Friday, April 29, 2011

Justice League Generation Lost #24

More of a overview of the series than a review. I was thinking Max and Boosters' fight would be longer, and given what Power Girl said in her own title I assumed they'd catch him. Yeah I was a little miffed that the ladies didn't do more but rereading it this makes sense. Fire and Ices' powers cancel each other out. OMAC Prime is literally made to kill Wonder Woman so it stands to reason she'd struggle with it but she's one of the few that's hard to knock down. Power Girl stayed away because she would make it too strong (if I understand it's powers right it's "skin" would be hard to destroy.) Gavril kinda knew he was outmatched but stayed to help fend off attacks anyway. I do think it's hilarious that Batman added nothing to the fight. I can't recall the last time that happened, he doesn't even try to lead them during it. So either Power Girl/Atom made him swing there or he just let them deal with it. Considering they were in NY before I'd say the latter.

Although Boosters' power down was questionable because of his Legion Flight ring (someone told me this would still shut the ring off) I liked him pushing Max. Tackling Max is literally how they meet in his first solo title, he was a football player, and it's the sort of impulsive thing he'd do. Max was taunting him for not taking action and he did. I do find Maxs' rant fascinating since he's basically defending his actions to kill when it's needed and scoffing at the team for not. Yet WW killed him and he's always trying to make JLI look good because he thinks their the real deal. Self doubt perhaps? Boosters' also the only member Max hasn't tried to actively kill when he has the chance. He shot Jaime when he was unarmed but reframes from having the ship shoot at Booster. I'd like to think Max has a soft spot for him.

I've seen complaints but other than the Ice retcon I really don't have a problem with things others have. I don't think Booster was a horrible leader because they couldn't get Max. Batman himself lead Max to Wonder Woman. I see leadership as something Booster has to learn along with Maxs' chessmaster thinking. Because Rip is skilled in both and he has to learn that from someone. Winick didn't just make Max a bad guy, yes he was involved in the comic that did that but he's not doing this out of the blue. Max won't be redeemed as long as Teds' death is floating over his head. DC has trouble with shades of grey and at present have no desire to bring Ted back. I've read Ruckas' Max who at best comes off as sexist with Wonder Woman and Johns unfeeling Max that seems to think Booster is an idiot despite being the one who recruited him. This is a huge step up because Max at least has a personality and old Max peeks through.

Jaimes' fake death didn't bother me because you expect that in comics. And really when you have his name sakes' killer brought back and DCs' current favorite whipping boy (Booster) you HAVE to see them toying with the angst. I was surprised they didn't do so during Blackest Night. I smiled not so much for Jaimes' spoken tribute to Ted Kord but the next page that reflected Max shooting Ted because of the irony. Wonder Woman avenged Ted by killing Max and having Jaime take down O.P to save WW got me. There's actually a lot of meta stuff about what it is to be a man and not a monster with Max and Cap. Or how Max turned into his fathers' killers by making Teds' death look like a suicide too. I know there was disappointment that Max wasn't caught and asking what the point was. Well the point was that they never gave up and they did make their number one goal: they made the world remember and got their lives back. Can't wait for more and to see how this works with Boosters' solo title.

2 comments:

  1. It WAS a pretty decent story, all things considered, and there was a lot that I liked. The only thing that still really honks me off, is that idiotic retcon of Tora's origin, which STILL drives me into an inchoate rage whenever I think of it.

    I tend to hold grudges. Obviously.

    But yes, Booster did well, as did Jaime and Gavril and even Capt Atom. The women didn't get to do as much, and I still think that Winick can't write women to save his life, but at least they were THERE. I miss having a book with Fire and Ice, and I am SO looking forward to the new JLI.

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  2. I think Winick does a great Power Girl, I liked everything he did with Fire and I enjoyed most of his Talia protrayal. He also did some wonderful stories with the ladies of Exiles that were great. He admitted that he wished he could have fitted in more stuff for Fire but there wasn't any space. The backstory with her mother and her own guilt was interesting. Winick has some good ideas but I think a co-writer could help things like the Ice retcon from happening.

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