Broken Frontier

Black Adam goes gunning for the evil scientists on Oolong Island, Lex Luthor again tries to escape justice, and an old member of the JSA shows up offering help.

At Week 46, fans are now only four issues away from the start of World War III and six issues away from the end of DC’s groundbreaking series. As such while this issue advances Black Adam’s plot a bit and increases the threat level of the mad scientists, it still largely feels a bit like filler.

Black Adam is on his way to the mad scientists’ lair, determined to see them all pay for what has been done to his family. While this bunch of crazy geniuses is prepared for a superhuman assault, are they prepared for this? Out of all of these madmen, though, Veronica Cale seems to be having an attack of conscience… Meanwhile, in Metropolis, it is time for Lex Luthor’s trial arraignment… Lex has other plans but even powerless can Clark Kent still rain on Lex’s parade? Elsewhere, the old guard members of the JSA survey Black Adam’s handiwork in Bialya and get an offer of help from a former member.

The big part of this issue is Black Adam’s story as the nerdy and off-beat mad scientists try to deal with an attack by a man who, as Doctor Sivana puts it, "has the power of seven gods." While each one of these villains has been defeated at one point or another by the JLA, the JSA, and the Marvels either in their respective teams or as individuals, here they manage to prove themselves more threat than laughingstocks. Aside from seeing the villains in a new light, however, this issue only advances the basic Black Adam plot a little further. Likewise, the sections of the story covering Lex Luthor and the JSA seem to be only small character moments. With a story this sweeping, hitting the right beats at the right moments almost certainly means issues that are somewhat less gripping than others and that is really what Week 46 feels like – one step that will fill a gap to the next big moment.

Pat Olliffe’s pencils over Keith Giffen’s breakdowns, however, do not really help in adding to the issue’s impact. Although Olliffe’s overall work is solid there seems to be a lack of detail what would help here. There are also a few gaffes where aspects of clothing, costume, or hair change without reason from panel to panel. Additionally, many of the characters have the same facial expressions repeatedly.

As part of the greater whole the weaknesses in this issue will probably never be noticed. As Week 46 stands on its own, however, it is certainly one of the weaker among its brethren.