Monday, February 16, 2009

Wonder Woman #175 (12/2001)



The evil sorceress Circe continued to torment the beastiamorph versions of her Injustice Gang, as well as Plastic Man and the Sleuth From Outer Space...

Martian Manhunter: While his body was agonizingly contorted aboard Air Force One, Circe explained "...Your powers make you so susceptible to mine... Like J'Onn J'Onzz here. The Martian Manhunter is arguably the most powerful member of the J.L.A.... and completely vulnerable to my magics. Did you know that one of the components for my beastiamorph spell came from the remains of an alien race I discovered in the Middle East millennia ago? Could they have been Martians like you?"

Nightfall: Member of the Overmaster's Cadre who fought Dr. Light alongside Nox. Ultimately failed, as she reckoned, "Oh, spit."

Mongal: Brawled with Power Girl. "Ha! And someone told me they thought you were like the Kryptonian. Such ego-- and such delusion. No threat at all to the new queen of Almer--AAGKK!"

4-D: Teammate of Vixen in the Ultramarines Corps seen in a battle involving Mary Marvel, Strangle-Hold and Huitzilopochtli.

Vixen: Led a team at the South Street Seaport that included Onyx, Inferno and Nightshade-- the latter two having fallen prey to Killer Frost. Vixen herself defeated the Hyena before turning her attentions toward Firestorm's icy foe...

"Out of my way, you nappy-headed furball! This is Vixen on open channel. Gypsy: acknowledge! I repeat, Gypsy: acknowledge! Dammit, where are you?!"
"Look around you, Vixen. She could be anywhere, caught in the ice... freezing to death."

Gypsy: Rather than face a frigid death like the one Manhunter left her to during the Judgment Day crossover, Gypsy invisibly made her way to the roof of a building. Near a hovering presidential aircraft, which was being piloted by the maniacal Joker, Gypsy reported in to her communications center. "Oracle, it's me again. Something crazy's happening on Air Force One. It's not stable above Times Square. I'm not sure how the heck I can do this... but I haven't been spotted yet. And J'Onn's in there, somewhere. I have to." Gypsy leapt for the craft. "Here goes nothing. Mama, Papa-- give me strength!"

Martian Manhunter: A dyspeptic Beast Boy asked of his fellow prisoner "J'Onn, you okay down there? J'Onn?!"

Batman: Restored to normal, he aided team leader Black Canary in Chinatown.

Zatanna: Under Dr. Light's command at Grand Central Station. Attacked by Magenta. "Do you think saying some magic spell backwards will save you from my power?" Zee turned projectiles of the magnetic mistress against her. "Metallic objects, bind that villain tight." She then whined to Shazam's champion "When are people going to learn that that's just a concentration exercise? You okay, Captain Marvel?"

Vixen: Wished Marvel the best, then at Zee's urging explained what was wrong. "I can't find her. I don't know what's happened to Gypsy!"

Gypsy: Aboard Air Force One, the Spider-Lex Luthor held Circe's young daughter Lyta's life as a bargaining chip for being restored to normal. Martian Manhunter appeared, demanding "Do as he says, Circe--!" Luthor and company were so restored, only for the "Manhunter" to stand revealed as an illusion surrounding Gypsy.

Martian Manhunter: "Thank you, Gypsy. I believe I'm more than recovered now."

Gypsy: "No problem, J'Onn."

Martian Manhunter: Proceeded to punch the new Cheetah, who though he had previously beaten Superman, still swore in Spanish "Oh, dear God..." Cheetah smashed through and well out of the VTOL plane. Circe herself disappeared with Lyta, while Air Force One was emergency dropped into the East River by Wonder Woman.
"Diana--" thought Manhunter.
"J'Onn? Thank Hera--! Is everyone on board all right? Is Circe--?"
"Circe's vanished, Diana. The aircraft seems to have some sort of flotation devices-- and most of the Injustice Gang remains in their transformed states... We'll be fine."

President Lex Luthor demanded his immediate return to D.C. and that the League make apprehending Circe a priority.
"Mister President-- shut up.

Wonder Woman explained telepathically, "You can bind the others with the remaining moly, J'Onn-- that should free them from Circe's thrall. The Amazing Amazon had previously fended off a Superman partially merged with Doomsday until she could free him from his state, leaving the Man of Steel blubbering like a baby.

4 comments:

The Irredeemable Shag said...

Hyena is a "nappy-headed furball". :(

I tell ya, Firestorm villains get no respect. Only Killer Frost seems to have earned other writer's respect. Not fair. Even the Overmaster has been treated better... and he's the Overmaster. I mean, c'mon!

The Irredeemable Shag
http://firestormfan.com
http://onceuponageek.com

Diabolu Frank said...

You mean Overmaster as in the Cadre's Overmaster, right?

The problem with Firestorm villains, as I see it, is that they're not often enough in his assumed power class. When a werewolf or a guy who lynches people plagues a man who can transmute matter, it makes him look bad. Killer Frost was about the only reoccurring Firestorm foe to get positive exposure outside his own title, so she gets respect.

Also, some of those guys were pretty lame. I mean, Multiplex? Dan Jolley and Stuart Moore did their best to redeem him, but the name alone sinks the endeavor. Ditto Black Bison. Plastique was cool, but she got swiped by Captain Atom, who was himself a better foil than most of Ronnie's actual villains. Why didn't Zuggernaut get more play, I wonder?

The Irredeemable Shag said...

Good analysis of the power-level issue. You're probably right.

Personally, I like Multiplex. But that's just me.

I always thought Plastique and Slipknot were lame.

Zuggernaut. (hangs his head in shame) Don't remind me.

The Irredeemable Shag
http://firestormfan.com
http://onceuponageek.com

Diabolu Frank said...

The latter-day redesign of Multiplex was really nice, but I'm old enough for that name to be forever ridiculous.

Did you ever read Plastique's appearances in Captain Atom's book? She was much more interesting there.