The Stop Button

Writer Gerry Conway likes deus ex machinas so much, he flies one in on a spaceship for this issue. The issue’s got multiple comes and goings, like there was only so much time each hero got in each subplot. For instance, when the deus ex machina lands, the only superhero going to intercept is Power Girl, ducking out on another scene.

She ducked out just after Mrs. The Flash came to the burned up headquarters from last issue and told Jay it’s time to come home because he’s not young anymore. It’s very strange. Especially since other heroes then arrive to bring the numbers back up.

The majority of the issue involves the JSA trying to take down Vulcan, having discovered he’s the rogue astronaut gone mad with power. Or maybe he went mad first; doesn’t end up mattering. Conway must’ve decided even though the All-Star heroes are a bit squarer than their Earth-One counterparts, the comic’s going to get unexpectedly and unnecessarily dark from time to time.

There’s oddly more internal griping from Green Lantern this issue, too. It’s like Conway’s got his various character personality bits to get in—Star-Spangled Kid going on about his cosmic rod, Wildcat being a shallow bully, Power Girl (usually accurately) finding misogyny everywhere. Alan Scott, the Green Lantern, is a petulant man-child narcissist who cannot stop thinking about himself. Even when Dr. Fate runs into trouble, Green Lantern centers himself entirely in the panic.

There’s some setup for next issue with Hawkman’s alter ego’s museum-related subplot. And Dr. Mid-Nite shows up to do some doctoring, but also do be the only one with x-ray (close enough) vision. Conway’s got everything very neatly arranged, even if all the details are bland.

Power Girl does get a relatively decent solo mission intercepting the spaceship and its pilot. There’s a multi-page punch-out with penciller Keith Giffen doing some elaborate page layouts. Wally Wood keeps up on the finished art, of course, but when Giffen actually gets to do a busy, creative page, it works out.

It’s not a particularly compelling read, however. Giffen’s few pages of Power Girl versus space invader, which has panels ranging from the most sci-fi superhero comic fight to a journey through the mind, are very welcome. Except there’s no pay-off because the timer’s gone off, and Conway’s ready for the next batch of characters.

Despite saving the planet every other issue, the book doesn’t seem at all necessary.