REVIEW: Justice League of America #223

Creators:  Gerry Conway and numerous others
Story: Gerry Conway
Art and Cover: Chuck Patton, Anthony Tollin, Dick Giordano
Colors: Gene D'Angelo
Review: Daniel Simpson

This is my first Dollar Box review so finding a comic that would fit in this category was difficult to begin with. Finding one that could hold my interest was the second task.  I have to say that although this is one of my favorite teams of all times, reading a story from 1983 was very difficult. I was three years old when this story came out, and although there are so many of my favorite DC characters in the story, it was still rough.
But I made it through.

The story was the third installment in a three part story arc, so it's like jumping to the end of a book and thinking, "it was good, but I don't understand what’s going on." Based on what I have read I don't like the story.
With that said, I have to admit this is a fairly decent story. From what I've read online about the story arc, all the heroes barely survived their initial encounter with Rex Maximus and his Ani-Men. Being the final chapter in the story, the heroes have to win the day and rescue their captured teammates: Hawkman, Hawkgirl, and Wonder Woman. 

As the story begins Zatanna has taken the form of Rex Maximus' lover, Reena, whom had betrayed him in an earlier issue. She also has a homing device in her ear, so the League can keep track of her. Conway has a very interesting story here with Rex and the Ani-men. These men have been given animal DNA, and by this part of the story, the animal side is starting to take over. Rex and his Ani-men are becoming very feral and more like the animals from which they received DNA. I also enjoy the fact that Conway writes about one of Superman's weaknesses as the Ani-men hit him with a red sun beam thus rendering him powerless. They then crucify him with the same red sun energy, keeping him powerless. Instead of leaving it to Superman to save the day, the team has to save him and the other big hitters.
"Isn't Aquaman a big hitter ", you ask. He is, but he is one of the most underrated big hitters, mainly because Superman is on the team. 

The way Conway writes this story focuses on Aquaman, Elongated Man, Firestorm, and Zatanna, whom basically defeat the Ani-men by themselves, and its not until the end that the other four (Superman, Wonder woman, Hawkman, and Hawk Girl) join the fight. I have to give it to Conway for taking four, even in their time, underrated heroes and putting them in the fore front.

The art is typical for the time, simple and elegant in my opinion, kinda cartoony but masterful in the telling of the story. Yes, some of the Ani-men look ridiculous and childish, but that is over shadowed by the story as a whole.

It's a good book. My son enjoys it, so it can't be all bad.