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

[crinos]

I know the connections to Trump are obvious, but with the talking of destroying enemies before they can light oil fields on fire its pretty clear that Luthor here was meant to be channelling Dubya (Who was probably just as bad or worse than Trump, but was at least better at acting like a decent human being, even if he wasn't one).

Now, Young Justice Season 3 UN Chairman Luthor? That's the guy channeling Trump. Honestly I feel like maybe they went with the President Luthor storyline too early in the comics, but how could we have known how bad it would have gotten. I mean who would have guessed the guy who inspired Luthors pivot into a corrupt businessman would have actually become President?

And no, President Luthor did not get a good resolution since, as been pointed out, the end of it was Luthor climbing into a mech suit, injecting himself with kryptonite and Venom and having a fight with Superman and Batman.

It went about as well as you think it would.

Honestly I feel like the best use of the Luthor presidency plot was in JLU, where he reveals he never intended to be President, he was just doing it to piss Superman off and distract everyone while he got ready to transfer his brain into an AMAZO robot.

[zachbeacon]

"One thing I enjoy about this story is that there's no hierarchical nonsense about who should be giving orders."

Unrelated to this story, I love the scene in Devin Grayson's Titans run where the "kids" can't agree on who the leader of the Morrison-Era JLA is (or if there is one).

[scorntx]

-"As if you weren't an ordinary criminal
You are not my president. And you are utterly without any intrinsic importance to me."-

... I don't think I've ever had a greater fondness for J'onn than reading that.
And I like J'onn anyhow.

Could Cyborg say that? Maybe Wonder Woman or Aquaman in Dumb Surface Dwellers Mode would, but not so bluntly in tones of "couldn't give less of a damn".
(well, okay, Aquaman might say it that bluntly, come to think of it.)