PETER DAVID ON JUSTICE'S UNTOLD TALE

**MattBrady** · 02-22-2006, 10:44 AM

by Benjamin Ong Pang Kean

While Peter David’s known for his work on Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk, Supergirl and Fallen Angel, he and Justice go a long way.

Justice was a comic series under Marvel’s New Universe line back in the 1980s. Along with Psi-Force and DP7, it was the only New Universe title that ran for 32 issues. Even though the ongoing series was cancelled in 1989, Justice has been seen in the pages of several of Marvel’s comics since then. The character was reintroduced in David’s Spider-Man 2099 series as the Net Prophet.

In March’s Untold Tales of the New Universe: Justice, John Tensen will once again stalk the New Universe as judge, jury and executioner.

So, for a writer whose work could be seen in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and Fallen Angel, what’s David’s fascination with the character? “Because he's a character who purports to see the world in simple, stark, black and white terms, and yet he's always getting caught up in shades of gray,” David told Newsarama. “Characters with those sorts of inherent contradictions are always intriguing to me.

“Hopefully long-time fans will have fond memories of my original work on the series and see this as an entertaining revisit with him. Whereas the new fans will just consider it an intriguing story.”

From Batman to the Punisher. From Preacher to Justice. It’s obvious that anti-heroes have been headlining today's comic books for more than a decade now. Just when is it not okay to take justice into one's own hands? “When you're not a comic book character,” David said.

For a comic book character like John Tensen, when does he know when to draw the line? “He doesn't always, actually. As a matter of fact, that's exactly what the one-shot is all about: Tensen trying to determine when and where to draw the line as he has to deal with fallout from his deeds that he never anticipated.”

In the one-shot, Justice makes it his personal mission to make certain that paranormals are using their powers wisely. But when he executes an abusive paranormal in the presence of the para’s daughter--potentially sending her down a path of evil--he is forced to question the “justice” of his own actions.

“It takes place during a transitional period of the book, right in between when we changed the notion of his being a Justice warrior from another dimension, but before the events of the Pitt,” David explained.

Judging from David’s fondness for the character, could this special one-shot lead to a new Justice series then? “If there is, no one told me,” he concluded.

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Nate28 · 02-22-2006, 11:02 AM

Peter David? Nuff said!!

I am so picking this up. I loved his work on Captain Marvel and this looks like a fun read!!!

skaly · 02-22-2006, 11:07 AM

Justice was in Spidey 2099? What issues???

xdemon · 02-22-2006, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by skaly
Justice was in Spidey 2099? What issues???

IIRC, #2-#3.

mrhelm · 02-22-2006, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by skaly
Justice was in Spidey 2099? What issues???

As I recall, he was in fact "The Net Prophet" character introduced somewhere in the teen (I think) issues of the book. He later popped up in the same form in Captain Marvel.

Dang, I'm old.

MWieringo · 02-22-2006, 11:32 AM

Who drew these pages.....? They look terrific.

Banana_Oil · 02-22-2006, 11:35 AM

Kavalier · 02-22-2006, 11:58 AM

I didn't read the spidey 2099 appearances, but my understanding is that Tensen showed, up, not Justice. That is, David used the name of the character, but not the character.

Serioiusly, who is the artist? The pages look great!

(fyi, one of the pic links is busted)

jj4000 · 02-22-2006, 12:00 PM

still skeptical on Marvel's New Universe. Nothing against a relaunch or taking cancelled titles for a rebirth, but it's hard to get excited just cause a certain writer or artist is on the title.

obscure artists/writers could do awesome stuff and thus awesome reputation writers/artists could be brought back to earth with obscure books.

wait and see for me....there's too many good books out there.

sequart · 02-22-2006, 12:08 PM

What was the explanation of his appearance as the Net Prophet. Can he jump to different universes?

Patrick_Wedge · 02-22-2006, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kavalier

Serioiusly, who is the artist? The pages look great!

Carmine Di Giandomenico

ShatterComics · 02-22-2006, 12:16 PM

YESSSSS JUSTICE!!!!!!! WAAAAHOOOOOO!!! JUSTICE IS IN A ONE SHOT!!!! THE BEST CHARACTER IN THE UNIVERSE!!!

Can you tell I'm excited?

MatthewSmith · 02-22-2006, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by xdemon
IIRC, #2-#3.

You're thinking of the villain named Venture. Different guy.

samnoir · 02-22-2006, 12:56 PM

Didn't PAD also write Marc Hazard: Merc?

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Nighttech · 02-22-2006, 12:58 PM

Something I am wondering about. These untold tales are being used to bring attention to the upcoming relaunch by Warren Ellis. Does that mean the previous continuity is gone. The only reason I ask is because in the latest Exiles Justice dies as his body is burned out by Proteus and as a result the New Universe timeline is changed somewhat becuae Justice is killed before the majority of his adventures get started.

Shadowcards · 02-22-2006, 01:01 PM

I know he did a few issues of Merc. I can't recall which issues in particular. I think he moved from there to Justice.

AlexLothos · 02-22-2006, 01:27 PM

Is this the guy Young Justice from the New Warriors based upon? Same guy? No relation?

jephyork · 02-22-2006, 01:56 PM

The guy from New Warriors was "Justice", not Young Justice. Young Justice is a DC team book. And there's no relation at all.

And the "old continuity" isn't gone -- the Exiles traveled to an alternate New Universe, and an alternate Justice got killed. And Warren Ellis' new book is set in yet another alternate New Universe.

The original New Universe still exists, and these one-shots are taking place in it.

Buy 'em. If they sell well, Marvel will be more likely to release classic New Universe material in TPB form.

-Jeph!

Mark Cardwell · 02-22-2006, 04:38 PM

Someday, this young italian guy who drew this will get a proper, ongoing assignment and will absolutely knock it out of the park. Editors of Earth: make it so!

AraqnidM · 02-22-2006, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MattBrady
“Because he's a character who purports to see the world in simple, stark, black and white terms, and yet he's always getting caught up in shades of gray,” David told Newsarama. “Characters with those sorts of inherent contradictions are always intriguing to me.
In the one-shot, Justice makes it his personal mission to make certain that paranormals are using their powers wisely. But when he executes an abusive paranormal in the presence of the para’s daughter--potentially sending her down a path of evil--he is forced to question the “justice” of his own actions.

Awesome concept! Pretty deep, thought provoking and such. Sounds great.

Scavenger · 02-22-2006, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sequart
What was the explanation of his appearance as the Net Prophet. Can he jump to different universes?

If you read eXiles, you saw the event happen in a different way, getting Proteus instead of Justice.

Basicly, an experiment to breach the dimensional walls drew him in to 2099. It was never said specificaly that it was Justice (his memory was fragmented), but enough hints were given for those in the know to know.

Justice also showed up in PAD's Psi-Man book series, where the Justice story got wrapped up (from him being mayor of New York)

khuxford · 02-22-2006, 05:44 PM

Some of the linked pages are off. Hopefully Matty will fix that...

Eric dual · 02-22-2006, 09:26 PM

WOW!WOW!
Great Work!
Carmine Di Giandomenico is very good!

Jeremy Williams · 02-23-2006, 02:20 AM

Impresive drawings there. Where does the artist come from?

AlexLothos · 02-23-2006, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jephyork
The guy from New Warriors was "Justice", not Young Justice. Young Justice is a DC team book. And there's no relation at all.

And the "old continuity" isn't gone -- the Exiles traveled to an alternate New Universe, and an alternate Justice got killed. And Warren Ellis' new book is set in yet another alternate New Universe.

The original New Universe still exists, and these one-shots are taking place in it.

Buy 'em. If they sell well, Marvel will be more likely to release classic New Universe material in TPB form.

-Jeph!

Thank you! Too much stuff on the brain at once. Oy!