Greg Cox 52

52

Greg Cox

Ace, July 2007, $15.00, 361 pp.

ISBN 0441015077

The Crisis is over but there are casualties that leave the world vulnerable. Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman have disappeared. The latter two have suffered burnout and have to figure out who they really are while superman has lost his power temporarilly he hopes it will return but for now he cannot watch over the world in the way he loves. However there are still superheroes who have taken up the banner of keeping the world safe.

From the twenty-fifth century comes Booster Gold, a superhero with futuristic technology and a robotic sidekick Skeets. He is in it for the money from the sponsors but he is caught in a dishonest act and is discredited. A new superhero Supernova emerges who doesn't fumble the ball like Booster did and is a hero in the Superman tradition. They play a role in dealing with the Intergang, a collective of criminals who have joined forces in the Mideast and want safe passage in Khandaq but the super family of Black Adam, Isis and Osiris refuses them. In retaliation plague and pesticide is released on the nation and the family has to fight the shapeshifting criminal monsters and battle until one person is left standing. Gotham has Catwoman to watch over it and the city will need her because Intergang plan to move its headquarters there.

52 is a novel based on the 52 issue DC mini series and it captures the spirit of those comic books even though plots and characters have been left out. This is a classic good versus evil series and the heroes are very heroic and the villains are the ultimate evil. Readers will thoroughly enjoy this change to the order as other heroes besides the original JLA members take the spotlight.

Harriet Klausner