The L.A.W. (Living Assault Weapons) # 4 - Martial L.A.W.

This issue opens with Private Steve Rogers, who is secretly Captain America, denied permission to adopt his partner, Bucky Barnes at the end of World War II. Waitaminute, that's the other guy. After fighting the good fight together for many years, Sargeant Ripley "Rip" Jagger, who is secretly Judomaster, is denied immigration permission for his orphaned Japanese partner, Tiger. Unwilling to leave Tiger behind and return to the states and his life there, Jagger and Tiger set out together to see the world. Until they get sick of each other. Tiger is sick of Jagger's unending pursuit of the Shangri-La city of Nanda Parabat. Jagger is angry that he gave up everything for this ingratitude. Tiger disappears into a crowd in India in 1953. The pair never see one another again. Until the present day. 

Tiger has become the immortal Avatar, and Judomaster joins Captain Atom as the Avatar's prisoner. It is interesting that Jagger found his Shangri-La, and Rama Kusha. Interesting that, while the Justice League makes a very curious cameo appearance, Boston Brand's Deadman is nowhere to be seen here. It's a shame that a good character like Deadman isn't even shown in flashbacks as a contemporary. It isn't even explained how Rama Kushna can direct an operative like Deadman and an operative like Judomaster. Or if there are more than these two operatives of the Rama Kushna's will. This is as much a wasted opportunity, as is the cameo of the Justice League. 

I just see the appearance of the Justice League as taking away from the cool factor of the Charlton characters. There's no way to measure up to The Magnificent Seven. This isn't a JSA - JLA team-up. The League does nothing but get captured by a seemingly superior power. If The Avatar is more powerful than the Justice League, how are these characters supposed to stop The Avatar and his demons? There's the argument that these characters are so cool that they can stop the Avatar and resuce the mighty Justice League. But that seems to be an extra twist in an already complicated story.

One of the many twists is that here Jagger and Tiger square off, and Jagger kills his former sidekick. Very Miracleman of him. He frees Captain Atom; and before the two makes their retreat to Peacemaker headquarters, Jagger revives Tiger. Because he promised that no harm would ever come to him. No one back at Peacemaker can wrap their heads around that one. Neither can I. I get the Klingon sense of honor. But it just seems wrong somehow.

Revived, The Avatar unleashes his demons on the warrior caste of the world; while Blue Beetle, Peacemaker and The Question literally rocket to foil the G.O.R.T. GPS satellite. Here's another missed opportunity - Green Lantern G'nort. Or Booster Gold even for some Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha comic relief. This story is way too serious for it's own good.

I just noticed what's been bothering me about The Question. The way the mask covering his face is drawn in some panels it obviously looks like a mask and not his face. He's been removed from the whole image that Dennis O'Neil and Denys Cowan tried to create. There is no smoke, no trenchcoat and in most panels no fedora.

Only two more issues...