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The Roulette character was “rolled out” in JSA #28, which established her basic MO: kidnap and brainwash superheroes (or villains, on a slow night), pit them against each other in gladiatorial games, charge big bucks for attendance, dispose of corpses, repeat. She’s survived this long partly by preying on smaller fish: the sort of third- and fourth-tier costumed characters and superteams you might expect to see die in a crossover book. And since the Super Buddies now fit the definition of “third-tier superteam…”
You see where this is going.
Roulette does have an odd sense of honor, inspired by her belief that her grandfather is Terry Sloane, the original Mister Terrific (JSA #30)…
And this allows her to build up a trusted brand even in the dodgy underworld. But don’t confuse her strong personal principles with more general virtues. She has no mercy or compassion, just respect for a twisted interpretation of “fair play” that'd repel her alleged grandfather if he saw it.
As “Dead Man’s Hand” begins, the former JLI are now “The People’s Heroes.” But that’s a name that already has some associations in DC Comics…
…and since Dmitri isn’t a member, they need a new brand. So they view a commercial Max has invested (not enough money) in, rebranding them as “the Superbuddies.”
Before the others get a chance to weigh in, a package mass-teleports everyone in a costume out. The package has been delivered by an ordinary-looking dude claiming to be their neighbor. Giffen and DeMatteis make a good observation here about the blind trust we extend in the age of Amazon deliveries. (Everyone probably each figured one of the others had ordered whatever.)
The Superbuddies wake in minimalist cells, like deactivated holodecks or Danger Rooms. But it’s not the four walls that make their enclosures prisons, it’s something else…something they have a hard time identifying.
In the previous issue, Mary and the Captain met for the first time. It was awkward, but not for the reasons you might think.
In most stories, a meeting like that might be a prelude to romance or a subplot about making friends. The former is impossible, but the latter seems like it could happen. And it starts to, a bit, as they bond over their circumstances. But then…
This art team did some intense moments in the old days, but in those, Maguire’s expressions showed a certain restraint. They were appropriate to the moment but not exaggerated or attention-getting like his funny faces were.
Here, though, Maguire deploys his full talent, and the results are freakin’ TERRIFYING. This isn’t “Mary Marvel turned evil,” an idea we’ve seen a few times (too many) in other DC Comics. Instead, Mary and Atom are just…GONE, replaced by unthinking engines of hate and destruction.
Roulette’s assistant asks if Roulette wants to end the fight on a knockout: maybe they could turn this into a series of matches? But no. Roulette knows what her audience demands. “We’ve got to play this one out to the end.”
#4, “Finish Him!”:
While our heroes are closing in on killing each other, Manga Khan is closing in on Earth, using his robots to supply him with information and the story with exposition. His target is unclear, but it’s somehow linked to the Superbuddies and Max.
Meanwhile, Fire is able to break free of the programming, and therefore of the cell, due to a wrinkle in her personal history…
Yes, Booster is a little extra moronic these days; this will be addressed. Eventually.
It’s down to Fire to do most of the superhero action this issue, including saving Atom from death and Mary from a lifetime of guilt…
"--but it's close enough."
The boys arrive, reluctantly, and realize Captain Atom might present a greater threat unconscious than awake. “He’s starting to leak!”
Things don’t look good for our heroes. Booster’s field strength has its limits, and not-Mary may soon realize he’s the one generating it. But before she can do anything else, the Superbuddies get a lucky break. Call it rolling boxcars on the craps table of life.
The survival instinct overrides the last of the Superbuddies’ claustrophilia. They start hatching escape plans, but Roulette is way ahead of them, sending in flying drones to clean up the mess. The drones use the same kind of teleport-beams that brought the Superbuddies into Roulette’s “house” in the first place.
Mary still has no memory of the fight but soon realizes only she could have reduced Captain Atom to his current state. She will be some time unpacking that. Saving him is no small problem for the others…can conventional medicine even help him? But before they can deal with that, Booster yells “yikes” at something yikesy off-panel. The others turn, and Fire asks, “You don’t think it has anything to do with us, do you?”
Thursday: As they watch the Super Buddies confront Manga Khan, the contemporary JLA slips into a strange alternate universe where problems are resolved by brinkmanship and talking instead of punching. It’s weird, and they don’t like it.
The Roulette character was “rolled out” in JSA #28, which established her basic MO: kidnap and brainwash superheroes (or villains, on a slow night), pit them against each other in gladiatorial games, charge big bucks for attendance, dispose of corpses, repeat. She’s survived this long partly by preying on smaller fish: the sort of third- and fourth-tier costumed characters and superteams you might expect to see die in a crossover book. And since the Super Buddies now fit the definition of “third-tier superteam…”
You see where this is going.
Roulette does have an odd sense of honor, inspired by her belief that her grandfather is Terry Sloane, the original Mister Terrific (JSA #30)…
And this allows her to build up a trusted brand even in the dodgy underworld. But don’t confuse her strong personal principles with more general virtues. She has no mercy or compassion, just respect for a twisted interpretation of “fair play” that'd repel her alleged grandfather if he saw it.
As “Dead Man’s Hand” begins, the former JLI are now “The People’s Heroes.” But that’s a name that already has some associations in DC Comics…
…and since Dmitri isn’t a member, they need a new brand. So they view a commercial Max has invested (not enough money) in, rebranding them as “the Superbuddies.”
Before the others get a chance to weigh in, a package mass-teleports everyone in a costume out. The package has been delivered by an ordinary-looking dude claiming to be their neighbor. Giffen and DeMatteis make a good observation here about the blind trust we extend in the age of Amazon deliveries. (Everyone probably each figured one of the others had ordered whatever.)
The Superbuddies wake in minimalist cells, like deactivated holodecks or Danger Rooms. But it’s not the four walls that make their enclosures prisons, it’s something else…something they have a hard time identifying.
In the previous issue, Mary and the Captain met for the first time. It was awkward, but not for the reasons you might think.
In most stories, a meeting like that might be a prelude to romance or a subplot about making friends. The former is impossible, but the latter seems like it could happen. And it starts to, a bit, as they bond over their circumstances. But then…
This art team did some intense moments in the old days, but in those, Maguire’s expressions showed a certain restraint. They were appropriate to the moment but not exaggerated or attention-getting like his funny faces were.
Here, though, Maguire deploys his full talent, and the results are freakin’ TERRIFYING. This isn’t “Mary Marvel turned evil,” an idea we’ve seen a few times (too many) in other DC Comics. Instead, Mary and Atom are just…GONE, replaced by unthinking engines of hate and destruction.
Roulette’s assistant asks if Roulette wants to end the fight on a knockout: maybe they could turn this into a series of matches? But no. Roulette knows what her audience demands. “We’ve got to play this one out to the end.”
#4, “Finish Him!”:
While our heroes are closing in on killing each other, Manga Khan is closing in on Earth, using his robots to supply him with information and the story with exposition. His target is unclear, but it’s somehow linked to the Superbuddies and Max.
Meanwhile, Fire is able to break free of the programming, and therefore of the cell, due to a wrinkle in her personal history…
Yes, Booster is a little extra moronic these days; this will be addressed. Eventually.
It’s down to Fire to do most of the superhero action this issue, including saving Atom from death and Mary from a lifetime of guilt…
"--but it's close enough."
The boys arrive, reluctantly, and realize Captain Atom might present a greater threat unconscious than awake. “He’s starting to leak!”
Things don’t look good for our heroes. Booster’s field strength has its limits, and not-Mary may soon realize he’s the one generating it. But before she can do anything else, the Superbuddies get a lucky break. Call it rolling boxcars on the craps table of life.
The survival instinct overrides the last of the Superbuddies’ claustrophilia. They start hatching escape plans, but Roulette is way ahead of them, sending in flying drones to clean up the mess. The drones use the same kind of teleport-beams that brought the Superbuddies into Roulette’s “house” in the first place.
Mary still has no memory of the fight but soon realizes only she could have reduced Captain Atom to his current state. She will be some time unpacking that. Saving him is no small problem for the others…can conventional medicine even help him? But before they can deal with that, Booster yells “yikes” at something yikesy off-panel. The others turn, and Fire asks, “You don’t think it has anything to do with us, do you?”
Thursday: As they watch the Super Buddies confront Manga Khan, the contemporary JLA slips into a strange alternate universe where problems are resolved by brinkmanship and talking instead of punching. It’s weird, and they don’t like it.
no subject
Date: 2026-05-18 09:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-05-18 03:25 pm (UTC)Most of the rest (Touch n Go, Scirocco, Gorgon, Prometheus, Behemoth) were members of the Hybrid, a team of villains created by Steve “Mento” Dayton during his insane villain phase to bedevil the Titans.
Impala was one of the Global Guardians, and as we all know, that made him perfect cannon fodder.
Flyboy, afaik never actually appeared anywhere else and we know nothing.
no subject
Date: 2026-05-18 04:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-05-18 09:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-05-18 11:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-05-18 03:41 pm (UTC)And this version of Roulette is better than in JSA as not one-note but that code of honor to let them go so a fun tale.
no subject
Date: 2026-05-18 04:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2026-05-18 03:51 pm (UTC)On account of her being depicted as a naïve twit.
(not wild about Fire hating her for no real reason either.)
Think Roulette might wanna talk to her tech people.
Works fine on Mary and poor old Captain "Punching Bag" Atom, glitched out on Fire, but it doesn't seem to have done a thing with Ted and Ralph.
no subject
Date: 2026-05-18 04:46 pm (UTC)She might be dealing with having to be reminded of Tora by how similar their their personalities are being portrayed here.
no subject
Date: 2026-05-18 05:06 pm (UTC)" I thought he was ' quantum ' - isn't that clean? "
" Look, he's some kind of bomb! "