 Noteworthy
Items:
pp 01-03: The League has chased Black Death into Qwewq, a
universe without superheroes – or at least an Earth-like
world without superheroes in the Qwewq universe. (Just to interupt,
before going much further. Morrison’s writes a good story
here, but his understanding of physics has more to do with
lite SF or an affection for offbeat ideas than actual physics.
An “infant” universe, however you interpret it,
would not be much smaller, from a human perspective, than ours
is now. From their “big bangs” universes expand
very, very quickly. And a newer universe would be very, very
hot – much too hot to allow for the physical processes
to take place that would enable the development of an earth
like world. Thanks for your patience, on with the comic.)
I wonder how McGuinness reacted when he saw the crazy four
by four grid he was supposed to work with! Fortunately for
him, most of the images are done in a pinhole manner. They
are after the Black Death, whose power seems to be an ability
to turn available substances into poisons. He dips the pen
he is writing with into the drink of a woman near him. It poisons
her drink. Clark Kent “accidentally” knocks it
over. The League has found him. Now they just have to find
a way home. Superman and J’onn J’onz follow him
to a subway station, where Black Death can’t resist the
temptation to pick up a ringing phone.
pp 04-07: Cut to Batman and Squire. Squire
is suspended – Mission
Impossible-like – over the cubic universe. She almost
made contact. Note the cable holding up her braid. Batman knows
that Grodd is going to turn these heroes (the Ultramarines)
into weapons. How? He says this in the first issue too, but
no explanation so far. He doesn’t want Grodd to know
that the League has been busy elsewhere. This also raises questions.
Why would he care if Grodd knows that the League hasn’t
been available for a few days? Surely, they are on adventures
all the time. Or is this just a device to generate tension?
Or, even better, an excuse to play with the robot Supermen?
BTW They describe things as “attoscopicaly tiny”. ‘Atto’ means
one quintillionth.
pp 08: A page of Grodd and Neh-Buh-Loh. The
latter has heard the boom tube. This page has a lot of information.
We learn that Neh-Buh-loh “seeded” himself in Pulse
8, but did not take his actual body from him. Pulse 8 is under
the Huntsman’s control, but they are separate beings. We
learn of the Sheeda “spine riders.” Important for
the upcoming 7S series. We also learn how Grodd defeated Goraiko.
What we don’t learn is which superhero Grodd is chewing
on! The purple boot had me thinking O’ Lantern, but he
is alive and whole.
pp 09-14: The IUC falls. Like Grodd and Neh-Buh-Loh,
they are taking the new situation in. We meet 4 D (or 4 Dee).
They know Warmaker is down, but since he doesn’t have a
physical body, they think he may make it. Knight lets us know
that there are thirty supers in Superbia. I guess Grodd has eaten
all those who aren’t appearing in the story. Knight also
gives an explanation as to why Batman thinks the Ultramarines
will be turned into weapons. Grodd will control them psychically.
But… if Grodd could do that, why hasn’t he already
done it? I mean, the character has been around since 1959.
And if he has tried it before, he’s obviously failed.
The Corps is taken out by one of their own. Pulse 8 controlled
by a Sheeda rider. He threatens 4 D and the others capitulate.
Sensible, but a little too easy for superheroes. Once they
surrender, they are also hijacked by the Riders. The one in
Flow looks more cute than menacing.
When they were discussing the situation, O’ Lantern
mentions that the League is away. Putting aside the fact that
this really undercuts any credibility for these guys – I
mean, if they can only be safe if the League is there to back
them up, that doesn’t say much for them as a team – the
main thing is that he knows, so we could reasonably expect
Grodd to know (though he would know anyway, because…)
It all supports my theory that Bats was just looking for a
chance to play with the Superman robots.
pp 15-18: The Robo-League attacks! Grodd wonders
if Black Death failed. So that was all a feint! Get the League
out of the way, so the Corps would be vulnerable. Pulse 8 realizes
they’re machines and they are taken down. Looking over
these scenes, I don’t see the robo-Wonder Woman. I know
she’s on the cover, but not in the story. Now on the
cover Flash looks like a robot version of Flash. Slim, sinewy.
Inside he has the same body as all the others. The Martian
Manhunter robot has a few cranial modifications, but they all
have Superman’s body. So what does the Wonder Woman robot
look like?
pp 19: Bman is captured. Grodd says “I’ve always
wanted to eat Batman. But now… I don’t know where
to begin.” Remember the chocolate bunny rule and always
start with the head!
The controlled Ultramarines: Goraiko in the back. Left to
right: Little Mermaid, Kid Impala, Pulse 8, Tasmanian Devil,
4 D, Knight, the Olympian, Jack O’ Lantern, Flow, and
Vixen.
pp 20-21: Picking up from page three, we’re
back with the four by four grid. Superman and J’onn nab
the Black Death and take the Squire’s call. They then rush
back – but
apparently without the villain! Who does confirm that this
was all about “wasting [their] time.”
pp 22: The villains gloat. Neh-Buh-Loh says
that he is there to hunt and kill ‘the Seven.’ There
is a bit of accepted wisdom among DC readers that says, given
enough prep Batman could take down anyone. Apparently not.
pp 23: This splash page functions as both
an ad and a lead in to the next issue. The League is back, and
Grodd will no doubt wish he’d eaten Batman when he had
the chance.
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