Written by Chris Claremont
Art by Joshua Hood; Sean Parsons; Jack Morelli; & Guy Major
Cover Art by Art Adams & Guy Major
SUMMARY:
Released by DC Comics for July 2003, the third installment for this six-part mini-series is entitled “Bloody Bones.” Having rescued Wonder Woman from an ominously-frozen Black Spirit Lake, the League discovers that her body is slowly being demonically corrupted. As the League fortifies the isolated resort for an increasingly likely last stand, Superman survives a second run-in with the hellacious demons.
With Linda Park-West recruited to help keep panic down amongst the resort’s occupants, the team (including Jade) explores Abel Carmody’s fortress-like manor home, which is now the present-day resort. At The Daily Planet, Lois Lane worries about her injured husband. Wonder Woman’s alien-like mutation continues. Martian Manhunter explores U.S. Forest Service smokejumper Kishana Lewis’ psyche for possible answers. Wearing down, the League realizes that this on-and-off demonic siege is taking its toll.
REVIEW:
Aside from ignoring the obvious (why isn’t Zatanna Zatara and/or Doctor Fate being summoned?), writer Chris Claremont conveys an excellent continuation of this storyline. Specifically, Claremont sets up some pertinent details re: the invasion’s ultimate outcome in Issue # 6. It’s an added bonus that Linda Park-West, Lois Lane, and Jade (Jenny-Lynn Hayden) appear within the plot, though their contributions are mostly relegated to the background. More so, Claremont has conjured up an effective new adversary for the League that bears a welcome sense of unknown dark magic.
Like the first two issues, the art squad does a dynamite job re: the visuals (i.e. the intriguing cover image). As evidenced by another impressive issue here, JLA: Scary Monsters absolutely deserves re-discovery. It’s inexplicable, as of this writing, why this suspenseful mini-series hasn’t merited a compilation hardcover/trade paperback from DC Comics.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
Written by a supposed ‘mole,’ the “DC in Demand” column includes thumbnail cover reveals for several kick-off issues: among them, Human Defense Corps # 1; Arkham Asylum: Living Hell # 1; JSA: All-Stars # 1; and Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day # 1.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
