Written by Mark Waid; Dan Curtis Johnson; Christopher Priest; & John Ostrander.
Art by Howard Porter; Steve Scott; Mark Pajarillo; Pablo Raimondi; Eric Battle; Ken Lashley; Drew Geraci; Mark Propst; Walden Wong; Claude St. Aubin; David Meikis; Prentis Rollins; Ron Boyd; John Kalisz; Pat Garrahy; Tom McCraw; Ken Lopez; John Costanza; Kurt Hathaway; & Janice Chiang.
Collection Cover Art by Howard Porter & Moose Baumann.
SUMMARY:
Released by DC Comics in 2001, this 160-page paperback reprints JLA # 42-46 (from 2000); as well as select materials from JLA Secret Files and Origins # 3 (2000) and JLA 80-Page Giant (1998).
First up is “Half a Mind to Save the World,” as the League (Superman; Wonder Woman; Kyle Rayner’s Green Lantern; Wally West’s Flash; and Ray Palmer’s Atom) miniaturizes themselves to enter a hospitalized boy’s brain tumor. Existing inside the tumor is an advanced yet defiant civilization (in human terms, it’s bacteria) that the JLA seeks to transplant to save the terminally-ill child’s life.
Next up is the four-part “Tower of Babel.” Bruce Wayne is stunned that someone has grave-robbed the corpses of his parents. Meanwhile, Talia al Ghul and Ra’s al Ghul have plundered Batman’s secret anti-JLA strategy files from the JLA Watchtower and the Batcave to help them defeat the League’s roster, one by one. With dissension rising, the JLA (Wonder Woman; Plastic Man; Superman; Wally West’s Flash; Kyle Rayner’s Green Lantern; Martian Manhunter; Aquaman; & Batman) must recover fast to thwart al Ghul’s nefarious mass bio-terrorism scheme in time.
Taking an unprecedented vote, the League expels its most enigmatic member for an ulterior motive tantamount to treason. Suspicious ripples trickle down to the Titans and Young Justice, which Oracle subsequently relays to a defiant Batman. Superman is perplexed as to what he must do to restore the League’s fragmented trust.
Finally, there are a pair of ten-page short stories. In “The Green Bullet,” Batman probes a Gotham City homicide case where, inexplicably, the Man of Steel is the logical prime suspect. As it’s a flashback tale, Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern appears in a cameo, as does a photograph of the League’s then-original incarnation (Aquaman; Black Canary; Martian Manhunter; Jordan; & Barry Allen’s Flash). “Revelations” then explores suppressed sexual tension festering between Wonder Woman & Aquaman amidst an undersea combat mission.
Note: This storyline loosely inspired DC’s 2012 animated film entitled Justice League: Doom.
REVIEW:
As a whole, it’s a solid compilation. The plotting is commendable, in terms of a pendulum weighing Batman’s intentions now revealed vs. the outrage amongst his own teammates. The same applies to the welcome inclusion of some other stories, even if it’s glorified padding.
Still, the “Tower of Babel” visuals are merely sufficient, as compared to the superbly-illustrated “Revelations” and, to a slightly lesser degree, “The Green Bullet.” The artwork for Issue # 42 (guest-starring the Atom) also frankly surpasses “Babel.”
Where this well-known four-part JLA storyline instead excels is in its story-telling depth … particularly, in the climatic League voting sequence. Aware that a defiant Batman is in the next room, the Leaguers each spells out his/her rationale in the vote. It’s inevitable that the World’s Greatest Detective would accurately deduce the vote’s outcome, let alone what his own telling reaction subsequently is.
Hence, JLA: Tower of Babel offers solid (and kid-friendly) storytelling that holds up well twenty-plus years later.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
Splitting a page, cover artists start with Howard Porter & Drew Geraci (Issue # 42), and then Porter & John Dell (Issue # 43). Receiving full pages are cover artists Porter & Geraci again (Issues # 44-46).
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
