Justice League of America #174 (Jan 1980)
Justice League of America #174
Rating: ***
The first issue of JLA with a 1980s cover date is a blast. Gerry Conway and Dick Dillin (man, didn’t he draw way more issues of the Justice League than any other artist?) provide us with a tale that’s one part The Pied Piper and one part War on Poverty.
“A Plague of Monsters” begins with Barnabas Boulton (no relation to Michael), a former STAR Labs technician now known as The Regulator, breaking into STAR’s Metropolis headquarters, by controlling everyday rats with a helmet he developed while employed at STAR. It seems that Barnabas had developed the helmet to rid the slums of vermin, but, based on the testimony of his wife and colleagues who claimed the helmet drove him made, he was institutionalized instead. Now, Barnabas has returned and, with the help of STAR technology, turns the rats into giant, super-tough, scary rats. He’s going to use these super rats to attack those who foiled his plans to rid the slums of vermin. Ironic, ain’t it?
Let’s not even get into how ludicrous the notion of riding slums of vermin with a super-powered helmet is.
Next, we cut to a scene where Green Arrow is having one of his save-the-black-man moments of the 1970s, cursing the rest of the JLA for causing Black Lightning to turn down JLA membership. Nothing like a white billionaire championing the rights of poor blacks! Green Arrow, followed by Zatanna and Elongated man who want to reason with Ollie, gets pissed and storms off to try to get Black Lightning to change his mind. Fortunately for the plot, Black Lightning lives near STAR Labs, so the three Justice Leaguers encountered the rats and the fisticuffs ensue. Soon, they are joined by Black Lightning and the only two League members who answer the emergency beacon: Batman and Wonder Woman.
Here, the story essentially splits in two. While the Justice League deals with the rats, Black Lightning pursues The Regulator. A nice battle takes place between BL and The Regulator, including much witty banter about how minorities have been giving the shaft. But, just as Black Lightning swings the final blows that take down The Regulator, he points out how the rats are attacking everyone, even blacks. With much emotion, Black Lightning utters way may be the coolest line he has ever said in the history of DC Comics:
“WHO LIVES IN THE GHETTOS, YOU DUMB JACKASS?”
It seems that The Regulators plans for retribution for poor minorities was short sighted. Could it have been anything else? He IS a mad super villain.
The JLA concoct a perfume that lures all of the transformed rats out of Metropolis. They cage the animals in an air tight container and Wonder Woman hurls them into space. Ah – death by asphyxiation. It seems that WW has been a killer even longer than we thought.
In the final scene, Green Arrow and Black Lightning come to an understanding the Lightning works better as a loner.
This issue – as goofy assed as it got – was a heck of a lot of fun. I am going to give it three stars for the fast plot, terrific art, and absolute disregard for logic!
Interesting Note: We get to see Zatanna in the super-hero uniform she briefly wore, as she sports some sexy Bettie Page hair.
Rating: ***
The first issue of JLA with a 1980s cover date is a blast. Gerry Conway and Dick Dillin (man, didn’t he draw way more issues of the Justice League than any other artist?) provide us with a tale that’s one part The Pied Piper and one part War on Poverty.
“A Plague of Monsters” begins with Barnabas Boulton (no relation to Michael), a former STAR Labs technician now known as The Regulator, breaking into STAR’s Metropolis headquarters, by controlling everyday rats with a helmet he developed while employed at STAR. It seems that Barnabas had developed the helmet to rid the slums of vermin, but, based on the testimony of his wife and colleagues who claimed the helmet drove him made, he was institutionalized instead. Now, Barnabas has returned and, with the help of STAR technology, turns the rats into giant, super-tough, scary rats. He’s going to use these super rats to attack those who foiled his plans to rid the slums of vermin. Ironic, ain’t it?
Let’s not even get into how ludicrous the notion of riding slums of vermin with a super-powered helmet is.
Next, we cut to a scene where Green Arrow is having one of his save-the-black-man moments of the 1970s, cursing the rest of the JLA for causing Black Lightning to turn down JLA membership. Nothing like a white billionaire championing the rights of poor blacks! Green Arrow, followed by Zatanna and Elongated man who want to reason with Ollie, gets pissed and storms off to try to get Black Lightning to change his mind. Fortunately for the plot, Black Lightning lives near STAR Labs, so the three Justice Leaguers encountered the rats and the fisticuffs ensue. Soon, they are joined by Black Lightning and the only two League members who answer the emergency beacon: Batman and Wonder Woman.
Here, the story essentially splits in two. While the Justice League deals with the rats, Black Lightning pursues The Regulator. A nice battle takes place between BL and The Regulator, including much witty banter about how minorities have been giving the shaft. But, just as Black Lightning swings the final blows that take down The Regulator, he points out how the rats are attacking everyone, even blacks. With much emotion, Black Lightning utters way may be the coolest line he has ever said in the history of DC Comics:
“WHO LIVES IN THE GHETTOS, YOU DUMB JACKASS?”
It seems that The Regulators plans for retribution for poor minorities was short sighted. Could it have been anything else? He IS a mad super villain.
The JLA concoct a perfume that lures all of the transformed rats out of Metropolis. They cage the animals in an air tight container and Wonder Woman hurls them into space. Ah – death by asphyxiation. It seems that WW has been a killer even longer than we thought.
In the final scene, Green Arrow and Black Lightning come to an understanding the Lightning works better as a loner.
This issue – as goofy assed as it got – was a heck of a lot of fun. I am going to give it three stars for the fast plot, terrific art, and absolute disregard for logic!
Interesting Note: We get to see Zatanna in the super-hero uniform she briefly wore, as she sports some sexy Bettie Page hair.
posted by rallenrader at 4:23 PM
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