I know... I know.... I've already waxed hysterical over the new, evil Mary Marvel In Final Crisis #3 written by Grant Morrison. I've already made it clear that I thought that a characterization such as that had so many possibilities and was being undervalued in its current incarnation.

I mean... a truly evil Mary Marvel would be thrilling to draw and to write, right? I was certain of it -- as if I had already seen it.

So, I'm doing this charity appearance in Moorestown, NJ, this Saturday. part of the gig is that my friend Michael is gathering comics and graphic novels to ship overseas to military men and women. I'm clearing out my comics stash, selecting issues that I know I'm never going to want to either re-read or save for what ever little increase in value they may be fated for. And I come across the reason that I was so convinced that they're doing Mary wrong.

Because I've already seen it done right in JLA Classified #8!

Remember? The "I Can't Believe It's Not The Justice League" run by Giffen, DeMatteis, Macguire and Rubinstein?! August of 2005?!?

They travel to a ubiquitous parallel Earth only to be greeted by an evil Mary Marvel. I had completely forgotten all about it until I was doing the little trip-down-memory-lane in my comics closet.

Now this is how evil Mary should be done. It's obvious the evil Mary in Countdown to Infinite Crisis #47 was based on the Giffens/DeMatteis version.

The costume is spot-on and the attitude is pitch-perfect. Throw in a little inner turmoil and set for a slow boil.

Let's hope Morrison cleans out his back issues, too, real soon.

	48% (127)	The JLA Classified version
	13% (36)	The Countdown version
	0% (2)	The Final Crisis version
	37% (97)	Bring back GOOD Mary Marvel!

TWiV: Taking stock of super-villains

Junior: Besides teeing up a tasty plot about springing Tarantula from a maximum-security prison for supers (all at the behest of the Penguin), Secret Six introduces a new super villian that has more creep-out value than any new character introduced by either Marvel or DC in recent memory.

Leave it to a brilliant mind like Gail Simone's to bring us a "terror is in what you don't see" kind of Hitchcockian baddie like Junior.

Here's what we know about Junior. No one ever sees him and lives to tell about it (even his two plaid-clad henches wear blindfolds). He's in control of every mob operation west of the Mississippi. Intergang and the 100 pay him tribute. He's blodthirsty, wicked, and sadistic.

And he does it all from inside a small crate next to a rotary telephone and a notepad.

I dare you to fall asleep with that image in your head tonight.

Junior starts at a solid 6 on the VQ scale. Five for an excellent introduction of a compelling character. Plus one for the way he handles an underling who crosses him.



Secret Six is off to a full gallop. This is going to be an awesome run. The chemistry between Catman and Deadshot is tremendous. Ragdoll is handled cleverly and with an almost joyful sense of the macabre. Throw in the hint of an affair between Catman and Huntress, and we've got a party. The jury is still out on what Bane brings to the table, but his sparse dialogue is quickly turning me into a believer.

	27% (32)	Read it and loved it!
	2% (3)	Read it and... blah.
	52% (61)	Didn't read it, but now I might
	17% (20)	Not gonna read it.