Many great writers have revived and revamped forgotten comic book characters to great effect, and Jadzia Axelrod and Nicole Maines have done so with their new Justice League special. The main villain of their story is notable for their obscurity, having appeared in only a single comic over five decades earlier. Despite this, the villain is also notable for their connection to one of the most legendary comic runs in DC history.
Written by Axelrod and Maines, with art by Travis Moore, Justice League Intergalactic Special #1 sends a JLU strike team to the planet Naltor. Home to a race of powerful psychics, Naltor has been taken over by a mysterious figure described as a “witch queen.” Also, several members of the Green Lantern Corps disappeared investigating the same crisis.
The Justice League suspect the culprit is a villain who actually goes by the name Witch Queen. It is for this reason Green Arrow is made part of the strike team, despite hating deep space missions. Because apart from the Green Lantern Hal Jordan and Black Canary, Oliver Queen is the only JLU member to face the Witch Queen.
DC’s Witch Queen explained
The Witch Queen made her first and last appearance in 1971’s Green Lantern/Green Arrow #82, in the story “How Do You Fight a Nightmare?” Written by Denny O’Neil, with art by Neal Adams, the story opened with Green Arrow surprising Dinah Lance with roses. However, the box of flowers manifested two harpies,who attacked the heroes before being driven off.
The two street-level heroes summoned their Justice League ally, Hal Jordan, as he had more experience with supernatural creatures. The Green Lantern followed their trail to a mysterious woman who he thought seemed oddly familiar. She trapped him in another dimension full of man-hating monsters with her scepter, revealing she did so at the request of her brother. Her brother is ultimately revealed to be Hal Jordan’s greatest enemy, Sinestro.
Describing “How Do You Fight a Nightmare?” as convoluted would be an understatement. The Witch Queen’s powers are revealed to come from Sinestro’s ring being implanted in her scepter. Also, no explanation is given for how Sinestro uncovered this dimension in the first place. Small wonder then that the Witch Queen languished in obscurity despite premiering in the midst of the legendary O’Neil/Adams run on Green Lantern/Green Arrow.
How Justice League special revamps Witch Queen
Axelrod and Maines stick to this core concept and continuity, while revamping the Witch Queen considerably. In Justice League Intergalactic Special #1, she is acting in her own interests rather than as Sinestero’s cohort. Beyond that, her scepter now serves as a power siphon rather than as a stage prop.
The Witch Queen’s scepter is confirmed to be capable of absorbing and projecting most forms of energy. This includes both the psychic energy of the Naltorians and the energies tapped by the various Lantern Corps. This makes the Witch Queen a much more formidable foe.
Justice League Intergalactic Special #1 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
