About Heroes

Author: Brad Meltzer
Penciler: Adam Kubert
Inkers: Joe Kubert & John Dell
Colors: Alex Sinclair

As many of you know, I really haven't been a fan of Meltzer's comics. While I think he is a great fan, unlike Johns that doesn't automatically make him a great comic writer as well. Sure I like my share of emotional focus on the characters and padded storylines, but it got repetitive every time I read a comic he wrote. If you've ever wondered what his next 12 issues of Justice League of America would have been like....well here you go!

The story kicks off with a monologue by Geo Force. He has finally achieved his power's height and is showing this to the reader by holding his fucking hand over a candle. This is how you show nothing can hurt a hero. After proving to his audience that he is ready to take on the man who killed his sister, he has a talk with Black Lightning. The rest of the heroes are acting like it's the last day on Earth and Black Canary is the only one with the balls to stand up and never give up. Members of the JSA and JLA are shown visiting their families or talking to friends and have just seemed to give up on fighting till the end. We finally get a fight at the end that was pretty dark for Geo Force, but he finally gets his revenge on a story that happened over 20 years ago.

I'm not sure why all the heroes seem to be depressed instead of leading a counter attack against this dark force. What exactly is going on out there anyway? Meltzer never really makes it clear why this Crisis is worse than the previous ones. Do we need Earth Superman to come in and show these cats that real heroes never give up? There is a moment in the comic where Tim seems to be jealous of the bond that Bruce and Dick have and we learn that Diana knows nothing of love. The main focus of the story is really Geo Force and his final quenching of revenge. I have to say that was a pretty intense battle with Deathstroke and it seems that Geo Force finally overcame his family's destiny and managed to take down the Terminator. I have always loved seeing those C-list characters shine like this. It's apparent that Meltzer did too and now that the story line is over, it's clear that Geo-Force would serve no purpose in the JLA if this had been the next 12 issues of Meltzer's run on the book.

It's so great seeing Adam and his dad work together. I'm sure drawing those Batman, Robin, and Nightwing pages really made them feel good they are doing what they really love. The art was great and it really intensified the fight between Geo and Deathstroke. I really wish the guy could do a monthly book, but who knows maybe projects like this is what he is made for. This actually feels like a tie-in that really does what that word means; ties in directly to the events of the main book. It's hard to tell you to buy this book, because it's not really necessary and a price point of a gallon of gas doesn't help it. C+