The Gotham City Sirens are back, and they’re about to face off against an enemy who is far beyond them. Teaming up Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy was a great idea back in the day, and it’s an even better one now. Writer Leah Williams and artist Haining give readers a fun romp with the first issue of Gotham City Sirens: Unfit for Orbit, as the girls investigate some strange goings on in the newest club in Gotham City. It’s all pretty standard heist story stuff, but things get even wilder as the issue goes on and the big bad behind everything is revealed — Despero.
Despero is one of the Justice League’s greatest villains, able to challenge the greatest heroes in the DC Multiverse. While Catwoman, Harley, and Poison Ivy are pretty tough together — Poison Ivy’s control over the Green is especially dangerous — Despero is far out of their league. Gotham City Sirens: Unfit for Orbit #1 is an entertaining yarn, and with Despero behind the whole thing, thing are going to get even more interesting as the book goes on. Despero has a long legacy with the Justice League, and the Gotham City Sirens may have bitten off more than they can chew.
Despero Has Been Battling the Justice League Since the Silver Age
Despero has been battling the Justice League for a very long time, first appearing in Justice League of America (Vol. 1) #1. Despero came from the planet Kalanor, where he used his mental powers to become a conqueror of worlds. He eventually decided to turn his attention to the newly formed Justice League, and one of the team’s greatest rivalries would start. Despero has fought many versions of the Justice League over the years, and has changed a lot as a villain. When he first appeared, Despero was a regular size villain who was more about using his mental powers and intellect to battle the team. However, post-Crisis DC would say Despero take his latest form, becoming a massive mountain of muscle able to physically battle against the Martian Manhunter. Despero is a villain with a long legacy, but he hasn’t really been a big deal for a very long time. He had his battles against the Justice League International, but didn’t make any major moves until JSA/JLA: Vice and Virtue, where he teamed with Johnny Sorrow and pretended to be President Lex Luthor in an attempt to destroy the Justice League and the Justice Society. Despero hasn’t really made much of a splash since then; his appearances in the New 52 were pretty much exactly what you’d expect, and other than a clash with Hawkman, he hasn’t been an important League enemy in a while.
Despero is a villain whose best days are behind him, but that doesn’t mean that he’s a pushover. Despero has defeated the most powerful iterations of the Justice League, and can go one on one with characters like Superman, Wonder Woman, and Martian Manhunter. Despero is also know for his tactical acumen, and has long been trying to reconstruct his powerbase. His latest scheme seems to involve something called the Conduit, which Catwoman is after, and the club Lunaria, which is shaped like a UFO. The Sirens are able to sneak into the club, thanks to Poison Ivy’s powers, and make a startling discovery — the Conduit isn’t an artifact, but a young boy. This changes everything for the trio, as they weren’t expecting having to sneak a child out of the club. Of course, things are already falling apart by the time they find the Conduit, as they’ve already been made by the mind-controlled guards, who let Despero know about the Sirens. However, the whole thing is all a part of Despero’s plan, which is a very strange turn of events.
Despero Expecting Trouble Is the Worst Thing that Could Happen for the Sirens
Despero expecting the Sirens is the worst news for the heroes. While Despero is definitely way more powerful than all of three of them put together, that’s not the biggest problem the Sirens have. Despero isn’t just a physical titan, but an evil genius. If he was expecting someone to come for the Conduit, that could mean things are about to get very dangerous. There are few things scarier than Despero with a plan, especially once you’ve already entered his lair.
The Sirens have a lot going for them — Catwoman is a peer of Batman’s, Harley has been able to make Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman look like rank amateurs, and Poison Ivy’s powers make her the group’s heaviest hitter — but Despero with a plan may be beyond them. The mystery of the Conduit and what Despero wants with it is fascinating, as his expectation that someone would come after it. The Gotham City Sirens are about to have their work cut out for them.
Gotham City Sirens: Unfit for Orbit #1 is on sale now.
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