DCU Comic Book Reviews

VIGILANTE #6

Deathtrap, Conclusion:  Eyes of Joseph Wilson

July 2009

Written by Marv Wolfman

Pencils by Tom Lyle

Inks by Scott Hanna

Cover by Andrew Robinson

Synopsis

[Continued from Titans #13]  Jericho has succeeded in blowing up a building with the Titans and Teen Titans inside.  Now, he faces his father, Deathstroke.  Vigilante rushes to reach Jericho, but is waylaid by the police.  He manages to escape and races to reach Jericho.  Elsewhere, Cyborg reaches the scene of the crime and finds his comrades lying amongst the rubble.  Meanwhile, Jericho continues his battle with Deathstroke.  Suddenly, the Titans arrive.  Jericho thinks it is all trick.  Raven talks to him and tries to enter his mind, but is unable to do it.  Donna Troy then places a helmet of Jericho’s head that inhibits his ability to jump into anyone.  Jericho then realizes his battle with his father was a trick; it was really Miss Martian.  Jericho pulls a gun and threatens the Titans.  Vigilante enters the fray, brandishing his guns.  Flash, however, uses his speed to knock Jericho out.  Jericho is then taken into custody.  Later, Vigilante stops the squad car to make sure Jericho will never his powers again.  When the Titans realize what Vigilante is up to, they race to Jericho.  And they find his eyes have been removed completely.  Jericho can’t see.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This was so not good.  The storytelling, not only in this issue but also for the complete “Deathtrap” storyline, lacked any type of structure on which to hang a really good story.  It is more of a series of moments and plots loosely centered on an idea, almost as if the editor provided an outline of cool things he wanted in the story and the writers were forced to work around it.  To top it off, Wolfman had to write part of the “Deathtrap” storyline while at the same time figure out a way to make the Vigilante title still work.  There are several pages in this issue that have nothing to do with Jericho or “Deathtrap,” but are important to the Vigilante book.  This is the type of thing that good planning and good storytelling would account for, neither of which seems to be in evidence.  It all just seems so random and unplanned.  And that usually leads to poor storytelling.  This was not a good crossover story. 

I liked the ending and I liked what Vigilante did to Jericho.  It makes sense.  I like the fact that Jericho is still haunted by those he possessed, but now unable to do it again.  I would like to see a story where he tries to go through therapy and regain his sanity.  I doubt that will happen.  Ultimately, I think Jericho will be removed from the proverbial board and stay on the sidelines until some writer decides he wants to use him.  Then (thanks to advance science in the DCU that heal anyone except for Barbara Gordon), Jericho will get his eyes back and return to hunt the Titans once more. 

For the first time since this series began, we get a glimpse of Vigilante’s past (the connection of his father-in-law to the mob).  It has nothing to do with Jericho, but there it is.  Perhaps it is a bone to get Titans readers to pick up Vigilante.  What it feels like is a misplaced plot point in a scattershot story.   It will be interesting to see how the Vigilante trade paperback is going to read and scenes like that play into whatever overarching story Wolfman is telling. 

Is it just me, or did Vigilante’s role and reason for being in this story never get addressed properly?  I mean, Vigilante is desperately trying to bring down the mobs, which apparently includes his father-in-law (did he marry Tobias Whale’s daughter; that would be a hoot).  Anyway, what the hell does Jericho have to do with the mobs?  Is there a connection that I missed? 

Where was the helmet earlier?  It actually would’ve been a nice plot point if the Titans tried to use on Jericho at an earlier time in the story.  It would’ve been easy to add into the story but make it an ineffective weapon, as the Titans can’t get close enough to get it on him.  By showing it earlier, when we get to this point in the story, when Raven gets close and fails, we can sense what will come next.  As it is, the sudden appearance of the helmet just makes the Titans look like idiots for not doing it sooner.  And, now that I am thinking about it, was Raven’s plan ever mentioned before.  Again, if her idea was set-up earlier, it helps when the moment actually comes in the story. 

Hey, look, Flash actually using his speed to help the team.  After last issue of this storyline, it is a novel concept.  Which is sad, when you think about it. 

 

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