WARNING! THE WAY TO SUCK SPOILERS! AND THE WAY TO SUCK EGGS!
Title: New Blood
Release Date: Early October 2002
Writer: Joe KellyPenciller: Yvel GuichetInker: Mark ProbstJLA Members: Nightwing,
the Atom,
Green Arrow,
Firestorm,
Hawkgirl,
Jason Blood,
Faith, and
Major Disaster.
Guest Stars: Batman,
Tempest,
Zatanna,
Captain Marvel, and
Hawkman.
Cameos: Lex Luthor,
Sand,
Wildcat,
Mr. Terrific, and
Timothy McVeigh (trying to escape from Hell).
Special Features: An all-new JLA lineup.
So what happens?A month after the Justice League's disappearance, things are not good. Criminals are running amok, mysterious
droughts are burning up the Midwest, disasters are ravaging Europe and Africa... and a computer program Batman designed to detect the
absence of the JLA and a decline of situations on Earth is activated...
At the resurfaced
Atlantis, Tempest, Zatanna, and the Atom are trying in vain to re-open the
temporal portal which took the Justice League. They've about given up when a shiny, metal, flying
globe appears and tells
the Atom that he's been
drafted into a new Justice League...
The original
Green Arrow, Oliver Queen, recently returned from the dead, is also
recruited, and, though he lists a bunch of stipulations that he expects to be followed, he still joins eagerly.
One of the probes visits the headquarters of the
Justice Society of America and tries to recruit Captain Marvel. He turns down the offer, however, after using the Wisdom of
Solomon to realize that the JSA needs him too much right now.
Hawkgirl, on the other hand, gleefully joins up when another probe shows up to offer her membership -- to Hawkman's
chagrin, since he seems to have wanted to be in the League, too.
A completely new hero named
Faith is also offered membership and accepts. Not much to tell about Faith so far -- she's a short-haired brunette with a purple and white costume with mostly-undefined powers: she can
fly, toss tanks around in some unspecified way, has a funky green aura, and is being pursued by the
military.
Jason Blood, who used to be one of
King Arthur's
knights and is currently bonded to the diabolical
anti-hero called
the Demon, is also visited by one of the probes, but he expresses doubts. Surely there are more powerful sorcerers out there... some who maybe don't occasionally turn into yellow-skinned mayhem-loving demons? The probe plays a pre-recorded message from Batman assuring Jason that he has a way to keep the Demon under control...
The probe also visits
Firestorm, in his
secret identity of hungover college student Ronnie Raymond. Firestorm is also glad to join the League -- it beats being tormented by his dumb college buds.
And a probe visits
Major Disaster, a supervillain who's trying to
reform, and recruits him, too. Major Disaster?! Batman, dude, you're
snubbing a hell of a lot of rockin' superheroes. Jade, the Golden Age Flash, Hawkman, Power Girl, Sentinel, Dr. Fate, Zatanna--
Oh, and speaking of everyone's favorite fishnet-hose-wearing, backwards-talking magician, she's still on Atlantis trying to figure out some way to get the original JLA back. She tries summoning all the
magic within Atlantis, but she ends up summoning some sort of
monster out of the ground. Nothing more on that front 'til next issue, I guess...
Meanwhile, in the JLA Watchtower, the newly-assembled Justice League members are watching a pre-recorded tape of Batman telling them that the world is
relying on them, giving them a general
pep talk, and introducing them to their new
leader:
Nightwing, the original
Robin. A motley group -- can they succeed where the original JLA failed?
Cool Moments!Some odd choices in the new members, but I enjoy getting my expectations challenged; it's nice to see Oliver Queen and Firestorm back in the Justice League; Hawkgirl, but not Hawkman -- wonder why? Hawkman even has his own
comic right now that could benefit by putting him in DC's biggest book; Nightwing should make a fun leader -- Ollie's gonna hate him, but great
drama comes from such things; and most mystifying -- a new character, a supervillain, and
Etrigan the Demon's
alter ego. All in all, looks like
fun. Maybe even better: lots of excellent dialogue this issue.
Cool Quotes!Green Arrow, listing his requirements for signing up with the JLA: "...If I sign on, I'm still my own man. No one beeps me in the middle of
the Good Stuff and tells me to shoot
Titano in the eye from two thousand yards."
Green Arrow, with one more question: "Am I the oldest fart gonna be on this team?"
JLA Probe: "No. You are over 1,000 years younger than the oldest recruit."
Green Arrow: "All right then. Now tell me about the
broads."
Captain Marvel, after turning down JLA membership: "Stupid '
Wisdom of Solomon.'"
Wildcat, sarcastically: "Woe is me! Where's my
fancy schmancy probe?!? If I don't get to be in the JLA I'll just die--!"
Ronnie Raymond, fighting off a
hangover: "God, why did you make us so stupid? Especially in college--?"
Ronnie, warning his pals to lay off him: "Guys, really, I'm getting angry... You wouldn't like me when I'm angry... I
hurl."
Major Disaster: "Awright, world... Major Disaster's in the JLA. I'm a &!#%$ superhero."
Oliver Queen, grousing after meeting the new members: "That kid is Major Disaster for Pete's sakes, and who's the chick?"
Batman, pre-recorded months ago: "Queen! ZIP IT!"
Ollie: "Ah, fercryingoutloud!"
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