The L.A.W. (Living Assault Weapons) # 1 - Avatar Rising

Vic Sage - The Question! Ted Kord - Blue Beetle! Nathaniel Adam - Captain Atom! Eve Eden - Nightshade! Rip Jagger - Judomaster! Mitchell Black - not Christopher Smith - Peacemaker! Sarge Steel! This one has it all! The JLA! Fate! Avatar! Nanda Parabat! Rama Kushna! A great jumping on point!
 
Vic Sage opens the GBS Evening News with the story of the disappearance of the Justice League of America and their Moon base. Also part of the evening news is an update on a successful deal struck by Ted Kord to bolster his flagging Kord Industries. While Sage makes his way to Hub City and Kord Industires, where he connects with Blue Beetle as The Question; Sarge Steel meets with President Clinton on how best to address The Avatar. The President advises discretion and directs Steel to the Peacemakers. On his arrival, Steel finds the Peacemakers under attack by The Avatar's otherworldly Ravanans. Elsewhere, Fate helps Nightshade take the first step in a new tranformation. In Nanda Parabat, Rama Kushna tells Rip Jagger, that as Judomaster he must undo a wrong from his past. And so, he leaves Nanda Parabat.

Watchmen opened over the weekend, pulling in $55.7 million dollars at the box office. I flipped through the trade paperback over the weekend after seeing the movie myself. I remember the trivia of Watcmen, that it started as a story with the Charlton characters. Blue Beetle became Nite Owl. The Question became Rorshach. Captain Atom became Dr. Manhattan. Peacemaker became The Comedian. Nightshade became Silk Spectre. Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt became Ozymandias. And history was both changed and made.

I first saw the Charlton characters in Crisis on Infinite Earths. The Blue Beetle appeared in the first issue. He was like a lot like Spider-Man. I followed his title for a few issues after COIE. It was okay. Blue Beetle went on to greatness, with the Giffen and DeMatties '80's Justice League, as one-half of the Blue and Gold duo with Booster Gold. DC recently deconstructed that team. Ralph and Sue Dibney are now ghost dectectives after Identity Crisis and 52. Blue Beetle was murdered by Maxwell Lord in Countdown to Infinite Crisis. Wonder Woman later killed Lord, to stop his mind-control over Superman.
 
Somewhere inbetween, DC decided to give the Charlton characters their own mini-series. After re-reading the first issue, I'm wondering why. The Charlton characters are reminiscent of what DC tried with the Archie heroes. The Comet, The Black Hood, The Fly, The Jaguar, The Shield and The Web. Pretty much along the same lines. The Comet was the standout character for me. The Fly was pretty good with Mike Parobeck's pencils.

Here, I'm not really sold on the cosmic concept surrounding The Avatar. The JLA appearance seems kind of dubious. I never cared for this version of Fate. I know that this is just the first issue, but if it doesn't work from the start, it is going to be a long six issues. I have that feeling about this. I'm trying to figure out why I picked this up to begin with. Blue Beetle cover maybe?