The Brain auditions for Galidor. (Who remember that show and LEGO toyline?)
JLA: Year One #6
DC Comics (June, 1998)
“Sum Of Their Parts”
WRITERS: Mark Waid & Brian Augustyn
PENCILER: Barry Kitson
INKERS: Michael Bair & John Stokes
COLORIST: Pat Garrahy
SEPARATIONS: Heroic Age
LETTERER: Ken Lopez
EDITOR: Peter Tomasi
Continued from last issue. With their limbs (except for Aquaman and including Green Lantern’s power ring) now grafted onto a protoplasmic body by The Brain and his Brotherhood , the Justice League turns to the Doom Patrol for help. The Chief creates artificial replacements for the League’s powers and the two teams head back to take the regrafter from the Brain. Locus wants it back as well, and the heroes end up defeating Brain’s minions while Locus attacks the fortress Brain constructed with the power ring. However, Flash uses his “speed energy construct” to get Aquaman close to the Brain and he takes over the ring, leading to the Brotherhood’s defeat. They also learn that Locus is preparing for some kind of holocaust. The Justice League and the citizenry are restored to normal, but it’s not over just yet for the League.
What they got right: I like the interactions between the League and the Patrol. Larry Trainor (the Negative Man) and Hal used to fly together in the military. J’onn is a fan of Rita Farr’s movies before she became Elasti-Girl. Cliff thinks Aquaman would be better off with the Doom Patrol. (Okay, he’s a bit of a jerk but given Aquaman’s doubts it does make sense.) However, what I really like about the story is that the superhero lose their limbs, and the powers tied to them, and say “we’re still going to go out there, beat the villains, and restore the citizens and ourselves” instead of sulking while letting the Doom Patrol go into danger alone. That’s what heroes do and seeing them do that makes me happy.
What they got wrong: I would have liked to have seen Aquaman officially turn Robotman down, saying that whatever misgivings he has the Justice League is his team and he wants to stay there and see things through. Instead Hal answers for him.
Recommendation: Whatever’s going on with Waid nowadays this is still a good team-up tale worth checking out.
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