Justice League of America #17 (Spoiler)

[LordAllMighty]

Main Story
The story starts off with the Cadre (Crowbar, Black Mass and Nightfall) trying to steal a private jet from an airport to fly to South America. The Cadre are quickly defeated by Black Lightning, who was about to catch a flight to Jamaica.

Roy, Kandra and Lian take a short trip to deliver clothes to the former villain Bromwell Stikk. Roy enters the house only to find it been trashed. Batman steps out of the shadows and tell Roy that Stikk was not taken willingly.

The Squad attack elven villains in their hideout and after a quick battle only two villains are captured (Houngan and Blind Faith). The League question Waller over the recent disappearance of villains and she informs the League that whatever the government might be doing, it is well within the law.

The escaped villain go to the JLA headquarter to ask for sanctuary

Second Story
Vixen tries her hand at archery by using Roy's abilities to hit a target 200 meters away. She then has a discussion with Roy about her changed abilities and how she able to mimic the abilities of meta humans. Vixen decided that she needs to test her abilities on someone without a metagene or above average human skill. Roy calls Hal, and after a quick lecture Vixen uses her abilities to mimic the energy of a Green Lantern ring. Apparently, Vixen is no longer mimicking from Morphogenic Field.

All in all, a good setup issue.:)

[Miss Kitty Fantastico]

Does anyone know why McDuffie is only writing half-issues of late? Burnett's writing is decent, but he doesn't have McDuffie's 'instant character charisma' touch, and left his part of the issue - the majority - feeling unsatisfying, for all that it dabbled with the Salvation plotline some more.

Also, I'm rapidly reaching the point where I want to just slap Vixen, as unwise as I imagine that'd be. I know Meltzer introduced the idea of her keeping her wonky powers a secret, but I wish McDuffie would just wrap it up and be done with it - it's cheap 'drama', making characters make bad choices just to create conflict. Plus, she can copy superpowers - how is that a bad thing? Theoretically she should be able to stalemate any supervillain she faces now, from Darkseid down - if you ask me, the focus should be "Is this ability dangerous to Vixen?", and if it's not (or at least manageable) throw a party, you've got another uber-powerhouse on the team.

[LordAllMighty]

Does anyone know why McDuffie is only writing half-issues of late? Burnett's writing is decent, but he doesn't have McDuffie's 'instant character charisma' touch, and left his part of the issue - the majority - feeling unsatisfying, for all that it dabbled with the Salvation plotline some more.

IIRC, it just for three issues, so McDuffie can get caught up with his writing

Also, I'm rapidly reaching the point where I want to just slap Vixen, as unwise as I imagine that'd be. I know Meltzer introduced the idea of her keeping her wonky powers a secret, but I wish McDuffie would just wrap it up and be done with it - it's cheap 'drama', making characters make bad choices just to create conflict. Plus, she can copy superpowers - how is that a bad thing? Theoretically she should be able to stalemate any supervillain she faces now, from Darkseid down - if you ask me, the focus should be "Is this ability dangerous to Vixen?", and if it's not (or at least manageable) throw a party, you've got another uber-powerhouse on the team.

Agreed, I'm not sure why she keeping her power change a secret form the rest of the JLA. It's kind of out of character for her.:(

Hopefully this will be taken care of by next issue

[Xero]

McDuffie's working on two new tv shows while he writes JLA. Red Arrow does not have a metagene so Vixen shouldn't have been able to mimic his abilities using the morphogenetic field. When she duplicated Green Lantern's power ring she figured out it wasn't her original powers.

I think it's obvious that she's either using Amazo's powers, or she is an Amazo.

[Jack]

McDuffie's working on two new tv shows while he writes JLA. Red Arrow does not have a metagene so Vixen shouldn't have been able to mimic his abilities using the morphogenetic field. When she duplicated Green Lantern's power ring she figured out it wasn't her original powers.

I think it's obvious that she's either using Amazo's powers, or she is an Amazo.
It is "morphogenetic", isn't it? That's what I thought when I read "morphgenic" in the book, but it's one of those minor things that I wasn't sure if I was remembering it right or not.

[dreyga2000]

All in all I I thought this issue was meh... I could care less about the Key and Cronies. When was the last time he appeared away JLA # 9? And the Vixen thing lacked any real conflict...

P.S. Am I the only one who misses Vixen's animal powers?

[elise]

I really didn't like the last few JLA issues (found the writing to be cheesy and cliched), but thought this one was pretty good... the first story, anyway. And I loooove Benes' art.

When did Vixen's animal powers go away anyway? Also, does she copy them or steal them? Seeing as she gives Superman his powers back in issue 15...

[BYC]

I really didn't like the last few JLA issues (found the writing to be cheesy and cliched), but thought this one was pretty good... the first story, anyway. And I loooove Benes' art.

When did Vixen's animal powers go away anyway? Also, does she copy them or steal them? Seeing as she gives Superman his powers back in issue 15...
I'm starting to develop Benes hate. I like the hot women, and I'm sure everybody else does too. But jesus, it NEVER ends. Everything he does seems to be a pin-up or a generic action shot. It really doesn't help that all these new artists all copy Jim Lee but can't do Jim Lee's dynamic stuff.

Maybe it's just overexposure.

[nj06]

All in all I I thought this issue was meh... I could care less about the Key and Cronies. When was the last time he appeared away JLA # 9? And the Vixen thing lacked any real conflict...

P.S. Am I the only one who misses Vixen's animal powers?


I thought it was cooler when she had the animal powers...

[David Atkins]

I kind of like what they're doing with Vixen, at the moment. They might accidentally finally sell me on her being a part of the JLA.

[elise]

I'm starting to develop Benes hate. I like the hot women, and I'm sure everybody else does too. But jesus, it NEVER ends. Everything he does seems to be a pin-up or a generic action shot. It really doesn't help that all these new artists all copy Jim Lee but can't do Jim Lee's dynamic stuff.

Maybe it's just overexposure.
His art is similar to Lee's, but I can see differences. Honestly, I'm just a sucker for anyone who draws a pretty Superman. ;) Though admittedly, I think how he draws the female heroes is a little... much.

[Jack]

I kind of like what they're doing with Vixen, at the moment. They might accidentally finally sell me on her being a part of the JLA.
The moment she turned out to be copying powers was the exact moment that I started to like her presence in the book.

[Trey]

Would it kill Benes to draw some backgrounds!?!? Gimme something here.

[Laughing Mask]

wow roy & kendras relation ship happened fast didn't it?

i mean they never even went out on a first date yet and they already knocked boots.


and the key is back!

[COMIC GEEK]

wow roy & kendras relation ship happened fast didn't it?

i mean they never even went out on a first date yet and they already knocked boots.




is that frowned upon ;)

[Laughing Mask]

is that frowned upon ;)

your right. :)

[sabongero]

His art is similar to Lee's, but I can see differences. Honestly, I'm just a sucker for anyone who draws a pretty Superman. ;) Though admittedly, I think how he draws the female heroes is a little... much.

The Black Canary buttshots have always been appreciated since Benes drew 'em during the Birds of Prey days.

[Johnny_Luck]

I really don't see how Ed Benes is Jim Lee lite, they are both nearly godlike in there overall awesomeness. His Birds art was top notch(His Huntress probably being the best ever, even better than Jim Lees great version)and his JLA art has been just the same since day one. Ed simply rules and I can never see myself tire of him.

Also Loving how much time Kendra, Vixen, and especially Roy are getting on the book and am glad that its not the Trio show. Also theres too much Black Lighting, back off on him a bit.

The Kendra/Roy relationship is awesome and I really hope it doesn't end anytime soon and personally would love for it to continue throughout all of this year and even into the Titans book.

[i5hawn]

you should have seen the line for jim lee at baltimore comic con, compared to the lines for everyone else.

lee is far from "near god" status....he was a near god back in the 90s

[sabongero]

you should have seen the line for jim lee at baltimore comic con, compared to the lines for everyone else.

lee is far from "near god" status....he was a near god back in the 90s

That's cool for someone who left medical school to pursue his dream pencilling superheroes. That's cool for Jim Lee.

[Hawkman]

I thought it was pretty good. The first part, anyway. I like where it's going and felt the pacing was enjoyable enough. And the ending left me wanting more, which is always a positive.

McDuffie's story wasn't bad, but it was simply too brief for me to really enjoy it. It felt more like one of those insert comics that are sandwiched in another comic as an advertisement. I am anxious to find out what's up with Vixen, though, only I'd prefer a more traditional 22-page format.

As for Kendra and Roy, I don't have a problem with it, but every time I see them together I think about how DC let Meltzer kill Mia off panel just as an excuse to fast-track the relationship. I really wish this would be addressed in the future--either revealed to be a ruse Kendra created to keep Mia safe, or showing me how it supposedly happened.