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Mild Mannered Reviews - Justice League Adventures

Justice League Adventures #32

Scheduled to arrive in stores: June 2, 2004

Cover date: August 2004

Writer: Keith Giffen
Penciller: Dean Haspiel
Inker: Dean Haspiel

"You've Got Trouble"

Reviewed by: Michael O'Connor

It's Saturday night and the Flash is kicking back in the Watchtower, playing a videogame, much to the duress of Martian Manhunter, who would prefer to have some time alone... or at least away from the Flash.

J'onn eventually convinces the Speedster to leave the Watchtower, but no sooner does the Flash exit then the entire satellite turns against the Martian Manhunter. In its effort to become sentient, the computer being, Construct, begins retooling both the appearance and function of the Watchtower, doing its best to rid itself of a pesky Martian in the process.

Fortunately for J'onn, the Flash shows up just in time. The stubborn hero has returned with pizza and soda, convinced that he can win over J'onn's social side. But as the Flash soon learns, the Martian Manhunter needs his help more than his pizza.

By melding with the Flash, J'onn evades the Construct's defenses and reroutes the AI's consciousness into the Flash's video game.

Story - 3: Amusing, if nothing else. The Flash and Martian Manhunter work well off one another, though perhaps not as well as the Flash and Green Lantern. Giffen's attempt at character development is a good one, though the baddie - The Construct - is about as boring and predictable as any other AI villain. Truth be told, this issue would have benefited without a villain - just Flash and Martian Manhunter chatting was more than entertaining enough.

Art - 2: Looks a little too cartoony for my tastes. Yeah, yeah, I know. It's *supposed* to be cartoony, but its style departs just enough from the Timm type - it's a bit sloppier and the lines aren't nearly as sharp - to take it down a notch in my book.

Cover Art - 3: Just good enough for a second look. Kind of makes it look like J'onn and the Flash are being attacked by Doctor Octopus though, doesn't it? Now that would have been an interesting story...

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