Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by John Timms, Nick Derington
Published by DC Comics
“And I just want some… Young Justice!”
“Hey! You almost sold that.”
Nope.
No.
No no no no no.
Sorry. But I cannot proceed with a review of this month’s fine Young Justice story without first addressing what’s right there, on the cover, burning into the retinas. An image that naturally enough continues to pop up throughout the rest of the book as well.
I get it. It’s time. Time for Tim Drake to level up, and finally assume a mantle of his own. Just like Dick Grayson eventually did. Like Jason Todd did also, in his fashion.
And don’t get me wrong. I’ve always loved Tim as Robin, it will definitely be sad to see him relinquish the brand.
But that’s not my objection.
My objection is the utterly uninteresting color scheme our storytellers have settled on to achieve Tim’s transition from the young costumed adventurer Robin, to just slightly older costumed adventurer Drake.
Damn right I’m annoyed. C’mon, seriously – brown, yellow and… grey? Blech.
Really guys? It’s a drake for goodness sake. Doesn’t matter if that’s a bird or a dragon. And there’s history there also. The little splashes of red don’t do nearly enough to cover for that.
I mean, really – put some damn green in the costume. How hard can that be?
OK, then. Said my piece. Moving on…
This issue really isn’t about Drake anyway. Nope. This issue – finally! – is about Jinny Hex. And, turns out, there’s a whole lot of Jinny to take into account, at the end of the day.
First things first, there’s the flashback sequence that tells the story of the day Jinny receives her inheritance – the big mysterious trunk currently in the back of her pickup. The one that’s full of… mysterious things.
That excellent bit of storytelling by Mr. Brian Bendis, is assisted with the perfect choice of artist – Mr. Nick Derington, who ‘s been doing a bang-up job with Bendis already, to produce the splendid Batman Universe… in the pages of which we have just met Jinny’s great-great-(great?) grandpappy Jonah Hex himself.
Now Bendis and Derington bring us back to Jinny’s home town of Dripping Springs, Texas with a finely crafted tale that confirms for us once again that Jinny’s inherited more than just a box of stuff from her famous forebearer. She’s got his grit and mettle too, along with true heroic instincts of her own, and a way with words that Brian Bendis has effectively cemented as an integral part of her character in just a handful of issues. One that’s on full display here, this month, for sure.
We also get one other interesting tidbit of info about Jinny that is sure to disappoint all the young men currently showing the greatest support for a young female character in comics since Kitty Pride in the 80’s – but is just as sure to delight a certain segment of the ladies out there too.
And then, of course, there’s the excellent John Timm, and the continuation of our story back on Earth 3, with one super, fast and furious truck chase, a whole mess of super powered pile-on melee, and the best facial profiles in comics this side Nick Derington.
And last, but not at all least… the long-awaited, and definitely surprising consequences of opening Jinny’s box.
It’s only been teased for 10 months. But finally, Jinny throws back the lid, and what we see inside is everything you’d about hope it would be… With more besides, yet to be discovered.
It’s the perfect coming out for young Ms. Jinny Hex as she officially takes her place in the pantheon of DC superheroes. And forevermore, the one thing you will never ever say about this young hot-headed firebrand, is that she doesn’t know how to fill up a room.
‘Cause, boy does she. And how.
All around it’s an almost perfect culmination, and completion of our band’s latest Multiverse adventure. Complete with the introduction to the team of a certain high voltage new power player in the DC universe, teased right there for us on the front cover. And who knows what fun is in store for Young Justice now?
But look, sorry, once again, I just have to say it – honestly folks. Brown, yellow and grey? That’s pretty much exactly Naomi’s own color scheme. Something that’s hard to ignore on the final splash page. What’re you thinking there, exactly?
You want to upgrade Drake and his duds, and still have his new colors coordinate with the rest of the team while you’re at it? OK, That’s no problem. It’s easy. Just take all that grey in his uniform… and make it green.
There. Fixed it.
Next Issue: I hear the suburbs of Portland, Oregon are just lovely this time of year, Mr. Bendis.
