DC brings back a LORD among villains in JUSTICE LEAGUE VS SUICIDE SQUAD
The current age of comics is full of events and crossovers so that there doesn’t seem a moment to rest from on to another. And 2017 is no different.
DC started the year off with a bang pitting their two cinematic properties, the Justice League and the Suicide Squad, against each other in a tale that reads like a big-time movie event. But that’s by design apparently. Per Joshua Williamson, writer of the current series JUSTICE LEAGUE VS THE SUICIDE SQUAD (A six-part epic crossing over to both group’s ongoing series as well), he wanted “to give a crossover that felt like a big blockbuster summer movie.” And, boy, does it! All the big hitters are here; DC’s holy trinity, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Add to that last summer’s winner from the Suicide Squad movie, Harley Quinn and Deadshot, and you’ve got a formula for greatness.
Joshua Williamson, writer,
“a lot of fights, explosions, thrilling cliffhangers…but also a lot of strong character moments between two teams that should not and will not get along.”
On top of the great hero characters (that’s stretching it for some of these characters obviously), we get Amanda Waller thrown into the mix watching out for her own interests as usual i.e. her own behind. But it’s more than a super show down, although that’s fun to watch. What they are all ultimately dealing with is an ‘extinction level event’. This comes in a REBIRTH union of some of DC’s villains who are global threats all on their own. But, put together, they are an unstoppable force. In fact, the Justice League usually find themselves having issues going League on one with any of these amazing protagonists. Now they may have to join forces with the infamous Suicide Squad who they being the tale intent on shutting down.
Joshua Williamson, writer,
“By the end, we’ll have everyone in interesting places with new bits of information that will greatly impact the DCU in 2017.”
But the center of the tale, by far, is the return of an unexpected Justice League villain. In fact, every one of the baddies filling out the roster of a team dubbed ‘THE NIGHTMARE ARMY’ are making their REBIRTH debut in grand fashion. Saying this, they are also a team of villains who will rise out of the grave of reboots past escaping the forgotten epic tales that made them and now stand to set the stage write a new chapter in their already epic tales.
MAXWELL LORD
First off, let’s cut to the preverbal chase. Returning in Justice League #12 is one of their most infamous ‘pains from the past’. Maxwell Lord is a name that will live in infamy returning or not. He debuted in Justice League #1 and was instrumental in bringing our new set of heroes together. He was seen as an unscrupulous businessman, but not evil. It was later found that, after escaping several attempts to control him and take over the world, he had his own ambition to do the same and control the League.
During the INVASION event, a ‘gene bomb’ detonated and woke up latent powers to the few who had a ‘latent Metagene’. Seems oddly enough sounding much like the Inhuman Terrigan Mist clouds that roam Marvel’s Earth today. Hmmm? Well, Maxwell Lord was one of these and gained the ability to manipulate minds.
We meet Lord, still empowered with his mind powers, incarcerated by Amanda Waller and interrogated in a ‘Task Force X Black Site’. Obviously, as these stories go, it goes terribly wrong. Maxwell escapes. But, if that weren’t bad enough, he realizes that his power only reaches so far. As he says himself, ‘I’m permission not mandate’. He doesn’t control so to finish his return and revenge his plans include a cabal of godlike maniacs that he releases with a bit of help from Waller herself.
Now, some of you are asking, ‘Why should I care about Lord’s return?” Well, many of you don’t need to care, but, I will guarantee you his showing up will get and keep your attention for most of the year. For those of us who love the old school, this is glorious!
May marks the 30th Anniversary of what has come to be called JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL’s first appearance. 1986 brought the whole of the DC Universe in to ‘Crisis’ with the twelve issue mega-epic CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS. If you haven’t heard of this comic event, where the hell have you been? Get thee to a comic shop or download it now! It was one of the original crossovers that started it all and will never be surpassed in its importance to the whole DC roster.
Couple that with one of the worst runs and rosters the Justice League has ever had and you have the fans screaming for a change. League veterans Aquaman, Elongated Man, the Martian Manhunter and Zatana had joined a new, young group of heroes that met their end going into 1987. Jerry Conway had guided the title from 1978 till then. And the title was failing against the younger rosters on titles like Teen Titans and the Legion. So, in an attempt to save it, he brought in new, young, untried characters like Vibe, Vixen, Gypsy and Steel to capitalize on the going trends. It was awkward, at best. And the market was calling for a change, not only in the guard but the lineup as well.
Anyway, back to the 30th Anniversary. May 1987, Justice League #1 hits the stands rebuilding the team after the LEGENDS 6-part story (another great arc). Looking at the original cover, one knows the old order changeth.
Conway gave way to Keith Giffen and Jim DeMattias with Kevin McGuire on art. The roster looked as odd as the Detroit crew without the visible ‘young League’ idea. Batman anchored the team as the ranking Trinity member present. Front and center was a Green Lantern; but not the one we were used to. Guy Gardner, although debuting in 1968, had been revamped for the eighties into a macho, ultra-American male stereotype. Black Canary, Doctor Fate and Shazam (DC’s Captain Marvel) returned to the ranks along with the Marian Manhunter. Added new to the ranks was a female Doctor Light and the Apokolips escape artist, Mister Miracle. With Shazam being young Billy Batson, this added a bit of youth and levity to things along with a bit of fanboying.
One of the things that made this series was the lightness of the dialog and the amazing skill in which the comic relief was handled. It flowed and has us laughing and cheering from the beginning. The, now iconic, punch Batman gave Guy Gardner early on had all of us old-school fan-boys on our feet applauding.
(Batman: The original One Punch man)
Maxwell Lord was present through a long, interesting run with JLI and ended up turning on everyone, killing Ted Kord, the second Blue Beetle, on the onset of Infinite Crisis in 2005. He would meet his end on a planetary feed that most saw as Wonder Woman snapped his neck to release Superman from his grip.
So, as a part of the REBIRTH story-line, Lord is back. And he’s smack down in the middle of a …. SmackDown? between the Justice League and the Suicide Squad. But, as stated before, he’s assembling the dream team nightmare of villains that our heroes will find as an ultimate challenge. Funny, after assembling over the years the heroes arch nemesis in an Injustice League or Society of Super Villains or whatever their called, we finally find a team to give Earth’s finest a real challenge. And will we get from this what we’ve been promised SO many times in these events? An event/crossover “that will greatly impact the DCU”!
