Stormwatch: Peter Milligan, Will Conrad, Julio Ferreira, Guy Major, Rob Leigh, Scott Clark, Dave Beaty, Pete Pantazis

Exit Martian Manhunter. He has to go, right? He’s gonna start the Justice League of America next year. And there’s just no possible way he can operate on two teams. You know, like Batman, Guy Gardner, and Batwing do. That’s just impossible. Apparently, he’s leaving Stormwatch so he can do the JLA thing and keep the Justice League, whom he thinks are dangerous, in check. You’d think he’d be well-placed to do this from within Stormwatch, and then secretly working with Stormwatch as well. The intelligence he’d gain would be great, and he could use that to guide the JLA.

So, not only is Manhunter leaving Stormwatch…but he’s wiping the memories of everyone within it before he goes so none of them remember his time with them. Isn’t that something? Why can’t they remember him? He makes it seem like it’s for their own good. Is he going to remember them?

Well, the Shadow Lords make it seem so. Manhunter’s rerouted to Avalon - yes, that Avalon - on his way back to the Eye from mind-wiping the team, where he meets the Shadow Lords. They object to his actions, and uphold the need for secrecy above all else, and Manhunter’s leaving jeopardizes this. They make it seem like, once he leaves, he’ll still remember everything. Manhunter demands they break their rules this once, because what he’s doing is more important.

I had to think to myself: why can’t Manhunter mind-wipe himself? Why is this such a big deal? But then I considered: well, if he mind-wipes himself, would he remember that the Justice League is such a huge threat? Would he still try to form the JLA? Or would he have forgotten all that too? You’d think that J’onn’s the same alien dude as he was before, right? So one look at the unstable Justice League and J’onn would still think a counter-balance is necessary, right?

I guess he needs to remember things because he’s still going to try and find Harry Tanner and the Projectionist. He promises Engineer that he’ll do this. Speaking of Harry and Emma, we find out what they’re up to as well, and what Harry’s doing with the Fox. It’s interesting, and setting up something new for the upcoming issues of Stormwatch. Turns out this is another one of those issues that feels like a TV show’s season finale. It closes an important chapter of the series, but it also leaves things open and dangerous for the next one to start. I’m really excited to see where it goes.

Stormwatch #12, the verdict: So while I was confused as to why Manhunter needs to leave, I’m hoping that Johns will take better care of him over in JLA - coming soon. I know he’s done great things in the past, with Brightest Day. It’s a relief to get him under a writer who’s gonna make him shine. I liked seeing the Shadow Lords finally, and seeing yet another link to the Demon Knights book with the location of Avalon. I’m glad this whole thing with Harry Tanner’s making a comeback, because it feels like forever since that happened. Projectionist even says it, “I doubt if Stormwatch has spent any time at all trying to track us down.” I can tell you right now, Emma, they haven’t.

(Photo Source: Comic Vine)