Jenny Sparks #4: Is the Pen Mightier Than the Sword?

Jenny Sparks #4 picks up with Jenny continuing her efforts to end Captain Atom’s kidnapping after he decimated the Justice League in the last issue. Subsequently, the issue also tells a story from the past where Jenny Sparks continues her attempt at a superheroic life after she returns to life following the events of 9/11. Both of these stories coalesce in Tom King and Jeff Spokes depicting how Jenny Sparks would react to crises like these in a post 9/11 world.

Starting with the present story, Jenny Sparks decides to take an alternative approach to the Justice League’s direct assault, attempting to convince Atom to release two of the hostages as a sign of good faith. Here, the personalities of kidnapped individuals start to shine a bit more, with some having grown complacent with Atom’s actions, practically accepting that he will kill them at some point, and others admitting that they are in this situation because of their own actions. It is starting to become clear why Atom picked these specific people to kidnap, with all of them coming across as flawed but fairly successful individuals who are at various stages in their lives. The contrast between their innate humanity and Atom’s attempt to be viewed as God is very apparent, with it ultimately raising the question, is Atom choosing these people around him to anchor himself?

Meanwhile, Jenny Sparks starts playing her own game with Atom, ultimately proving to him that she will continue to be a thorn at his side unless he agrees to release at least one hostage. In another poignant moment, Jenny Sparks states, “You’re God? @%#% you. I’m the 20th Century. And I ain’t going nowhere.” This ultimately feels like the master counterpoint to the original conceit behind The Authority. Whereas that series showcased the destructive effectiveness of a team that had no safeguards and was willing to kill, Jenny Sparks puts that same mentality within Atom, pitting him against someone who will never die and cannot be stopped. Some parts of this may feel like the unstoppable object versus the immovable force; however, here it is evolving into a situation where physical prowess means nothing. From now on, it is going to be a battle of ideologies.

From a writing perspective, if that is in fact where King is taking this, that is absolutely fascinating. Especially when the idea of ideologies is what ultimately turns into these conflicts that involve dramatic expressions of force. In today’s world and in the 20th century, many of the conflicts seen could have been and still could be chalked up to an ideological disagreement, and that almost makes the violence even more pointless.