Title: Impulse Issue: #45 Story: "The Christmas Impulse!" Writer: William Messner-Loebs Pencils: Barb Kaalberg Inker: Craig Rousseau My Comments Unfortunatly Loebs is starting to wear down on me. Its kinda like too little too late with the Impulse stories, because his best work is coming in, at the end of his run on the book. This story was actually one of the better. I think some of the ties in, like "I know Max was wearing a Max Mercury costume", and the Max "pretending" in the story, almost give it a feel that the secret identity really isn't that tough a secret in that small Alabama town. Someone must have been talking to Rousseau and Kallberg, because the artwork on this book, seems to have gotten better and better, these last couple issues, not so rushed. Good story, good art. Good timing. 4 stars out of 5

We open the story, as Max, in torment, must sit and wait, as a bank robbery is being commited by "The Green Cigarette". To make matters worse, a special guest has arrived. Meloni Allen, Bart's Mother, has returned from the future to spend Christmas with her son. For a woman in the future, flatscreen TV, and the concept of live and on tape, still escapes her.

As we get to the bank, we see the villians. "Coffin Nails", a woman of blades and razors. "Lighter" master of gravity. "Matches" a woman, that utilises fire. "Stubbs", the power house of the team. "Gasper" master of the art of savat, and the teams lawyer. The leader, "The Green Cigarette", who can emit any flavor of gas.

But as the Green Cigarette preceded to get the combination for the vault. The banks security fail safes began to kick in, and at the same time, Impulse entered the bank. But before any battle between the villains and Impulse could occur, the banks fail safes, were failing against itself, and was bringing the walls and the roof down on everyone. After some of the "villians", saved some of the civillians by pushing them out of the way, the civillians, decided to go back in to safe Impulse and the "villians". Unfortunatly for Impulse, at the moment, his speed was causing more harm then good. Using some gernades, the "villians" opened a hole for everyone to escape, but also opened the vault. But a last minute decision, call it " A Christmas Impulse", stopped the "villains" from commiting the crime. As Impulse overhead, we watched The Green Cigarette and the bank President, talk as they walked out. "The Green Cigarette" even apologized.

After returning home, Bart was greeted by his mom, who saw the entire bank robbery on TV, and preceded to tell his mom and Max, that it was "The Christmas Impulse", that saved the day, and that he doesn't have to do anything during the holiday season, that "The Christmas Impulse" will watch over everyone. As Max scolded him over the poor decisions that people make at this season, a comment Max made, that like people, Impulse decisions are normally bad too. This offended his Bart's mom, which errupted into a shouting match between, Meloni, Max and Max's daughter, Helen, causing Impulse to bail, thinking this was, like everything else his fault.

Last that day, Bart's counsiler, found Bart sitting in his school's janitor closet. Bart, with a severe look of depression, went on to explain, how he feels everything is his fault. With Max getting shot, and him leaving to hangout with Young Justice. The mess up at the bank. And the fight with his mom. But the counsiler, found that seeing as how Max, was in a "Max Mercury" costume when he was shot, and Bart was dressed as "Impulse", that Bart may believe he really is Impulse. Causing Mr. Pierson, the cousiler, to call Max, and inform him, that Bart thinks, "he has a secret identity and that he is really Impulse". Causing Max and family to go to the school.

Asking Max, to "pretend" to be Max Mercury, and have this whole life of teach Impulse the mechanics of Superspeed. The entire family sat, for cousiling. Helen first, blasting Max, for not being the father she needed. How it was his fault that there realationship is so strained, and how it seems like every villian has the right to more attention then she does. We next have Max. Who, agreed with everything she said, and of course apologized. Max also admitted, to not knowing much about "The Speed Force", and doesn't really know a lot about being a "super-hero". Next, we hear from Meloni, who, praised Max, wishing she had a father figure like Max. Explaining about Bart, being hid from her, and claimed he was dead, only to find out, because of his metabolism, that she lost all those years of him being a baby. And now, is still apart from her son, because she has to contend with the evil of her own father. As this is going on, Max and the counsiler are still playing this as "its an act".

It was Bart's turn. He told that he was sorry that he got Max shot, and that Max was right and he was wrong. But was stopped, because Max explained that, it was his fault that he was shot, and that Bart, shouldn't blame himself for rookie mistakes that Max makes.

As the session came to a close. The Green Cigarette made his way into the room, and preceded to tell the group, that he had an impulse to me kind during christmas. "A Christmas Impulse" to help others in this session. Giving the counsiler a check from the profits of his 30 year criminal career in crime, the Green Cigarette made out a check for fifty dollars to the school. Some crminial career.

As the boys walk home. We see a touching scene, that Max actually leans over and gives Bart a hug. Was it really "A Chistmas Impulse?" Nah, we won't push it either. =).