JLA #81

WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD! IT'S JUST LIKE THOSE MISERABLE PSALMS, ALWAYS SO DEPRESSING!

Title: The White Rage, Part II
Release Date: July 2003
Writer: Joe Kelly
Penciller: Duncan Rouleau
Inker: Aaron Sowd
JLA Members: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Firestorm, Manitou Raven, Faith, Major Disaster, the Atom, and Green Lantern (John Stewart).
Guest Stars: Dawn, the Martian Manhunter, and Scorch.
Bad Guys: Manson, the Clockwatchers (Eyes, Ears, and others), and Axis America (Shepherd, Vela Shepherd, and others).
Cameos: The Joker.

So what happens?
After the mysterious explosion that destroyed Safe Haven last issue, Superman is in prison, convinced that his powers caused the disaster and killed over a thousand people. Faith and Major Disaster, both convinced that their own powers caused the disaster and killed over a thousand people, are on the run. Flash and Green Lantern are missing.

While Wonder Woman tries to get Supes released from jail, Manitou Raven discovers -- and is less than impressed by -- a modern tribal casino, but when he hears news of the Safe Haven incident, he immediately leaves to investigate. He meets Batman, Firestorm, and the Atom at the blast site, but none of them can find any evidence that anyone actually died at Safe Haven. Curiouser and curiouser...

Meanwhile, in Pisboe, Virginia, the Martian Manhunter is still trying, with the "help" of the supervillainess Scorch, to get over his weakness against fire. Though exhausted by the fire exposure therapy, he gives in to Scorch's demands that he use his telepathy on her to try to make her somewhat less insane. He discovers her mind is raging, chaotic, and distorted, thanks to mental tampering by the Joker (Scorch was created during a period when Joker had accidentally been given godlike powers). He is reluctant to enter her mind any deeper, out of concern for the mental health of both of them.

Back at Major Disaster's old hideout (a trailer out in the middle of nowhere), Faith tells Disaster that she plans to call and get help from Manson, the man in charge of a secret organization called the Clockwatchers that, using invasive and painful surgeries, gave Faith her powers. She even shows Major Disaster the telekinesis grafts that were implanted into her body, prompting Disaster to gasp a horrified "Holy God." No, we don't get to see 'em. That way we can imagine how gory or how sexy they may actually be.

So what happened to all of the cultists at Safe Haven? Turns out they're all still alive. The cult leaders, Shepherd and Vela, were actually working for Manson. They've taken possession of Green Lantern and the cultists--GL's mind has been locked on the moment of the explosion, and he's thrown up an impenatrable forcefield to protect the cultists, but not even air can get through the forcefield, which means they could all suffocate before long.

Meanwhile, Batman, Atom, Firestorm, and Manitou Raven are all flying toward one of the JLA's teleportal stations when they are all attacked. The Batplane is blown up (but Firestorm is able to get Bats out in time) while the others are attacked with energy whips, magic, and assorted horrid things. The culprits: Shepherd, Vela, and three other bad guys who call themselves Axis America!

Cool Moments!
Axis America look to be a bunch of superpowered neo-nazis. Good. It's about time the JLA had some neo-nazi thugs to kick around.

Cool Quotes!
Manson to Shepherd: "You couldn't even blow up a thousand unarmed pacifists."

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