Sunday, June 28, 2009

"Total Justice in Total Teamwork" Coloring Book: Martian Maze (1997)



I've been having fun with the mixed-up printing order in this coloring book, but I have to point out there is something of a linear story intended. While I was having scheduling issues last week, the book's writer, Richie Narvaez, left the following comment:

I actually wrote that book and may have some copies still. The gist is that the Justice League, including MM, upgrades their powers using "fractal armor." In this book, they fight Despero and Darkseid. Many hours of coloring fun ensue. There are also puzzle books and a series of children's books. The stories all tie in to each other. That's all I can remember for now.


To back him up, here's the text from this activity on page 21:

Help the Total Justice team. Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter have to save Steel and stop Darkseid. Show them the way through the Martian maze.


The team of Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern Kyle Rayner and Steel, as I'd guessed, landed on Mars/Mars II. Unseen here, Steel used an ocular sensor to detect the lord of Apokolips, then burrowed into the soil. Steel found his foe, but was caught at the waist by Darkseid's fractal pincer and knocked out. That's why GL and MM had to navigate the above maze, then burst in on Darkseid, who blasted Manhunter with eyebeams. So simple in hindsight, no?

4 comments:

Tom said...

Coloring books have writers?

R. Narvaez said...

I know! It was weird when I got the gig. But somebody at some point has to plot out the story and write those little captions!

Tom said...

And then they just arrange the pages in random order!

R. Narvaez said...

Hey, just FYI, I have a whole bunch of copies of this stuff taking up space and available for sale if anybody wants 'em.

Total Justice Coloring & Activity Book (The Ultimate Weapon, Mission to Mars); Super Coloring & Activity Book (Against All Odds); Jumbo Coloring & Activity Book (Total Teamwork), Storybooks and Little Landoll Storybooks (And Justice for All and Justice on Apokolips), from DC Comics/Landoll (1997)

I also did: Batman & Robin (1997): Storybook, Pop-Up Book, and Activity Pad, from DC Comics/Landoll