DCU Comic Book Reviews

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1

Tornado's Path, Chapter One:  Life

October 2006

Written by Brad Meltzer

Pencils by Ed Benes

Inks by Sandra Hope

Covers by Michael Turner & Peter Steigerwald and J. Scott Campbell & Sandra Hope

Synopsis

Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman convene in the batcave in Star City to debate on who they should ask to join the Justice League of America.  In Hoboken, New Jersey, Kathy Sutton sits by the shell of her husband, the Red Tornado, waiting for his soul to return to his body.  With her his Dr. Will Magnus and Platinum of the Metal Men.  Watching over them is the spectral form of Red Tornado and Boston Brand (aka Deadman).  Red Tornado has decided he wants a human body.  In Star City, Hal Jordan (aka Green Lantern) and Roy Harper (aka Arsenal) receive word from Dinah Lance (aka Black Canary) regarding Red Tornado’s situation.  Hal and Roy decide to grab Dinah and head over to Hoboken.  In Metropolis, Jefferson Pierce (aka Black Lightning) questions the Signalman to get more information on other villains.  In Hub City, Vixen gets a invitation from the Question, but learns too late that it was set-up.  Elsewhere, with the help of Deadman, the Red Tornado is able to inhabit a human body.  After he leaves, Deadman turns into Felix Faust; Red Tornado has been set up.  In Hoboken, an unknown assailant destroys the Metal Men and steals Red Tornado’s android body.  Meanwhile, Red Tornado returns home to his wife and family, who are happy to have him back.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

Dialogue boxes:  grey (Batman), blue (Superman), and red (Wonder Woman). 

Let’s get this right out of the box:  Brad Meltzer did a wonderful job with the writing, the characterization (the voices, the feelings, everything) of all of the different characters were spot-on and plain fantastic.  Plus, Ed Benes and Sandra Hope did a fantastic job with the art. 

However, I have mixed feelings about this issue.  First, I like the Red Tornado issue and I though this was a great way to provide some background on his rich detailed history and to get us involved as readers with the character he is now.  I also though the inclusion of Felix Faust pretending to be Deadman and the revelation at the end of Dr. Impossible (I think) stealing Reddy’s shell was a great way to introduce the newest villain for the JLofA.  I also enjoyed the scenes with the holy trinity in the batcave debating about who they should and should not allow into the JLofA.  But, the rest of the issue just did not work or flow for me and part of that just seems to be either poor writing or poor planning within the issue.  Let’s start with Hal and Roy.  A nice scene with Dinah calling about Reddy.  But then we get the scene with Ollie who thinks they are getting the band back together.  If this is true, where is the scene with the trinity actually voting Roy and Dinah into the league?  It doesn’t.  My take on the scene initially was that Hal and Dinah were coming to get Roy so they can go visit Reddy.  If so, why the big deal about them coming for Roy rather than Ollie.  To me, at least, it just didn’t seem to flow.  The same is also true of the Vixen and Black Lightning scenes.  Nice scenes, but does it really add anything to this issue here and now?  No and in fact it might take away from the flow of getting back to Reddy.  Yet, I believe Meltzer knows these are important scenes and that they will pay off later.   Unfortunately, it is not paying off now. 

As for the line-up of the league itself.... I am probably one of the few people who really does not have much of a feeling one way or anther regarding who should be or should not be in the league.  What it really boils down to, and what I think Meltzer is trying to attempt, is that there needs to be good mix of characters, personalities that will provide an interesting dynamic to whatever the plot du jour may be.  This league (as depicted in the variant cover) certainly covers that category well enough, with a mix of veterans and rookies, old heroes and new heroes, and those with relationships built outside of the league with those who don’t know each other.

However, I am not so sure the picture to the variant cover of the #1 is the actual line-up of the new JLofA.  I can’t quite placei t other than just a feeling.  Like, the trinity voting for Power Girl while turning down Vixen.  No vote was made for either Blacks (Lightning or Canary) and Hawkgirl was never seen in this issue.  So, there may be something else going on and perhaps the league is not quite set. 

Red Tornado's official invitation to join the original Justice League is framed on the wall, visible at the end of the issue over Kathy’s shoulder. 

Placing the two regular covers together forms one image.  The characters depicted are as follows:

Front row, from left: Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Arsenal, Black Canary, Red Tornado, Black Lightning, Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman.

Middle row, from left: Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Power Girl, Captain Marvel, Supergirl, the Phantom Stranger, Huntress, Green Lantern John Stewart, Captain Atom, Cyborg, Hawkman, Big Barda, Vixen, Hawkgirl, the Flash (Bart Allen), Green Arrow and Zatanna.

Back row, from left: Batwoman, Fire, Nightwing, Firehawk, Ion, Metamorpho, Mr. Miracle, Hourman, the Manhattan Guardian, Mr. Terrific, the Blue Beetle, Dr. Fate, Donna Troy, the Martian Manhunter, Firestorm, Dr. Light and Dr. Mid-Nite (with his pet owl, Hooty).

Comic Connection

Page 6, Panels 2 through 6 are reprinted from Justice League of America v.1, issue #106. 

 

ïPREVIOUS	Main		Page	NEXTð

Home ●  Blog ● Who Are We? ● Site News
Alive and Well since April 16, 2006

 DC Universe Reviews.  All Rights Reserved
  Characters, trademarks, brands are property of DC Comics

For problems or questions regarding this website, please contact our kindly webmaster.
Last updated: 08/06/11.