Warning: Contains spoilers for Strange Adventures #8
Classic hero Adam Strange is learning the hard way what it feels like to get permanently banned from the Justice League in writer Tom King’s Strange Adventures #9 from DC’s Black Label (with art by Mitch Gerads and Doc Shaner). Strange has been acting erratically for more than a few issues now, and, following a number of rather serious disagreements with his fellow Leaguers surrounding his fear of an alien invasion on Earth, he’s facing consequences. Why? Because he’s been killing unarmed prisoners due to his paranoia.
Strange Adventures, which takes place in an alternate continuity to the main DC Universe, has followed Adam Strange through a dual-narrative, showing readers both his retro-future space adventures as the alien planet Rann’s savior against the enemy race of Pyktts as well as a modern, darker deconstructive murder mystery in the midst of a Pyktt invasion of Earth. Strange has been acting quite brashly in recent days, first executing an unarmed conspiracy theorist whom he believed to be an alien spy and culminating in a brazen execution of a Pyktt prisoner in front of Batman. While certainly maintaining the support of the American government, ostensibly leading their response against the Pyktt invasion, it appears this is a step too far for the Justice League.
Following a number of suspicious incidents, including an official Justice League investigation by Mr. Terrific into his involvement in a gruesome murder, Adam Strange has been permanently banned from League membership following accusations of war crimes by a Pyktt prisoner. While Strange had been maintaining a precarious line against public outcry amidst accusations of murder, a murder he actually did commit, the string has finally snapped after Batman and Mr. Terrific manage to capture a Pyktt prisoner in the midst of the invasion. During this interrogation, the Pyktt claims that Strange’s actions during the Pyktt-Rann War constituted dishonorable behavior (i.e. villainous war crimes). Having witnessed Strange blast the head off of another captured Pyktt, Terrific and Batman have apparently made the decision to ban Strange from the Justice League and sent their evidence to the US Government in preparation of possible murder charges.
While it remains to be seen whether or not Adam Strange himself is a true villain or merely defending the Earth against a grave alien threat, King’s display of Strange’s duality combined with the ever-present and dominating media atmosphere seems to posit that it does not matter in many respects. Whether Strange is right or wrong, he clearly has suffered deep psychological wounds, made serious compromises to his moral judgment, and is not above lying if it serves his needs.
What Strange Adventures seems to be saying is that even in an apparently stark situation, such as a freedom-loving good vs tyrannical evil, democracy vs fascism-style war, moral ambiguities will exist that put into question the validity of righteousness within the actions of those who claim to be “right.” In no better respect is this exemplified in the series than with Adam Strange and the duality of his nature as demonstrated through his actions; actions which have earned his banning from the Justice League. Is Adam Strange a hero or a villain? Find out in Strange Adventures #9.
