comicalArchitect

age 24, she/her. shitposter and shiptoaster, by which I mean I have hot ships. Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law; love is the law, love under will.

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: JLI July #13

I guess we're continuing to do the weird Fawlty Towers parody bit?

point up to BJ for vibing out with the birds.

point down on PG for patriotic chauvinism.

Point up for Captain Atom, that's a solid geek joke.

end of Week 3, and J'onn is still maintaining a dramatic lead in the point tally. Batman has reclaimed his #2 spot, with Fire and Metamorpho close behind. #5 is a between Ice, Mister Miracle, and Elongated Man. Guy has risen, and is no longer in dead last, though he's still at a negative-one point balance.

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: JLI July #12

CRAZY tone shift with this Despero intro, especially with how silly the main book has gotten in recent issues (as opposed to JLEurope, which still carried some big-time stakes with stuff like the Extremists). I'm into wherever this is going.

point up to J'onn for having no time for this fool.

jeeeeez.

point up to Guy for a truly heroic entrance.

aaaaand he loses it almost immediately.

point down on Max for being a huge creep yet again

point up to Batman just for that face.

point up to J'onn for being a good surrogate dad, even if his protege does have a very problematic codename.

point up to Guy because "squeeze the Starm'n" is an exquisite pun

Orion and Lightray enter with a point each just for their hair.

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: JLI July #11

Point up to G'Nort for getting his ass.

and another point up for compassion.

Point up to J'onn for showing no mercy on these clowns.

point up to Ralph for stepping in when needed.

point down on Cap for being a huge dick.

point up to Scott for shopping at Dan Flashes.

and to Barda for the same!

point up to Cap for self-awareness, even if it only goes so far.

point up to Major Disaster for a hero moment.

point up to G'Nort for rockin' the Groucho.

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: JLI July #10

point up to Rex for creative power use once again.

Blue Jay enters with a point just because his wings look cool.

point down against Buddy for not remembering that he can channel the microorganisms in his body, or connect to the biolectric field of all animals

Rex gets a "sick own" point.

point up to Guy for being a card.

point down against Dmitri for a failure of tact.

Fashion points all around for Wally, Karen, Ralph and Sue.

and for Tora and Bea, while we're at it.

Love the Extremists' designs, especially the Dormammu and Doc Ock sendups.

point down on Wally for being a perv, point down on Karen because the new costume sucks.

point up to Rex for perceptiveness.

Bart Sears is really in his element with these fight montages.

Ralph gets a point for getting Wally's ass.

Didn't realize until a recent wiki check that the Angor characters were first used in 1971, in the original JLA run. I had assumed they were original to the JLI era, but neat.

point up to Blue Jay for seeing the big picture.

point up to Cap for bold leadership.

point up to Ralph for asking the right questions.

strong Futurama vibes, loving it

THE PLOT THICKEN. Genuinely did not see this twist coming, holy shit that's wild. Love it.

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: JLI July #9

yikes, pretty grotesque Bruce Wayne by Sears here.

point up to Ralph for getting his ass.

point up to Crimson Fox for an austere intro to the League.

point up to Batman for brushing off the cops.

and another point up for, yes, getting Captain Atom's ass.

point up to Rex for this completely great beatdown.

Hughes is definitely my favorite penciler on any of this stuff so far.

point up to Guy for sillymaxxing

and another point up for this Guys Bein Dudes moment with him and Kilowog.

point up to Kilowog for being a fashion icon.

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: JLI July #8

Point up on Bea for serving (seriously, what a stunning panel), point down on Tora for shaming.

Point up to Doc Fate the Second for a relatively progressive gender situation.

Point up to J'onn for taking some time to reconnect with his spirituality. (Also, I really enjoy how Adam Hughes draws natural!J'onn's face. Great art this issue overall.)

and another point up for dunking on Guy.

points up for both Scott and Ted for being supportive pals.

Another predictable point down on Guy. Again, I know it's the point of him, but I still gotta take him to task in his more egregious moments.

point up to Peegee for getting Wally's ass.

god, yeah, J'onn is just the best ever.

point up to Buddy for being vulnerable, and point up to Dmitri for being a supportive friend.

point up to Rex for a double-whimsical power use.

point up to Bats for continuing to demean and bully Guy.

point up to Booster for asking the real questions.

point up to Guy for some weaponized irreverence.

Really enjoyed that crossover. Great use of a huge collective cast, tons of character moments and memorable interactions thrown in among a plot that's pretty interesting on its own terms too. End of week 2, and J'onn leads the pack with 13 points. Second place is Fire with 7, then a tie between Ice and Rocket Red with 6 each. (Guy, shockingly, brings up the rear with negative 5.)

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: JLI July #7

w h a t

Ralph and Sue each get a point up for being utter darlings.

Wally gets a point down for, like, sheesh

Dmitri and Buddy each get a point up for this sweet bonding moment.

Point down for Metamorpho; Captain Atom is trying his best!

Ralph gets a point up because dammit, it IS cute

Rex gets a point up for amusing imagery.

Ralph loses a point for unnecessary Women B. Shopping shit

Atom gets a point for deadpan.

another stuntin'-on-em point for Rex here.

point up to Rocket Red for being a radical dude.

point up to Rex for blowing the whole plot wide open.

point down on Captain Atom for having a big old chip on his shiny shoulder.

but point up for being a caring friend.

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: JLI July #6

don't you run a corporation, Ted?

point up to Booster for some moral introspection!

cook his ass, Amanda

point up to J'onn for interpersonal insight.

points up to both Bea and Obie for just every detail of this delightful little scene

point down on Guy for, you know, the whole deal here

point up to Tora for trying to see the best in people.

JESUS, Guy. I mean, I know it's the point of the story and all, but shit's just rough.

another compassion point for Tora.

yet another point against Guy for beating on a surrendering foe.

Batman gets a point here for doing the hard part of caring about his friend.

Scott gets a compassion point here, too. These moments of softness and thoughtfulness from the heroes are one thing I'm coming to really enjoy about this series.

This guy's downward spiral from the Mega-Rod's influence is some fantastic horror-drama. Definitely one of my favorite issues so far, here.

point against Max here because yeeeeez.

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: JLI July #5

Doubling back now to read annuals!

Batman wins for deadpan.

jeez, but he loses that point right back here.

I'm not assigning any points one way or the other for this, but what the FUCK is that about, Ted

Guy loses a point for being ready to massacre civilians here.

J'onn racks one up for creative problem-solving!

Yeah, J'onn just rules, he's my fucking favorite, I love him

Willingham draws an AMAZING Joker face.

point up to Bea for sheer panache.

Ice gets a point for having a cinephile's taste.

point up to Barda for having NO time for playing around

point against Wally for body-shaming.

I guess this is meant to be a Fawlty Towers homage? doesn't quite come together imo.

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: JLI July #4

point up to Guy because this made me grin. Lobo does not merit a dignified opponent.

but also, point up to Booster for the smugness on display here.

aww. Dinah departs with a net one point.

point down to Guy for workplace sexual harassment.

point up to Batman for killer deadpan.

point up to G'Nort for some solid Abbott and Costello shit.

point up to Dmitri for a fashion triumph.

But then a point down for overconfidence.

point up to J'onn for ginning up his command in the face of Barda's defiant personality.

point down to Hawkman for coming right in the gate with some stick-in-the-mud shit.

and point up to Ted for not standing for his shit.

point up to Dmitri for pure swag.

point up to Barda for being too badass for Lobo to even understand

point up to Oberon for proactive problem-solving!

another point against Hawkman for being a dogshit husband.

self-awareness point for Oberon. know your strengths and weaknesses!

point up for resourcefulness! Obie's on a hot one.

J'onn scores for showing a firm hand.

and he scores again for making a badass entrance!

point up to Ice for downing an alien spaceship.

Major D.'s living it up. Good for him!

We technically don't know who's saying this, so I can't justly give a point down, but I feel like it's probably Blue Beetle, and not cool, man.

point up to Blue Beetle for caring enough to follow up on Max's psychic distress signal!

and point up to Ice for creative power use!

Hawkman exits with a resounding negative-2 points. Good riddance, asshat!

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: JLI July #3

point up to Rocket for the reference and for being a good teammate.

point up to J'onn for being willing to call out Batman's shit.

his name is fucking WHAT

point up to Scott for having chill hobbies.

80s white people food culture was rough

that's a point down for a lame attempt at banter from Beetle, and a point up for a classic comeback from Scott.

oof, Ted, you're on a rough one this scene. another point down, and one up for Beatriz for that retort.

wait, why does Captain Atom need a space suit anyway? isn't he just living energy captured in a metal suit?

point up to Ice for a sick-ass move here.

Tora and Bea are killing it, omg.

point up to Bea for fashion here.

point down for Captain Atom for hurting Oberon's feelings.

point up to Booster for a clutch move here.

end of the first week, J'onn and Fire are tied for first place, with net four points each! Mister Miracle and Ice are tied for third, with three each.

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: JLI July #2

Marv departs with a whopping score of negative-one!

oof, Dinah loses another point for the heavy-handed 80s feminism. (not that I think she's necessarily wrong, it's just dumb writing)

point up to J'onn for having the best deadpan in the game.

the non-Manhunter Rocket Red is making a great first impression, point up to him for a lighthearted attitude

negative point for Batman, undermining Dinah's leadership before she had the chance to exercise it.

but point up to Dinah for rolling with the punches and proving herself a quality leader anyhow.

competence point for Ted here!

point up to Scott, for being too reasonable and mild-mannered for the evil computer to be able to manipulate.

Tora and Bea enter the scene, and each get a point up for a quality little I Love Lucy routine.

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: JLI July #1

This July, every weekday, I'm going to be journeying through the Giffen/DeMatteis era of the Justice League family of titles from 1987 to 1992. Very excited. I've read bits and pieces of this stuff before but never done a full journey. I'm also going to be keeping score! I'll be assigning points to each Justice Leaguer when they impress or delight me, or negative points when they disappoint or dismay me. We'll have a leaderboard by the end.

Aww. J'onn gets a sympathy point.

And Oberon gets a point for chutzpah.

Dinah DEFINITELY gets a point for that spin kick, woof. (And her aerobics-ass 80s outfit doesn't hurt her prospects either.)

Point up for J'onn, not only for the karate chop but for the stone cold scowl he delivers it with.

Batman gets a point for standing up for Billy here.

and Guy gets a negative point for voting for Reagan.

point to Batman for playing along for once.

points to both Dinah and Ted for showing their literary sides!

point up to Batman for a great comeback.

point up to Booster for taking a stand against cliched dialogue. (also, is Ten just naked?)

the Gray Man is Janet Jackson?

negative point to Marvel for acting his age here.

Negative point to Canary for similarly immature behavior.

First six issues are extremely fun! I'm really enjoying this read already.

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: Licensed to Kill Time #5

WHY IS YOSEMITE SAM ALWAYS A PIRATE IN THESE

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: Licensed to Kill Time #4

...is "detectives have mustaches" even a stereotype?

okay now we're just plagiarizing Donald, come on

I can't be bothered to read any more of these Dell comics. The novelty wears off real fast. Next post, I'll be checking out some of the slightly later Gold Key Looney Tunes comics.

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: Licensed to Kill Time #3

get dunked on, Elmer

SINCE WHEN CAN HE FUCKING FLY

pretty fun cover on this one, I'll admit.

why do the squirrels all have Bugs's face

[comicalarchitect]

Samantha Reads Comics: Licensed to Kill Time #2

ALL I DO IS WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN

this is a top-tier shitty cover, tells you instantly that this story is going to be completely nonsense and not very good but memorable somehow

You know, I have heard this about the Incas.

Where does this dapper-ass red outfit for Elmer come from, anyway? I always think of the deerstalker and hunting gear as his default look, but was that not the case yet in the mid-50s?

WE GET IT. RACISM. Christ above.

seriously why is this like 65% of these comics

See, now THIS is the good shit. Or, at least, the bad in a fun way shit.

why is "Yosemite Sam as a pirate" a running motif in these. why is he never, like, a cowboy, the thing Yosemite Sam is.

could they not score the rights to Australia