Lazarus Planet

Recently DC comics put out a story called Lazarus Planet. It began in Batman / Superman World`s Finest but continued in Batman vs Robin. In the second series Batman was fighting Robin and a supernatural entity in connection with the Lazarus pit, which can bring people back from the dead, was released. It in turn caused a deadly rain to fall changing some heroes powers and creating new ones. 

I read the miniseries and the World`s Finest comics but ignored the Batman stories. When I started it I was reminded of another miniseries put out in 1988 called Invasion. In it aliens come to Earth to control and destroy the meta human population. They release a metagene bomb that disrupted heroes powers. Wally lost his. Some of the Doom Patrol died allowing the newly created heroes to join. New comics were started, L.E.G.I.O.N. being the most prominent.

The parallels between the two stories are many and the impact both had or will have on the DC universe will continue for years to come. I was mostly into the Flash during that time and Invasion did create some interesting storylines as it allowed Wally to further develop as a hero without powers. It also gives an inclining of the Speed Force because if the metagene was responsible for Wally`s powers and it was turned off, how did he get them back and where did it come from? It is only years later that you can see how it changed the character.

With the Lazarus Planet I have mostly been looking at Power Girl and how she suddenly developed mental powers. While I enjoy her characterization as the Black Sheep of the Superman family it seems to me that the writers don`t know what to do with the character. After Crisis they made her powers magical. During the New 52 they brought her back to her original story but now throwing powers at her is a sad excuse for writing. It remains to be seen if her `Level up` will stay or fade away.

It took time for the Invasion to bear fruit and some of the stories set up in the 1988 crossover went nowhere. Some had lasting repercussions and completely changed the book. It remains to be seen what will happen with the new characters. Some may prove popular but I suspect most will never be seen again.