"Justice League of America"
Best-selling author Brad Meltzer did something that hadn't been done before last month. He simultaneously topped the best-seller list with new thriller "The Book of Fate" and the comic book charts with the first issue of "Justice League of America," published by DC Comics. This month, Meltzer returns with an equally strong second issue.
For those not in the know, the Justice League of America is DC Comics' premiere super team, the only team that can claim Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman as its members.
The new issue picks up where the first left off. Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are meeting in the Batcave to discuss recruits for the latest incarnation of the Justice League. Meanwhile, the Red Tornado, an android superhero with a soul, decides he wants to cease being a robot and become a man so he can live with his girlfriend, Kathy Sutton, and her daughter, Traya, and have a normal life. He is unaware that his android body has been stolen by a group of villains seeking to harness his weather-controlling powers and create a "tornado army."
Meltzer knows DC superheroes, and it shows in every panel. From little moments like Red Tornado's daughter teaching him how to brush his teeth to Superman admitting he needs help saving the world, Meltzer strives to find minor aspects of these characters that have always been there but were never touched upon. As far as the plot is concerned, it relies heavily on DC's less mainstream villains like Felix Faust, a blessing and a curse for new readers.
Finally there is the composition of the League itself. Meltzer's Justice League consists of the aforementioned big three, plus Green Lantern, Black Canary, Hawk Girl, Black Lightning, Arsenal (Green Arrow's former sidekick) and the relatively unknown Vixen.
Add some gorgeous artwork by Ed Benes and DC Comics has a must-read comic. It adds human dimension to god-like characters and embraces their history in a way that helps new readers catch up without overwhelming them.
"The Ultimates #12"
"I like to know a man's name before I put him in the ground," Captain America tells international super soldier Abdul al-Rahman. He's about to engage him on the front lawn of the White House in the latest issue of Marvel Comics' hit "The Ultimates 2," the sequel to Marvel's best- selling comic book series "The Ultimates."
"The Ultimates" reinvents Marvel's premiere super team the Avengers as part of their Ultimate line, created to tell stories not tied down by years of continuity in order to attract new readers.
The U.S. government puts together a super team called the Ultimates in response to a growing number of mutants and other super-powered beings. The team consists of Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Quicksilver, Hawkeye and more, with Nick Fury acting as their liaison to the government. The first volume, written by Mark Millar and drawn by Bryan Hitch, was a huge success that convinced Marvel to bring the team back for a second volume.
Since the alien invasion of the first series, the Ultimates have been hailed as heroes. However, an international coalition of super humans calling itself the Liberators has invaded America, subdued the Ultimates, captured the President and taken over the country.
Mark Millar infuses "The Ultimates" with political commentary without coming off as preachy and issue 12 is no exception. He writes the characters as they are supposed to be written, not as a soapbox for his admittedly leftist political views.
Issue 12 is big on action and artist Bryan Hitch really shines. Hitch sketches detailed splash pages that dwarf the reader and smaller panels to convey movement as punches are being thrown. Hitch's characters and backgrounds are photorealistic but there is a real sense of weight and momentum to them. It is this attention to detail that leads to the book's sporadic shipping schedule and with one more issue left we can only pray that Hitch can make his December deadline.
Those who want the complete story of "The Ultimates 2" can start by picking up the paperback "Gods and Monsters" now. Otherwise, action lovers who just want to see a bunch of super-powered militant leftists get a good old-fashioned stomping courtesy of the U.S. of A should jump right to issue 12.
