DCU Comic Book Reviews

JUSTICE LEAGUE WEDDING SPECIAL #1

Unlimited, Chapter 1:  Injustice League

November 2007

Written by Dwayne McDuffie

Pencils by Mike McKone

Inks by Andy Lanning

Cover by Ed Benes

Synopsis

At an undisclosed location, the Joker, Lex Luthor, and Cheetah argue over including Dr. Light into the new Injustice Society.  In Rhode Island, Hal Jordan (aka Green Lantern) is trying to organize Green Lantern’s bachelor party, but realizes he can’t do it in a public place or risk the heroes secret identities.  So, the party moves to the Hall of Justice.  In Manhattan, Firestorm is searching for Professor Stein when he encounters Killer Frost.  Using antifreeze, Firestorm is able to apprehend Killer Frost, but then the Injustice Society comes to her aide and batter Firestorm to a pulp.  They then escort Killer Frost back to the Hall of Doom.  Elsewhere, Dinah’s bachelorette party is interrupted by news that Firestorm was just admitted into a hospital in New York.   As Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl got to the hospital, Batman and Red Arrow leave Ollie’s part to inspect the crime scene.  When they get there, they find the Joker and Fatality have already take Geo-Force while at the hospital, Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl are also attacked.  However, Hawkgirl is able to get away and return to the Hall of Justice to alert the rest of the Justice League.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This was a very good first issue to begin McDuffie’s run on Justice League of America.  There was some decent action, nice interactions among the characters, and a difficult obstacle for the heroes to overcome.  After the non-action of Meltzer’s run, this issue is the antitdote.  I like the way McDuffie is approaching this book and I think his choice of villain (or set of villains is good).  Granted, the idea of villains coming together as a team as been done (and fairly recently with the Crisis-related Secret Society), but at the very least McDuffie acknowledges this in the story.  And, unlike last time, McDuffie is definitely headed towards a big action battle and it should be interesting to see how it all pans out. 

Two things in this issue really stuck out like a sore thumb:  the Hall of Doom because I just don’t understand the need to further pull the cartoon into the DC Universe and, well, the bachelor party.  The latter might seem strange, especially in a special one shot that is called a “Wedding Special.”  Frankly, I think this issue would’ve been better served to remove the bachelor party and just make this as a part of the regular title.  Meltzer, whose work was more focused on character interactions rather than action, would’ve been a better choice to write this special.  On the other hand, McDuffie is writing a big action-orientated story.  Not that this is a bad thing, mind you, but the story in this issue really is not a “wedding special” since there is no wedding and really no wedding-related activities, despite the cover, which shows a scene not in the issue (and I won’t mention the mention of strippers, which is so totally wrong for a book with the JLA). 

The other misstep in this issue for McDuffie is the introduction, or actually the lack of one, for Firestorm.  I had read the latest Firestorm series, which McDuffie wrote the final three issues for, so I know what is going in the Firestorm world.  But I doubt most people do, so I think a lot of readers are going to be confused as to who the disembodied female head is and why Professor Stein is missing, and that is just assuming they know the are generally aware of the Firestorm character and what he can do it and how. 

Why is it Ollie’s party can’t be held in a public place, but Dinah’s party could be?  Does this make sense?  And why is Power Girl happy with the men dancing for her? 

I’m still not sure who “Diana” Lance is though

 

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