From: khale@camilla.Eng.Sun.COM (Abhijit Khale)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.comics.misc
Subject: Re: JLA #72
Date: 26 Jan 1993 22:21:04 GMT
Organization: Sun
NNTP-Posting-Host: camilla-50

In article <C1GzDt.9wJ@news.cso.uiuc.edu> tpjg9663@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Tom Johnston) writes:
>lawrence@ctron.com (Gary S. St. Lawrence) writes:

>>I have to agree that the story is a dreamscape created by Dr. Destiny.

Exactly, which is why comments about characterization of
heroes depicted therein seems pointless, since its something either
distorted or created by Destiny's warped imagination. Incidentally, Destiny
doesnt need Morpheus's ruby to control dreams, he can do that himself with
his brain.

>>And just why would The Martian Manhunter feel the need to point out that 
>>he's "even more powerful than Superman"? Modesty has ever been J'onn's
>>strong point, almost to a fault.

Why would the Martian Manhunter feel obliged to fry a woman, that too one
who is at least partly a helpless victim ? This is the hero who (at least
in the Giffen/Dematteis league) came out as one of the most peaceable and non
violent beings in existencee. This is the being who mourned the deaths of
Khunds in the Invasion. This is the alien who said to  soldiers planning
to kill humans turned into vampires "I will not have all those deaths on
my conscience". 

I'm not denying the validity of your point, I'm simply pointing out a
far greater inconsistency in Jonn's characterization. 

>I had no idea that The Martian Manhunter's vision power was
>this strong.  Is this consistent with past appearances?

Varies. His vision power has been shown cutting steel on a few occasions. On 
the other hand, I dont think its powerful enough to beat Star Sapphire so eas-
ily. But then I refuse to believe that Sinestro, one of the most powerful and 
ferocious beings around, could be beaten so easily by anyone, especially 3 
non-powered heroes. And while the Wizard's power level varies a lot, he is sa-
id to be as powerful (by himself) as Felix Faust, who has taken on the entire
JLA several  times.  I cant see him giving in without a single spell. 

>I wish GL would have been a little more concerned about Star Sapphire's
>death.  

Except for GA, the characterizations of the JLA folks bore no resemblance to 
that of the old League. 

Flash (Barry) and Atom killing off thousands of people ? This is the same Atom
who shrunk (rather than killed) the CIA members who killed his beloved and her
race. 

Hawkman asking for the amputation of someone's arms ? No hawkman I know, not
even the current version (the most violent of the lot) would ever do that. 

The members of the league displayed a fascism and viciousness that goes beyond
anything they've ever shown. Even the ones who spoke nary a word (like Reddy, 
Firestorm or Dinah) or who objected to some of the actions like Green Arrow
were out of character, since their old real counterparts would never have rema-
ined members of League that acted  like this. 

Anyway, this is somehow all arranged by Dr. Dee. This is not the old league. 
Inconsistencies in characterization can all be attributed to that, and hence t-
his doesnt bother me. On the other hand, if the explanation isnt good, then I
will be ticked off. 

Finally, this story does bear some resemblance to the Squadron Supreme Storyl-
ine mentioned before, especially the psi-scrubbing bit. But the plotline of h-
ero(es) taking over the world to save it isnt new at all. Miracleman did it b-
efore Squadron Supreme and there are other older DC stories with somewhat sim-
ilar plots. 

This is a much weaker story than the Squadron Supreme storyline, though. 
Much of the strength of that story was the Squadron and its members struggling 
with the moral dilemma involved, and the deep differences between those two
"old friends" Hyperion and Nighthawk. This story has the league acting as comp-
letely vicious killers and sadists, with no moral legitimacy that I can see a-
nd no reason to root for them (in the Squadron Supreme storyline, you could ro-
ot for either side). 

I will admit to feeling some nostalgia on seeing the cover. However, the
sheer sadism displayed by this league quickly banished that. The only feeling
of nostalgia I got was seeing GA, and seeing Firestorm and Reddy (prior to
all the Elemental f**k-ups DC subjected them to). 

Abhijit