Young Justice #3 (December, 1998)
"The Issue Before the One Where the Girls Show Up!"
Writer - Peter David
Penciller - Todd Nauck
Inker - Larry Stucker
Letterer - Ken Lopez
Colorist - Jason Wright
Separator - Digital Chameleon
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.50
Hey I promised a visit to a Hallow-Teen Party hosted by Young Justice, right? Was it worth the trip? Let's find out...
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It's Halloween night, and the streets are full of trick-or-treaters, but they're of no concern to us... no, instead we will go deep... deep down into, well... probably somebody's mother's basement, where a group of cult members are performing a cyber ritual. This is really great, their computers are at the points of a pentagram as they try and summon techno-magic. We get a cute Abort, Retry, or Fail gag before what appears to be a young Mr. Mxyzptlk is printed out of their inkjet. He peels himself off the page, and looks to learn the lay of this strange new land.
Speaking of strange, we now join the boys of Young Justice (and,
yes... as the title states, it's just the boys for now) as they chaperone the Hallow-Teen Party at the community center. Kon is running his yap about his tactile telekinesis and Bart gets all up in everybody's business.
A girl dressed as a cheerleader starts puttin' the moves on our man, Robin... which gets the attention of her boyfriend, a larger boy dressed as a football player... which is pretty much exactly what she wanted. He starts giving Robin some lip, but rather than fight back, Robin apologizes and backs off.
The goon and his pals start razzin' Robin, which gets Superboy and Impulse involved. Kon gets pretty hardcore, breaking the goon's hand with a steel-high-five and Bart strips the man naked. I mean, not down to a pair of heart-covered boxer shorts... really naked. Well, he did leave him his shoes and socks... but close enough. Our 5th Dimensional buddy is watching from afar and taking notes.
We shift scenes to the Red Tornado. He is in flying the skies of Chicago in search of somebody. On this night his target is his adopted daughter, Traya... who is trick or treating as a witch. It is here that we learn that even an android can cry... or something.
Back at the party, Robin lambastes his teammates for their assault and humiliation of the bully. He tries to remind them that as the hosts, they need to act more responsible. He's also upset that by their actions, it appears as though Kon and Bart don't think he can take care of himself.
As Robin goes on... and on... and on, Bart notices that there's something strange going on. Half the teens at the party have been transformed into old people while the other half are dancing out of control. Then they see our visiting 5th dimensional imp...
There's a bit of a tussle... mostly comedy spots. He ties weights to Superboy's feet and negates his vaunted tactile telekinesis before Bart runs him into a window, and Robin whistles for the Super Cycle... which crashes through the wall and crushes poor Mxy. So much for being responsible, eh Tim?
We rejoin young Traya as she trick or treats... at night... by herself. I mean, she's gotta be under ten years old... that's just not a good idea. I think here we learn that she's not quite in Chicago... but Springfield, because she runs into some very familiar bullies who want her candy. These doofs give chase... it's really pretty sad. As she runs, she finds herself swept up in a tornado... she flies away in it while sitting on her witches broomstick.
Back at the party, the boys try to figure out just what is going on with this younger Mxy. Robin concludes that he'd been plucked out of the time stream sometime in the past. They decide to take advantage of this by informing him what he is to become in the future. This Mxy is shocked and appalled, after all... he's a scholar, not a trickster. He vows that he will devote his life to the sciences and learning... and never turn to being a devious little twerp.
All's well and good until the boys peek outside and realize what changing Mxy's past does to the Earth. Outside of the school the world is absolutely destroyed. Now they gotta undo what they just undid... but how?
Well, that's easy. They show Mxy some Three Stooges shorts. Easy peasy, right? Well... it works in a pinch. He gets all goofy, and his black hair turns the paler shade we're all accustomed to... and he vamooses. But... did it work?
Well, sure... I guess. Outside, the work is almost back to normal. There's no more dead Earth... but the immediate area is now a Mr. Mxyzptlk-themed amusement park... not sure what's worse... okay, the dead Earth is probably worse.
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It's funny that this book is Halloween themed, because reading it was like eating candy. This is such a fun book... the kind we just don't get anymore. It's almost a shame that when people see or hear the name "Young Justice" anymore, the first thing they think of is the animated series rather than this wonderful comic.
From beginning to end, this was a weird and fun ride. We get a geeky computer cult, Superboy boring everybody with his tactile telekinesis, the bullies from The Simpsons picking on Red Tornado's daughter Traya, and Mxy "finding himself" while watching Three Stooges shorts. What's not to love here?
Not much more to say... the dialog is David, and therefore... ya know, very good. The story is fun... and the art is exactly what we've come to expect from Todd Nauck, also... ya know, very good.
I'd definitely recommend this... and much of this entire run. This truly filled a Teen Titans-sized hole in many fans hearts... even keeping in mind that there was a Titans title being published alongside this... Great book, great fun... one to keep an eye out for.
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