JLA: Classified #12 - New Maps of Hell, Part 3

[dc2houseofmystery]

The Justice League has assembled on the Watchtower, and they're putting their heads together to solve the mystery of the strange suicides, massive explosions, and other disparate weirdness surrounding the black and green glowing tablets that have been found at ground zero of each crazy event.





One thing I enjoy about this story is that there's no hierarchical nonsense about who should be giving orders. No chairperson. They're all equals. No second guessing, no doubt. They just do what needs to be done, without the interpersonal drama that bogs down some interpretations of the characters.





I've skipped a chunk of flashbacks to Mars' past, but I think the art conveys what's been said. This has happened before. It happened on Mars. Millions died. And now it's happening again on Earth. But why?





Ugh, just hold me. I've skipped some panels to get where we needed to be, but there's such grandeur with this team. I wish Aquaman were here, because he completes this era for me, and while it would have made sense for the time, I'm glad Plastic Man doesn't make an appearance. His addition to the team in Joe Kelly's run was fantastic ("Trial By Fire" is my second favourite JLA story, and I might get round to posting that at some point) but Eel in the hands of Warren Ellis? That might have brought out his worst tendencies for comedy-during-drama.




"I'm the President."

...I just got horrible present day shivers.

President Lex wasn't really followed through on in a satisfying way, was it? I think it's because the main architect behind the change, Jeph Loeb, was taken off the Superman books. He was the "head writer" of the Super-books around the time, and was given Superman / Batman to wrap up the President Lex strands (because Infinite Crisis was coming...). I think the creation of that book was meant as a "promotion", because Superman / Batman was an Event Book for nearly two years, but being given that little corner without it meaning anything else makes it seem less important. 

Remember when Superman / Batman was the next big thing?

I think there was a pre-Bendis Superman story where they married Obama-mocking-Trump with Clark-mocking-Luthor as the impetus behind Luthor becoming President again? I think it might have been a Max Landis story, but I can't remember if it was considered canon or not. Is Lex the President again in DC continuity? 

ANYWAY. Something terrible happens in Las Vegas. The Flash is sent on ahead. There's a cool transition with the Flash moving faster than a thought, so he gets there between a line of dialogue. So good. Buy! This! Book!



The team arrive, they have to figure something out, and similar to my early comment with the lack of chairperson, decisions are made and orders given-- and everything is accepted because these people are equals. And I love it.



The team are united and face down the threat humanity faces. It's awesome.

To Be Continued.

Comments

[thanekos]

It's a shame that the mapping of contemporary evils to Lex hasn't really caught up - the closest we got is Zuckerberg!Luthor in the DCEU, and that's buried in the DCEU.

(Jon Cryer's Maggin-esque Luthor is great, though, and Mark Russell will probably give us a Bezos!Luthor in a year or two.)

[mazway_75]

Cryer's Superman is brilliant nailing the arrogance and how Lex truly and honestly thinks he's the good guy saving humanity from this would-be alien dictator.

The best part is in Crisis when he meets the Smallville Clark Kent. First, how he can't understand Superman giving up powers to have a normal life as a farmboy. Second how he thinks it's only this Clark Kent that's Superman and no way his Clark could be him.

[zachbeacon]

Cryer is just one of those castings that shouldn't work and it does. I was so ready to dismiss him as the guy from the terrible sitcom and yet he's been such a perfect Lex.

[crinos]

I feel like the Luthor from the recent Super hero girls series by Lauren Faust also feels a bit like a modern Jeff Bezos/Mark Zuckerberg style millionaire, where they present themselves as being hip and breezy but are still an utter bastard deep down.