The journey through the Amalgam Universe hits its halfway point today with a review of “JLX”, the last book from the 1996 Amalgam event.
The Mashup
Any members of the X-Men and JLA that weren’t already used. The series also combined writers, as it was co-written by Mark Waid of “X-Men” and Gerard Jones of “Justice League of America”. Here’s a rundown of the two teams featured, along with splash page group shots by penciller Howard Porter.
Super Soldier = Captain America + Superman
Angel Hawk = Hawkman + Angel
Dark Claw = Batman + Wolverine
Captain Marvel = Captain Marvel (Shazam) + Captain Mar Vell
Hawkeye = Hawkeye + Green Arrow
Goliath = Hawkeye + Green Arrow (yes, again)
Canary = Black Canary + Mockingbird
The JLX
Mr X = Xavier + Martian Manhunter, with elements of Bishop and Skrulls
Mariner = Namor + Aquaman
Firebird = Phoenix + Fire
Mercury = Impulse + Quicksilver
Night Creeper = Nightcrawler + Creeper
Apollo = Cyclops + The Ray
Runaway = Rogue + ???
Wraith = Gambit + ???
The Plot
Action opens in the middle of the Atlantic, with the JLA attacking some of their former teammates. These ex-JLA members are all mutants, and under the guidance of Mr X, they’ve sprung Mariner from a JLA prison because he was framed. There’s a fight for seven pages until Angel Hawk fakes an injury to keep anyone from discovering he’s a mutant too. Then the JLA decide to retreat. Super Soldier says they’ll recapture Mariner later if they can prove he’s really guilty. Mariner thanks them for their compassion.
The ex-JLA get in their submarine. We learn Mariner was trying to find Atlantis when he was framed for blowing up an oil tanker, and his fellow mutants want to help him. The sub was damaged during the fight with the JLA, but they all decide to risk death to dive right away because they’ve waited their whole lives to visit the ancestral home of mutants and taking the time to repair their vessel is just unreasonable. Naturally the hull starts to collapse on their way to the bottom of the ocean, but their various mutant powers allow them to arrive safely in Atlantis.
The ex-JLA members, which have begun calling themselves the JLX, find Atlantis abandoned. While they’re looking around, they’re attacked by Will Magnus and his sentinels. Magnus, who wants to kill all mutants, is the one who framed Mariner. They fight for eight pages, during which Mr X reveals he’s really a Skrull from Mars. Magnus leaves, and the JLX debate about rejecting the martian for being a martian until Mariner tells them not to be bigots. As a team, they decide to continue their search for the Atlanteans.
What “Wizard” thought then
“JLX” was the sleeper hit from Amalgam. It was the last one mentioned in the magazine’s advance coverage of the crossover in issue 56 and was omitted from the first round of market coverage in issue 58. In issue 59, they noted sales had started off average because it was overshadowed by more popular characters, but that word of the impressive art and storyline was spreading. Some outlets still had copies for the $1.95 cover price, but they were disappearing fast. (I got mine earlier this year for $1.70)
What I think now
This comic’s a mess, and the problems start on the first page. This is the first issue for a new team, the JLX. They’re assembled in the opening scene, so naturally the opening splash page is of… the JLA?
There are three pages or so of character moments as they prepare to dive in a faulty submarine, but they all ring hollow because 1) you know they’re not going to die and 2) there’s no need for the drama. Aside from impatience, there’s no reason given or implied they can’t wait a day to search for Atlantis. The JLA isn’t after them, and they’re only looking for Atlantis because they want to find it, not because they need to find some mystical thing to save the world.
The story improves when they arrive in Atlantis. There’s some plot logic to why Magnus is there at the same time, and the fight with him makes sense. Unfortunately, it’s too little too late to save the book. First impressions matter, and this one blew its chance. It’s too bad the most interesting thing about the story was a subplot with Wraith and Runaway.
The visuals also improve in the second half of the book. It might be because there are fewer people per panel, but Porter’s choreography becomes much more natural. There are some hiccups where the images are more pin up than storytelling, but it was 1996. I can let that slide.
I am far more disappointed by the character designs, though. Many of them are just unimaginative, like how Mercury is just Impulse’s costume in Quicksilver’s colors. Mr X is Martian Manhunter with Bishop’s M tattoo and a skrull chin. Runaway is Rogue with darker hair. It’s enough to make me wonder if Porter understood what he was being asked to do.
Would I buy issue two? No way.
