Justice League of America's Vibe #8 review

Before Villains Month so rudely interrupted the regular storyline, Vibe was in trouble. His brother Armando, now the interdimensional murderer Rupture, was making off with his friend Gypsy. And, leaking energy due to being stabbed in the chest, an unconscious Vibe was left floating between worlds.

At the start of this issue, he lands on one, Gemworld, summoned by Princess Amethyst's connection to Earth. Without really knowing what he's doing, the rapidly weakening Vibe draws out some of her Earth radiation, before he's taken away by the mysterious Breacher. Another who can traverse realities, Breacher explains that he's from Piradell, the world Rupture and his boss Mordeth sundered. But he's not telling the whole story ...

First, the bad news. It was announced yesterday that Vibe #10 is the last issue. Not enough bats or lanterns, I guess. The good news is that after this we get two more instalments of one of comics' best superhero books. Sterling Gates continues to write a hero with heart, soul and brains - even in his somewhat dazed state Vibe realises that Breach is off, and forces him to tell the truth.

The visit to Gemworld makes sense, working to keep Vibe alive, and Amethyst in DC readers' minds. While we're told she'll be fine after Vibe's inadvertent assault, it'll be interesting to see her attitude to him at some future meeting. Gates does well by Amethyst, putting her bravery and humour to the fore. Still, I missed Gypsy, Dante and Gunn, none of whom show up this issue. I was pleased to learn more about Vibe's growing abilities courtesy of Breacher ... if he wasn't lying about that part, that is. Whatever the case, we're roaring towards a conclusion - I just hope Gates can show us who Darkseid's daughter is before then, as he reveals Breacher here.
One of the incidental delights of this series is passing cameos of characters from other realities. This time we get, hmm, various people I don't recognise, and Grant Morrison's President Superman. He's drawn well by Andreas Guinaldo, who produces good work throughout the issue, with a particularly nice version of Amethyst (ultra-bendy splash-page leg excepted). I also like how, with the aid of inker Mark Irwin or other inker Marc Deering, and colourist Brad Anderson, he shows Vibe's mood darkening on one page, and set to explode on the next.
It's interesting that Piradell is drawn as a slightly futuristic version of Earth, given its Tolkeiny name. Interesting, but likely irrelevant!

The book ends on a good note, with truths revealed and a rallying call to rescue lost friends - and save the multiverse. So what if Vibe is losing his book, how many heroes get to make such an impact? 

Comments

  1. i have a recommendation for a new comic to replace vibe batman beyond universe it's an online comic collected in issue form like the superman one but it contains 2 stories for the price of 1 it includes the futures justice league written by Christos gage and it has an interesting story including an aging superman trying to move on since lois died like getting back in the dating game oh and something in the phantom zone is messing wiht superman's powers I truly reccommend it

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    1. oh I totally forgot to mention the leaguers
      We got some brand new and familar
      We got big barda and mr miracle
      Superman
      The entire marvel family including shazam and captain marvel
      and the new
      micron who can grow and shrink
      warhawk a brusier with a heart of gold gifted in battle and has a kickass nth metal armor with wings and has a thing for aquagirl
      aquagirl daughter of an aging aquaman and mera who has both her father and mother's powers
      kai-ro an 8 year old green lantern from nanda parbat
      flash a young woman who has the powers of the previous flashes and communicates with them including jay, wally, and bart
      and also batman
      I think you'll like this league also you should check out jt kruls superman beyond vol 1 man of tomorrow

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    2. Thanks, I do enjoy alternate future stories, though I've never seen Batman Beyond or it's spinoffs. I may check this out.

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    3. it's great and you can pick up the previous volumes storys including konstriction an pic story that takes the league from dinosaur island to the fourth world all the way to oa for a team up with the green lantern corp in a cosmic battle with the forces of kobra a group who plans for the very destruction of the earth all this plus jmmy olsen editor in chief of the daily planet

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    4. also in vol 2 justice league beyond we get the origin of the new flash who works at the flash museum and her training with the previous flashes, in a preview image we get jay teaching her to maintain her identity with wally joking about giving her glasses

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    5. Mart,

      Just my opinion but while I enjoyed the Batman Beyond material, JT Krul's Superman Beyond felt like filler - nothing seemed to happen episode after episode. I felt similarly about the Justice League Beyond which had a lot of fight, but not much story progression... and ultimately those two strips caused me to drop the title.

      Your mileage may vary of course, but I'd certainly say the early Batman Beyond stuff was stronger than the spin-offs.

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    6. well you don't have to worry christos gage is writing and he has a great story planned and he doesn't have the problem of pacing

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    7. Also i forgot to mention in batman beyond barbara never got paralyzed so she retired from being batgirl and joined the force and went on to succeed her father as commissioner Gordon cool right mart

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