JLA #60
"Merry Christmas, Justice League -- Now Die!"
Mildly Recommended (6/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: Mark Waid
Pencils: Cliff Rathburn
Inks: Paul Neary
Colors: David Baron
Letters: Ken Lopez
Editor: Dan Raspler
Price: $2.25 US/$3.75 CAN |
Waid crafts a cute Christmas tale that should be of interest to younger readers (especially now that the Justice League cartoon has debuted in the United States). This is the sort of super-hero holiday story I remember with fondness from my youth, but as an adult, it doesn't quite offer everything I'm looking for. On the other hand, though, it did introduce to a sharp new name in comic art.
Plastic Man tries to help his pal Woozy Winks out by getting his nephew to go to sleep on Christmas Eve. It turns out the tyke, who worships the Justice League (well, the rest of the Justice League, at least), doesn't believe in Santa Claus, so Plas tells him of ol' Kris Kringle's recent "induction" into the foremost team of the World's Greatest Super-Heroes.
Cliff Rathburn's name doesn't ring a bell, but boy, it will in the future. His detailed style works surprisingly well on a humor story. His stuff reminds me of the strengths of such artists as J.H. (Promethea) Williams and Tony (Starman) Harris. His figures are thoroughly expressive, and there's a wonderful energy in his action scenes. This was an impressive introduction.
Waid makes excellent use of Plastic Man in this issue, and it was a treat to see the return of Woozy Winks. Plas's goofy nature fits right in with the lighter tone of the story. Waid also throws in a couple of great Christmas gags, my favorite of which was Santa's gift to the demon Neron. It's funny how things change, though... these days, I'm happy to get new socks and underwear (note to family members who may be reading: but not just socks and underwear).
When I was a kid, I loved getting comics as stocking stuffers. This issue of JLA would make a great one for any kid. It's got humor, colorful characters and exciting art. But while the story is cute, it's definitely aimed at the younger set. It's nice to see room made for kids in this title's run, though.
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