Drowning in plot – Infinity Inc #5

 Dead Men’s Bluff!

Infinity Inc #5

Cover Date: August 1984

Released: 24th May 1984

First let me be clear I really like this comic, it’s really well told and pretty to look at! That and it probably has some of the strongest Helena panels we’ve had in a long time. I’ve never seen the deal with deconstructed comics before, but this patience trying. But hey we get Ultra-Humanite at the end, you know the whole reason this comic started in the first place!

We start with a little play fighting as Lyta takes out her frustration with her mothers (Wonder Woman) apparent death with Silver Scarab. This end with a little playful flirting after Lyta thinks she’s knocked him out with a massive rock. I know where this goes, though I didn’t pick up on the name at the time, as I’ve mentioned elsewhere I’m a Vertigo kid so it’s a neat link but I won’t spoil the surprise until the time comes.

The main body is in various offices dealing with various men, men being the important part, in charge. The local sheriff is a bit of a sexist jerk making various comments about Kara and Helena, it’s probably Helena that stops Kara from just cutting loose on the man. That and she’s worried about her cousin Superman who’s missing from the apparently dead JSAer. Helena is at her best here putting things together, and explaining things to use the audience, whilst gently putting the sheriff back in his place. This who section is to set up that with Lyta, Hector, Obsidian and Jade out and about no one is next of kin no one in the office has a say over the bodies of the JSA.

We then have a cute moment of Obsidian and Jade in the local church to light a candle and pray for Alan Scott, who they think but aren’t sure (yet) if he’s their father yet. Talking of the priest is pretty chill with them being there, remember the two are pretty obviously metahumans, and even join them in prayer.

We then cut to another office, the mayor where we carry on the whole deal with the bodies. With Kara having gone off to Metropolis to try and find Superman, something hopefully for the next issue, Helena again takes charge. That’s until Garrick show up having run all the way from the coast and looking a little out of breath because of the journey. This is after a call with Shiera, Hawkwoman, it is mostly to move the plot along but it’s nice to see here nether the lest. We then learn that near here is the Stream of Ruthlessness, which is given a Native American name I’m sure is bogus. Its oxygenated water makes people appear to drown but be okay, but similar to the River Syrix it wipes out their conscience. This is by a character called Stymes, a story from All-Star Comics #37 (from 1947), and the JSA defeat him and apparently blocked the stream of good. If you haven’t connected the dots already this is the water that Superman used to drown the JSA last issue.

At this point, the Mayor reveals that he ordered an autopsy, even though they’ve been trying all issue to avoid all this and they rush off to stop it happening on the apparently still alive JSAer’s. Luckily they begin to wake up before any cutting has begun, but not before we get a naked Wonder Woman for no good, and she begins to bat around the corner. As expected the water has washed away her’s, and others, conscience. We then get a quick fight between them and first Garrick and then the few members of Infinity Inc here, but they’re quickly defeated.

We end as promised with Brainwave, Jnr and Star-SPangled Kid traipsing up a nearby mountain to finally come face to face with Ultra-Humanite!

Like I said at the start this is a solid comic, but we’re still putting all the pieces in place. Hopefully, with apparently now set up we’ll finally get the story moving onwards…

⋅ Writers: Roy Thomas / Dann Thomas ⋅ Pencilers: Jerry Ordway ⋅ Inkers: Mike Machlan ⋅ 

⋅ Colourists: Adrienne Roy / Anthony Tollin ⋅ Letterers: David Cody Weiss ⋅ Editors: Roy Thomas ⋅