The Stop Button

Fourteen issues into the book and–as nearly as they’ve ever come–writer Paul Levitz, penciller Joe Staton, and editor Joe Orlando have figured out All-Star. Some of it’s very intentional: Levitz keeps Wildcat unconscious for the entire issue, so he can’t be an asshole, and neither Flash nor Green Lantern says anything shitty to Huntress. They’ve learned since they said shitty things to Power Girl back when the book started (and had a different writer). And even Staton’s contributions have some intentionality. Inker Joe Giella (will he return, one hopes, but does not know) gives Staton’s pencils the best inks they’ve had on this book. It’s hands down the best art on a Staton issue.

But the action breakdowns, which keep the heroes very busy, those successes are all on Staton (and however Levitz scripts). So, good work all around.

The issue opens with Huntress II (aka Helena Wayne, aka the Huntress in this comic) in a standoff with Huntress I, who really hates superheroes and really hates her name being taken, so it’s a bonus Thorn’s hired her to take out Huntress II. All-Star has had multi-issue arcs before, Levitz has done them before, but these two issues are going to be a very taunt two-parter. The team is hanging around the hospital waiting for Huntress to get back with an ice-ray gun to cure Wildcat, and Green Lantern turns on the ring-powered closed circuit, and they see Huntress II in great peril.

So Green Lantern goes to save her. Huntress II is in a different city. The other heroes are the Flash and Power Girl, who use their super speed to try to find where Thorn is hiding. It seems very much like there’s a misalignment of powers and responsibilities on this mission. Until it turns out Thorn isn’t just robbing a few banks, she’s going to hit her old nemesis Flash where it hurts. It’s genuinely tense stuff, just done in this cartoonish manner. It feels less like All-Star than a Saturday morning cartoon adaptation of All-Star, and it just happens to be good. And entertaining. And surprisingly well executed, visually. Staton works on how the story unfolds between panels, often with Giella’s inks making some reasonably nice art.

And Levitz has also hit a stride. He’s far more confident in his narration, focusing on the blow-by-blow in the action scenes and not paying as much attention to the interpersonal communication. All-Star’s got a messy team with a lot of cohesion; Flash and Green Lantern haven’t even really worked on their friendship until the last few issues, to the detriment of their JSA service, too. Power Girl’s got very little going on when she’s not arguing with a misogynist (Wildcat’s unconscious state reaps many rewards). Huntress II gets a showcase. So, skipping over how awkward or unpleasant a working situation everyone must be having—especially with Wildcat on the brink and everyone pretending it wouldn’t improve the book—it works. It’s a superhero team comic, it’s fine.

Levitz has worked really hard to get this comic to this point, and it’s great Staton’s there to offer solid support.

I sure hope this issue isn’t the unannounced penultimate issue of All-Star Comics.