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Comic guide

"...And the Penalty" is the fourteenth issue of the official Young Justice spin-off comic series. It was released on February 15, 2012.

Solicitation[]

In Star City, Artemis is under arrest—and in Gotham City, it's Clayface vs. the rest of the team in a battle they cannot win! Aqualad’s leadership is on the line, and a fateful choice must be made.

Tagline: Aqualad, you're done as Team leader!

Synopsis[]

 
Gotham City
August 27, 04:50 EDT

Aqualad is pinned against the sewer wall by Clayface. He manages to free himself from the creature, but the others are still struggling. Aqualad helps Superboy; the others are able to free themselves. Miss Martian compares fighting it to a Ma'alefa'ak on Mars, and Kid Flash remarks how easy it was, but Clayface is not defeated. He strikes them from behind and trudges off. Batman contacts Aqualad, requesting an update.

 
Star City
August 27, 07:54 PDT

Artemis is escorted by two police officers to the local station. She is crudely forced to sit on a bench next to Icicle Jr. After a while, Icicle recognizes Artemis, as their fathers are acquainted. She coaxes him to spill his plans.

 
Star City
August 27, 08:33 PDT

Artemis reports back to Green Arrow. Junior was tight, but wanted to tell more than he could; he trusted her because they were both in the family business. Icicle advised her to petition to be tried as an adult, but Artemis held it off, saying that she would be taken to Belle Reve, considering her background. Icicle only smiled at that. Green Arrow thanks Artemis, but she makes it clear that she never wants to do things like this again—she joined the Team to be a hero, not a snitch. She feels bad, and needs a shower.

 
Gotham City
August 27, 05:38 EDT

The Team tracks Clayface in the Bio-Ship. Robin and Kid Flash change into clean costumes, but Superboy did not bring any, so he has to still wear his muddy clothes. While his teammates form a plan, Aqualad is absent-minded. When called to attention, he agrees with their plan of splitting up without even thinking it through.

 
Gotham City
August 27, 05:40 EDT

In the Batcave, Alfred asks Batman if he actually has a plan to take down the creature. Batman is studying the morphic field of a sample he collected earlier, hoping to find the correct frequency to disrupt the field. Zatara is coming to help just in case there's a magical element. He trusts Aqualad to not let the Team engage Clayface again.

 
Gotham City
August 27, 05:59 EDT

At a warehouse, Superboy follows a trail of mud on the floor, leading him to what he thinks is Miss Martian. It's Clayface, however, and the creature easily beats the off-guard Superboy by capturing him inside his body. Disguising himself as Superboy, he contacts his teammates to meet him on his location.

 
Gotham City
August 27, 06:07 EDT

Miss Martian is the first to arrive. "Superboy" claims Clayface got away. By calling her "gorgeous", he manages to distract her long enough to knock her out.

 
Gotham City
August 27, 06:10 EDT

Disguised as Miss Martian, Clayface tricks Kid Flash by offering to kiss him.

 
Gotham City
August 27, 06:13 EDT

Robin is confronted by two Kid Flashes. He figures one of them is Clayface, and asks for them to tell his middle name. What he didn't count on is that they were both Clayface. Robin is attacked from both sides and underneath, and defeated.

 
Gotham City
August 27, 06:16 EDT

Aqualad realizes the stupidity of agreeing with the Team's plan of splitting up against a shape-shifter. He meets "Robin", but sees through the deception in time to parry the attack. He is, however, knocked out by a third fist that comes out of Clayface's belly. He is slammed against a wall and too dazed to get up. As Clayface is about to finish him off, Batman intervenes. He has found the correct frequency and defeats Clayface with a taser.

 
Mount Justice
August 27, 07:59 EDT

Aqualad and Batman debrief. Batman is displeased that Aqualad did not have his head on the mission, and forces him to make a decision: either focus fully on the Team or walk away. To Aqualad, it's clear: he'll return to Atlantis.

Title[]

The title of this issue bookends the allusion to Edgar Allen Poe's The Pit and the Pendulum, from the two previous issues, making the complete title of this arc: "The Pit, the Pendulum... and the Penalty". In Poe's short story, the pit and the pendulum were two torture devices used to break the protagonist, before he underwent the ultimate penalty: death. In this issue, the penalty may refer to the choice Aqualad is forced to take due to his inadequate performance as team leader.

Characters[]

Character
Alfred Pennyworth
Aqualad
Artemis
Batman
Clayface
Correctional Officer Jones  
Green Arrow
Icicle Jr.
Kid Flash
Miss Martian
Robin
Superboy
Non-speaking roles
Bio-Ship
1 Character debut
0 Speaking debut


Continuity[]

Reprints[]

Trivia[]

YJ_Comics_On_DCU_(video_4)

YJ Comics On DCU (video 4)

The motion comic featuring one page of this issue with Yuri Lowenthal and Stephanie Lemelin reading their lines as Icicle Jr. and Artemis, respectively.

Goofs[]

  • Artemis's eyes are miscolored blue instead of dark gray.

Cultural references[]

Questions[]

Questions
For complete answers to the questions in this section, click here.

Answered questions[]

Quotes[]

  • Kid Flash: If that's Batman, ask him where Artemis is? And how come she gets away with skipping this so-fun sewer party?
  • Kid Flash: What's the point of putting on a clean costume—when I'm not... fresh?
  • Miss Martian: Oh, Wally, you're always fresh.
  • Superboy: At least you have a clean costume.
  • Superboy: Miss Martian? M'gann? What's wrong?
  • Clayface: Sucker!
  • Miss Martian: You... you think I'm... gorgeous...
  • Clayface: (posing as Superboy) Well, sure... who wouldn't?!

External links[]

References[]

  1. Jones, Christopher (2012-03-06). Busy busy busy. christopherjonesart.com. Retrieved 2012-03-07.
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