So, we’re gearing up for “The Trinity War” storyline that’s going to wind through DC’s three Justice League books, which means Justice League of America #5 had to tuck its first big arc onto the back burner to make way for it. Trouble with that is that we just saw Catwoman get shot dead in the head at the end of last issue. Can we deal with the ramifications in one issue – an issue with a flag-draped coffin on the cover?
Oh yeah, totally.
Turns out that Catwoman was actually Martian Manhunter, who proceeds to whoop ass on Signal Man and Copperhead, while Hawkman continues to NOT recognize the ass-beating being handed to him by the Shaggy Man (who is actually a robot dressed like a shaggy man), while the real Catwoman handles Blockbuster, while Stargirl fries all the evil Justice League-robots, while Vibe and Katana help Hawkman, while Green Arrow tracks down Professor Ivo and finds out the house they’re fighting in is able to transcend this plane and move around. Sounds a lot like that House of Mystery over in Justice League Dark, right? Well, not exactly – this one’s got Chronos, well-known time-traveler who was supposed to be trying to find Booster Gold for Amanda Waller, knocked cold and strapped into it, allowing it to suck his time-powers away to pull the escape shenanigans for the no-longer-Secret Society of Supervillains.
The big mystery, though, is who’s leading this motley crue? He’s dressed like the Joker, complete with the pale skin, but highly balding with brown hair, and he’s been operating with a very calm, smooth demeanor. Essentially, he looks like Alfred Pennyworth on Smilex toxin. However, he seems to have some connection to J’onn J’onzz, daring the telepathic Martian to identify him, and he can’t. But we do learn that this man watched his world die. That’s all we get. And that he occasionally interjects a “Ha.” into things. And at one point, he says “If the Joker could see me now.” It’s possible he’s the Riddler on Smilex instead. Likely extra-dimensional stuff at work here.
At the end of all that mess, the main bad guys get away, Waller pitches a fit about disbanding the JLA because they didn’t get the full job done, and Steve Trevor is now arguing for them after seeing them in action, which is exactly how Waller expected him to react. Oh, and she’s also finally got Green Lantern Simon Baz in the mix, since he’s apparently done mucking about in space, but she didn’t expect to get the squirrel lantern B’dg along for ride, who seems to be in charge of monitoring Baz and his unprecedented GL abilities. Oh, and she’s got Doctor Light in a box.
Brett Booth does a pretty bang-up job with the artwork, taking over for David Finch, and Geoff Johns has made sure to give each member of the JLA a chance to show what they bring to the table. J’onn is obvious, Catwoman’s been featured already, but Hawkman’s crazy indomitability and Stargirl’s mighty cosmic staff come into play here to help turn the tide. It’s a nice bit of slam-bang superhero action.
In the backup story from Matt Kindt and Manuel Garcia, we see what caused the extinction of life on Mars – turns out, it’s a telepathic parasite named Thoth. Manhunter kills him, but only its current physical form. Thoth will be back in some other form to threaten everybody. Hell, maybe that’s the real name of Riddler-Joker-Pennyworth.
Not bad. The funky team dynamics and the mystery of the SSV will keep Justice League of America going for a while, likely going places we don’t expect – although since the Doctor Light business carries over into Justice League #22, the crossover has already begun. Trinity War’s a-tootin’. Put on your seat belts and lets get weirdly metaphysical.
