Take a photo of a barcode or cover
beaconatnight 's review for:
Midsummer's Nightmare
by Mark Waid
Justice League: A Midsummer's Nightmare tells another formation myth of the Justice League. In its introduction, Grant Morrison praises this story as being highly influential, not the least because of its refreshingly colorful visual and more lighthearted tone. I can fully concur, the story is very good fun that invokes DC's happier times.
The reader is introduced to a world where genetic sparks (as they are called) frequently generate waves of new super-powered humans (not dissimilar to Marvel's mutants). We are introduced to numerous of our heroes in their alter egos. There is something quite off here, though. Maybe it's because I'm really no expert when it comes to the DC universe, but I enjoyed the experience that I couldn't quite put my finger on the problem. Admittedly, I didn't even recognize the comic book artist to be Green Lantern. So I thought Clark was thoroughly shaken by the sudden appearance of all these metahumans. Mrs. Prince and Wally West are both teaching at school; there is something not quite right here, either (especially the latter's nightmares). What was really bizarre, though, was Arthur Curry working at a fishing company (for environmental concerns or not)?! And what's with Bruce's parents being back, while the entrance to the Batcave not being where he remembered it to be? And don't even get me started on the people on Mars...
The situation was confusing, but I have to say that I wasn't fully invested. To be honest, other than the allusions towards Dr. Destiny, which immediately had me interested, I was actively waiting for something more exciting to happen. Things much improved with the second issue, though. Bruce and Clark somehow snap out of things, more or less just like this (the creator of dreams really didn't do a very good job there). They team up to get the others, Clark is to approach Diana while Bruce is going to talk to Arthur. The story explicitly acknowledges how it's a bit convenient that only two names showed up on the computer, though it's of course to hide the fact that others won't make an appearance. Anyway, when Bruce shows Arthur where he belongs—Into the aquarium!, that's when I first very much enjoyed this. The artwork of Superman flying off the balcony, moon in the background and the costume shining through, that was truly awesome. As was the shiny armor of the villain whose name was only to be revealed later.
Well, I reveal it now: it's Know Man. Seriously, that's what he is called. It's even given in this 80s heavy metal logo artwork. It was so silly, I loved it. He was originally a prehistoric man. A member of the Controllers granted him immortality (and probably some advanced intelligence), so he ended up spending his time gaining knowledge. To be prepared for... some unnamed threat? He kind of lost me there.
In fact, I think the story didn't quite make up its mind about what the illusions were meant to be. Are their dreams (like for Bruce or Martian Manhunter)? Nightmares (Wally or Arthur)? A haze to be freed off (Clark)? Basically normal life under some stress (Diana or Kyle)? Was it a world they always wanted, where they all could be normal? And what about the empowerment of all these others, was the purpose to prepare them for upcoming threats when the existing heroes couldn't be trusted? In this case, why not let the heroes join forces with an all-powerful humanity? Is it because of all the social upheaval that ensued?
When it comes to action sequences, the comic is unfortunately lacking, too. The mostly unnamed foes are not exactly thrilling. There is the one instance when Wonder Woman faces the student of hers, who then admits that she was told she would be turned to normal again (she had some monster appearance) if she killed the heroes. Makes you wonder about the motives of all the other rampaging metahumans. In the end, it doesn't really matter because they are all sidelined by one well-placed telepathic blast of the Martian Manhunter. There is another dream sequences that has their superpowers spiced up, but that's again resolved too quickly to make any lasting impressions. When eventually the team decides to stay together since it showed that this way they can accomplish great things, it makes you wonder how previous events proved this point.
I'm much too negative here. I dearly enjoyed the visual approach and to some extent even the simple plot. It just feels as if it's too rough around the edges. For instance, there is talk of moral issues—why don't the heroes bring justice to humanity (the issue of agency and free will) and what gives them the right to deprive others of their powers—but they remain mostly unexplored. In the beginning, the subplot of the comic book writer promised great potential, put it's not pursued any further, either (other than the minor detail of Kyle's mind offering the place where Dr. Destiny is held).
This should have been better.
Rating: 2.5/5
The reader is introduced to a world where genetic sparks (as they are called) frequently generate waves of new super-powered humans (not dissimilar to Marvel's mutants). We are introduced to numerous of our heroes in their alter egos. There is something quite off here, though. Maybe it's because I'm really no expert when it comes to the DC universe, but I enjoyed the experience that I couldn't quite put my finger on the problem. Admittedly, I didn't even recognize the comic book artist to be Green Lantern. So I thought Clark was thoroughly shaken by the sudden appearance of all these metahumans. Mrs. Prince and Wally West are both teaching at school; there is something not quite right here, either (especially the latter's nightmares). What was really bizarre, though, was Arthur Curry working at a fishing company (for environmental concerns or not)?! And what's with Bruce's parents being back, while the entrance to the Batcave not being where he remembered it to be? And don't even get me started on the people on Mars...
The situation was confusing, but I have to say that I wasn't fully invested. To be honest, other than the allusions towards Dr. Destiny, which immediately had me interested, I was actively waiting for something more exciting to happen. Things much improved with the second issue, though. Bruce and Clark somehow snap out of things, more or less just like this (the creator of dreams really didn't do a very good job there). They team up to get the others, Clark is to approach Diana while Bruce is going to talk to Arthur. The story explicitly acknowledges how it's a bit convenient that only two names showed up on the computer, though it's of course to hide the fact that others won't make an appearance. Anyway, when Bruce shows Arthur where he belongs—Into the aquarium!, that's when I first very much enjoyed this. The artwork of Superman flying off the balcony, moon in the background and the costume shining through, that was truly awesome. As was the shiny armor of the villain whose name was only to be revealed later.
Well, I reveal it now: it's Know Man. Seriously, that's what he is called. It's even given in this 80s heavy metal logo artwork. It was so silly, I loved it. He was originally a prehistoric man. A member of the Controllers granted him immortality (and probably some advanced intelligence), so he ended up spending his time gaining knowledge. To be prepared for... some unnamed threat? He kind of lost me there.
In fact, I think the story didn't quite make up its mind about what the illusions were meant to be. Are their dreams (like for Bruce or Martian Manhunter)? Nightmares (Wally or Arthur)? A haze to be freed off (Clark)? Basically normal life under some stress (Diana or Kyle)? Was it a world they always wanted, where they all could be normal? And what about the empowerment of all these others, was the purpose to prepare them for upcoming threats when the existing heroes couldn't be trusted? In this case, why not let the heroes join forces with an all-powerful humanity? Is it because of all the social upheaval that ensued?
When it comes to action sequences, the comic is unfortunately lacking, too. The mostly unnamed foes are not exactly thrilling. There is the one instance when Wonder Woman faces the student of hers, who then admits that she was told she would be turned to normal again (she had some monster appearance) if she killed the heroes. Makes you wonder about the motives of all the other rampaging metahumans. In the end, it doesn't really matter because they are all sidelined by one well-placed telepathic blast of the Martian Manhunter. There is another dream sequences that has their superpowers spiced up, but that's again resolved too quickly to make any lasting impressions. When eventually the team decides to stay together since it showed that this way they can accomplish great things, it makes you wonder how previous events proved this point.
I'm much too negative here. I dearly enjoyed the visual approach and to some extent even the simple plot. It just feels as if it's too rough around the edges. For instance, there is talk of moral issues—why don't the heroes bring justice to humanity (the issue of agency and free will) and what gives them the right to deprive others of their powers—but they remain mostly unexplored. In the beginning, the subplot of the comic book writer promised great potential, put it's not pursued any further, either (other than the minor detail of Kyle's mind offering the place where Dr. Destiny is held).
This should have been better.
Rating: 2.5/5