The Stop Button

It’s a few weeks after last issue (and adventure) and the doldrums of being a superhero have sunk in. The issue opens on a rainy day at the JSA brownstone, with Power Girl challenging the Flash to a race. Wildcat’s busy having anger management issues about television while Star-Spangled Kid wonders what’s wrong with him.

Flash will excuse away Wildcat’s behavior (again). It’s annoying as if writer Gerry Conway had to include some nonsense excusing of it, which just makes Flash seem like he’s full of it, too.

But they won’t be bored long, because new villain Vulcan attacks them. Vulcan looks a little like a Jack Kirby character; he’s got a New God headband, for instance. The art this issue is Keith Giffen and Wally Wood; Giffen doesn’t change Power Girl’s outfit or anything, but he doesn’t emphasize her, well, bare flesh the way Ric Estrada did the last couple issues. It’s a welcome change.

Even if Conway’s dialogue for Power Girl constantly has her making remarks about women’s liberation, usually in reference to some dude not being into it. Conway’s also the editor on this book, so clearly, he’s not getting the guidance he actually needs. Particularly given the tangents the comic goes on.

So, the new villain is attacking the brownstone. Then we cut to Green Lantern’s  office woes (his newspaper’s running out of money). Dr. Fate shows up—in civvies just to drag it out a few more panels—to collect Green Lantern so they can go to a top-secret Army briefing.

About Vulcan.

There’s a flashback about Vulcan; he’s a JSA-worshipping astronaut who cracked under the pressure of actual space travel, killing his crew mates, then becoming a fire creature. It’s simultaneously a little and a lot.

Then Green Lantern and Dr. Fate go to confront the bad guy, and the comic’s over. It’s so oddly plotted, especially since the Army briefing scene was mostly connecting the dots to the first scene with Vulcan. It might’ve made more sense if… the JSA headquarters had some kind of alarm system to alert the other members of the attack.

As far as characterizations go, Power Girl and Dr. Fate stand out the most. Wildcat’s played for (bewilderingly targeted) laughs, Star Spangled Kid is bland, Jay Garrick’s full of shit, and Green Lantern’s a buzzkill and a half. Power Girl’s at least sympathetic—even if Conway’s not convinced she’s experiencing misogyny at every turn, he’s still writing it for her to experience—and Dr. Fate’s flat but competent.

Who knew competent superheroes were so much to ask for?

Not much better than the previous outings, but a little.