After reviewing the final stories of Justice League America before the beginning of the epic Breakdowns story, it felt like the American title was using its final issues to tie-up loose ends. However, the writers also told some original stories – like the five-part Captain Glory tale – which actually boosted the popularity of the title and energised it. For the final Europe issues, can Keith Giffen and Gerard Jones do the same? With the return of the JLA’s very first foes and the secret story of the Crimson Fox finally revealed, perhaps Justice League Europe can end on a high…
Justice League Europe 23-28 was published from February to July 1991, with the title’s second annual released the same year. Meanwhile, Justice League Quarterly 3 was published for Summer 1991. All stories are written by Keith Giffen and Gerard Jones, with art mainly by Bart Sears and Randy Elliot. I’ve read all of these stories in their original issues.
Foxy Ladies/Worm Food/Nightcrawlers --- Written by Keith Giffen and Gerard Jones with art by Bart Seats and Randy Elliot
Since she first appeared in Justice League Europe 10, Crimson Fox has always been one of the more opaque characters of the run. Aside from her identifiable French accent, there isn’t really much known about her and while Giffen and Jones have written her into most stories up to this point, she has never been the focus. With Justice League Europe 23-25 – perhaps just because the run was nearing its end – it’s time to uncover the mysteries.
On a day when the JLE has finished moving into the JLI London Embassy after the
Paris building was destroyed (JLE 20), all seems to be as chaotic as ever. The story of Crimson Fox begins quite quickly as, after JLI hours, she heads home to an office block run by a mysterious French businesswoman. It turns out that there are two Crimson Foxes. Identical twins, in fact. When I read this, I was immediately reminded of the Spiderman clone story, but at least that was a Gerry Conway idea. Keith Giffen at least is meant to be an entertaining and unique storyteller. I’ve heard the idea of a secret sibling so many times, but when Giffen reveals that both sisters are actually Crimson Fox and the JLE has been falling for it, it’s just embarrassing. From there, Justice League Europe 23 develops into Silent Hill-like cult nonsense as the world’s richest people all unite and dress in robes to preach biblical nonsense. This is because this capitalist gang all hate Simon Stagg (himself a grand face of business), and through some convoluted and frankly dreary way, Crimson Fox is an enemy of this cult which most conspiracy theorists have no doubt dreamed of. The backstory to Crimson Fox takes up much of the first part as her mother started a career as a chemist before getting involved in a mysterious scientific project funded by the cultists. Soon after the birth of herself and her sister, their mother dies in a secret cultist plot and the two sisters decide to go into hiding and become Crimson Fox to reveal the cult's crimes to the world. It’s not too bad a backstory really. I like some of the ideas here, but it does feel too convoluted and silly. Whether it be the cultists or the twins, a somewhat sensible idea is made worse by silliness. Either way, that’s the plot and the rest is padding.
With Justice League Europe 24, one of the Crimson Foxes is kidnapped by the cult leader. There’s the tension. Meanwhile, the JLE are left baffled by a vanished chemical plant (owned by Stagg and used by the cultists) and the next thing you know some giant worms turn up. One takes off with Stagg and the league spend most of the issue defeating the creatures, which are given very little focus and there’s not really much of a sufficient explanation to their purpose. But after the first wave of worms are taken out, more arrive as the JLE home in on the cult leader and attempt to rescue one of the Crimson Foxes. Unlike the first part, the second one is far more of a breeze; in short nothing of note happens. Some may think that good, especially since the first part is hugely dull and unbelievable, but the half-hearted action here and wasted pages feel just as hollow. I only hope the final part is quick and boring rather than long and dull.
Justice League Europe 25 is a typical ending really. The stereotypical cult leader orders the giant worms to eat one of the Crimson Foxes. Not surprisingly, she is rescued by Metamorpho and the league, who cobble together to take out the cultists and their leader. The other Crimson Fox turns up and this mediocre and hugely dull story ends with some more giant worms. When Crimson Fox first appeared, her introductory story was actually very interesting. She had a rich background and – like Bruce Wayne, she operated in the background as a superhero away from her day job. What’s happened here is that Giffen and Jones have completely trashed any interest I may have had in her characters because of a duff plot and a silly revelation during the first part. The whole cultist idea isn’t just unoriginal, but too silly to be taken seriously. The villains are just as underdeveloped as the story. Why the secret sister? Why the cult? Why does Simon Stagg need to be involved? Why the giant worms? All of these questions feel unanswered by the end of this terrible and dull three-parter, which is thankfully topped off with a brilliant cliff-hanger ending that hints to the next issue – the return of Starro the Conqueror!
Although the cultist idea is duff, I have to admit that Bart Sears’s art is here is wonderfully suitable. The grim lighting – as well as the horrid greasy texture of the giant worms – results in some decent artwork and Randy Elliot certainly helps make the usual ugliness of Sears in something of a visual spectacle. But do not be fooled. Excluding these magical scenes of darkness, it’s still the same old ugly and scratchy art that Bart Sears has been producing for Justice League Europe since its first issue. Still, at least there’s something nice to look at for a change.
Story: 1.5/10
Art: 7/10
Stars in Your Eyes/The Vagabond King/The Man Who Wears The Star --- Written by Keith Giffen and Gerard Jones with art by Bart Seats and Randy Elliot
Unlike the previous long-winded story, Justice League Europe 26-28 is a classic. Giffen and Jones set the stage perfectly at the end of the previous issue when Starro appeared out of nowhere. From the start, it looks to be an alien invasion story. However, the writers surprise us with something more.
Right from the off, Justice League Europe 26 feels different. Starro has come to the JLE in need of help. He has seemingly controlled a group of villagers in order to get the team for help as his ship crashed out in the wilderness. At first, the attitude of the JLE puzzled me. Surely, these heroes must know that Starro wasn’t just one of the league’s first villains way back in the silver age. Besides, even if they didn’t know about Starro’s run-ins with the JLA before, he has seemingly mind-controlled a group of innocent people – therefore he is a villain. Why the JLE don’t just decide to go after him and try to defeat him now? Either way, the team go along with Starro and the villagers to the ship, where Giffen and Jones excellently reveal that the villagers were never in fact controlled by the giant starfish. They were genuinely concerned with the alien and wanted to help him. In turn, the JLE – with the Green Lantern mechanic Kilowog’s help – restore Starro's ship and the JLE and the villagers watch the ship head into space. The writers brilliantly lead us into a false sense of security here. Of course, most readers will know that Starro is hiding a secret plan, but since it is disguised so well and for so long, this story feels unique and interesting. Things are genuinely tense when Starro’s ship self-destructs at the end of the issue. At first, your average reader would think the story would end there (even if it did, would it be such a bad thing?). However, when Starro and his Starlings fall from the sky and land on the faces of people across the world, you know that things have gone wrong for our heroes.
As in the previous story, the second and third parts of this tale is a fight for survival. But since Giffen and Jones have provided a flawless introductory issue, there is much more power behind the drama of Justice League Europe 27. Here, the JLE are stuck in a dilemma as Starro has latched himself onto a random homeless man, while his Starling minions have begun controlling both JLE and JLA members.
Martian Manhunter is the foe here – controlled by the giant starfish who is using his superpowers to destroy his moral enemies. I really like the idea of uniting the two factions of the league – specially to take on a villain as prestigious as Starro. But for most of the issue, it’s simply a base-under-siege plot. The JLI fight against the Starro invasion, but they quickly become overwhelmed. Unlike the previous story, there’s a real sense of tension here as since Starro actually defeats members of the league and possesses them, it sets up a highly intriguing conclusion.
With Justice League Europe 28, Giffen and Jones are now placed into the situation of trying to find a solution – a way to beat Starro. While the villain himself rampages against humanity through the heroes, Kilowog uses the teleport tube between the JLA embassy and the JLE embassy as a test to neutralise and effectively knock out a Starling. When it’s discovered that this can remove Starro’s influence from a possessed human, the heroes get to work and trap Martian Manhunter in the tube. By now, Starro himself has latched on the Martian hero and upon transferring him from one base to another, Starro is forced to detach himself from the hero. With that, and some help from Ice to freeze the foe, Starro is defeated. The solution isn’t as disappointing or far-fetched as I was expected. After all, great stories often end with anti-climatic conclusions. But here, Giffen and Jones end a great story well enough to make it definitely one of the best stories in the JLE run. And – just like in Justice League America 52 – the issue ends with the shooting of Maxwell Lord. Breakdowns is upon us.
If you’re fan of starfish occupying every square inch of every panel, then Bart Sears won’t disappoint you here. Sears certainly can make Starro look threatening and spooky, but the visuals here don’t really change my low opinion of his art sadly.
Story: 10/10
Art: 5.5/10
Too Much Time --- Written by Keith Giffen and Gerard Jones with art by Steve Carr, Russell Braun, Marshall Rogers, Linda Medley, Giffen, John Beatty, Randy Elliott, Curt Swan, Ty Templeton, and Michael Golden
Like Justice League America Annual 5, Justice League Europe’s second annual takes place during the Breakdowns story. However, since it isn’t really relevant to the titanic events of that story – and quite frankly the whole Armageddon 2001 story
doesn’t have much relevance at all to the JLI – I thought I’d review it here. Like the other annual, it’s fairly brisk. All the Justice League Europe heroes are gathered together in one room for the Breakdowns story, but unlike in JLA Annual 5 when Waverider secretly looks into the future of the heroes, this time Superman arrives and lets the heroes know that Waverider will be doing it. From there, all seems to go as expected as Waverider delves into the future of every hero in the room. This does make for some moments of enjoyment, but for some reason, all of the futuristic stories take place in the past, with the heroes themselves confused about their time displacement. Elongated Man is a detective still, but in Victorian London. Rocket Red is in Camelot fighting knights in shining armour. And Power Girl is trapped in the Second World War, fighting the Nazis with Captain Glory. Why does any of this happen? At least with the American annual, all the characters are in a futuristic world where they are intertwined and there’s something of an ongoing story. There’s none of that at all here. Perhaps things get interesting when Waverider taps into the thoughts of Captain Atom, but the issue ends before we see all of that. That continues in Armageddon 2001 2, the final sequence of the story. Whatever happens in Captain Atom’s future is never mentioned or expanded upon in the JLI run. With that, I guess that JLE Annual 2 is more important than the American annual. However, this one is certainly more inconsistent in its themes and focuses on the different characters.
Since there is no overarching story, there isn’t really much going for this annual sadly.
The variety of artists here is surprisingly nice. I say that because the idea of different characters in completely different settings doesn’t work in terms of a plot, but it allows for a variation of artists to tell different stories. Linda Medley’s 1940s-style art is very attractive and works excellently with the world of Captain Glory, while Marshall Rogers brilliantly conveys the medieval world of Camelot magically. Sure, some artists may be better than others, but the varying them which dooms this plot does wonders for the art.
Story: 4/10
Art: 8/10
When You Wish --- Written by Keith Giffen and Gerard Jones with art by Mike McKone and Bob Smith
Since Justice League Quarterly was launched near the end of the Giffen/DeMatteis/Jones JLI run, the third instalment in the series proves to be their last. Sure, DeMatteis does write a few back-up stories in JLQ 4, but without Giffen. Justice League Quarterly 3 is the final one in the series (to my knowledge) which consists of only one large story. And – unlike the second issue featuring Mister Nebula – the third instalment is a sequel of sorts to that titanic JLE fiver-parter known as The Extremist Vector.
Mitch Wacky was a character who was crucial in The Extremist Vector story. He had been the man who created the Extremists and duplicated them as androids, and he feels guilt for their descent into madness which led to the destruction of the planet they once inhabited. Now living on Earth, Mitch is still haunted by his past. Wait, what? Was I the only one who thought that Mitch Wacky was killed in Justice League Europe 19? I seem to recall he was shot by one of the Extremists and seemingly killed at end of The Extremist Vector? Well, clearly not. Anyway, at a time when most of the JLI is reunited together at some party for some reason, Mitch (who, as if we were all meant to know, is now living on Earth) is alone and seeks support from Kilowog of all people. He speaks about the regrets of the past and his sadness that a particular test went wrong which caused the Extremists to transform into evil villains. One thing leads to another and Kilowog creates a time machine so Mitch can go back in time and change the course of history. Well… at least the JLI have now got a good reason for keeping Kilowog around. Seriously, can he just do that? You would think that – as a Green Lantern, Kilowog wouldn’t suggest the idea of time travel in the first place, let alone build the time machine for Mitch and go with him. The idea of Mitch wanting to go back is just fine, but the help he receives just doesn’t make much sense. When the JLI discover that Mitch and Kilowog have vanished, they somehow quickly work out that they have gone back in time and the story becomes something of a chase. While Mitch and Kilowog try to find the Extremists and save them from their fate, the other heroes are chasing after them in hope that the future can remain the same. You’d think that the future would change immediately upon the heroes entering the past as people would react to them instantly. However, Giffen and Jones clear that little problem up by making all the present-day heroes tiny in the past. Why? I guess because it dispels any chance of a paradox or time mess-up. Why they are small is beyond me, but I guess it serves a purpose. Then, from page twenty to sixty, nothing really happens. It’s just a chase, but it’s one that ends well. When Mitch locates the Extremists – typically just seconds before the test that changes them forever – his tiny self accidentally presses the wrong button on the testing computer, which in turn causes the explosion which alters the Extremists. Therefore, history doesn’t change – Mitch from the future was always going to be the one who changed history. In an attempt to alter the past, he creates the same future.
How clever. Sure, if you’ve watched every episode of Doctor Who and understand just how cheap the concept of time travel can often be, the surprise isn’t an overwhelming one. As you’d expect, Mitch gets a telling-off and there’s a nice bit of character reflection within him. It really does feel like the story should end there – Mitch has learned a lesson, the past cannot change, and time travelling really all that’s worth. However, with twenty pages to go, how do Giffen and Jones fill the time. The answer – the JLI and co. are temporarily trapped in a limbo world between the past and the present. Still in their small form, they are stuck in the JLA cave from the 1960s and witness the original league in discussion. Other than some fan service and a few scenes of Wally West wanting to speak to the late Barry Allen again, there’s no reason for this. It’s just padding. Perhaps this might have been another story idea that was left over, but its placing here is extremely odd. All you need to know is the league makes it home safe and sound. With that, Justice League Quarterly 3 finally concludes The Extremists Vector story. While it may handle time travel clumsily and there’s an awful lot of padding in this story, I like the idea of Mitch trying to change the past, and I think Giffen, and Jones come up with a good moral message. You can’t change the past, but you can learn and change the future. The drama throughout about what Mitch might do to change the future is what fuels any interest I have in the plot. The writers build it up very well indeed, but the plot often runs dry of ideas, and when new ones are produced, they feel out of place. With each Quarterly issue, the plotting becomes less substantial. Despite this, JLQ 3 is a decent story and I probably prefer it to the second Quarterly, although both pale in comparison to Justice League Quarterly 1’s excellence.
Mike McKone and Bob Smith provide all the art here, and for a story of such length, their visuals don’t inspire much interest. A plot of eighty pages must have appealing art and storytelling to interest readers. While Mike McKone’s storytelling may lack any serious problems, it doesn’t have any exciting qualities, and the inking of Bob Smith adds little either. It never looks terrible, but rather typical of its time.
Story: 7/10
Art: 5/10
VERDICT
Overall, this final set of Justice League Europe stories is a mixed bag. While the Crimson Fox story is truly dreadful and horribly dull at points, the Starro story is excellent and certainly one of the best stories in the title’s run. The two stories are very similar in their storytelling and structure, but the content is so different and makes all the difference. Meanwhile, the Armageddon 2001 crossover feels like a mere novelty item of little interest to most JLE readers, while Justice League Quarterly 3 is a fairly empty, but enjoyable story with some memorable moments. With that, Justice League International’s day is nearly done. It’s time for the home stretch. It’s time for Breakdowns…
Stories: 7.5/10
Art: 5.5/10
Next Week: Justice League International: Breakdowns (Justice League America 53-60, Justice League Europe 29-36). Written by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Gerard Jones, with art by Chris Wozniak, Bruce D. Patterson, Bart Sears, Randy Elliott, Bob Smith, Darick Robertson, John Beatty, Kevin Maguire, Terry Austin, and Dan Campanella.
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