DCU Comic Book Reviews

JSA CLASSIFIED #17 and #18

The Venom Connection

November and December 2006

Written by Tony Bedard

Pencils by Scott McDaniel

Inks by Andy Owens

Cover by Scott McDaniel & Andy Owens

Synopsis

In Connecticut, Rick Tyler has a vision of Bane attacking his father, Rex Tyler (aka Hourman).  When he gets to his father’s house, he learns that the Santa Priscan mob wants Bane to kidnap Rex to help synthesize an antidote to the Venom.  However, Bane wants to turn the tables on the mob by capturing the person who created the Venom.  All they know is that he works at Bannerman Chemicals, so Rick and Bane head over to find him.  They find a few files, which reveal Rex’s work on his Miralco drug was the basis for Venom!  Rex is adamant that no one knows the formula but him and Rick.  That is all Bane needs to hear:  he grabs both of them with the intention of killing them so no one will ever be addicted to either Miralco or Venom.  However, Rick is able to get away.  Bane takes Rex to Santa Prisca.  Rick follows and finds them at Pena Duro Prison where Bane grew up as a child.  Bane tells him the only way to free his father is to take Venom, but Rick outsmarts Bane without it and frees his father.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

“We didn’t bring Dad back from the dead just to lose him to an ex-junkie in a wrestling mask.”

These two issues are split into two distinct parts.  Issue #17 essentially plays on the gray aspects of addiction and how it affected Bane and both Tylers.  In contrast, Issue #18 is straight action featuring the black and white battle between the villain Bane and the hero Hourman.  At the beginning of issue #18, we get the immediate role reversal of Bane’s character from the victim looking to do good to the villain acting in his own best interests.  The dichotomy of the two issues serves the story well and the ending, with Rick using his brain rather than drugs to win the day, is effective.  This was a good story and makes me itch to see more of the Hourmen. 

On one level, the story uses the Tylers and Bane to show how different people, both hero and villains, approach their addictions that gives them the power they have.  Bane is offended at what he perceives to be Rick’s weakness in his acceptance of his addiction, and in many ways you can applaud the fact that Bane has successfully kicked his habit.  Yet, Rick’s ability to accept who he is and his own limitations while trying to overcome them is (in many ways) the staple of drug programs for recovering alcoholics or drug addicts (actually it is “powerlessness” and not “weakness”).  We can identify with Rick and we can see the hero in him as he fights within himself every day. 

If there is one positive about the JSA Classified and its rotating cast of stars and different stories, is that we get a little more depth to characters that occupy the background in the regular JSA (or Justice Society of America).  We get to see Rex and Wendi enjoying their retirement and we get to see Rick handle a situation without the JSA coming to the rescue.  On the flip side, however, since Rick is part of the JSA, we were also treated with dialogue attempting to explain why the JSA can’t come and help.  A lot of feels forced, but is necessary, otherwise I’d be writing:  “why couldn’t Rick just ask the JSA for help?”

I am wondering when Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens had the time to do these two issues.  In 2005 and early 2006, they were the regular art team on Robin and then for the One Year Later leap they became (and still are) the regular artists for Green Arrow.  Essentially, they have been working non-stop for the past two years.  Has this story been sitting around for a couple of years or are they just quick enough (or insane enough) to fit this into there free time around their regular work.

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