Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities Off The Cuff Review: JLA/AVENGERS # 1 (Mild Spoilers)

Just when I thought I'd put my gushing fanboy days behind me, along comes JLA/AVENGERS, a squarebound, four-issue series that makes me feel like its 1983 all over again.

Of course, it was in 1983 or thereabouts that DC and Marvel first advertised a crossover event featuring their two super-teams. Artist George Pérez was several pages into drawing the comic when relations between the two companies soured. The project was canceled, never to see the light of day. Until now.

Pérez , collaborating with writer Kurt Busiek, brings the current versions of both teams together at last. While waiting 20 years for any comic to appear is too long, JLA/AVENGERS is nevertheless a wonderful surprise for those of us who gave up on seeing it long ago. It is wonderful not only in that it has finally appeared, but also because of the painstakingly detailed quality of both story and art.

The plot is bare-bones enough. A mysterious, cosmic being called Krona destroys the planets of Polemachus in the Marvel Universe and Qward in the DC Universe, before coming across the Grandmaster, Marvel's cosmic gamesmith. One month later, in their own universe, the JLA are beset by a villain they've never faced before: Terminus. Over in the Marvel Universe, the Avengers find their world also invaded by a new (to them) menace: Starro the Conqueror. Both teams naturally win, but soon find themselves on a quest posed by the Grandmaster and another recurring god-like being (how's that for being cryptic?) to procure 12 items which, they are told, will save their universes from destruction.

Of course, this is just a set-up for the two teams to battle, which they will do, no doubt, next issue. It's an old plot, used for example in the Avengers/Defenders War of 1973. In that story, which ran back and forth between AVENGERS and DEFENDERS for several issues, the two teams were told to procure several pieces of the same object, the Evil Eye (which, ironically, also turns up in the present story) by Loki and Dormammu, and battled each other before realizing they'd been duped.

But I can forgive Busiek for recycling an old idea because he does it so well. There are many wonderful scenes in the issue. When the JLA crosses the dimensional barrier to investigate the Marvel Universe, Batman issues strict orders for them to observe, not interfere. Only one hero violates that order. (Guess which one.) The JLA members are not impressed by the darker, more sinister happenings in the MU; Superman particularly takes it to heart. "There are heroes here, too," he lashes out, "How can they allow this? How can they stand for it? Don't they care?"

Later, when the Avengers visit the DCU, they have an altogether different experience. After foiling a simple back robbery, they are lauded and pursued by autograph seekers. Quicksilver is astonished (and perhaps a tad jealous) when he discovers that this world's speedster, the Flash, is honored with his own museum. Captain America has a much more severe reaction. "They must own this world like little tin gods," he says of the DCU heroes, "demanding the public's adoration instead of protecting their freedoms!"

This difference in perspective between how the Marvel heroes would see the DCU and vice versa is only one of the gems in JLA/AVENGERS. Busiek knows his heroes in both universes well, and has them play off each other in surprising but logical ways. As such, the brewing conflict between the two teams seems natural, not forced, like in other crossovers. Of course, Superman and Cap are both acting extreme (even their teammates note this), but there's a hint that this may not be totally of their own volition. Busiek is a clever enough writer that he is able to hint (in a throwaway line) what may be happening while still allowing the characters to be themselves. One can believe that Superman would not be initially impressed with the impact heroes have had in the Marvel Universe. Here, Busiek is also playing on the differences between the two universes and heroes' places in them.

But not everything is heavy-handed or highbrow. The funniest line is Hawkeye's reaction on meeting the JLA: "These losers – they're nothin' but a bunch of Squadron Supreme wannabes!" As most of us know, the Squadron Supreme is Marvel's ersatz JLA!

I feel I should praise Pérez's artwork, somehow, but it's hard to find enough synonyms for "spectacular." Needless to say, Pérez always delivers in projects like this: You can count on him to make every panel as detailed as possible without losing its focus. The two-page spread that introduces the JLA's conflict with Terminus illustrates the point. Our attention is drawn to the image of Superman gritting his teeth as he is being swatted away by the armored giant. The eye flows naturally past Green Lantern, down the energy beam, and up to Terminus himself. Those are the essential elements. But there are many more details in the shot, all carefully arranged so as not to confuse or overwhelm the reader.

Less successful is the two-page shot of the Avengers battling Starro and his starfish thingies. The worms-eye view comes from directly below the heroes, as if the camera is looking up. But this is a place where the reader would not normally be (unless said reader was on the ground, lying on his or her back and trying to avoid getting trampled on by heroes and starfish alike), so the effect is disorienting.

As for the story itself, the only qualm I have is the opening destruction of Polemachus and Qward, two staple planets of their respective universes. It's hard to believe that either world is gone for good, along with the characters who were dispatched in the process. I can't help wondering if, when all is said and done, we'll end up with a Dallas-like "It was only a dream!" ending, as happened with TITANS/LEGION: UNIVERSE ABLAZE, a much maligned crossover of a few years ago.

I certainly hope not. A story of this magnitude should have some lasting ramifications for the heroes involved. It need not be contrived and superficial changes, a al SECRET WARS, or sweeping, universe-wide changes, as happened in CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS. But if our heroes could walk away from this conflict with at least their memories intact that they had, in fact, met, I think I'd be satisfied. After all, a story that has been given such a magnificent buildup deserves a magnificent ending that no one would ever forget. Or want to.


Grades:

Story: A
Art: A+
Overall: A

I have to agree that this looks and reads very good.

I think there is more going on to Superman's and Cap's reactions.

I also think of this as an Elsewheres Story and thus not affecting continuity. i.e. don't grieve for Qward.

He Who Wanders,

were you being coy or do you not know who Krona is?

Sentients, IIRC, longtime GL readers should remember
Krona. Think of a 'Giant Hand.' And his Coloration. (is that a real word?)


Truth and Justice shall Prevail!!

I have to confess. I have no idea who Krona is. (He does look kinda like Hector Hammond, though.)

Krona was the Oan who caused the CRISIS by trying to view the creation of the Universe, waaay back in issue 40 of the Hal Jordan GL series.

He is a Green Lantern villian. Krona is from the race that became the Guardians of the Galaxy. Krona was attempting to view the origins of the universe, which supposedly would have destroyed the universe if the origin was ever witnessed. (why that is so, I don't know) Krona, did see a giant hand at the start of the universe. Hence the opening of this series. (this was also used in other DC mini series) Krona's attempt did unlease evil into the universe and the Guardians became the Guardians to atone for this.

Oh, THAT Krona. I remembered the story, but not the Oan's name. Thanks for the clarification.

Now that you mention it HWW, He does look like HH (after 15 min of holding his breath). Maybe S.R. was wrong... Nahhh...

At some point in the Green Lantern series Krona got a major power up and became "Entropy" (as in the living embodiment of). He's still wearing the same outfit / helmet as Entropy but calls himself Krona. It remains to be seen the nature of his being at this point.

Just wanted to say I was floored, absolutely FLOORED by JLA/AVENGERS.

Best non-Astro City Busiek writing in AGES, Perez' art was top-top notch, even moreso than on his recent run on Avengers!