YOUNG JUSTICE #38
"Stuff Happens"
Recommended (7/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Todd Nauck
Inks: Lary Stucker
Colors: Jason Wright & Digital Chameleon
Letters: Ken Lopez
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Price: $2.50 US/$4.25 CAN |
Pay no attention to that Joker: Last Laugh logo on the cover, nor to that Joker-ized Superboy knockoff. This issue is really an "Our Worlds at War" crossover... I suppose it's more of an epilogue, really. It's a touching issue. It not only gets to the heart of these characters, but it also serves as an excellent introduction to them. New readers will find an overall accessible read within these pages.
The kids struggle with the rifts that have grown in the team, and with the horrors they witnessed during the Imperiex/Brainiac 13 war. Superboy regrets what he said to Robin in the heat of battle and talks about it with Supergirl, while two members of the team decide that it's time to call it quits. Lobo laments the experience of a thoroughly human emotion, and meanwhile, a Joker-ized Match -- an evil Superboy clone -- turns up at Young Justice headquarters... not that anyone notices.
Nauck's cartoony style suits the tone of the irreverent sequences in the book, but somehow, it doesn't intrude on the more down-to-earth, emotional moments. His style is perfect for conveying the youth of these characters as well, and he captures their feelings nicely too.
The story title for this issue is fitting, as it's a transitional chapter, easing the reader into a new direction for the team. Peter David basically has more important things on his mind (or at least his characters do), so he really doesn't have the space to participate fully in the Last Laugh crossover. Though a Joker-ized villain is found here, he's basically ignored. It actually makes for some funny sequences. Of course, that comes as no surprise, given David's reputations for the gags. There's a lot of humor in this issue, and it's not just limited to Match's dialogue and silly behavior.
It's a good thing there's plenty of humor too, because the overall tone of the book is rather somber. One of my biggest complaints about "Our Worlds at War" is that it rarely felt like a war, even though many writers tried to reinforce that atmosphere. With this story of the emotional aftermath, David succeeds. The ways these kids with unbelievable powers react to their ordeal during the war are thoroughly believable.
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