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Mild Mannered Reviews - Justice League Unlimited

Justice League Unlimited #8

Justice League Unlimited #8

Scheduled to arrive in stores: April 6, 2005

Cover date: June 2005

Writer: Adam Beechen
Penciller: Carlo Barberi
Inker: Carlo Barberi

"The Island"

Reviewed by: Adam Dechanel

Click to enlarge


The Question is a loner, but joins the League despite his lack of teamwork. During one of the weekly JLU meetings the detective discovers a nerve gas bomb hidden in the air vents.

The Question is distant from his 'friends' and 'allies' so much so he keeps secret files on them in a napalm booby-trapped cabinet. The Question assumes the assassin is part of the League - one of its shape-changers or telepaths and so decides to keep the plot to himself.

He then goes through a lengthy process of elimination till he decides on three specific perpetrators. All of which lead to dead ends.

The first is Jervis Tetch - The Mad Hatter - a master of mind controlling headgear. Jervis is mad indeed, chained and heavily drugged in the depths of Arkham Asylum.

The second is The Fiddler, the owner if a hypnotic violin.

A broken man that crossed a local gang and ended up with broken fingers. Unable to drink from a glass much less play his violin.

The third is Lex Luthor. Famous for his villainous plots - however Lex says he is a reformed man and his former enemies are now his friends - however if he were ever to go back to crime the League would KNOW it was Lex that destroyed them. The Question believes him and returns to his JLU satellite quarters.

As The Question ponders over his investigation. Martian Manhunter arrives holding the nerve gas bomb wanting to talk to the detective.

The Question comes to the conclusion that it is J'onn behind the plot and sprays napalm at his friend teleporting to Metropolis. J'onn follows and tries struggles to get the detective to listen.

J'onn reveals he too had discovered the same plot however he had seen The Question actually preparing the bomb and setting the trap. The fact the detective was a loner had made him the perfect scapegoat.

Mental blocks from an outside source had stopped him from investigation himself! J'onn and The Question learn it was stellar energy that caused The Question to be manipulated.

Only one villain uses Stellar Energy for Mind Control - Brain Storm!

The two heroes go to visit him in prison only to discover he had long since escaped and left a hologram in his place. They then go to STAR labs to discover Brain Storm had used holograms to cover up the theft of his stellar power helmet.

Contacting the rest of the League; Batman, Superman, Flash, The Question, J'onn and a host of others arrive at Brain Storm's hideout and capture him.

With Brain Storm in custody again The Question is alone once more... however not for long as he is joined by Martian Manhunter and the detective finally learns to trust a friend.

2Story - 2: Can the stories be as good as the show?

The answer is yes as past example proves, and many times it surpasses its source. The case here? No, it's on a sad decline...

There are many things that make little sense - from how it is explained anyway.

Why if the League knows The Question is a loner would they ask him to join the overflowing ranks? And why would they be 'suspicious' if he declined?

Why could the plot have only have been via a shape-shifter or telepath?

And if that was the drive behind it - why approach Lex Luthor?

Why approach Lex Luthor and point by point explain the assassination plot?

If Lex isn't guilty why would The Question stupidly explain a serious fault in the JLU security and a simple plan Lex could put into action anytime?

The story is OK but that's all - just OK, you definitely need to stop treating the reader like an idiot.

3Art - 3: A marked improvement! Can they keep a regular creative team on the book please? Carlo Barberi deserves a solo 4/5 for his effort. The interior art has in the past been shaky in this title thus far but I am hoping it carries on at this quality or even reaches its past peak to the Rick Burchett & Min S. Ku level so for the title overall I sadly give it a 3.

4Cover Art - 4: Rejoice! - well almost!

This cover is like the covers of old!

I've no idea why covers for JLU have been so bad (in reflecting the show).

Ever since the vile little imp Johnny DC appeared the animated titles have slowly been on a decline I hope DC wakes up and goes back to the days when the animated titles were fun, not the garbage that have been JLU 1-7.

A NOTE ON JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED TO DC & CARTOON NETWORK.

Please, save this book, what are you doing with it?

Its so bad right now even the Marvel 'all ages' books are trashing it (which is saying something!).

However, the cartoon is of a completely different calibre - try to emulate it better before it's too late - PLEASE!


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Mild Mannered Reviews

2005

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.

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