DC September 1999
Geoff Johns
Lee Moder

Reviewed by Sidra Roberts

On one hand, I like this book. On the other hand, it just grates on my nerves.

The art is beautiful. Lee Moder has significantly improved since he was drawing for Legion of Superheroes. The book and it’s plot, in and of itself, is okay and worth buying. I suppose what scares me the most about this book is the typical teenage archetype and the threat posed to Young Justice. The fact that the main character, Courtney., annoyingly follows every model of teenage insecurity about how she looks and every stereotype of teenage angst is just sort of boring. I was excited for one moment when I thought the story might be following her stepfather, who is S.T.R.I.P.E. But alas, it wasn’t so.

Young Justice guest stars in this book. The panel they are in is cute and perfectly characterized, but it scares me. For one, it is completely out of synch with what is going on in Young Justice right now and for two, Courtney is too much like a combination of Cissie amd Cassie to do any good in that book. I believe adding Courtney to Young Justice would just kill the book and if that is DC’s intention, I strongly recommend that they reconsider. Not that I think Peter David couldn’t pull it off, I’d just prefer that he didn’t have to. Not only does Courtney remind me of current Young Justice material, S.T.R.I.P.E. reminds me WAY too much of Red Tornado. What did Geoff Johns do? Pick up an issue of Young Justice and say, "Yeah I can do this," and then proceed to steal Peter David’s characterization, but not his wit?

For some reason or another, I’m going to continue reading this book. I think that it has some appeal, even if it is stereotypical. Either that, or I’m just morbidly curious to see whether or not DC will ACTUALLY add Courtney to the Young Justice title.