I know for surenow that Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis have captured the same magic they did back in 1980s. The proof? This issue had me laughing out loud. The writers return to some of the same kinds of gags, and they offer up some new stuff as well, and it makes for a script that really tickled my brain. Kevin Maguire's art is as impressive as it was more than 15 years ago, and together, these creators have made these wonderful, goofy creators breathe again. The book would look truly amazing... if it weren't for a lower grade of paper and some unusual color choices.
The heroes contacted by Max Lord and his robotic assistant, L-Ron, converge on their new storefront headquarters, and personality conflicts -- fun ones, honestly -- arise immediately. The heroes also find themselves confronted by a committee of concerned citizens of the neighborhood, worried that the presence of metahuman do-gooders will attract a corresponding element of metahuman, um, do-badders. Cue the super-powered villains, in the form of a quartet of loquacious and well-educated gangsters who also don't think the super-heroes belong in the area.
Maguire's expressive characters really bring out the comedy in the script. Ralph's reactions -- both verbal and physical -- to his sexual ranking in his wife's and Fire's eyes is hilarious, as is Captain Atom's frustration with Mary Marvel's fear of his powers. Maguire also captures the wonder and energy of the heroes' powers quite well.
Lee Loughridge is a wonderful colorist, but his darker style doesn't suit the lighter tone of this property. The paper quality doesn't agree with his work either. The lower grade reinforces the muted nature of his work, and it might even distort it a bit (for example, the Blue Beetle appears to be a little bit green in one sequence).
The antagonists of this issue -- the Harvard-educated homeboys -- had me smiling from ear to ear. The writers turn stereotypes upside down with these characters, and even better, they even had me curious about the origin of their powers and how it fits into the grander scheme of the limited series. The banter among the protagonists is delightful as well, and Giffen and DeMatteis deliver a fairly accessible script for those who weren't fortunate enough to peruse the pages of the humor-era Justice League.
We're two issues into a six-part story, though, and we really don't know much about the foundation of the story. Exactly why Max has gathered these heroes and how the team is meant to operate still hasn't been directly addressed. Without that information, it's difficult to buy into these heroes getting together for no specific purpose. The writers need to move things along a little more quickly.
