Comics Reviews: Justice League America 34, Justice League Europe 10

Justice League America 34 coverJustice League America #34 – “Club JLI” – Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis/Adam Hughes/Art Nichols

This one starts with Major Disaster lamenting his lack of success as a super-villain. He’s been reduced to living in a shithole apartment with Big Sir, but when he realizes Big Sir can count cards like Rainman, he decides to cash in on that talent. In New York, Maxwell Lord isn’t happy when he finds out Blue Beetle and Booster Gold have opened a casino on Kooeykooeykooey (the Pacific island recently annexed by the League) and used the JLI name to advertise it. Max is even more pissed off when he finds out they drained the JLI bank accounts to build the casino, so he immediately prepares to head for theheading to the island island to voice his displeasure. (If you’re wondering how they managed to build a casino so fast, apparently Kilowog slapped it together in three days.) Meanwhile, Major Disaster and Big Sir—calling themselves Joe Smith and Frank Jones—head to the island to make a fortune with Big Sir’s card-counting ability (although they’re not too enthused about having to travel there by teleport tube), almost blowing their cover when they run into Blue Beetle. Elsewhere, Herb gives the chief (his uncle) shit for bringing so many tourists to the island and disrupting the natives’ way of life, but the chief tells him breaking the bankto chill out. Aquaman shows up demanding to see Beetle and Booster about evacuating the island because of some imminent calamity. But Beetle and Booster soon have a bigger calamity on their hands, as Major Disaster and Big Sir break the bank and clean out all the casino’s funds. Before Booster and Beetle can announce the place is bankrupt, an earthquake hits and the casino starts falling apart around them. They get everyone out (although Major Disater and Big Sir lose all their cash in the quake) and Aquaman reminds them of his recent warning. Apparently the island of Kooeykooeykooey is technically alive and she’s not happy about having a casino and a bunch of touristsearthquake crawling all over her top side, so she’s uprooted herself to move to a new location. The chief knew about the island being sentient (sacred knowledge) and says they just have to go with the flow, but Beetle, Booster, and Aquaman are worried about all the people who are now stranded there.

 

 

Justice League Europe 10 coverJustice League Europe #10 – “After the Fox” – Keith Giffen, William Messner-Loebs/Bart Sears/Pablo Marcos

This one starts at a fundraiser for war orphans in Paris, hosted by Bruce Wayne and a Parisienne businesswoman named Vivian D’Aramis. They’ve collected quite a bit of money, which is stuffed into a giant globe. Unfortunately, someone has set a bomb on the globe that causes it to fall from its plinth and roll right out the door, where it’s grabbed by a skyhook from a helicopter. Bruce is surrounded by Vivian’s security (though Vivian herself has disappeared), so he has no chance to change into Batman. But the helicopter is boarded by someone else … Crimson Fox, a local French superhero. As she climbs towards the chopper’s cockpit, Bruce sends anCrimson Fox on the chopper emergency signal to the Justice League. At the Embassy, Power Girl is testing her powers against Captain Atom. Her strength, speed, and invulnerability have all been reduced, but she’s still pretty powerful. Batman’s signal comes in but the team doesn’t really need it, since the chopper that stole the cash-filled globe is just outside. As money rains down on the street, Crimson Fox gets into the chopper and causes it to crash … right into the Embassy. (Into Captain Atom’s room, to be specific.) Caught between Crimson Fox and the League, the thieves quickly surrender, but Captain Atom isn’t happy about his room Crimson Fox meets the Leaguebeing destroyed and blames Crimson Fox, insinuating she might have been involved in the original robbery. Batman vouches for her and suggests Captain Atom offer her membership in the League (since they need someone local anyway), but she tells him to go to hell. Apparently, she mellows out a bit later because she sends Captain Atom a new bed (and a rather suggestive note).