Luthor's most wanted

The JLA: Wedding Special is out this week in comic book shops, featuring the wedding of Green Arrow (a name that Aeris ALWAYS laughs at...it DOES sound really silly if you're not a comic book geek) and Black Canary (who isn't really black, unlikely other similar-theme-named heroes like Black Vulcan, Black Lightning and Black Panther).

Now, I'm not one who's into the DC universe normally, but I usually do buy the special event comics like this one. DC HAS put out some awesome stuff over the years and even though my allegiance is firmly with Marvel, if a really awesome book, series or title is put out by DC, of COURSE I'll buy it. They're not the enemy, they're just the Distinguished Competition.

From Wizard Universe.com:

LUTHOR’S MOST WANTED
As Lex Luthor recruits his Injustice League to destroy the JLA starting in this week’s ‘JLA Wedding Special,’ take a peek into the method to his madness

By Kiel Phegley with Dwayne McDuffie

Posted September 12, 2007 12:00 PM

This month, the biggest, baddest villains of the DC Universe get taken care of…in a good way. Malevolent mastermind Lex Luthor has a plan to protect the vilest scum this side of Metropolis as part of his Injustice League of America starting in Wednesday’s JLA Wedding Special by writer Dwayne McDuffie and artist Mike McKone and running straight into Justice League of America #13 by McDuffie and Joe Benitez.



“The way [Luthor] attracted them was by saying ‘This is a protection racket,’” explains McDuffie of the “Unlimited” story arc. “The deal here is that if you’re part of this organization and the Justice League shows up, help is available. You’re never alone. But that’s really just the first stage of it.”

Of course, the secret of Phase Two of Luthor’s racket may never get off the ground if his teammates won’t play nice, which is why he put together the following files—in his own words—on how to cajole, convince and control the worst scum into following his grand design.

THE LUTHOR FILES

THE JOKER
While I find the Joker’s reliance on his vicious and perverse “humor” to be little more than a distraction, his unhinged mind might be the only weapon capable of overturning Batman’s admittedly vast skills of detection. And I must admit, the sight of the clown torturing the Dark Knight might even make me laugh.

DR. LIGHT
Light is little more than a pervert with a planetarium show. But I will put up with his braying, secure in the knowledge that the memory of his defilement of one of their own will provide a more than adequate psychological edge over the League’s most senior members.


PARASITE
My foe’s lesser-known foil has always wanted for brains, but the brawn he’ll gain through absorbing the combined powers of the Justice League will more than make up for his dimwittedness. And of course, it’s always good to have an ally stupid enough to confront the Man of Steel in solo combat.

SHADOWTHIEF
As much as I am loath to associate with common criminals, Shadowthief is just the type of enforcer whose history implies he’ll buy into my “protection racket” wholeheartedly. And so it appears I’ll have an able-bodied sneak assassin at my beck and call.

CHEETAH
With a primal feline appetite and a precise killing stroke, Cheetah may be the most formidable physical combatant in my League. Of course, none of that will matter if I can’t keep her claws sheathed against the onslaught of the Joker’s romantic advances.

POISON IVY
Dr. Pamela Isley’s signature biological talents have always been underappreciated. Although I myself have little to fear from the temptations of her forbidden fruit, I don’t doubt she’ll prove the men of the Justice League can be infiltrated by more than mere seduction.

FATALITY
This alien beauty’s reputation for losing limbs in battle is little deterrent from recruitment thanks to her reputation for killing a number of Green Lanterns. No matter which of these emerald cowboys accompanies the League into battle, my bases will be covered.

KILLER FROST
The myriad professional and romantic dead ends peppered throughout Killer Frost’s history suggest a young woman willing to submit her cold heart to any cause that will let her homicidal tendencies run wild. I’d say that makes the perfect combination for cannon fodder.

GORILLA GRODD
Grodd’s brutish simian appearance is merely a mask for the cunning intellect that lies beneath, and that intellect poses as much of a threat as it does an asset. Grodd’s motivations for accepting membership will most likely remain a secret to me, but I will deduce his intentions by keeping this enemy close.