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Of Embassies and Origins - Justice League International Part 2 (Eaglemoss Collection v77)

  Review: Since we are doing a series of reviews focusing on Booster Gold over his nearly 40-year history, we include this one as a collection of some of his earliest appearances, dating to late 1987. That places the original publish date of these tales while his original solo series was still going strong.  This book is a beautiful, glossy hard-cover with smooth and heavy-stock paper inside, although the sometimes-low print reproduction quality leads to blurred and hard to read word balloons on occasion. It is also a rare book here in North America, as Eaglemoss Collections targeted UK fans with this series. At this point in the history of the 1987-rebooted Justice League, they have gained official United Nations recognition and sanction. To ensure their reach truly is global, they rebrand as Justice League International (as does the title of the series!) and they open new headquarters buildings around the world: New York, Paris and Moscow are included here. As this is a product of 19
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Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four - Does Johnny Love Lyja? It's Complicated

  

Cover of Secret Invasion - Fantastic Four TPB

Review:

What a delightful collection! One of the long-standing strengths of the Fantastic Four is their relationship complexity. They are more than a team, they're a family, with frequent portrayals of marriage issues, children, deep love and affection and all the foibles of mature family life.

This collection focuses on Johnny Storm / Human Torch and his relationship with Skrull warrior Lyja. And along the way we get peeks into the love-life of the other members - from family life and physical intimacy of Reed and Sue Richards, to Ben / Thing and his long-standing love for Alicia Masters.

When Sue uses Reed's technology to rip the whole Fantastic Four building into the Negative Zone, she is revealed to be Lyja, presumed dead but back for revenge. Yet her love for Johnny leads her to betray her Skrull commanders and help them return to New York, landing right in the middle of the final epic Secret Invasion battles.

Writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa tells a fascinating, nuanced and complex tale that leaves us wanting more. Barry Kitson's art is by turns tender, affectionate and hippy-trippy, and helps to carry the tension, both romantic and survival, along with it.

The bonus chapters in the collection include Roger Stern and John & Sal Buscema's landmark issue #300, the wedding of Johnny and Alicia. With her step-dad the Puppet Master teaming with Thinker and Wizard to threaten the event, their marriage gets off to the rockiest kind of start - can their marriage survive? could they?

Issue 300 is followed in the collection by the shocking issues #357-8, that reveal that an imposter has been playing Alicia all along, and the real one still love Ben. Lyja, in a long-term undercover role has fooled them all, but has actually fallen in love with her mark. Tom DeFalco's tale is over-broad and facile in parts, but hits us with shock after shock!

A standout added bonus in this collection are the interstitial text pages, unpacking even more of the Johnny / Lyja history.

4 capes out of 5 for a fun read with loads of relational punch.


Description:

The invasion has started, and no one in the Marvel Universe is safe, not even the First Family of Comicdom! Aware that some of the Earth's most advanced technology and weaponry is housed in the Baxter Building, the Skrulls have neutralized the building - by transporting it and its inhabitants straight to the Negative Zone! With one member of the Fantastic Four M.I.A. and another "replaced," it's up to the remaining family members - not to mention Franklin and Val - to get back to our dimension, Skrulls or no Skrulls. But are any of our heroes who they think they are? Plus, two classic stories of Skrull trickery from the Fantastic Four's past. Collects Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #1-3, and Fantastic Four #300 and #357

Collects: 

Authors: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Roger Stern, Tom DeFalco
Artists: Barry Kitson, John & Sal Buscema
Published By: Marvel Comics
Published When: Feb. 11 2009
Parental Rating: Parental Guidance
ISBN: 9780785132479
Pages: 168 pages



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