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Mild Mannered Reviews - Justice League Adventures

Justice League Adventures #13

Justice League Adventures #13

Scheduled to arrive in stores: November 6, 2002

Cover date: January 2003

Writer: Dan Slott
Penciller: Min S. Ku
Inker: Mark Propst

"Local Hero"

Reviewed by: George O'Connor (mo442@nyu.edu)


Local, teenage hero All Star fights off invaders from an antimatter universe with Green Lantern, prompting his generous offer for her to join the Justice League as his replacement while he travels off planet to visit the Guardians of the Universe.

All Star, who derives her power from "an alien artifact of unbelievable power," i.e., her star charm, is thrilled for the opportunity to join the League.

Soon enough, with a new costume and a healthy eagerness, she visits the Watchtower, where she meets the League members and begins combating evil forces all over the world day by day. By Thursday of her first week, she is exhausted and eager to take over monitor duty for the down time it will afford her.

J'onn J'onnz, upon seeing her trig homework, however, disapproves and begins to explain to her that as a JL member, she must realize that there is never downtime. Intimidated by the speech, she begins to doubt her qualifications as part of the League's legacy.

Days later, an attack on Metropolis brings all 6 members of the League together (+ All Star) against one of their greatest threats: Brainiac has enslaved the entire Green Lantern Corps! Under mind controlled, Green Lanterns from every sector of the galaxy pour into Metropolis, overwhelming the League and causing the newbie, All Star, to falter under the pressure of the situation.

When All Star becomes ensnared in Wonder Woman's lasso, she admits that she's in over her head. Diana orders her back to the Javelin 7 and she complies, but only until she realizes that if she is really a true Leaguer, she must confront her fears and risk all that she has, just as her fellow Leaguers have done day in and day out.

Darting back into the battlefield, she unleashes the full power of her star charm against Brainiac, overwhelming the android's energy defenses and blasting it into oblivion.

The power exhausted, she crumples to unconsciousness, just as the Green Lanterns are broken of their mind enslavement.

Later, All Star (now powerless), goes to her room to find Batman waiting. The Dark Knight reveals that despite the loss of her powers, she is still a valued member of the League.

4Story - 4: A good tale overall, with an interesting perspective of an overwhelmed teenage girl. For once, we really feel the magnitude of the League's presence, as each of the heroes seem all the more amazing through the young, inexperienced eyes of All Star. Slott wisely relied on a visual story with less dialogue and machinations, keeping it simple and finally giving Ku and Propst the space they deserve to really show off their stuff. Only complaints? It seems a tad farfetched GL would give up his place in the League to someone as inexperienced as All Star, especially when there are so many other, more qualified superheroes (Aquaman, anyone?). Also- what was with the "All Star is dead" speech and J'onn looking all crestfallen as he puts the broken star in the Watchtower's trophy room? This is a kid's book; we know you're not going to murder a teenaged kid! If you're going to try and trick the reader, put a better effort into it.

5Art - 5: This stuff is great! The two page attack of the Lanterns is not the only gorgeous page here. Check out the great battle pages 14 and 15, the terrific faces on page 17, and a nervous, intimidated All Star on page 6, boarding the Javelin 7. There is an endless homage to other JL Adventures tales in the Watchtower's trophy room, and the battles against Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, Chemo, and a Bizarro Justice League are summed up in half page panels that lead you wanting more. Terrific effort!

2Cover Art - 2: Bleh! This does nothing for me. Bland and much too typical.


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2003

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