60 WEEKS WITH THE JUSTICE LEAGUE: Week 27

Justice League America #27
June '89
"Mindsnap"
Keith Giffen: plot & breakdowns
J.M. DeMatteis: script
Ty Templeton: pencils
Rubinstein/Giordano: inks
Bob Lappan: letters
Gene D'Angelo: colors
Kevin Dooley: asst. editor
Andy Helfer: in need of deprogramming

Justice League Europe #3
June '89
"Another Fine Mess!"
Keith Giffen: plot
J.M. DeMatteis: script
Bart Sears: pencils
Pablo Marcos: inks
Albert De Guzman: letters
Gene D'Angelo: colorist
Kevin Dooley: asst. editor
Andy Helfer: editor


The Queen Bee's schemes--which were most visibly set in motion back in JLI #16--start coming to fruition in both titles this week, and so far, those schemes have a lot to do with mind control. First, in JLA, Maxwell Lord brings in the Suicide Squad's Amanda Waller to try and deprogram Blue Beetle after his violent rampage last ish.

Then, in JLE, Power Girl, Flash and Elongated Man decide to investigate the Global Guardians' Dome HQ, which has been made a landmark open to public tours. (It should be mentioned that the Leaguers pursue this course of action because the weirdoes they fought last issue turned out to have been former Guardians themselves. Who knew? Obviously not me, so I was happy to have it spelled out in this issue.) Once there, the crowd gets mind-wiped and attacks, much like the mob scene back in JLE's first issue.

Honestly, this week was somewhat of a downer. JLA felt a bit like treading water, and JLE seems to be floundering with its tone, unsure of the balance to strike between humor and sobriety. JLA's cover is mighty fine, though, in its homage to The Exorcist, but JLE's seems bizarrely modeled after Uncanny X-Men #141. Anyhow, next week brings two more issues, and I've gotta trust that as this Queen Bee/Bialya storyline plays out, the clouds will part and some fresh zaniness will ensue.

The complete 60 Weeks with the Justice League on The Danger Digest:
#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23, #24, #25/1, #26/2, #28/4, #29/5, #30/6, #31/7, #32/8, #33/9, #34/10, #35/11, #36/12, #37/13, #38/14, #39/15, #40/16, #41/17, #42/18, #43/19, #44/20, #45/21, #46/22, #47/23, #48/24, #49/25, #50/26, #51/27, #52/28, #53/29, #54/30, #55/31, #56/32, #57/33, #58/34, #59/35, #60/36


All images this post copyright DC Comics. Original text copyright Jon D. Witmer/The Danger Digest.