Warning: Spoilers for Justice League Unlimited #3
TheJustice Leagueis home to every hero in the DC Universe as part of DC’s All In initiative, and one overlooked character is taking advantage of his newfound membership in a big way. Some superpowers are more useful than others, but young hero Air Wave has proven that his unassuming abilities are the most valuable asset the Justice League has in its arsenal.
InJustice League Unlimited#3 by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain, and Ariana Maher,Red Tornado- the team’s new mission specialist - deploys a group of powerhouses to deal with raging fires in the Amazon rainforest. While the team’s usual suspects face the disaster head-on, Air Wave is tasked with facilitating all communications using his electromagnetic abilities.
The Justice League giving Air Wave such an important role in the rescue efforts of this mission demonstrates how integral his powers are to their operation, upgrading this D-list superhero into one of the team’s key players.
Air Wave’s Powers Turn Him Into the Justice League’s Most Valuable Hero
From Communications to Transportation, Air Wave Can Do It All
Air Waveis one of the Justice League’s latest recruits, yet he’s already been involved in most of the team’s missions.His costume enables him to turn into radio waves, and the League has utilized this power for numerous purposes.In Waid and Mora’sAbsolute Power#4, Air Wave transmits Amanda Waller’s confession across the world and absolves the hero community of the crimes she’d accused them of. In addition to broadcasting footage, he can also send his own messages through cellular devices, as seen inJustice League Unlimited#1 when he seeks out a victim’s wife forStar Sapphireby sending a signal.
Justice League’s New System Is Very Welcoming, But the System Has a Rather Big Flaw
The Justice League has expanded to include every hero, but they aren’t all treated equally, and one member is calling out the team’s biases.
The Justice League has found many creative applications for Air Wave’s abilities since inviting him to join their ranks. In this issue, he channels Wi-Fi signals to help civilians contact one another, but communication isn’t his only specialty.Air Wave also uses his electromagnetic form as a means of transportation, since he can fly while in that state. Red Tornado instructs him to escortAquamanto Swamp Thing, and Air Wave is able to carry him there in a matter of seconds. Air Wave’s power is more versatile than it seems, hence his regular presence among theJustice League’s finest.
The Justice League Is Giving Its Underrated Heroes the Chance to Shine
Justice League’s “Unlimited” Roster Spotlights Lesser-Known Superpowers
A notableproblem with the Justice Leaguein the past has been its refusal to stray too far from its tried-and-true batch of superstars. The core Trinity ofSuperman, Batman, and Wonder Woman- along with other icons like Green Lantern and the Flash - have a tendency to hog the glory, while lesser-known characters are rarely given the opportunity to showcase the extent of their powers. Now that the team has expanded its roster to welcome all heroes, even underdogs like Air Wave have the chance to unleash their full potential and become the “MVP” of theJustice League.
