IMPULSE #85
"Glimpses of You! - World Without Young Justice Part 2"
Not Recommended (2/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: Todd Dezago
Pencils: Carlo Barberi
Inks: Walden Wong
Colors: Tom McCraw & Digital Chameleon
Letters: Janice Chiang
Editor: Joey Cavalieri
Price: $2.50 US/$4.25 CAN |
Though far from ground-breaking, last week's opening chapter of "World Without Young Justice" in YJ #44 was fun, but my interest in the mini-crossover quickly faded upon reading part two. The story is practically unintelligible, spotlighting the inherent problems with crossovers written by more than one person. As someone who has not read JLA: World Without Grown-Ups and isn't a regular Impulse reader, I was at a loss while making my way through this odd story.
Impulse finds that he's imprisoned in a magical cube by a bitter Bedlam, who's using the young speedster's new ability to create time-travelling duplicates to alter history and eradicate any trace of Young Justice from reality. As Impulse watches a new timeline unfold before his eyes, he tries desperately to escape from his cage and to set things right.
Barberi's art is highly influenced by the work of the original series penciller (and cover artist for this issue), Humberto Ramos. However, Barberi's efforts here don't capture the same sense of energy and motion that Ramos's art conveys. The bright colors reinforce the rather goofy, surreal tone of the story.
There's something... off about the way Impulse behaves in this issue. He acts almost as though he is completely dependent and indecisive. Since he's impulsive in name and in nature, it makes sense that he'd have more of a take-charge kind of approach, but the story's nature as a part of a crossover forces him to obsess over Robin's and Superboy's whereabouts. Furthermore, this new ability -- creatin energy duplicates with distinct consciousnesses that can travel through time -- pushes suspension of disbelief far beyond the breaking point.
I've always felt the yellow-and-red Kid Flash costume -- simple but striking -- was one worth resurrecting, but it wasn't worth it when attached to a subpar story such as this one.
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