Rip Hunter, Time Master, returns from a trip to the future under attack by JSA member Magog. Booster gets rid of him with time tech, Rip passes out and, when he wakes up, he refuses to tell his partner in time what gave rise to the assault. It's one of those 'protecting you from too much knowledge of your own future' deals the Legion used to inflict upon Superboy. The ones that make you want to stuff a flight ring where the Sun Boy don't shine.Soon the present-day Magog emerges, tackling a hostage crisis in Kahndaq, and Booster joins him there, needing to know more about the man who attacked his friend. Suffice to say, they don't get on ...
The question that has to be asked here is, why is this story in the Brave and the Bold? It's a Booster-centric tale, featuring Booster's cast, written and drawn by Booster's creative team. I'd guess the idea is to give Booster more exposure, though I don't believe B&B is much of a seller, unfortunately. Or perhaps DC needed to tread water with B&B prior to the arrival of new regular writer J Michael Straczynski (it's only been a year since he was announced) so asked editors if they could borrow a spare team-up.
Whatever the case, this is another good comic book by the always dependable, sadly overlooked Dan Jurgens. Story and art make sense, and while this is a 'done in one' there's obviously a sequel or two planned. Jurgens's art, finished by Norm Rapmund, is as accomplished as his script, with Booster and Magog providing a nicely contrasting pair - sleek man of the future, stupid-looking Cable wannabe. Or, as one child puts it on seeing Magog, 'It is a goat man'.
Indeed, in the parlance of Peanuts, this is Hero vs Goat, and the brutal Magog is far less than the hero he thinks himself to be.
In everything you write, there's one -or more - line that always makes me smile- this time it was : "The ones that make you want to stuff a flight ring where the Sun Boy don't shine."
ReplyDeleteWithout a doubt, the most entertaining reviews I've ever read- more Mr G, more! And do us all a favour, and write a book or a script- the world needs more writing as good as this!
I don't buy too many titles, but I decided to pick this one up. Upon finishing it, all I could think was "that was kind of pointless". It's good characterization for both characters, but it leads absolutely nowhere. It feels like the first issue of a multi-issue storyline but that's the end of the story and it goes nowhere.
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