Dan Jurgens, Marco Castiello, & Vincenzo Acunzo
Summary
We open up the issue with Batman and Booster breaking into the apartment of the two guys who blew up the Hall of Justice in #1. Batman tells Booster that, if an upcoming meeting with the U.N. doesn't go well, they should consider working without the U.N.'s blessing. They easily take down the two thugs and Booster prevents a bomb from exploding and taking he and Bats out with it. Then we cut to Peru where Guy (Green Lantern), Gavril (Rocket Red), and Tora (Ice) are taking down the last of the giants from the first story arc. Guy is talking about how Booster isn't there because he's probably off doing some commercial or... "sleepin' one off." Classy, Guy. Ice tries to calm him down, but still supports Booster's leadership. Gavril accidentally gets in Guy's mouth's line-of-fire and gets sent off. Gavril wanders around and eventually finds an odd piece of equipment that blasts light into his eyes. Guy calls him out before they destroy the place Gavril was in. We now cut back to New York where we see Dora (Godiva) and Zhifu (August General-In-Iron) out for lunch. Dora (despite the fact that she's British?) is teaching Zhifu about American culture. She begins confiding in him, but he pushes too far and she backlashes. We see a van with a bomber inside drive at them, but Zhifu stops it with his brute strength and Dora stops the bomb from going off with just two seconds left. We next see Michael (Booster Gold), Bea (Fire), and Mari (Vixen) meeting with the U.N. Security Council. The council tears into the team about how they handled their first mission poorly, and Bea and Booster quickly defend. Booster tears into the council about how if they want "the big "S" and the J.L.", then they should get them. Booster convinces the council the team did a good job and the team is officially shown to the world, but a bomb blows up the entire team, leaving them potentially dead as the issue draws to a close.
Thoughts
I REALLY enjoyed this issue! I mean I know that it was only a filler issue, but I enjoyed this issue more than I have enjoyed any other issue so far in this series. (Or in general besides Aquaman #5) I loved the fact that Godiva and August General-In-Iron continued their surprising friendship and I'm happy to see Booster leading wonderfully without Batman and that Fire and Vixen have also taken on a kind of leadership role also. It was cool seeing Booster stand-up to the U.N. for himself and for the team. I think it's really cool that this is all tying into that first issue when those two guys bombed the Hall and that the team is fighting a terrorist kind of threat. I think that's a good threat for the JLI to face. Especially early on. Very fun issue with a good ending. I wonder if this is a sign that Batman won't be in the next story or some such thing. I wouldn't mind that, actually. But anyway, solid issue. Fill-in art was surprisingly good, but I am excited for Aaron Lopresti to return because he is one of my favorite artists. Solid issue, solid story.
10/10 (How is it that this issue was better than all of the first story arc? Sign of even BETTER things to come, perhaps?)
Chairman Bao: "A convenient excuse. Superman's team would not retreat as you did."
Booster Gold: "Yeah, the Big "S" and the J.L. superstars would've kicked that giant's ass in three seconds flat."
Andre Briggs: "Booster! Don't--!"
Booster Gold: "But they've been together for five years. They've trained as a unit. If it's them you want, sign them up! But you can't, can you? They're independent. They won't march to your orders."
AND
Booster Gold: "My story is well known. I'm from the future. Where, sad to say, I messed up. Royally. But I'm here to make up for that. To help. 400 years from now, there will be fewer differences. A better time when countries and people will unify. Problems that seem major now will be long-forgotten trivia by then. But the way you screw-ups are handling things is beyond belief. The fools I see running governments jeopardizes that better tomorrow. There will be a Justice League International. Whether you want it or not."
Vixen: "Shall we interrupt?"
Fire: "No way. Man's on a roll."
Alright if DC doesn't fuck up my subscription for Red Lanterns (like they did last month), then I should be reviewing that tomorrow or Wednesday. If not, my next review will be either Justice League or Batman. Should be good. See you later!
