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"Cherry Gig" is the 29th issue of the official Young Justice spin-off comic series and the first of Young Justice: Targets. The "Director's Cut" version includes the bonus short "Hot Mess: Memory One". It was released digitally on June 14, 2022 on DC Universe Infinite. The print version was released on July 26, 2022.
Solicitation[]
Queen Perdita has been kidnapped! Mysterious armored assailants have snatched the Vlatavan royal out from beneath Bowhunter Security, leaving Green Arrow and Black Canary poisoned and comatose in the process! Now a rallying cry echoes around the globe, and across super-teams, to band together and rescue Perdita! Continuing the story of Young Justice: Phantoms, now streaming on HBO MAX, is the six issue, digital first Young Justice: Targets.
Synopsis[]
Cherry Gig[]
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On the Premiere Building helipad, Beast Boy is distracted looking at pictures of Perdita Vladek on his phone, when Stargirl calls out to him. She is worried that their mission to rescue Perdita might be too personal for him and not the best way to return to the Outsiders. Gar insists on going, as Wonder Girl calls them over to the Super-Cycle to leave.
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Perdita's private jet comes in for a landing. Perdita tells her bodyguard she hates this airport, which he understands. A Bowhunter Security detail, consisting of Will Harper, Roy Harper, Jim Harper and Harlan Matthews, stands ready on the airfield, with Will taking the mission to protect Perdita very personally.
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At Markovian National Penitentiary, Count Vertigo has a disagreement with Piotor Platz over the quality of the food, when four armored soldiers break in and extract Vertigo, Platz, Johann Mintz and Simon Ecks. The plan had been pre-arranged with Vertigo, though he had told none of his fellows.
Back at Star City, Bowhunter takes Perdita in a convoy of three SUVs, with no sign of trouble. Roy is at Perdita's side, and is pleased to see her again. Will and Denny discuss Perdita's schedule; first up, a tour of STAR Labs. As they arrive, Perdita explains to Roy that STAR wants to open a facility in Vlatavastok.
Inside, they are greeted by Dr. Serling Roquette and her two "colleagues", "Drs." Dinah Lance and Oliver Queen. Perdita and Roquette bond over their shared Forever Sixteen purse, when six more armored units like the ones that freed Vertigo crash through the glass ceiling. As Will and Denny cover Perdita, Will authorizes Harlan to go "full Clayface". As Clayface leads the attack, Serling offers an escape route. Oliver pulls out his bow and shoots one attacker, with a helpful boost from Jim, but gets taken down by another, who hits him with a dart, causing Oliver to quickly pass out. Denny, Roquette and Dinah are soon taken out by darts as well. Clayface creates a barrier to prevent more dart attacks, but the attackers use their sonic weapons to reduce him to a puddle. The attackers then knock down the rest of Bowhunter Security, grab Perdita and fly off. Will swears they will get her back.
Hot Mess: Memory One[]
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As Will tells his squad on the airfield that he takes protecting Perdita personally, he remembers a time when he failed her.
- Ten years earlier, on a September night,[1] Red Arrow was in Vlatavastok. He had intel that the League of Shadows had accepted a contract to kill King Josef Vladek, Perdita's father. Arrow hadn't called in for help, determined to prove he could handle the situation himself. He was a mess then, and though he accepted that was not entirely within his control, some of it was.
- The assassin was Sportsmaster. Red Arrow got off one shot before Sportmaster used the Cadmus-programmed phrase "broken arrow" to shut him down. At the time, Arrow had no idea how Sportsmaster got so close to him so fast. Arrow was knocked out with a single punch. By the time he woke up, King Josef was dead, and Perdita was an orphan.
Will promises himself he will not fail Perdita again.
Title[]
A cherry gig is a desirable job. Bowhunter Security's mission to guard Perdita Vladek is a high-profile, though seemingly routine assignment, as noted by Jim Harper and Harlan Matthews. The title may be intended ironically, given the issue ends with Perdita's kidnapping.
Characters[]
| 11 | Character debut |
| 2 | Speaking debut |
Continuity[]
- This story continues in the next Issue.
- The first picture of Perdita that Garfield looks at on his phone was taken from one of their public outings in Paris, seen in "Eminent Threat" during his interview on Stargirl.
- Beast Boy makes his return to the Outsiders. He took a leave of absence beginning in "Inhospitable" for Superboy and Miss Martian's wedding on Mars, which was extended as his mental health deteriorated following Superboy's supposed death in "Volatile".
- Clayface works for Bowhunter Security under the alias Harlan Matthews. His rehabilitation and loyalty to Bowhunter were established in "The Prize".
- Count Vertigo and Simon Ecks were in a Markovian prison following their capture during the coup attempt in "Nevermore".
- Sportsmaster used the trigger phrase "broken arrow" to shut Red Arrow down. He used it before in "Targets". Red Arrow learned he was subject to the programming in "Auld Acquaintance".
Reprints[]
- This comic is reprinted in:
Trivia[]
- Number 16:
- Perdita has an economic conference scheduled for 16:00.
- Perdita and Serling got their purses from Forever Sixteen.
- The main story concludes on page 16.
- Perdita not liking Star City airport is a callback to DC Showcase: Green Arrow, where she was almost killed by the League of Shadows before being rescued by Green Arrow.
- On page 7, there is a banner of the USA flag in Star City which reads "Re-elect Brandon Vietti", a reference to Young Justice producer Brandon Vietti. Each issue of Young Justice: Targets has a reference to him.
- On the same panel, Perdita's convoy passes a Checken Whizees Xpress delivery truck and a Sunglass Igloo billboard.
- Greg Weisman has revealed the events of "Hot Mess: Memory One" take place on September 28, 2010,[1] which was the release date for DC Showcase: Green Arrow. "Hot Mess" is the first part of the Young Justice adaptation of that short film, although it only includes "new" events not seen in the film.
Goofs[]
- Perdita's purse strap switches between being across her chest to hanging on her shoulder and back between panels.
Cultural references[]
Questions[]
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- For complete answers to the questions in this section, click here.
Answered questions[]
- Why did Count Vertigo arrange for Perdita's kidnapping? (Answer #1, Answer #2)
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Weisman, Greg (2022-07-12). Tweet. Twitter. Retrieved 2022-07-14.