DCU Comic Book Reviews

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #6

Tornado's Path, Final Chapter:  Iron Man

April 2007

Written by Brad Meltzer

Pencils by Ed Benes

Inks by Sandra Hope & Ed Benes

Covers by Michael Turner and ????

Synopsis

In the Rocky Mountains, Solomon Grundy pulverizes Red Tornado in retaliation for letting the android Amazo free before it was time.  In the sky, vixen continues her search for her Totem.  In Markovia, Geo-Force decides it is time to visit Gotham City.  Meanwhile, various heroes are battling Amazo with some luck, but the android is difficult to put down.  Eventually, Red Arrow puts an arrow into the totem, which alerts Vixen.  From above, she soars down to retrieve the totem, demolishing Amazo in the process.  The heroes then travel to the Rocky Mountains to save Red Tornado, but they are too late.  However, with the help of Zantana, they are able to return his consciousness back to robot body. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

I am not sure there is much more I can say about this issue that I haven’t said before in the reviews of the previous issues.  I really think that when this storyline is read in one complete sitting, the story will resonate and connect with the reader.  As it is, in its fractured nature of appearing once each month (and coming later than that mostly) it doesn’t flow that well.  Meltzer’s fractured, layered method of storytelling becomes very choppy and disorienting when spread over time.  The bits and pieces of both Vixen and Geo-Force stick out like a sore thumb, although Vixen not so much in this issue since she does, finally, connect with the main plot for all of one or two panels.  

Sadly, the emotional arc of John Smith losing his battle and losing his humanity just did not register with me.  Because of the fractured nature of this book, I don’t recall if it was ever stated that John would die if his body died.  And, yes, I know it was stated in this issue.  But my emotional connection to his potentially dying should’ve started in the previous issue, when he first was attacked by Solomon Grundy.  Then, when I opened this issue, I would already be afraid of what might happen.  Instead, the fight was just another fight with the knowledge that the loser will just be born once more. 

The extended fight scene with the new league battling Amazo would’ve been more evocative of their abilities and talents if it didn’t put Red Arrow into the “useless” category.  Really, think about it.  Roy spends the entire fight discussing what the others are doing, rather than getting involved.  And when eh finally does something, his is useless (all of his arrows are caught by Amazo and tossed aside).  Meltzer was attempting to show how well the team works together despite not being a team, but all I could think was how quickly they should dump Roy to find someone who could actually help.