Recently, I went back to that same shop, and I found the next two issues completing this story. As such, I thought it would be nice to take a look at the next issue. Let's join the Justice League as they ring in the year 1984 with Reena's Tale!
The cover is awesome! You got Lion-O's evil uncle here holding the Justice League in his clawed hand, looking like he's going to eat them. They are gummy worms to him. I do have questions about the metal plates on his face. Was the one on his forehead meant to be a headband? And I can't imagine having metal plates on your cheeks being very comfortable.
"Beasts II: Death Games"
Writer: Gerry Conway
Penciller: Chuck Patton
Inker: Romeo Tanghal
Colorist: Gene D'Angelo
Letterer: John Constanza
Editor: Len Wein
The story begins with the Justice League (Roll Call: Superman, Wonder Woman, Firestorm, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Aquaman, and Zatanna) wanting some answers from Reena, the mysterious catwoman they encountered last issue.
Zatanna tries to reassure that Reena is safe in the League's satellite, but she's not so sure. After all, she's been living in a nightmare these past few months. Despite this, she answers the League's questions with...another question: Have you heard of Repli-Tech? Aquaman is aware of the name. Repli-Tech Industries was one of the first "genetic corporations" to go public on the stock exchange about a year ago. They made a big splash, but they've been quiet ever since. He then recalls that in the last issue, Firestorm caught Reena breaking into their Manhattan office.
Reena confirms it, and proceeds to tell her tale. You see, Reena was not always a catwoman. Once in the past...she was a human woman named Irena, who was one of the company's executives. Repli-Tech was a young corporation, run by men who were driven by too much ambition and greed for their own good. They expanded the company far too fast. As a result, the company was in trouble, driven to the point of bankruptcy. The board were particularly furious at one member: A Rex Rogan, corporate overlord with quite the mustache.
Rogan is determined to save the company. And he has a plan. A plan so insane, it just may work. Meet one Dr. Lovecraft.
That hairstyle is not subtle. And the only way his name could be any more subtle was if his name was Moreau. Basically, Lovecraft is a bit of a genius when it comes to genetics. He's developed a new experimental form of DNA manipulation. It could kill them, but as far as Rex Rogan is concerned, death is better than financial ruin and possibly going to prison. If they undergo the process, they could get power beyond their imagining. One would wonder how this could help save the company, but I'm assuming that Rogan is bit nuts already. The executives agree to the procedure, among them being a woman named Irena, who is hinted to have a bit of a thing with Rogan.
The group undergo the procedure, altering their DNA. For about three weeks (it's inconsistent. Three weeks equal 18 days, but Reena says they spent 23 days undergoing the change), the group of executives lie comatose in weird cocoons as they transformed. Eventually, Rex was the first to emerge, being transformed into Lion-O's evil uncle, and taking the new name Rex Maximus. The others then emerge, with new animal-men forms of their own, like a snake man, and a rhinoceros man. It's King Hiss and Rocksteady! Aw man, this is going to be an epic crossover! Irena was one of them, who became a panther woman.
I can't help but wonder. Did the executives get to choose the animals they got combined with? It would make sense in Rex's case, because he's a lion man, and lions are the "king of the jungle"...even though lions live in grasslands and savannas. I can imagine him wanting to be a lion. At that point, Reena was feeling on top of the world. Rex plotted some bank robberies to refinance the company. Finding himself in possession of a surplus, the executive then bought a warehouse, which he converted into the gladiatorial-style arena that was seen in the previous issue.
In the warehouse, he held his gladiator games, pitting man against Beast-Man. And the Beast-Men usually won. I can imagine that he charged the rich attendants to watch the shows, which helped fund the company. Rex got more into it over time, but Reena...not so much. She grew sickened, and escaped. Hawkgirl is infuriated by this, as people died and Reena did nothing. Firestorm points out that she's already pretty torn up about it as it is, and Shayera is not helping.
Wonder Woman takes Hawkgirl's side as well, but Superman reminds them that they weren't there. They have no idea what Reena went through, and by coming to the League for help, she is doing something about it now. I can imagine that Reena was also pretty terrified to go against Rex as his bloodlust grew. Considering how psycho Rogan will become, Reena's fears are perfectly understandable. Zatanna has a question of her own: who attended these games?
Reena explains some powerful folks would attend. Politicians, executives, the bored rich looking for yet another thrill. Reena was not the only Beast-Man who grew sickened by Rogan's actions. After the core group was created, Rogan called for the creation of more animal men. One was Rowl, once a loyal guard for the company. But like Reena, Rowl shared a growing disillusionment with Rogan. He helped her flee. Rowl would end up getting captured, and Reena, not wanting his sacrifice to be in vain, tried to find some evidence to expose Rogan and Repli-Tech. Does make you wonder who's doing the day-by-day company business while Rogan is playing Roman Emperor.
Hawkgirl doesn't believe her. We need someone to be the disbeliever here, and she's got the role this week. She thinks that Reena could be a plant because Reena is Rex's mistress...wait? How does Hawkgirl know that? Reena never outright said she was Rex's mistress. Yeah, it's hinted that she and Rex had a thing, but Hawkgirl can't break the fourth wall. And for all we know, Rex may have been single before when he was with Reena. It's never said. Either way, she's convinced Reena's faking. Firestorm leaps up in her defense, and Aquaman points out that that they have to investigate this. Superman makes the decision: unless there's any proof otherwise, they have to believe Reena. Just then, an alarm klaxon goes off.
In the cells under Rex's gladiatorial arena, a pair of guards open a cell and blast Rowl with some gas. Said Beast-Man finds himself waking up in the arena.
Rowl is horrified at the crowd's bloodlust, screaming he was human like them. Rex Maximus mocks Rowl from his throne, saying that he may have once been human, but now he's in the company of beasts. He asks the crowd what they want. The attendants want to see someone die tonight. Rex leaps into the arena and the two Beast-Men fight.
Rowl tries his best to fight off the mad lion man. He taunts the former Rex Rogan, saying that he lacks any real courage, and the rank-and-file would laugh at him and mock his cowardice. This enrages Rex, and he slashes at Rowl's stomach, badly wounding the beast-man. Rex finishes this battle by tearing off Rowl's head, making the crowd cheer.
I can't help but think that if this was done in a current DC comic, Rex's holding up Rowl's head would be a full-page shot emphasizing said ripped-off head in all its gory glory. Also, I have to admit, when I first read this issue, I mistakenly thought he ripped out Rowl's heart, not head. Either way, can we get Rex Maximus as a guest character in Mortal Kombat? He's got a Fatality already!
Back on the satellite, the alarm is revealed to be an indication a League member is in trouble. The members of the League are all accounted for...except for Hawkman. This has Shayera worried, as she couldn't reach him, and naturally, she is rather worried about her beloved husband. A Doctor Hamid from a hospital in Cairo is on the screen, and he's got some bad news: Hawkman has been badly poisoned by the Scorpion Men that attacked him last issue...and he may not survive the night. Shayera is naturally horrified. She wants to go to Egypt to be by his side.
Wonder Woman offers to take her there by her invisible robot plane. Don't the League have teleporters? Reena tries to give some comfort to Hawkgirl, but the Thanagarian cop is having none of it. As far as she's concerned, Reena caused this mess, and if Hawkman dies, Reena's responsible. Zatanna tells Reena that Hawkgirl is just worried about Katar, as they love each other very much. Reena gets this, as she and Rex were the same way, and despite what he is becoming...she still does, and that tears her up.
You know, you can infer quite a lot about Rex and Reena when looking at this comic through a modern context. Considering Rex's slow transformation into the monster he has clearly become, it can be surmised that he wasn't exactly the best of significant others to Reena during those months. It certainly would explain a lot about Reena's attitudes towards him.
Shayera and Wonder Woman fly over the skies of Cairo, and Diana is pondering her Thanagarian comrade. She and Katar Hol were always rather close, so why did the two take separate vacations? Did they have some marital troubles? Certainly would help explain why Hawkgirl was so hostile towards Reena. The two heroines have arrived at the hospital. Dr. Hamid explains that Hawkman was only one of many that were poisoned by the Scorpion Men in their attempt to purloin some archeological artifacts. None of the poisoned have recovered, and two victims have already died. Diana and Dr. Hamid leave to give the Hawks some alone time.
A weak and ill Hawkman tries to apologize to his beloved wife. The two evidently had an argument before he left for Cairo, but a teary-eyed Shayera has already forgotten about it. Outside, Dr. Hamid explains that Hawkman's prognosis is very grim. They need some of the venom of the Scorpion Man that poisoned the Winged Warrior so they can develop and anti-toxin. If they can't get that in time, well...see you in your next life, Katar Hol. A custodian is watching the two, and he communicates to his ring that he's going to make his move with Wonder Woman out of the way. In Katar's hospital room, a figure enters the room. The mysterious visitor blasts Shayera with some gas. Hawkman tries to call for help, but gets gassed, too.
Two of Rex's guards come in through the window. The custodian notes the Hawks will make great hostages, but what about Wonder Woman? She is an Amazon, which makes her pretty dang tough. The guards aren't worried, as they have prepared for her. Speaking of the Amazing Amazon, Wonder Woman notices that Hawkman's room's door is closed. It was not closed earlier. Wonder Woman is suspicious, and tells Dr. Hamid to call for some security.
Forget hospital security, Dr. Hamid needs the Army! Rocksteady is able to send the future Goddess of Truth flying through the hospital wall with one Mighty Punch, then presumably kills Dr. Hamid. He finds a recovering Diana, who is trying to recall the license plate of the horned M1 Abrams of a man that knocked her loopy. Rocksteady knocks her into Dreamland with another Mighty Punch. Rex is planning something special with the three Leaguers, and it'll be a hit with the ratings.
An hour later, the JLA have heard nothing from the three Leaguers, and Zatanna is worried that something has happened. The satellite gets a communication, using Hawkgirl's code. But it's not the Winged Warriorette.
It's Rex Maximus! Live, and in loving color! Rex explains that he's got the three Leaguers. Hawkman is dying, and he thinks Hawkgirl and Wonder Woman would make wonderful additions to his menagerie of Animal-Men. He remarks Wonder Woman would look "proper" as a pig. That dialogue stood out to me. I have no idea if Gerry Conway intended it, but it is a nice nod to Greek mythology, Circe and all that. He wants to create a new order, and he wants two things: He wants Reena back, and he wants the League to stay out of his way as he imposes it. Superman is basically like, "No deal, Lion-O! You just earned yourself a Justice League-style beatdown." Zatanna notes that Rex appears to have gone completely insane.
...He's foaming at the mouth! He's actually foaming at the mouth! It's like he's gone freakin' rabid! Kudos to Chuck Patton for that. Geez, no wonder Reena is terrified of this guy! The story ends with Superman promising to bring Maximus down.
This issue...was alright. It could have been better, though. It's surprisingly darker and bloodier than I expected a Justice League comic to be at the time. I admit, I am a bit confused by the idea that a bunch of executives believe that turning themselves into animal people would somehow save their suffering company. Can you imagine Rex Maximus showing up to board meetings wearing a suit? I want someone to draw that. Just him in a suit trying to not lose his temper with his fellow executives as they drone on about business stuff.
I wished this story had explored Rex and Reena's relationship a bit more. I get the impression Reena suffered some abuse under Rex's...paws since his transformation, which would make sense considering his growing insanity and bloodlust. It also would further explain why Reena wants to flee from him, but yet still loves him. That screams abuse victim to me. It would also have contributed to Reena's disgust with what was going on.
Also, I was a bit confused by Hawkgirl's behavior, as the last issue didn't indicate that Hawkman was doing a separate vacation because the two were having some marital troubles. Especially since his "vacation" was basically him working in his archaeologist civilian identity. The reconciliation between her and Hawkman was still sweet, though. Put in that context, her hostility towards Reena does make some sense. I just wish it was talked about in the last issue to give it some better set up.
I don't have any complaints about the art. I enjoyed it.
Next time, we go to the Marvel Universe and join Iron Man as he takes a trip to China...
No comments:
Post a Comment