Written by Mark Waid; Chuck Dixon; & Scott Beatty.
Art by Mike S. Miller; Bryan Hitch; Darryl Banks; Cliff Rathburn; Paul Neary; Dave Meikis; Wayne Faucher; David Baron; Laura DePuy; Ken Lopez; & Bill Oakley.
Cover Art by Bryan Hitch; Paul Neary; & Laura DePuy.
SUMMARY:
Released by DC Comics in 2002, this 144-page paperback collects JLA # 55-60 from 2001-2002. The team roster consists of: Superman; Wonder Woman (presently stripped of her royal tiara); Wally West’s Flash; Plastic Man; Kyle Rayner’s Green Lantern; Martian Manhunter; Aquaman (Issue # 60 only); and a reinstated Batman.
Like ghosts escaping the JLA’s closet, Earth’s sleeper cell of White Martians awaken to seek bloodthirsty vengeance. With the Martian Manhunter as their tortured captive, the shape-shifting White Martians seemingly anticipate the short-handed League’s every counter-move. Overpowered, the team goes into desperation mode, as even the nebulous Phantom Zone may not be a safe refuge.
Guest cameos include: Firestorm; Krypto; Impulse; John Henry Irons’ Steel; Zatanna Zatara; Alan Scott’s Green Lantern; and the Atom. Terror Incognita’s four segments are: “Came the Pale Riders;” “The Harvest;” “Mind Over Matter;” and “Dying Breath.”
Facing off vs. a Joker-ized Doctor Polaris in the Arctic, even the JLA’s firepower may not be enough in “Bipolar Disorder.” Batman and Green Lantern disagree on combat tactics, as both boast familiarity with different aspects of this unique adversary. On Christmas Eve, Plastic Man tries coaxing his friend’s skeptical little boy to sleep with a tale of how Santa Claus joined the JLA. In “Merry Christmas, Justice League — Now Die!,” the League needs Santa’s help taking down the nefarious Neron’s forces in his demonic underworld workshop.
REVIEW:
Aside from an unnecessary human brain-eating sub-plot (gore is only inferred), Terror Incognita’s four-part adventure is a solid read. For instance, this sequel’s continuity utilizing earlier storylines from this particular JLA series is well-played. Mark Waid’s scripting takes some welcome twists, as the art squad’s visuals are consistently good. Though it is often standard JLA storytelling, Terror Incognita is still satisfying and occasionally unpredictable.
The same assessment applies to “Bipolar Disorder,” especially as Plastic Man’s amusing Three Stooges tribute late in the game is worth catching. Arguably, the artwork for Chuck Dixon & Scott Beatty’s one-shot tale is this book’s best. While his Santa vs. Neron caper goes darker than necessary, Mark Waid’s goofy JLA/Santa team-up is something of a comedy gem – wait for the last panel! This last story’s visuals seem reasonably good, too.
Though this compilation isn’t a must-have, Terror Incognita (including the two bonus stories) delivers on its moderate potential for adult fans.
Parental Note: There are some horrific inferences for young readers (i.e. J’onn J’onzz’s nude torture; and Batman observing the White Martians harvesting brains from their telepathic human captives).
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
There’s a three-page cover gallery. The covers are presented in a half-page format (Issues # 55-58 artists: Hitch, Neary, & DePuy; Issue # 59 artist: Bill Sienkiewicz; and Issue # 60’s artists are Cliff Rathburn & Paul Neary).
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6½ Stars
