Showdown at the Fortress of Solitude - Tom    Taylor, Tom Derenick

Fills in the Insanity square on DC Comic Book Bingo Card

 

In this series, the superheroes of the DC Universe are divided into two factions; one led by Superman and aided by Lex Luthor and Wonder Woman and the other led by Batman (of course). Superman and Luthor have discovered/invented the technology to create super humans and the mechanism for delivery is little pills that are swallowed like any other vitamin or medicine. The pills are in Superman's fortress of solitude, so the mission in this issue is for Batman's team to retrieve a few pills and deliver them to the US government for testing/research purposes.

 

Superman is holding some very special people in his igloo and Batman realizes that the mission is more complicated than he thought. The Atom tries to distract Superman long enough for the others to get in and retrieve the pills. Wonder Woman throws a monkey wrench in that plan and the Atom, Wonder Woman, and Superman go on a little trip to space. Superman survives intact, but Wonder Woman is gravely hurt and the Atom is no more. Seems like Superman is not only a villain, but a user of this new technology (which is why I placed the comic in this square; something is not right in Superman's head even if his body is even stronger than before).

 

Back at the fortress, Batman, Catwoman, and Black Canary are behind a wall of snow and ice; on the other side is Green Arrow (the original Ollie) with the Kents. Green Arrow completes the mission but loses his life, leaving Canary heart broken. I ship Ollie and Dinah hard, so this ending is bittersweet; on one hand, the mission is a success, on the other hand Green and Black are no longer a couple.

 

I loved the story telling, especially in the quips and one liners delivered by Green Arrow. The artwork was clean and bright. 4 stars for not being afraid of killing DC's darlings when the story calls for it.