Justice League Unlimited #5

DC Comics
Justice League Unlimited #5
By Koppy McFad
January 10, 2005 - 14:55

DC Comics
Writer(s): Adam Beechen
Penciller(s): Carlos Barberi, Walden Wong
Cover Artist(s): Ben Caldwell

Blue Beetle has to handle monitor duty at the Justice League headquarters and he is not taking it well. The first half of this story has him goofing off, bothering some of the other League members before an old, immensely-powerful JLA foe invades the headquarters to give him some trouble. After failing to stop the baddie with his fighting skills, Beetle comes up with a trick that takes said villain out. Unfortunately, his solution to the problem looks contrived and unconvincing, not the ingenious solution that it is suppose to be. This issue should please newcomers who may find it funny to have a superhero acting like a bored 14-year-old. For the older readers, it is just another story of Blue Beetle being a clown, even if he is suppose to redeem himself in the end. What does almost redeem this issue is the great dialogue of the villain and the art of Barberi and Wong which has some great layouts while still telling a good story. Perhaps if Barberi and Wong were not limited by sticking to the style of the 'animated DC' universe, they could possibly hang with the big boys. By the way, does Blue Beetle even appear in the JUSTICE LEAGUE cartoon?