
Mild Mannered Reviews - Justice League Unlimited

Justice League Unlimited #27
Scheduled to arrive in stores: November 1, 2006Cover date: January 2007
Writer: Adam Beechen
Penciller: Carlo Barberi
Inker: Bob Petrecca
Cover Art: Ty Templeton
"Climb The Mountain"
Reviewed by: Adam Dechanel
Parasite wants revenge on Superman and is demolishing Metropolis until he shows up.
Unfortunately Superman is in deep space, millions of miles away and only Aztek, Wonder Woman, Steel, Vibe, Hawkgirl, Firestorm, Huntress and Black Lightning can tackle his deadly foe.
The adventure jumps back a few hours prior to Black Lightning's "teaching day job" in Suicide Slum and his chat with Marcus, a student of his.
Marcus is having doubts that he'll ever make something of himself.
Marcus points out that Lightning was the only 'hero' from the Slums to ever make a life for himself. How is it possible that he, a normal boy, can become a success too?
Lighting points out that it's not about the powers, it's about the drive, the determination and inner strength, that's how to succeed in life.
Of course this then leads onto a debate later on in the interior of the JLU Satellite.
Firestorm and the other JLUers are in the canteen discussing how they'd cope with life's challenges if they weren't superheroes. Only Black Lightning admits he'd be just fine without his special talents, his conversation with Marcus weighing on his mind.
An alert to Parasite's attack breaks the levity and the JLU teleport to Earth.
Within minutes of their arrival Rudy wipes them all out.
Everything they try fails.
Flame cages, tremors, toppling rooftops, bowling with the Daily Planet globe.
Their powers amount to nothing against the power sapping villain.
Lighting runs for cover while the Metropolis Police Dept. try to hold Rudy back. Hiding in the shadows Lightning hopes his power might regenerate.
While hiding Lightning spots Marcus in the crowd.
Despite the danger Marcus is helping the weak and less fortunate evacuate from the dangerous battleground. Obviously Lightning's pep talk had an effect on his student.
Lightning is inspired himself and decides if his powers are drained he'd use his greatest weapon - his brain! Scouting around the rubble he spots a downed powerline. Using Wonder Woman's lasso to insulate himself he grabs the powerline, sneaks up on Parasite and electrocutes him with Metropolis' entire power supply.
The force of the blow knocks Rudy out and slam-dunks him into the arms of a S.T.A.R Labs Power Draining Restraint.
A week later Lighting is again teaching Marcus and grades his exam paper. A+!
Shocked Marcus asks how he managed it.
Lighting tells him it was because he worked hard and earned it.
Marcus tells him he saw the League battling Parasite and if they didn't give up trying, how could he?
Story - 4: While it's always fun to see Parasite dish out a whuppin' (that's the SOLE reason for the 4 rating!) it is always difficult to believe Superman wouldn't do everything in his power to get back - even to help at the last minute. It was pretty obvious this was an attempt to garner interest in Black Lightning as he is now joining the new JLA in the real DCU. Sad really, as it made me personally hate this guy. How it is possible that powerhouses like Wonder Woman, Aztek and Firestorm failed? How is it that seasoned warriors Hawkwoman, Huntress and Steel couldn't figure out how to fight Rudy? (Vibe getting a royal beating I can understand!)
Black Lightning has always been pretty cool however this story made him seem such an almighty snob, to his background, to his friends and ultimately to the reader!
The story was just too morally preachy for me - I was expecting a fun issue but instead I was spoon fed moral lessons...
Art - 4: The art is looking as great as ever! However I think Black Lightning might need to go to an optician for that nasty squint he has! BTW did Green Lantern, John Stewart suit up in John Henry's armour? Is it just me or do they look like twins?
Cover Art - 4: Great cover! Really sold the issue and also unfortunately docked it a point!
Superman and Batman don't appear at all inside and that might lead fans of the animated series or those respective heroes to believe their favorite stars were taking part in a big smack down battle! Naughty! Also Parasite seems to have a mouth? Oh well with such consistently good covers I can accept being mislead just this once.
Other recent reviews:
Mild Mannered Reviews
2007
Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.January 2007
- Action Comics #845
- Superman #658
- Superman/Batman #31
- Superman Confidential #1
- Supergirl #12
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #24
- 52: Week 26
- 52: Week 27
- 52: Week 28
- 52: Week 29
- 52: Week 30
- Justice League of America #4
- JLA Classified #29
- Justice League Unlimited #27
- Krypto The Superdog #3
- Action Comics #846
- Superman #659
- Superman/Batman #32
- Superman Confidential #2
- Supergirl #13
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #25
- 52: Week 31
- 52: Week 32
- 52: Week 33
- 52: Week 34
- Justice League of America #5
- JLA Classified #30
- Infinite Holiday Special #1
- Justice #9
- Justice Society of America #1
- Justice League Unlimited #28
- Krypto The Superdog #4
- Superman #660
- Superman/Batman #33
- Superman Confidential #3
- All Star Superman #6
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #26
- 52: Week 35
- 52: Week 36
- 52: Week 37
- 52: Week 38
- 52: Week 39
- Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predators #1
- JLA Classified #31
- JLA Classified #32
- JLA Classified #33
- Justice Society of America #2
- Justice League Unlimited #29
- Krypto The Superdog #5
- Action Comics #847
- Superman #661
- Action Comics Annual #10
- Superman Confidential #4
- Supergirl #14
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #27
- 52: Week 40
- 52: Week 41
- 52: Week 42
- 52: Week 43
- Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predators #2
- Justice League of America #6
- JLA Classified #34
- JLA Classified #35
- Justice #10
- Justice Society of America #3
- Justice League Unlimited #30
- Krypto The Superdog #6
- Action Comics #848
- Superman #662
- Superman/Batman #34
- Supergirl #15
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #28
- 52: Week 44
- 52: Week 45
- 52: Week 46
- 52: Week 47
- Justice League of America #7
- JLA Classified #36
- Justice Society of America #4
- Justice League Unlimited #31
- Superman Confidential #5
- All Star Superman #7
- Supergirl #16
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #29
- 52: Week 48
- 52: Week 49
- 52: Week 50
- 52: Week 51
- World War III - Book One: A Call to Arms
- World War III - Book Two: The Valiant
- World War III - Book Three: Hell is for Heroes
- World War III - Book Four: United We Stand
- Justice League of America #8
- JLA Classified #37
- Justice #11
- Justice Society of America #5
- Justice League Unlimited #32
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #1
- Action Comics #849
- Action Comics #850
- Superman #663
- Superman/Batman #35
- Supergirl #17
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #30
- 52: Week 52
- Countdown 51
- Countdown 50
- Countdown 49
- Countdown 48
- Justice League of America #9
- JLA Classified #38
- Justice Society of America #6
- Justice League Unlimited #33
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #2
- Action Comics #851
- Superman #664
- Superman/Batman #36
- Superman/Batman #37
- All Star Superman #8
- Supergirl #18
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #31
- Countdown 47
- Countdown 46
- Countdown 45
- Countdown 44
- Justice League of America #10
- JLA Classified #39
- Justice #12
- Justice League Unlimited #34
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #3
- Action Comics #852
- Superman #665
- Superman/Batman #38
- Supergirl #19
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #32
- Countdown 43
- Countdown 42
- Countdown 41
- Countdown 40
- Justice League of America #11
- JLA Classified #40
- Justice Society of America #7
- Justice League Unlimited #35
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #4
- Action Comics #853
- Action Comics #854
- Action Comics #855
- Superman #666
- Superman/Batman #39
- Supergirl #20
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #33
- Countdown 39
- Countdown 38
- Countdown 37
- Countdown 36
- Countdown 35
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #1
- Justice League of America #12
- JLA Classified #41
- Justice Society of America #8
- Justice League Unlimited #36
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #5
- Action Comics #856
- Superman #667
- Superman/Batman #40
- Superman Confidential #6
- Supergirl #21
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #34
- Countdown 34
- Countdown 33
- Countdown 32
- Countdown 31
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #2
- JLA Wedding Special #1
- Justice League of America #13
- JLA Classified #42
- JLA Classified #43
- JLA/Hitman #1
- Infinity Inc. #1
- Justice Society of America #9
- Justice League Unlimited #37
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #6
- Action Comics #857
- Action Comics #858
- Superman #668
- Superman #669
- Superman/Batman #41
- Superman Confidential #7
- Superman Confidential #8
- All Star Superman #9
- Supergirl #22
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #35
- Teen Titans #52
- Countdown 30
- Countdown 29
- Countdown 28
- Countdown 27
- Countdown 26
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #3
- Justice League of America #14
- JLA Classified #44
- JLA Classified #45
- JLA/Hitman #2
- Infinity Inc. #2
- Justice Society of America #10
- Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents: Cyborg Superman #1
- Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents: Superman Prime #1
- Infinite Halloween Special #1
- Justice League Unlimited #38
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #7
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Check out the Comic Index Lists for the complete list of Superman-related comics published in 2007.