After the events of last month’s issue, Dreamer has kicked Galaxy out of her own guilt-fueled dreamscape. Because of that Justice League: Dream Girls – A DC Pride Event #3 shifts the focus a bit off Dreamer and Galaxy together, and instead focuses on the danger that Galaxy poses to the Justice League at large. If you like illogical, hypocritical arguments, you’re going to be like me and struggle to get through this issue, which is an exceptionally well-crafted story that’s frustrating to read (in a good way).
Almost immediately after being cast out of Dreamer’s… well, dream, Galaxy was pretty much ambushed by the Justice League, questioning her loyalty, her intentions, her powers, her origins, anything and everything they could find issue with, they did. It was compelling, but I’m still trying to decide if it was within character or not. I do know that it made me hate the Justice League more than a little bit.
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So much of the tension in this issue is informed by previous issues not from this series. Absolute Power is what’s determining everyone’s feelings on Dreamer, and the Justice League Intergalactic Special #1 is what’s determining everyone’s feelings on Galaxy. Most of the heat that Galaxy is getting is from the Green Lanterns sect, whose powers were dog-walked by Galaxy when they were mind-controlled in that adventure and Galaxy, along with Dreamer, had to step in and manipulate their energy to save the day but nearly killed them in the process.
That’s their justification for, essentially (though as Batman was super helpful to point out – not literally) putting Galaxy on trial. Which… is pretty rich, man. Judging Galaxy by her worst moment when you’re in a room full of people who would take a bullet for Hal Jordan of all people, look the other way when Batman created and lost control of Failsafe (not to mention Brother Eye), Jon Kent was mind-controlled, and a dozen other examples of heroes not operating at her best. The robe guy is wearing because of goings-on in the Green Lantern Corps. Book adds a level of discomfort to all the proceedings as well, making it feel like an inquisition against Galaxy’s character.
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I know that was the point. But it was so well done that it was frustrating as hell, and gave so many members of the Justice League a bad case of punchable-face. Except for Kate Godwin. She rips, and created an excellent support system for Galaxy. Good stuff.
While Galaxy was dealing with mounting pressure from the Justice League, Dreamer thought she was left on her own in her dreamscape, but she was being manipulated by the Key. The most heartbreaking part about the Dreamer sequences was, in my interpretation – she was living in her most idealized world. In that world, she didn’t want the adoration of the world, she didn’t want the approval of her peers or the superhero community, she wanted to be loved in a normal life. Seeing something a lot of people take for granted be what she wanted most was powerful and compelling.
It’s not until the end of the book that we see what the Key’s ultimate plan for Dreamer is. I see the A of it, and I see the C of it, but I’m hoping there’s some clarity in the next issue that explains the plan. Right now it just feels like that meme where it’s like “Step 3: Profit”. But you know what? That’s background noise. This book is about Dreamer and Galaxy accepting themselves, their flaws, their ambitions, and each other. I’m curious about the Key’s plan, but the immediate concern to me is the relationship between these two characters.
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There were fewer cooks in the kitchen for this issue, and frankly I feel like I barely noticed the baton being handed off between the various artists. They take advantage of a fast-moving script, even when it’s talking heads in a satellite and move the story briskly from scene to scene and point. I’m genuinely impressed at the smoothness of the issue given three artists, three colorists, and two letterers (not to mention two writers) were all involved in making it happen.
Justice League: Dream Girls – A DC Pride Event #3 splits up the two main characters of the book thus far to great effect. By letting them spend time on their own, they’ve naturally realized that they’re better together and screw what the world thinks. There’s some infuriating dialogue in this book but there’s gorgeous epiphanies and realizations that beat them back down. This is an incredibly well-executed weekly title and I continue to hope that this becomes the format for DC celebrations going forward.
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