Mild Mannered Reviews - JLA Comics

JLA #57
Scheduled to arrive in stores: August 29, 2001Cover date: October 2001
Writer: Mark Waid
Penciller: Mike S. Miller
Inker: Paul Neary
"Mind Over Matter"
Reviewed by: John-Paul Zito (ZitoMan11@aol.com)
Combustion around the world has become impossible due to towers set up around the world by the White Martians. These towers produce a particle that attached to oxygen and negates the production of fire.
The JLA is being torn apart by the invisible, intangible, telepathic White Martians. Superman and Green Lantern are out of the game as one is used to take out the other. Plastic Man is cut in half and Diana is being drowned. Batman is losing contact with everyone on the team. Meanwhile Manhunter is still trapped in the White Martian strong hold.
Superman and Green Lantern come to the rescue and save Plas and WW, but oxygen is getting screwy all over the world. People are choking to death as a result. More White Martians show up and the bruised JLA go head to head with an army of super men (Martians).
Back in the White Martian HQ two officers come to check on J'onn, only to find that he's not there and only a mental projection has been left in his place. J'onn leaps out from the shadows and takes down his captors then rushes out and destroys the towers. J'onn then shows up lake-side to assist his fellow JLA members in neutralizing the White Martians.
No sooner does J'onn rescue the JLA then reinforcements for the enemy arrive. J'onn uses his telepathy to send them on a wild goose chase after JLA mental projections. The JLA regroup and head down to the Fortress of Solitude to make their last stand.
Just as they arrive at the Fortress, the White Martians show up only to be taken by surprise by Krypto. The JLA break out some massive hard wear that Big Blue has confiscated from thousands of deadly aliens. Inside the Fortress, however, Batman and J'onn work feverishly to create modifications on the Phantom Zone projector.
Unfortunately the JLA get taken down and captured. The leader of the White Martians probes Superman's mind to find out what their plan was. When the White Martian finds out what the Phantom Zone is, he's delighted and condemns the JLA to imprisonment there.
And fiendishly the JLA's own weapon is turned against them and they are absorbed into the Phantom Zone hell. But why does that make J'onn so happy?
Story - 4: This arch is getting better. It started off a little corny but it's been working its way into a real hard core JLA story. I especially like the brutal efficiency that the White Martians use while destroying the JLA.
Art - 5: Very well done. The coolest part of the whole art scene in this book is the fact that Miller draws real reflections in Wonder Woman's wrist bands. I mean realistic reflections of her face in her wrist bands. I mean there's a ton of neat stuff in every panel but it's the details that count.
Cover Art - 3: Cover is OK. Well drawn. But nothing that spectacular.
Other recent reviews:
Mild Mannered Reviews
2001
Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic was on sale.January 2001
- [1] Superman #164
- [2] Lex 2000
- [3] Adventures of Superman #586
- [4] Superman: The Man of Steel #108
- [5] Action Comics #773
- JLA #49
- JLA/Witchblade
- JLA: A League of One
- JLA: Act of God #1
- [6] Superman #165
- [7] Adventures of Superman #587
- [8] Superman: The Man of Steel #109
- [9] Action Comics #774
- JLA #50
- JLA: Seven Caskets
- JLA versus Predator
- Justice Leagues: JL? #1
- JLA: Act of God #2
- [10] Superman #166
- [11] Adventures of Superman #588
- [12] Superman: The Man of Steel #110
- [13] Action Comics #775
- President Luthor: Secret Files and Origins #1
- JLA: Act of God #3
- Justice Leagues: Justice League of Aliens #1
- Justice Leagues: JLA #1
- [14] Superman #167
- [15] Adventures of Superman #589
- [16] Superman: The Man of Steel #111
- [17] Action Comics #776
- JLA #51
- Legends of the DC Universe #39
- Superboy's Legion #1
- [18] Superman #168
- [19] Adventures of Superman #590
- [20] Superman: The Man of Steel #112
- [21] Action Comics #777
- Superman Adventures #55
- JLA #52
- Superboy's Legion #2
- JLA: Black Baptism #1
- Batman: Gotham Adventures #36
- [22] Superman #169
- [23] Adventures of Superman #591
- [24] Superman: The Man of Steel #113
- [25] Action Comics #778
- Superman Adventures #56
- JLA #53
- [26] Superman #170
- [27] Adventures of Superman #592
- [28] Superman: The Man of Steel #114
- [29] Action Comics #779
- Superman Adventures #57
- JLA #54
- JLA: Incarnations #1
- Super Friends! Trade Paperback
- Superman: Where Is Thy Sting?
- [30] Superman #171
- Green Lantern: Our Worlds At War #1
- [31] Adventures of Superman #593
- [32] Superman: The Man of Steel #115
- [33] Action Comics #780
- Superman: Our Worlds At War: Secret Files and Origins #1
- Superman Adventures #58
- JLA #55
- JLA: Incarnations #2
- [34] Superman #172
- [35] Adventures of Superman #594
- [36] Superman: The Man of Steel #116
- [37] Action Comics #781
- JLA: Our Worlds At War #1
- JSA: Our Worlds At War #1
- Superman Adventures #59
- JLA #56
- JLA: Incarnations #3
- [38] Superman #173
- [39] Adventures of Superman #595
- [40] Superman: The Man of Steel #117
- [41] Action Comics #782
- World's Finest: Our Worlds At War #1
- Superman Adventures #60
- JLA #57
- Superman & Batman: Generations II #1
- JLA: Incarnations #4
- [42] Superman #174
- [43] Adventures of Superman #596
- [44] Superman: The Man of Steel #118
- [45] Action Comics #783
- Superman Adventures #61
- JLA #58
- Superman & Batman: Generations II #2
- JLA: Incarnations #5
- Joker: Last Laugh #1
- Joker: Last Laugh (Secret Files & Origins) #1
- Joker: Last Laugh #2
- [46] Superman #175
- Joker: Last Laugh #3
- [47] Adventures of Superman #597
- Joker: Last Laugh #4
- [48] Superman: The Man of Steel #119
- Joker: Last Laugh #5
- [49] Action Comics #784
- Superman Adventures #62
- JLA #59
- JLA: Gatekeeper #1
- Superman & Batman: Generations II #3
- JLA: Incarnations #6
Back to the Mild Mannered Reviews contents page.
Check out the Comic Index Lists for the complete list of Superman-related comics published in 2001.