Written by Chris Claremont
Art by Joshua Hood; Sean Parsons; Jack Morelli; & Guy Major
Cover Art by Art Adams
SUMMARY:
Released by DC Comics for June 2003, the second installment for this six-part mini-series is entitled “Cold Front.” Now identified as Black Spirit Lake in the Badlands, the Justice League discovers a comatose Flash (Wally West) and Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), along with the sole surviving U.S. Forest Service smokejumper, Kishana Lewis. While attending their critically-injured members, the League investigates Black Spirit Lake.
It’s revealed that the African American ex-soldier-turned-local industrialist, Abel Carmody, built his fortress-like home at Black Spirit Lake, which ultimately becomes a present-day palatial resort –seemingly isolated from the rest of the world. Martian Manhunter tries interviewing Kishana Lewis. An outmatched Superman barely escapes a demonic presence in the surrounding forest. Exploring Black Spirit Lake, Wonder Woman goes missing in action.
REVIEW:
Writer Chris Claremont does a solid job in Round 2, but he must overcome two continuity gaffes from the first issue. First, Issue # 1’s Spirit Lake is now called Black Spirit Lake – presumably, this twist relates to Abel Carmody’s destiny following the previous issue’s prologue. At least, identifying this storyline’s historic Old West locale as South Dakota’s Badlands makes good storytelling sense.
In contrast (as far as wonky continuity), an exhausted Flash & Green Lantern appear otherwise fine at the end of Issue # 1, but Claremont now depicts them comatose and critically-injured (at least, psychically). While this after-effect works dramatically, Claremont needs to make up his mind, for consistency’s sake, what exactly the demonic presence will do. Still, his plotting makes JLA: Scary Monsters an intriguing read, much like the storytelling various writers would later conjure up the ongoing JLA: Classified series starting in 2005.
As with the first issue, the art squad’s visuals are high-caliber (i.e. the spot-on cover image). Yet, as of this writing, as evidenced by this well-produced issue, why exactly JLA: Scary Monsters hasn’t merited a compilation hardcover/trade paperback from DC Comics remains a mystery.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
Written by a supposed ‘mole,’ the “DC in Demand” column includes thumbnail cover reveals for Sweatshop # 1; The Legion # 19; Outsiders # 1; Superman: Red Son # 1; and a crossover between Green Arrow # 23 and Green Lantern # 162.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7½ Stars
