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JLA: Rules of Engagement - Local Hero - 04-12-2004
I have just finished reading the JLA Rules of Engagement trade (issues 77-82, "Stardust Memories","Rules of Engagement","The White Rage"). I must say I wasn't impressed overall. After the kick ass ride that was Obsidian Age and the subsequent loooooong wait for this, the next trade I was hoping for more of the same. I guess the fact that this is Trade #13 should have told me I was out of luck.
Once I got over my initial disappointment at Kyle not being there, I tried to give the book a chance, but the stories just didn't gel for me. The new characters (Major Disaster, Faith and Manitou Raven) I found interesting and enjoyed their characterisations. I was glad to see Atom getting a shot at being the 'Hero' in the "Stardust Memories" but other than that the story was just too derivative for me of many scifi stories and star trek episodes I had seen.
Onto the title story, and finally 38 pages into the trade we get some sort of explanation for the change of Green Lantern, even if it is only a one line speech bubble from John Stewart. The story itself left me cold. I couldn't get involved with a species I had never seen before having troubles with another species I had never seen before. It just seemed like a big set up for a later story featuring Kanjar Ro.
The final story, well if it isn't another secret cabal operating within the government thinking it knows how to run things better than the elected government. A secret society with complex plans for world domination. How many times have we seen this? While it was nice to see a bit of background to Faith's story, i personally would have liked to see something a little more original.
Maybe I have been a bit rash with my judgements here, but these are my first impressions. Perhaps when i reread it I will change my mind. What does anyone else think of these issues/collection?
- GlennWalker - 04-14-2004
Quite honestly I slept through these stories the first time I read them.
I enjoyed the aforementioned Kanjar Ro story that came later - just because it was Kanjar Ro. Woo hoo! A real Justice League foe!
I haven't finished it but I liked the first couple issues of the Denny O'Neil arc, it felt very old school O'Neil JLA and yet had respect for the new continuity.
Glenn Walker
- The Mighty Thor - 04-14-2004
I enjoyed the Kanjar Ro story as well. I thought it was filled with wonderful moments that explored the new team dynamic, and allowed the characters to grow a bit.
It also contained one of my favorite moments of recent memory. When the alien dictator turns to Wonder Woman, and asks her simply, "Are you a whore?" And then Jon Stewart turs his head and replies..."Oh damn." I thought that single moment was absolutely great. There are just some things you don't say to an Amazon princess, and I would imagine that is at the top of the list. Its those little moments that make me love this book so much.
TMT
- Enchantress - 04-15-2004
I don't think much could top the Obsidian Age personally.
Along with TMT...I agree about that whole Wonder Woman remark. That had me rolling.
I'm a fan of any guy named "Major Disaster"...sounds like a prom date for me!
The most recent run of JLA with that hideous Tan Eng Huat artwork however, I haven't even read. I tried, I really did, but then I just laid it down and said I'd wait until it ended.
- Local Hero - 04-16-2004
Yeah I forgot about the Wonder Woman crack. That was fairly amusing
I think my problem with that whole Kanjar Ro story was that it felt like it would fit more in the Authority than in the JLA. That isn't necessarily a bad thing as I am a big fan of the Authority, but it just seemed out of place for JLA, like it came out of the blue.
- JangchubOzer - 04-21-2004
The Mighty Thor Wrote:It also contained one of my favorite moments of recent memory. When the alien dictator turns to Wonder Woman, and asks her simply, "Are you a whore?"Then again, the way she dresses...she almost asks for it LOL. Just think of it-scantily clad woman running around tying men up, when she isn't tied up herself. A shrink might have a field day. then again Charles moulton was a shrink, so go figure.
There are just some things you don't say to an Amazon princess, and I would imagine that is at the top of the list.
TMT