher ups at DC Comics, which I’m more than ready to believe. No Best Scene nomination here, either.