X-Men (v.2) #45 (1995)

 

X-Men (vol.2) #45 (October, 1995)
"The Enemy of My Enemy"
Writer - Fabian Nicieza
Pencils - Andy Kubert
Inks - Cam Smith
Colors - Kevin Somers and Malibu’s Hues
Letters - Richard Starkings and Comicraft
Edits - Raab, Harras
Cover Price: $3.95

I've long talked about this issue's place in my own personal comics-collecting "journey", even just the other day... but, haven't yet written an article to discuss what goes on behind the tarted-up and up-priced cover.

So, here goes!

--

We open with Rogue absolutely flipping out on Iceman. They have been on kind of a road trip ever since she put Gambit into a coma in the moments before the Age of Apocalypse kicked off. He’s since woken up… but, I don’t know if she knows that. Iceman’s pretty conflicted… and blames himself for Rogue’s outburst. Worth noting, he kind of has a crush on her at this point… so, yeah, this is before the Bendis retcon. Bobby ices up to try and defend himself… but it’s no use, she smashes up an ice-construct and soars into the sky.

Rogue finally calms down… long enough to express fear that she’s “too late”. When asked “too late for what”, she says “everything”. Ya see, she managed to nyoink some memories out of Gambit’s head… and this is back when they were still figuring out his past. Rogue says plainly that she has to confront those memories… those secrets, otherwise she’ll be running for the rest of her life.

Over to Gambit, in Seattle. It’s raining, because it’s Seattle. He’s there because he knows that’s where Rogue will be headed... and he’s not keen on her learning the “truth”.

Back to Rogue, at a Bar by the University of Washington. She’s wearing very little clothes… which, isn’t ideal when her powers are based on skin-to-skin contact. She asks for a beer… and damn near every patron in the place is happy to oblige. She’s so out to lunch that she even goes to pinch one of them on the cheek -- luckily, Bobby’s there to stop her… though, the drunken college kids don’t seem to appreciate him stepping in.

Rogue loses it again, and starts smashing the place up. All the while ranting about her curse of a mutant power. For a moment, it looks like she’s going to settle down... so, naturally Bobby presses her about what she learned when she kissed Gambit. This… naturally, sets her off again.

She flies through the roof… which tips off all of the bar patrons that they’re nothin’ but stinkin’ muties... as if her destroying the literal bar with her fist wasn’t enough. Lucky for Bobby, who was left by his lonesome, Gambit bursts through the wall before the drunks can attempt a dogpile. As they leave, Bobby asks if Gambit has any idea what Rogue might have learned. He’s all “yup… got lotsa ideas” -- When asked if he cares to share… he’s all “nope”.

We shift over to Manhattan, where anti-mutant muckity muck, Graydon Creed is sold on the idea of running for President of the United States in 1996.

Back in Seattle, we rejoin Rogue at a dilapidated theatre. She is soon joined by Gambit and Iceman. Bobby’s surprised that Gambit knew exactly where to go, but really… should he be? Rogue is shocked to find Gambit still among the living. They talk about secrets… and trust… and love. Rogue isn’t sure she can love him if she can’t trust him. Gambit ain’t sure he can love her if he can’t touch her. Hmm… that’s not exactly the same thing...

Rogue snaps again… tells Gambit she can feel his heart pounding… it seems like he’s realized he’s finally gotten caught. She yanks the curtain rigging down on top of Gambit. He tries to reason with her, but she ain’t havin’ it. She flies off through yet another roof, Bobby gives chase.

Rogue insists that Bobby is only sticking his nose into this matter because of a recent altercation he had with Emma Frost getting into his head. He doesn’t deny that.

With this bit of a distraction, Gambit is able to hit Rogue with a charged-up section of rope. This knocks her out of the sky, and sends her back into the theatre. Gambit’s had enough… enough seeing Rogue in such a state… enough of the lies… and it looks as though he’s about to reveal exactly what went down in this theatre back in the long ago. But, he doesn’t… instead, he says that’s all been “buried”, which doesn’t really help anybody.

Rogue talks about the near-fatal kiss… the M’Krann Crystal wave doing its thing… she’d never kissed anyone since killing Cody (err, Freddie) as a kid… she couldn’t help herself. So, she’s kind of blaming herself for all this… which kinda seems unfair, doesn’t it? I mean, Gambit always seemed up for it… regardless of risk. Gambit uses his gloved hand to wipe away Rogue’s tears… even tasting one to illustrate how they can still find ways to “touch” each other.

They embrace… but Gambit pulls back. He removes his glove and holds out his hand… offering Rogue the opportunity to learn more, if she so desires. Naturally, she does not. Rogue tells Iceman that she’s leaving the X-Men for a bit… but tells him to go back and be strong. She and Gambit tell each other that they love each other… but, ya know, sometimes love ain’t enough. Rogue flies off again… this time not through a roof! Or maybe it was through the hole she already made in the roof… I dunno.

Gambit tells Bobby to go home… and informs him that he’ll back back soon after… he’s gonna stick around Seattle for a few days. He also suggests that Rogue will eventually return to the X-Men… but, probably not to him (uh huh).

The following night, while walking down a seedy street, Gambit sees Mister Sinister in a darkened alley. They exchange pleasantries… a lot of “you can’t change your past” kind of stuff, before Sinister vanishes.

--

What can I say? This was a great issue.

Almost in spite of the pointless "tarted up" cover, this story doesn't go for the cheap pop. Instead, we get some progression in a story/relationship we'd all been following for years at this point. A (relatively) "quiet issue", the likes of which we really don't get to see anymore. Weird, isn't it? Comics have gotten more and more "talky" and insanely more decompressed... and yet, issues like this aren't really a thing anymore. Just an issue to collect ourselves... collect our thoughts, and kinda just get to know our characters as people. Just doesn't happen anymore... least not in the X-Books.

If you're reading this, well, you probably stumbled upon it by accident... or need to learn how to properly spell "crisis", so your Googling doesn't send you here, but also - you probably already know how this Rogue/Gambit/Sinister thing shakes out. Even back in the long ago, it was like the worst kept secret in comics. For all the rose-colored joy I have for the era, I can't deny that they would drag things out... almost to the point where the eventual reveals couldn't help but to fall flat. The mystery surrounding Gambit's past... I think that might be one'a them. Still fun reading, but -- I remember how this felt like it was dragging.

This is Fabian Nicieza's final issue... which, as the letters page (below) suggests, is The End of an Era. Nicieza was the writer of the very first issue of an X-Book I bought: X-Men (vol.2) #13! I'm sure I couldn't have told you that back then -- I probably still thought Stan Lee was writing everything. Looking back, Nicieza's writing style had a lot to do with me falling in love with these characters... and was a large part of me coming back to the shop week after week. I'd say, with this issue, he ended his run on a terrific high note.

Part of me wonders what my fandom would look like had this not come in a gimmicked package with a $3.95 price tag on it. Surely I'd not have walked away in 1995, right? Heck, maybe I'd have actually started writing about this stuff sooner... back when I had some potential, and a much better grasp of grammar and vocabulary. Back before the niche was flooded with folks who deal out "10 outta 10" reviews for their weekly pat on the head? Hmm, who knows...

Anyway, thanks for reading while I continue to wind this thing down.

--

(Near Impossible to read) Letters Page:

ReMarvel, Episode 3: X-Men (vol.2) #45 (1995)

This past few days, there's been kind of a theme here at the blog... well, maybe a few.  They are: Change, Moments of Profundity, and Walking Away.  The episode I'm going to share with you today actually touches on all three!

The purpose of ReMarvel, as a program, was/is for me to rediscover everything I love about Marvel Comics.  Not only that, but it also allowed me a forum where I could reminisce and share stories of my trajectory through comics fandom.  I feel like a lot of folks assume that I was a "DC lifer" and had never touched a Marvel comic, which... while understandable given my content, really isn't the case at all.  Quite the opposite... as I came into my more "rabid" fandom as only reading Marvel, and very seldom checking the DC "side" of the new-release table.


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X-Men (vol.2) #45 came at just about the perfect time for me... and was one of the truest comics-related "moments of profundity" to slap me across the face.  I'm not sure I've expressed this here, though it might be plainly obvious, I'm very much an "all or nothing" sort of guy.  I have great difficulty in the act of calibrating.  I'm either "all-in", or "all-out" with nothing in between.  That applies to my comics fandom as well.

If I'm an X-Fan, then... dangit, I'm reading all the X-Books, ya dig?

If it's also not plainly obvious, I definitely have some addictive qualities.  My inability to let this website go might be the most recent testament to that.  So, being "all-in" and addicted... collecting comics in the mid-1990's sort of ceased being a hobby, and became nothing more than a "chore".  I was 15 years old, and I'd foisted this monthly "bill" onto myself.  I'd feel sick as Wednesday approached, and I knew I was a few cents short of grabbing the next issue(s).  It didn't help that the X-Line of books had absolutely exploded from the time I entered the hobby 4-5 years earlier.  There were just so many X-Books!  It was not the best of times.

With X-Men (vol.2) #45... I hit a wall.  I wasn't picking up Previews catalogs at the time, so I wasn't privy to what was coming next.  Knowing only that it was "X-Men (vol.2) week" at the shop, I headed in with my pittance (including my two-bucks for X-Men)... and, what'd I see?

X-Men #45 was there... and it had a price tag of $3.95!  I was gobsmacked, and couldn't figure out why this random-numbered (which is to say, not a "multiple of twenty-five") issue was slapped with a gimmick cover and jacked up in price.  I was informed that (most of) the X-Books were celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Giant-Size X-Men... and, so... the (core) X-Books for that month would all be of the four-buck variety!

It was at that point I realized:

• I was never going to be able to afford this month's X-Books, which would put me behind in my collecting
• Marvel could hit us with one of these "gimmick months" at any time
• We were just a handful of months away from X-Men (vol.2) and X-Force hitting their 50th issues... which, would definitely be gimmicked and over-priced

It was like I was seeing those "scales of justice".  On one side was a very small stack of comics... that I was more concerned with having than actually enjoying, and on the other... a rather sizable (and ever-growing) stack of cash.

It was in that (profound?) moment that I realized I was done.  It was time for me to "walk away"... and, I tell ya what... when I walked out of the shop that day, I thought it was "for keeps".  I never saw myself falling back into comics again.  Heck, not too long after this, I nearly got rid of my entire collection to that point.  I was just done... and considered the hobby to just be part of my past.

I go into more detail during the ReMarvel episode, if anyone's interested.  This text piece is more of a broad strokes take on the tale.  One of the things I was hoping to accomplish with the episode was to start a conversation... I feel like, as comics fans, many of us have that story about the time we "walked away".  I love hearing that story... and learning what that "last straw" might've been... if, in fact there was a "last straw" and not just a "drifting away".

Unfortunately, it was me asking that question... and so, it largely went ignored.  As you know, I don't have all that much in the way of "cache".  Ya likely won't get a bunch of social media karma or cred if you respond to anything I put into the digital ether.  So, I guess I'll ask it again here:

• Have you ever "walked away" from comics, dear reader?
• Was there a "last straw"?
• If so, what was it?
• How long were you gone?
• What brought you back?

I'm trying to get better about engaging with the comments... I apologize for my relative radio-silence on that front of late.  It's been much more difficult getting back into the "swing" of things here than I'd expected.  Starting to realize the "healing process" only really kicks in when you admit you need to be healed in the first place.

ACW #636 - Phantom Stranger

Action Comics Weekly #636 (Phantom Stranger)
"All That Jazz"
Writer - Paul Kupperberg
Art - Andy Kubert
Letters - Tim Harkins
Colors - Adam Kubert
Editor - Renee Witterstatter

So... I kinda misspoke the other day.  Not that anybody noticed, or ever will... but I referred to today's chapter of Phantom Stranger as his last.  That is not the case, as we'll actually get one more visit with him in about six weeks.  So, I s'pose I get to drop a "penultimate" as a descriptor for this here post!

Also, this is the first of two Phantom-y features for this week... just on the other side'a Superman, we'll be meeting the Phantom Lady.  I don't think that's much of a spoiler, considering she's front-and-center on the rather awful cover this week!

Anyhoo, let's get into it... I don't think this could possibly be any worse than the Cat and Mouse story from a few weeks back!

--

Our story opens down on a subway platform.  An old musician named Loblow Jones recognizes a fella by the name Ezra Griffith... and so, he rushes over to catch up.  Ezra ain't quite feeling this reunion (in fact, he claims not to recognize the man at all), and so he bugs off on the train to get away.  Poor Loblow is just left standing there all by his lonesome.

We join the Phantom Stranger, who is doing that thing where he's reading every book in the library to learn everything he can about the human condition... or something.  He's also doing a bit of "people watching" like ya do.  He sees Loblow Jones leaving with a book called "Music and Magic"... and grows curious.

We shift scenes to Ezra Griffith's place, where he has apparently been listening to the same record on repeat for the past little while.  His wife is a bit concerned, and tries to comfort him.  Ya see, this record is of music created by, you guessed it, Loblow Jones.  Griffith's father was an evil publisher record producer who was able to get Jones to sign away all his rights to Superman his music.  Ezra was rather taken aback in seeing Loblow doin' his thang for spare change in the subway earlier that day.

Their chat is interrupted by the sound of... saxophone music.  Outside, leaning against a street lamp is, you guessed it again, Loblow Jones... and he's belting out (does one "belt out" on sax?) one heckuva tune.

The Phantom Stranger's on hand to watch this all go down... and the scene grows even weirder as children begin emerging from all of the neighborhood houses.  It's almost as if Loblow is a low-key Pied Piper of sorts!  A man rushes from his home brandishing a rifle... but the Stranger stops him before he can pull the trigger. 

The Stranger then attempts to reason with Loblow... but it's a No-go.  Before long, our man is literally buried by the music!

But then, it's deus ex time!  The Stranger pulls himself to his feet... spouts a few words, and Loblow is snapped out of his trance.

We wrap up with Ezra checking in with Loblow... and we learn that, he was so hurt by being "ghosted" in the subway, that Loblow wanted some revenge... and since Ezra's daddy took away his "babies" in his music, the Jazzman was going to return the favor by... ya know, literally stealing children.  Thank goodness the Phantom Stranger arrived in time to... ya know, tell him to knock it off.

--

So... this story kind of encapsulates everything I find wrong with the Phantom Stranger.  You start with an interesting premise... ramp up the drama, or suspense, or comic-approximation of "horror"... build to a climax where everybody is painted into a corner... then, the Phantom Stranger speaks.  I mean, that's it... he speaks, and everything goes back to normal.

Y'ever watch the old Power Rangers show?  They'd get their butts kicked for the better part of a half-hour, when suddenly "It's Morphin Time"... big-ass robot, fifteen second battle, everything ends all hunky dory.  This is sort of like that, only we don't get the satisfaction of seeing people dressed like robots stumbling around and destroying a cardboard city.

I mean, this is worlds better than that "Cat and Mouse" four-parter we covered a few weeks ago, but... man, this might be more disappointing, simply because it felt like it could've been much better!  Sure, it was heavy-handed... and was probably more than a little bit "commentary" on creators rights... but, it was good!  Ezra wasn't painted so much as a cloven-hoofed villain, but a son who might get stuck holding the tab for the sins his father committed.

Loblow... I mean, really dude?  You decide you're going to steal children... from folks who had nothing to do with you signing away the rights to your music?  Sure, it'd be one thing if he was just going after the Griffiths... but, every kid in the neighborhood?  C'mon Loblow, how you gonna feed all dem kids?  Think it out, man.

The art was pretty great... I thought the Kuberts did some wonderful work here!  Really, my only complaint here is the deus ex, finger-snap ending.  Overall, it's probably the strongest Phantom Stranger story we've looked at in Action Comics Weekly... but, that strength only makes the anticlimactic ending stand out even more.

Tomorrow: The Seeds (or izzit Sides?) of Darkness!

Christmas With Enemy Ace (1989)

Christmas With the Super-Heroes #2 (Enemy Ace)
"Silent Night"
Words/Pencils - John Byrne
Finishes - Andy Kubert
Colors - Glenn Whitmore
Editor - Mark Waid
Dedicated to - Joe Kubert & Bob Kanigher

Alrighty... talk about outta my comfort zone and headfirst into "uncharted territory"... here's Enemy Ace!

Not only have I never discussed Enemy Ace before... I've never even read a story featuring him before!

So... it oughta go without saying... apologies to fans of the character, because... this time out, ya boi hasn't got a clue!

--

We open at a military hospital... there is a downed plane nearby.  Inside a man with a mostly-bandaged head sketches Von Hammer's airplane... which his attending nurse seems to appreciate.  This is, however, not as appreciated by a one-legged fella with a mustache... who swats all of the art to the ground.

Time passes, and Enemy Ace himself arrives at the hospital.  He's brought with him provisions to ensure the patients and residents can have themselves a nice Christmas meal.

After the food is prepared and the meal shared, Von Hammer has himself a dance with the attending nurse from earlier.  This doesn't go unnoticed by the bandage-headed fella.

After the dance, Hans walks over to the list of patients being treated, maybe some casualties too... and salutes.  Just then, a man points a gun in his direction.

It's the bandage-headed fella!  The one-legged mustachioed guy makes sure the situation doesn't escalate any further.

He then suggests Hans take his leave... which he does.

--

Not gonna lie... this one took me a few tries.  I question the wisdom of making the Enemy Ace feature a "silent" story.  I mean, if it were Superman or Batman... or any "mainstream" DC character, I could see this working for anyone reading it.  With Enemy Ace though?  He's just off the beaten-path enough to where I wasn't sure who was who... and what was what.

I know Enemy Ace primarily from his distinctive mask.  You take that off... and give him a standard non-distinct Byrnian face, and he kinda gets lost in the crowd.  My first couple of times through this one, I wasn't even sure if Hans stayed for dinner!

In subsequent re"reads", the story became a bit more clear... but I still wouldn't swear to anything I'm about to say.  I get the impression that many of the injuries and casualties that this remote hospital has seen were due to the actions of Enemy Ace himself.  We see the bandaged man sketching Hans' Fokker Triplane... so, I think we can assume he's the one who shot them down.

Hans, who I don't know from Adam, seems like during combat he's just "doing his duty"... following orders, and all that.  Otherwise, he might be a caring and empathetic guy.  We can see this in how he salutes the fallen after having a dance.  This story reminds me a bit of the Christmas Truce of 1914... where German and British troops had a brief ceasefire in the midst of World War I.

Before we cut out, let's have a look at the art.  I'm a pretty big Byrne fan, though even I will admit that his faces tend to be a bit generic from time to time.  Having Andy Kubert provide finishes really jazzed up the work.  I feel like Byrne/Kubert might've been one heck of an artistic "marriage".  Really solid stuff here... wish there was more of it!

Tomorrow: Barry and Hal save Christmas!

Justice League of America (vol.2) #0 (2006)

Justice League of America (vol.2) #0 (September, 2006)
"Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow"
Writer - Brad Meltzer
Pencillers - Eric Wright, Dick Giordano, Tony Harris, George Perez, J.H. Williams III, Luke McDonnell, Gene Ha, Rags Morales, Ethan Van Sciver, Kevin Maguire, Adam Kubert, Dan Jurgens, Jim Lee, Howard Porter, Andy Kubert, Phil Jimenez & Ed Benes
Inkers - Paul Neary, Kevin Nowlan, Dexter Vines, Jesse Delperdang, Andy Lanning & Sandra Hope
Letterer - Rob Leigh
Colorist - Alex Sinclair
Assistant Editor - Jeanine Schaeffer
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.99

Well, that be a lotta pencillers, eh?  Wow, for the first time in ever I couldn't fit'em all into the tags/labels!

This is bound to be an amazing book right?  Either that or a colossal mess, to be sure?  Well, nah... it's neither of those things really... but we'll get there.  I guess I'm still in a post-Infinite Crisis mood (is anyone ever in an Infinite Crisis mood?  This might be a first!), so we may as well see how the new-look League (starts to) shake out!

This bugger features a lot of callbacks (it's basically a series of vignettes of the past and "future")... and I'll do my best to fill in the bits and pieces as we go.

--

We open in the Batcave... a long time ago.  This is happening right after Justice League of America #9 (February, 1962) "The Origin of the Justice League" (Gardner Fox/Mike Sekowsky)... ya know, the one with where the Leaguers are almost turned into trees?  Superman is trying to convince Batman that when a threat becomes too big for one of them, they should band together as the Justice League to take it down.  Batman kinda hems and haws, before accepting.  This is drawn in a time-appropriate style, the "face" part of Batman's cowl is darker than the rest, sort of like the Adam West '66 show.

After the handshake heard 'round the world... both men look a bit ill at ease.  Turns out they aren't alone.  Wonder Woman is also there... invited by both men without checking with one another, it's a pretty cute bit.

We jump ahead in League history to around issue #102 of Justice League of America (October, 1972) "... And One of Us Must Die!" (Len Wein/Dick Dillin) where Red Tornado sacrifices himself to save the team.  Our trinity really starts tearing into one another about this... Diana thinks Red Tornado was kind of their best bet for a sacrifice, as "it's better we lost a machine than one of our own."  Batman is furious... he always thought they considered Tornado "one of their own" regardless.

Next stop, the future... or a possible one, at least.  The trinity is attending the wedding of... Hal Jordan?  Ehhh? They are joshing one another about the betting odds for some of the male Leaguers taking a wife.  Behind the three is a woman lost in thought... I'm gonna take a stab and say this is Carol Ferris... and Hal's marrying another woman.  This story (to my knowledge) never came to pass, so it's pretty moot.

The talk of weddings leads us to a flashback to an issue we discussed here not too long ago!  The wedding of Donna Troy and the Creep... er, Terry Long in Tales of the Teen Titans #50 (February, 1985) "We Are Gathered Here Today......." (Marv Wolfman/George Perez).  We get a neat callback (via Perez's own pencil!) to a discussion Dick and Bruce had during the reception.

Tales of the Teen Titans #50 (Feb, 1985) / Words-Wolfman - Art/Perez

Back to... the future, where we see the trinity fighting Lex Luthor!  Lex has actually punched Batman in the face so hard he knocked a tooth out!  He's ranting about something having happened to his son... which, again... this is a possible future, I suppose.... buuuuut, being as though this is right after Infinite Crisis, an event that saw the death of Superboy (Kon-El/Conner Kent), who was cloned from a DNA cocktail featuring the mojo of Superman and Lex Luthor, he might be referring to that.

Back to the past, and we're at around Justice League of America Annual #2 (1984) "The End of the Justice League" (Gerry Conway/Chuck Patton).  This is at the dawning of the Detroit-League run by Aquaman, and featuring characters like Vibe, Gypsy, Vixen, and Commander Steel.  Batman ain't quite feelin' it... I feel like that's something of a theme here.  Superman and Wonder Woman try to get him to settle his tea kettle... and tell him it's Arthur's turn to run the show.

Back to the future... and this is a story that actually came to pass.  We're in Smallville, and in the shadow of Pa Kent's passing (at the end of the Brainiac storyline right before the New Krypton saga), Clark has returned to try and remove all traces of Superman.  Of interest, he fills in the tunnel from his childhood bedroom, which I've always associated with pre-Crisis Superboy... hmm...

Back to the past... and the Batcave!  Batman and Wonder Woman spar as Superman looks on.  Batman is excited that he's found himself a new partner... Jason Todd!  This kid's gonna be great, really great!  This is the first time in awhile Batman feels "alive".  Can't really place this one... since, ya know... Batman met Jason Todd twice.  His happiness here makes me think pre-Crisis, however everything Red Hood related from here on makes me think post.

To the future!  We're on Paradise Island as Wonder Woman is preparing for her upcoming nuptials.  Apparently her taking a husband brings with it a sacrifice... her immortality!  Can't say that this story ever happened... my Wonder Woman knowledge is pretty spotty.  I'm gonna go with "never happened".

In the past, we get a little bwa-ha-ha, when the trinity huddles around a photo of a kayoed Guy Gardner.  This occurred in Justice League #5 (September, 1987) "Gray Life Gray Dreams" (Keith Giffen/J.M. DeMatteis/Kevin Maguire) They ask Batman about the (to my mind, kinda "over referenced" by this point) "one punch".  It's sad that an entire (amazing) run of Justice League is often reduced to Batman punching Guy Gardner.

In the future, Superman arrives to the new JLA Satellite for his annual meeting with the rest of the trinity... alas, they are a no-show.  Clark sheds a single tear.  Not sure this one ever came to pass either.  It looks like the League has the head of the Incredible Hulk in their trophy room though!

Back to the past, looks like we're hopping into my wheelhouse, 1992.  Batman and Wonder Woman see the news of Superman's passing.  That of course happened in Superman (vol.2) #75 (January, 1993) "Doomsday!" (Dan Jurgens).  All Bruce can say is that they're going to need to build a stronger League next time.  A reference to Doomsday absolutely wrecking the current League, and perhaps the justification for Wonder Woman joining the "new" League immediately following the Death of Superman.

In the future, the trinity discuss a recent revelation by the Flash... wouldja believe, there's a second Earth out there?  I remember there being some rumblings and measures taken in regard to doing some Earth-2 stuff post-Infinite Crisis, but it never felt like it took off.

Back to the past!  Superman and Wonder Woman are reading Batman the riot act on his secretly having protocols on taking out each member of the League should they go rogue.  This doesn't sound like a terrible idea, until you consider what might happen if say... Ra's al Ghul were to get a hold of them.  This happened in the Tower of Babel arc in JLA, issues 43-46 (Mark Waid/Howard Porter).  In the fallout of this arc (JLA #50 - February, 2001 - Mark Waid/Bryan Hitch), the League members revealed their secret identities to one another.

And, back to the future... Wonder Woman and Superman are at Crime Alley in Gotham City discussing the passing of Batman.  This would (sorta) eventually come to pass nearly a half-decade after this issue!  Superman/Batman #76 (November, 2010) "The Brave and the Bold" (Judd Winick/Marco Rudy) featured Superman's reaction to the death(s) of Batman.  I get fuzzy here because Batman died in Final Crisis... and during Batman R.I.P., right?!

We next get a very brief flashback bit regarding Batman's involvement with Brother Eye... like one panel brief.  They are discussing events that occurred during the OMAC Project miniseries (2005-Greg Rucka) which was part of the lead-up to Infinite Crisis.

That's our last time-traveling moment here, as we (finally) arrive in the present.  Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are having their latest annual Trinity-Meeting.  Batman accidentally refers to the League as "friends", which is pretty cute.

Our issue ends with the big-three knowing they've got a few big decisions ahead of them... and, ya know, gets our hopes up about what new members they're going to add to the ol' order.

--

It's hard to really review this as a story... but it's still something worth checking out.  Not only does it provide a fun Justice League history lesson (including art from the original artists, or in the style of) but it also helps us conceptualize what the current post-Infinite Crisis DC Universe may look like.

I remember having a ton of questions following Superboy-Prime's reality punch insofar as what is and isn't part of continuity anymore.  This issue allows us to observe vignettes to answer (even nebulously) some of those questions.

I think I could have done without some of the "flash forwards", which wound up not panning out.  Not sure if they were included as red herrings, or if they simply didn't wind up happening due to... whatever reasons.  It is interesting to consider that even as Infinite Crisis was a thing, DC already had an eye toward Final Crisis (if, in fact, that's what the Crime Alley scene was alluding to). Seems like an unreal amount of forethought for a comic book company of any era.

The first time I read this, I think my main takeaway was the idea that perhaps Superman was, at one time, Superboy.  I wasn't terribly familiar with the concept, or even fond of it at the time... but it was still intriguing.  I saw this as, potentially, the first radical shift (that didn't serve a larger story) to a character I'd "grown up with".  Hell, it's possible I was reading too much into it... but, that underground tunnel in Clark's room always yelled "Superboy" to me.

It was neat revisiting some older incarnations of the League... even if I could do without the "cheap pop" Batman "one-punching" Guy Gardner reference.  It really bugs me that when folks talk about that era they're all "One Punch!  One Punch!" rather than talking about all of the great stories and character work that amazing run brought with it.  Though, I guess it's good enough people remember it at all.

The art was... ya know, kinda jarring... but in the right way.  This is supposed to be something of a Justice League community quilt... it's supposed to look different as it goes.  I'll say that I wasn't a fan of all the art here, but feel it did all serve the tone(s) the book is going for.

Overall, as I read this I thought to myself "Self, this would'a made a really good Free Comic Book Day issue!" and upon further review, saw that it actually was the year after it came out!  Then I thought... hey, I can tell folks to check this one out digitally for free!  But alas, no... it is available digitally, but it's gonna cost ya some credits.  I'd say it's worth a look, though I would advise against breaking the bank to do so... it does, after all, feature Terry Long.

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