Bialya, My Bialya! Giffen / De Matteis Justice League continues

Johann continues (blithering):


Bruce Wayne and his bimbo (played by Fire) is escorted to a limo with all the trimmings including a Nautilus machine (which at the time I assumed was a submarine of some sort and it was even funny to imagine why Bruce would need a submarine in the desert). In the mean time Booster and Beetle are at the baggage claim of the Bialyan airport familiarizing them selves with each others undercover identity's. Booster is dressed in outlandish Arabic (outlandish in the sense no Arab has dressed like that since the late 1700's) and his name is "Bharjwarj" and Beetle is dressed like a nerd with a spotted bow tie and his code name is George Baily (the significance of which eluded me at the time until my first Christmas in the United States (Now there is an entire story behind how I ended up watching "It's a wonderful life" during a huge Christmas party in my cousin Pierre's house in California).

Meanwhile a few leaguers are on a spaceship with Big Barda and G'Nort, chasing after Lord Manga Khan who has taken Mister Miracle.

Batman explains to Beetle and Booster that the reason he picked this particular team is because they will do what they are told otherwise...... and leaves with Fire in his arms. And Booster states that "This never happens to James Bond" to which Beetle replies; that James Bond just left and they are Abbot and Costello. Cut to our portly dictator Rumann and Queen Bee plotting about their secret weapon. And Bruce Wayne and his Bimbo return to their hotel room to discover that Abdul has gassed the hotel room and taken BB & BG; and Batman outsmarts Abdulla and his henchmen by turning out the lights and knocking them unconscious. Now Baman adopts another disguise; that of Max Lord (I always thought that this would be funnier if Batman adopted the disguise of Ted Kord).

Batman disguised as Max Lord attends Rumaan Harjavti's soiree to announce that Bialya has become a World Power. Cut to a small sub plot where the Queen Bee is plotting with the Jack O Lantern formerly of the [b] Global Guardians[/b] ( be sure to say it loudly with emphasis). While Harjavti informs his henchmen to kill Max Lord if he steps out of line. Harjavti makes his great announcement that Bialya is now a Vorld Power because he has somehow managed to resurrect and control "Wajinda The Thunderer" (a very powerful Hero that came from an alternate reality. When Harjavti unveils Wajinda; he is instantly killed by the Wajinda who is actually being controlled by "The Queen Bee". And now "Queen Bee" is the ruler of all Bialya.

Issue 17 Opens with TV news reports reoprting about the coup in Bialya! An agitated Capt. Atom and a taciturn Oberon look on. Capt. Atom suggest that it was a huge mistake to send in Batman, who he accuses of being trappedand suggest that if a military man like himself should have been sent to handle the situation. To which Oberon reples "Batman is never trapped" and makes a snide remark about Capt. Atom accidentally blowing up the electrical system in an earlier issue.

Cut to Queen Bee (Now ruler of Bialya) and jack O' lantern discussing their next move. Where Jack is afraid that Ronnie Reagan may send in the Bombers. And Queen Bee is not. In the mean time Batman disguised as Max Lord starts of to rescue Beetle and Booster. Ordering Fire to stay behind. While BB & BG manage to rescue themselves from their holding cell in their own humorous way. And is surprised by Batman after they escape. While Queen Bee is brain washing a whole bunch of Foreign dignitaries including Jim Nabors.

Batman, Booster and Beetle are seen trying to get out of their prison compound after escaping from their cell. A scuffle is overheard and a underwear clad Fire(who was caught unawares by Bialyan agents while in the shower and manages to escape them.) falls into the arms of Booster much to Beetles chagrin. And Beetle is reminded how long it has been since he has been with a woman. Batman says that he will slow down the pursuers and orders the others make haste. And there is a sequence where Batman (still in Max Lord guise) kicking ass. At the end he wonders if he (Batman) should help one of his injured pursuers and says "NAAAAAH" and walks off (one of the few times that he makes a funny).


Now the group is making plans to get their "Butts out of Bialya" which is also the title of a Playboy channel movie according to Beetle. They are surprised to discover that a grotesque looking Wajinda is behind them. And they engage him and he manged to kick the crud out of them in the first round. But suddenly Wajinda is attacked by an unknown force. Which turns out to be none other than Captain Atom!


While a gathered crowd of agitated Bialyans openly discuss whether they should help their new national hero by attacking Capt At'em. But they settle for just standing there haranguing the American superhero and let Wajinda deal with them. Captain Atom manages to disable Wajinja. And Beetle implores Batman not yell at captain Atom (until later); for entering Bialya without Batman's permission. Captain Atom emerges from a cloud of Fiery debris verbally patting his own back. Batman (still disguised as Max Lord) starts chiding the good Captain. When the Queen Bee approaches them followed by agitated crowd of Bialyans. And Calls out Batman stating that Bruce Wayne was an earlier disguise and even though batman wants to keep up the charade Beetle gives him away.

Batman then attempts to sway the crowd in to overthrowing the Queen bee there and then. But because of the Bialyans anti American sentiments ( the crowd of Bialyans are demanding that the American interlopers be stoned after being relived of their credit cards). the Queen Bee retains her position. Batman and Co are escorted out of Bialya by Jack O' lantern.

Meanwhile Lord Manga Khan decides to go to Apokolips with Mister Miracle, while the pursuing Justice Leaguers successfully manage to cobble together a way to make their craft capable of Hyper space travel (or is that warp speed; I get the two confused ) courtesy of Big Barda's Boom tube tech.

I recommend J.M. DeMatteis' CREATION blog. There, he discusses many things of note, and in one of the earliest entries, says this about his time writing LEAGUE

Back in the 80’s, when we worked on Justice League, Keith and I didn’t talk much at all: things were incredibly spontaneous. Keith would write the plot (well, actually, he drew it out, creating a little mini-comic) and I wouldn't see it till it arrived at my door. Then I'd sit down to dialogue and pretty much write the first thing that came into my head. Sometimes what I wrote hewed closely to Keith's story and sometimes I created entirely new plot lines and character relationships that had nothing to do with what Keith had done. The real fun was watching Giffen take the twists and turns that I'd injected into the story and build on them in ways that always surprised me. Then he'd throw it all back in my face and I'd twist it again. It was an incredibly exhilarating way to work: no egos involved, we just kept trying to top each other. 

 But read the whole thing at the source, and tell'em Lyron sent ya!

http://www.jmdematteis.com/2009_09_01_archive.html

coming soon...