Justice League #18

(w) Geoff Johns     (a) Jesus Saiz

Geoff Johns is taking the same route Cartoon Network's Justice League did in 2004 by expanding the roster of the League in anticipation of bigger, more ferocious enemies in the future. Honestly, it would have been nice to see more of the core team's adventures and interpersonal relationships before diving into team expansion. Sure, this is Justice League #18 and the 'New 52' has been around for close to two years, but in the modern age of decompressed storytelling, 18 issues has only produced a handful of conflicts that the League has faced. 

Back in the day, 18 issues could have been 18 different stories, a different approach to team building, but one that offered a more robust look at how said team works as a unit. Today, it's still somewhat unclear how the core League members truly work together, how their personalities play off each other, and how that affects their behavior. Johns has done an excellent job delivering character development where possible, but it's still frustrating to see new members coming in at this point. And that's not even mentioning Justice League of America, which also sees Johns bringing lesser known characters into the spotlight. It's just a geyser of new characters, it seems.


** SPOILERS AHEAD! **


Justice League #18 is an exciting issue because we get to see so many faces in one issue. With Hal Jordan out of the picture for the time being, and the near-destruction of Boston in "Throne of Atlantis", Batman and Cyborg decide it's time to reveal the Grid, a circumstantial database of all the world's superheroes. I say circumstantial because the entire Grid was a side-effect of the persistent flow of information into Cyborg's always-connected mainframe. Since he's basically a living supercomputer, Cyborg shares the curse of overabundance with Superman -- they're both continuously aware of almost everything around them. The difference is that Clark hears everyone while Victor processes digital information terabytes at a time. Thus, over the five years of the League's existence, Cyborg inadvertently collected all the known information on every superhero on Earth.

But it's just that: only the known information. Justice League #18 not only showcases established heroes like Black Canary, Zatanna, Firestorm, and Nightwing in a new light, but also gives minor and new characters a chance to shine with a chance at membership in the planet's most exclusive hero club. While the current members of the League all understand the where they are and what the stakes are going forward, most of the invited candidates have no idea what they're in for. It's this juxtaposition that provides a nervous tension that simmers throughout the issue. Even Nightwing and Batman's short interaction reflects their relationship post-"Death of the Family". And how could it not be awkward? Six of the most powerful beings on the planet are judging and choosing new colleagues to patrol everything, not just a city or neighborhood beat.

There's no escaping the fact that Justice League #18 is a good old-fashioned prelude issue. There's so much being set up from beginning to end that it's hard to squeeze a story-proper out of an issue like this. Fortunately, Geoff Johns stands up to the task and makes the entire affair feel completely fluid and natural. My bias for the structure of character development aside, JL #18 hits all the right marks. At the end of the day, it's really hard not to like seeing so many familiar (and some unfamiliar) faces in one issue.

GRADE

7.5/10

REVIEW: JUSTICE LEAGUE #16

(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Ivan Reis
(i) Joe Prado

Last fall, a number of DC creators, editors, and executives started talking about how 2013 was going to be a year full of changes for the 'New 52'. Geoff Johns' epic "Throne of Atlantis" could have been a simple crossover between Justice League and Aquaman -- a natural move since Johns writes both series -- but it's slowly transforming into a turning point for the entire DCnU.

Justice League #16 sets up the final pieces for the inevitable war between Atlantis and the surface world. The issue is thick with anticipation -- the difference between war and peace lies with Aquaman's ability to temper the Justice League's justifiable anger over the tidal wave that decimated the eastern seaboard against his brother Orm's anger over the perceived attack on Atlantis. At some points, Aquaman is literally standing between the League and Orm, stopping all hell from breaking loose. Aquaman's ethical quandary over how to proceed -- standing with the League and demanding justice from Orm, or adhering to Atlantean tradition by forsaking the entire surface world -- is a central theme for the entire sequence. The one unfortunate element of this situation is that all the character behave in cliche superhero fashion of punching first and asking questions later. Batman, in particular, acts particularly out of character for a hero who understands the intricacies of how fear compels people to do unspeakable things. But traditional superhero tropes aren't enough to detract too much from this stellar issue. 

But there's a lot more to Justice League #16 than just the beachhead confrontation between the League and Ocean Master. For one, Dr. Shin has been an important and central character in Aquaman since the first issue, so it comes as no surprise that he's a target of a team of Atlantean assassins who believe Shin is a key figure in turning the tide of the coming war. Being the foremost human expert on Atlantean physiology puts the Doctor in the unique position of finding a weakness to exploit. Johns also properly introduces Dr. T.O. Morrow into the 'New 52' with his suggestion that S.T.A.R. Labs employ his nameless "android" to take control of the weather from Orm, who has used his mystical staff to conjure up a series of deadly storms. It's just a passing remark, and the idea gets shot down by Cyborg's dad pretty quickly, but not before a certain Dr. Magnus and his Metal Men are also mentioned. Being the Chief Creative Officer for DC, Johns has a lot of freedom to include little nuggets of foreshadowing. Of course, the biggest "holy sh*t" moment comes with the final splash page that points to a bold new direction not only for Justice League, but also the DCnU at-large.

Justice League #16 is a fun issue full of intense action, plot-advancing story, and an ending that will get most any DC fan excited for the future of the series and the 'New 52'. Already, a tidal wave has destroyed the east coast of the United States. That's going to last for a while, and a war with Atlantis is going to change the landscape even more. Since last Free Comic Book Day, we've known that 2013 would bring "Trinity War", the first major 'New 52' crossover that would effect the entire line. "Throne of Atlantis" may or may not be a prelude to this massive event, but it's setting the standard for 2013 being about big ideas and big changes.

GRADE

9/10

REVIEW: JUSTICE LEAGUE #15

(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Ivan Reis
(i) Joe Prado

I'm torn in my feelings about "Throne of Atlantis".

I really want to like the story, and I very much want to understand how this is a bold, new direction for both Aquaman and Justice League. This week saw the release of the first two parts of "Throne of Atlantis" within Aquaman #15 and Justice League #15 respectively. Since Geoff Johns is writing both titles, he's not limited to cooperating with other writers to convey a singular tale. Instead, this is more like Johns featuring Johns--the characters feel fluid throughout the narrative because they're being written the same way each time, and the story itself is strong because the whole thing is Johns' brainchild. While this situation should have birthed some amazingly epic crossover, the whole idea kind of falls flat. We've seen Atlantis rise up before, and it's kind of starting to get old. I know this is the first time it's happened in the 'New 52', and for that reason, I'm willing to give Johns the benefit of the doubt when it comes to world-building (seeing as he's DC's Chief Creative Officer). And that's why I'm torn over this crossover as a whole: Johns is doing the best he can to make a rather dated idea more appropriate for the modern age, and while it's there are some general missteps made, there's also a lot to like in these pages.

Let's look at the missteps first. I'm worried "Throne of Atlantis" is getting dangerously close to Ultimatum territory in terms of needless death and unapologetic detriment to that universe at-large. In fact, the splash page of the tidal wave looming over Metropolis is eerily similar in look, tone, and feel to the wave Magneto sent to destroy New York City. Upon closer analysis, the similarities become even more apparent. Both Magneto and Ocean Master unleash a massive force of nature upon an unsuspecting human population in an effort to drastically alter the status quo. Both villains are purposefully left out of the issue wherein they cause the destruction, mostly as a means of making them more sinister and foreboding. Lastly, both Magneto and Orm lash out because someone or something is manipulating their emotions through death or destruction.

Now for the good. The fact that Geoff Johns has developed this entire crossover means he's got a lot up his sleeve. There are bound to be plot twists, double-crossings, hidden agendas, and shocking fallouts. Even though the events depicted in Justice League #15 mirror other comic book stories, Johns writers some of the best interpersonal relationships around. For "Throne of Atlantis", he's included a number of plot elements that have been building in both Justice League and Aquaman since their respective beginnings. We see Batman and Aquaman putting aside their personal issues with each other and working together to stop some of Scarecrow's henchmen. The normal, civilan dinner shared by Superman and Wonder Woman gives Diana perspective as to how Clark manages his life outside the League. And Cyborg's slow-burning narrative with his father continues to spotlight Victor's isolation and need to feel human.

The good outweighs the bad, in the end. Justice League #15 has some glaring weaknesses in terms of basic premise, but Geoff Johns' solid character work makes up for it. Additionally, bringing on the stellar Aquaman artistic team of Ivan Reis and Joe Prado was a dynamite choice on DC's part. While Jim Lee's pencils are good, I've always liked Ivan Reis' facial expressions and Joe Prado's depth in shading. I'm excited for "Throne of Atlantis" because I really like stories like this, and I'm confident Johns will do it justice.

GRADE

8/10

REVIEW: JUSTICE LEAGUE #14

(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Tony S. Daniel

Justice League #14 brings the conclusion to "The Secret of the Cheetah", last month wherein Wonder Woman's best friend, Barbara Minerva, was possessed by the Amazonian goddess of the hunt and driven crazy by the power. I'd never read too much that included Cheetah in the pre-'New 52' days (probably saw her in crossovers, etc.), but I can't imagine she was anywhere near as cool as Geoff Johns' reinterpretation -- it's like going from tofurkey to a honest-to-goodness Thanksgiving bird! This month, we discover how Barbara Minerva's actions are more nefarious than we previously believed.

At the end of JL#13, Cheetah sank her teeth into Superman and turned him into a rabid man-cheetah bent on taking down his comrades. This is a cool plot development -- the Cheetah is either as strong or stronger than the Man of Steel -- but it's not given the opportunity to go anywhere before the League discovers the Cheetah's weakness and uses it on Clark. The appearance of the ancient tribe who worships the Cheetah as the goddess of the hunt isn't interesting enough. Sure, they've got a lot of insight on the Cheetah as a deity, Barbara Minerva's intentions, and how to save Superman's life, but it all comes at the cost of too much expository monologue. 

Instead of making this story arc a bit more fluid and organic -- perhaps with a full issue of cheetah-controlled Superman hunting the League members -- "The Secret of the Cheetah" feels rushed and compressed. Promotional material form DC states that the "road to 'Trinity War' is paved through Justice League #14'. With nothing else to go on, I can't really say what that connection might be. Then again, Johns is a master as subtle build-up to explosive results, so there's a big possibility I'll be reading "Trinity War" next year, and I'll come back to JL#14 only to see something I'll tell myself should have been obvious.

GRADE

7.8/10

JUSTICE LEAGUE #13

(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Tony S. Daniel
(i) Richard Friend and Batt

It's not often that Geoff Johns takes a breather. Usually, the man is constructing some massive arc that has major ramifications for the entire DCnU, and then some. It's not a bad quality at all. In fact, Johns' ability to make nearly anything he writes feel epic is what makes him such an amazing storyteller. For the past 13 months, Johns has worked magic with Justice League, a series that many journalists have criticized for having a lackluster opening arc and a mediocre second. Here's the thing - nothing is perfect, not even the Justice League. Fanboys - and increasingly, journalists - are becoming hardened against different interpretations of established continuity, no matter the situation. Why does it matter that Hal Jordan is a huge jerk? Why can't that be part of the variety of personalities on the team? Is it really a huge deal that only three members of the League appear in the first issue, even though it's the beginning of an origin story that spans six issues? Are we that jaded against change? Sure, Hal says annoying things from time to time, but I'd rather have him cracking bad jokes every once in a while than a set of seven perfect examples of human ingenuity and dedication who say the right thing every time.

Justice League #13 starts a three-issue arc focusing on the Cheetah, a classic Wonder Woman villain reimagined with a much better backstory. I mentioned Johns' penchant for the grandiose earlier because this issue proves how well he can write a smaller-scale narrative, as well. This isn't a planet-wide threat, or even a nation-wide one - "The Secret of the Cheetah" is a personal tale about Wonder Woman and Cheetah's past. It's also about a team willing and ready to help their fellow teammate without a moment's hesitation. Cheetah is largely considered to have been Wonder Woman's arch-enemy in the pre-'New 52' universe, so it makes sense that Diana's relationship with Cheetah cuts deeper than the team could know. Johns is applying his multi-layered narrative style to a more minimal stage, resulting in heavy interpersonal relationships and emotionally-driven plot advancement.

Tony S. Daniel is stepping in for a few issues before Ivan Reis and Joe Prado take over in a few months, and his style is a breath of fresh air. Jim Lee was doing some great issues for the first few months of the 'New 52', but the quality steadily feel through the summer and into the fall. It's nice to see more crisp detail and solid inking, and honestly, the artwork goes a long way in making Justice League #13 such a good issue. 

And while DC's website claimed that Johns' "Shazam" back up was still happening, in actuality, it's a story penned by Geoff Johns and Jeff Lemire about Steve Trevor and Oliver Queen. Trevor is done working for A.R.G.U.S., and decides to drink himself into a stupor when Ollie Queen shows up to deliver some bad news that looks to be of some importance in the upcoming Justice League of America starting next year.

GRADE

8/10

JUSTICE LEAGUE #12

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Jim Lee and Scott Williams (et al)

I'm going to start this review off by saying that the kiss between Superman and Wonder Woman is a lot less 'awe-inspiring' than DC let on. In fact, one could argue that the reasons behind the titular tongue-tying should have been raised years ago, even decades. But more on that later. Justice League #12 wraps up not only the first year of the title, but also "The Villain's Journey", the second arc for the series that dealt with new villain Graves who was out to destroy the League and remake the world in his own way. The thing is, that phrase holds a significantly different meaning for Graves in the pages of Justice League than it normally ever does. While even I'll admit that using spectres of long-lost loved ones is a bit cliche, Johns employs this narrative strategy to get to the heart of the main issue with the team as a whole: the Justice League is not and cannot be held accountable for their actions.

The fight with climactic battle that opens the issue is only significant for Graves' vocalized thoughts. While having the team come face-to-face with dead loved ones sounds emotionally relevant, the whole ordeal comes off as trite after Graves weighs in. "I've destroyed the Justice League, but I'm not here to destroy each one of you," laments Graves as he watches them, a twinkle of glee in his eyes. The whole point of the League was for the sum to be greater than it's individual parts. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. When you gather seven god-like beings together, it's a good idea to have someone around to ground them once in a while. While Steve Trevor was supposed to fill this void, his prior relationship with Wonder Woman hindered his ability to see the unbiased truths when it came to the League. However twisted and painful, Graves assumes the role of 'moral conscience', making the team question themselves for the first time since they banded together.

And that, dear readers, is where the real meat of this issue lies. The truth of the matter is, superheroes are not held accountable for their actions - they can't be if they hope to do their jobs well. The Justice League is an organization unlike any other on the planet, especially now that the 'New 52' rebooted most of the fringe teams out of existence. And while it might be cool to see costumed heroes battling aliens for a while, eventually, the novelty wears off and people want the truth over everything else.

They're not wrong for wanting it.

Johns does a fantastic job, this month, delving into philosophically-charged territory. And with the 'New 52' freedom under his belt, the characters get an interesting take on the subject - Flash insists that the League has to be better, while Batman sees the subjectivity of their situation. Green Lantern is the one who gets to the answer first: even though the League might not be perfect, it still has to try because the world needs the League. Because bad news always accompanies deed of sacrifice such as these, Hal Jordan resigns from the League. Citing his instigation of the fight between the Leaguers that aired across the world, Hal offers himself up as a scapegoat. The people of Earth get someone to blame, while the League gets to continue doing what they do, even though they know that the world could turn on them at any moment if they slip up again, even a little bit.

Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor (technically) break up again, sending Steve into fits of angry muttering and a final demand for Diana to leave, and a preview for the next year of stories looks like the League will have their hands full with Steve Trevor's A.R.G.U.S.-operated Justice League of America, a team that looks to be in direct conflict with the League proper, for more reasons than one.

Justice League #12 does an excellent job capping off a first year that saw the team come together and face more than just villains. Geoff Johns is slowly figuring out the team's voice and how they honestly fit into the greater DC universe. It's a difficult task, no doubt, but Johns has a long history with Teen Titans, and his pre-'New 52' work on Green Lantern included some of the characters best stories in years. Now, after taking the time to give us readers the basic stuff, it's time to go into new territory. Obviously, Superman and Wonder Woman's relationship is leading this trend, and coupled with Hal Jordan's resignation, we're sure to be in for an exciting 2013.

GRADE

A-

JUSTICE LEAGUE #11

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Jim Lee, Scott Williams, and Jonathan Glapion

The problem with writing for an ensemble is making each character interesting and a part of the story. This is hard enough to accomplish in film, TV, or even books, and it's even harder to do in a comic book such as Justice League. Not only does Geoff Johns feature each member of the League - at least a little bit - in nearly every issue, he's also been doing a fantastic job conveying each character's personality through their behavior while part of a team dynamic. Ever since DC relaunched it's entire line, a big complaint from many critics and fans alike has been Hal Jordan's brash and jerky behavior as opposed to his traditional 'All-American' personality that defined him for so many years. I'd like to argue that Hal Jordan was getting boring, and Johns has finally given Earth's preeminent Green Lantern a reason to be interested in him, even if that means loving to hate his asshole tendencies.

A big part of what makes Justice League so interesting to read, whether you think it's a good book or not, is that it presents each hero in circumstances out of their comfort zone. For Diana, it means working with others and compromising when it makes logical sense. Steve Trevor is hostage to Graves, and Diana wants to go after them alone, while Hal tried to talk her into sticking with the League and tracking down Graves together. Hal and Diana's face-off is great and gives a great deal more meaning to their working relationship. Us readers haven't seen much of the time between Darkseid's attack and this current Graves situation, which leaves a lot of room open for Johns to play around with each members' relationship with the others. "You've been dying for this, haven't you?" asks Hal to Diana, obviously rhetorically. Green Lantern and Wonder Woman apparently have some built-up tension that finally manages to break their respective patiences and they proceed to get into a fist fight that Graves somehow manages to broadcast across the globe. Of course, Hal's only the first one to stop Diana from making a mistake by going off alone, and soon, Superman is on the ground, too. Cyborg finally teleports the entire team north to David Graves' writing cabin, where they hope to find Graves himself as well as poor Steve Trevor. 



At the beginning of the issue, Graves goes to torment Tracy Trevor, Steve's sister, for some unexplained reason. Honestly, there doesn't seem to be any actual motive for Graves' visit other than to tell Tracy that he's going to kill her brother and that she should be grateful that she wont have to witness it. The League follows Graves' only to be berated by Tracy about their irresponsibility with her brother, not only professionally, but also intimately. While I understand that this scene facilitates Wonder Woman's eventual lashing-out at the other Leaguers, it really feels clumsy, like this scene came together at the last moment and inconsistencies - like the villain's reason for his actions? - were simply overlooked.



The problem with writing for an ensemble is making each character interesting and a part of the story. This is hard enough to accomplish in film, TV, or even books, and it's even harder to do in a comic book such as Justice League. Not only does Geoff Johns feature each member of the League - at least a little bit - in nearly every issue, he's also been doing a fantastic job conveying each character's personality through their behavior while part of a team dynamic. Ever since DC relaunched it's entire line, a big complaint from many critics and fans alike has been Hal Jordan's brash and jerky behavior as opposed to his traditional 'All-American' personality that defined him for so many years. I'd like to argue that Hal Jordan was getting boring, and Johns has finally given Earth's preeminent Green Lantern a reason to be interested in him, even if that means loving to hate his asshole tendencies.


A big part of what makes Justice League so interesting to read, whether you think it's a good book or not, is that it presents each hero in circumstances out of their comfort zone. For Diana, it means working with others and compromising when it makes logical sense. Steve Trevor is hostage to Graves, and Diana wants to go after them alone, while Hal tried to talk her into sticking with the League and tracking down Graves together. Hal and Diana's face-off is great and gives a great deal more meaning to their working relationship. Us readers haven't seen much of the time between Darkseid's attack and this current Graves situation, which leaves a lot of room open for Johns to play around with each members' relationship with the others. "You've been dying for this, haven't you?" asks Hal to Diana, obviously rhetorically. Green Lantern and Wonder Woman apparently have some built-up tension that finally manages to break their respective patiences and they proceed to get into a fist fight that Graves somehow manages to broadcast across the globe. Of course, Hal's only the first one to stop Diana from making a mistake by going off alone, and soon, Superman is on the ground, too. Cyborg finally teleports the entire team north to David Graves' writing cabin, where they hope to find Graves himself as well as poor Steve Trevor. 

Not even Graves can describe himself in a simple way...

At the beginning of the issue, Graves goes to torment Tracy Trevor, Steve's sister, for some unexplained reason. Honestly, there doesn't seem to be any actual motive for Graves' visit other than to (again, inexplicably) give Tracy his abridged life story and power set origin, then tell her that he's going to kill her brother and that she should be grateful that she wont have to witness it...What?  The League follows Graves only to be berated by Tracy about their irresponsibility with her brother professionally and also intimately. While I understand that this scene facilitates Wonder Woman's eventual lashing-out at the other Leaguers, it really feels clumsy, like this scene came together at the last moment, so  inconsistencies - like the villain's reason for his actions? - were simply overlooked.


On top of that, Johns takes even more time - later in the issue - to finish giving us Grave's origin story. At the end of it all, Graves just feels like a villain that's too forced for his own good. Darkseid: evil alien warlord whose search for the anti-life equation leads him to become an intergalactic conqueror. See? One sentence to describe one of the most iconic Superman villains of all time. Graves: author whose family died as an indirect result of a Justice League-related battle, so he seeks out haunted gods who will  fuse him with the spirits of his dead family, thus giving him a weird, alien-lizard look...and he can use his powers(?) to make people see their dead family members, and take away their energy, I guess. If that sentence was as painful to read as it was to write, you'll understand how silly of a character Graves really seems.


I like Justice League. You get to see a different side of your favorite heroes and, more often than not, it's exciting and fun to read, which is the real goal of all comic books. "The Villain's Journey" started out strong, with a path that had the potential to produce an awesome new nemesis for the League. Instead, we got Graves, a whiney writer who has deluded himself into believing the Justice League is responsible for his family's eventual death.

SCORE

7.7/10

(COMIC) JUSTICE LEAGUE #10

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Jim Lee, Scott Williams, Mark Irwin, and Jonathan Glapion

We're starting to get a little more of the bigger picture of the second major arc of Justice League. "The Villain's Journey" continues this month with some revelations concerning the League's outside lives and the origin of Graves.

A good portion of this month's issue is dedicated to giving readers a bit more insight into the lives of each League member and who knows what about who. Like a what's what of how their personal lives affect them professionally. Graves has been torturing and interrogating villains associated with each League member, learning more and more about them each time. Cyborg is forced to explain to Hal Jordan (who is still consistently thick-headed in Justice League) that the more Graves knows about them, the more he can exploit their weaknesses: Barry's police-influenced desire to work within the boundaries of the law, Wonder Woman's secret rendezvous to a Native American reserve, and that Batman doesn't trust anyone on the team. These little call-outs from Cyborg not only add bricks to the 'New 52' universe, but they also give readers connections between books (Barry Allen is dating Patty Spivot in The Flash, and this relationship is mentioned during the briefing.) The notion that Batman doesn't trust anyone also brings about the revelation that the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel work together outside of the League, something that hasn't been seen or mentioned up until now.


More so than ever before, Justice League is beginning to feel like a launching point for much of what happens throughout the DC universe now. Steve Trevor's consistent presence, Green Arrow's recruitment to some "other team", the Martian Manhunter's apparent sort stint as a member, and the use of Apokolyptian boom tubes as means of teleporting all show potential to affect more than just the adventures of the Justice League. These are the story elements that will have long-term results, possibly years down the road.

By the end of their discussion, the question of trust has been raised between all of them - how can they trust one another while some know more about each other than others? In days long past, the League was a simpler entity that rarely asked questions of this nature, simply because the readership demanded nothing more than superheroes beating up super villains. Today, it's important that a more realistic base be set for the characters we read about. Mistrust amongst a group of demi-gods who don't know each others' names is a very likely scenario.


Graves shows up on the Watchtower at the end of the issue to lay the smack down on the League. From the opening vignette, we gather that David Graves got his powers from some disgraced gods in Pamir Mountains. The closing pages tell us that these powers can somehow be used to harbor other souls and/or life-forces through emotional manipulation. With little more than a mention of her beloved Steve, Wonder Woman attacks Graves and quickly goes down, the life drained out of her both spiritually and physically as he body begins to wither. Soon, the entire League is down and Graves is in control of the Watchtower. A fantastic cliffhanger if I've ever read one.


The "Shazam!" back-up actually picks up a little bit this month as Billy sneaks out of the Vasquez's house late at night. Freddy Freeman follows him to the zoo where Billy is telling a tiger that it's the only real family he's got left. Freddy interrupts and before Billy can blow up, Freddy suggests vandalizing the house of the boys who hassle the other foster kids at school each morning. This bit of bonding between Billy and Freddy provides the seeds to Freddy becoming Captain Marvel Jr., or maybe some new incarnation of hero associated with the wizard Shazam.


And speaking of the wizard, Doctor Sivana continues his archaeological dig, now complete with a fancy magic-seeing eye that helps him see the mystical spells placed on the door to a greater prize than any gold or gems. As he utters a single, "Shazam", Black Adam emerges from the tomb demanding to see the wizard! The final, double-wide pullout pages of The New 52 #1 revealed what looked like Black Adam fighting Vibe, though many posited that it was just the 'New 52' version of Captain Marvel, as Billy Batson is much more mean-spirited than his former self. Obviously, Black Adam is here, which spells trouble for our little trouble maker.

GRADE

B

(COMIC) JUSTICE LEAGUE #7

Written by Geoff Johns
Guest Artwork by Gene Ha and Art Lyon

Has enough time passed that I can say I'm disappointed in Justice League. What could have been an intimate and worthwhile re-introduction to the greatest superhero team ever has been sorely lacking. The narrative style makes the reader feel like an outside observer instead of being connected to the drama and action unfolding. It's unfortunate that a writer as talented as Geoff Johns has lowered his standards to be more visually appealing and cater to the lowest common denominator. Obviously, everyone knows what the Justice League is, but the whole point of the 'New 52' was to reset everything and start from (near) scratch to build something better and more cohesive. Justice League relies too heavily on readers being invested in each characters' individual titles for character development and emotional connection. If you don't read The Flash, you'd honestly have no idea what kind of person Barry Allen is from the pages of Justice League. And if you've never read a Green Lantern book before, Hal Jordan comes off as the biggest douchebag in the universe. All this being said, this month's issue was hit a bit closer to the target, but still misses the mark on a few key points.

Now that the League is an established entity, it seems like some time has passed since their fight with Darkseid and they now have some semi-partnership with the United Nations. In a clever and insightful one-off, Johns explains that the UN provides the League with food and living necessities as part of their working agreement. This might seem like a small detail, but it's one that was never really talked about before. Much like Tony Stark and the Avengers over at Marvel, many assumed Bruce Wayne's coiffeurs were paying the JL bills. But in this modern age, it became increasingly unlikely that the Wayne fortune could sustain the basic needs of the League, let alone a giant, orbiting space watchtower.

Steve Trevor takes center stage this issue as the UN liaison to the Justice League and a possible romantic interest for Wonder Woman. A bulk of the issue proper deals with Trevor's relationship with the League. After the requisite fight this issue - against some rando infected by some spore-based leech monster - Johns turns the focus to the real-world issues that would plague an organization like the Justice League. At Trevor's press conference, reporters begin to suggest that the League should take over governmental operations, that the American people trust Superman and Batman far more than their elected officials. It's another clever moment for Johns as he comments on the current state of the government-population relationship.

Unfortunately, we still get almost no team time or deeper understanding of the characters outside of Steve Trevor who isn't a League member anyway. The first six issues did little to give these six individuals reason to come together (really, Darkseid's appearance was way too convenient), and this issue gives nothing more by way of meaning. Again, the 'New 52' was supposed to be about bringing in new readers. Without giving context, Johns is stripping away the Justice League of everything that makes them awesome. The Avengers - at least in the comics these days - are getting super lame because Marvel keeps adding new spinoff teams (and ongoing series'), switching members and not providing emotional connections. Johns needs to step up the quality on Justice League before readers begin losing interest.

GRADE:

B-

Review: Justice League #5

Review




Justice League #5
Written by Geoff Johns
Artwork by Jim Lee and Scott Williams

Fragmentation has long been the problem with the Justice League. It's difficult to tell a chapter in a story - in 22 pages no less - that encompasses the whole range of heroes that fall under the Justice League banner. Even the core seven - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Aquaman and (newly added founding member) Cyborg - present an overflow of high-profile characters that need to be represented. It's a problem with the current status quo of single comic issues in general, but it's more prevalent in Justice League because of the sheer amount of content Johns has to work with.

It's a blessing, but also, in this issue five, a curse. Already in the first issue, we saw the 'Green Lantern & Batman' show that made it feel more like a crossover mini-series than the flagship title of DC's 'New 52' relaunch.

While subsequent issues have faired better, this month's story brings us back to Hal and Bruce kickin' it old school. Though Darkseid is front and center in the opening pages, he quickly gets put off-panel to focus on Green Lantern and Batman talking things out. Before that, though, we get to see a good bit of fast thinking from Barry Allen as the Flash. Darkseid's (technically still not named) Omega beams have locked onto the Flash and instead of outrunning them, he phases through a parademon to change the beam's target. It's a little cheesy, but aptly conveys Barry's newly-interpreted powers as a speedster.

Johns is sticking to his guns with his interpretation of early Hal Jordan as a total dick. In this issue, he decides that only he can stop this alien menace, even though his first attempt left him with a broken arm. Next, when it's just GL and Bats alone...again...Hal tells Batman that, if he dies, "THEN I DIE!", a sentiment that somehow moves Bruce into unmasking himself and revealing who he is to Hal, who promptly screams that he has no idea who Bruce Wayne is.

I understand that Geoff Johns loves Green Lantern. I also understand that Batman is probably one of the most interesting characters to write, so writing them together - which hasn't been done nearly enough - sounds like a good idea. Unfortunately, this is supposed to be Justice League. This was the first issue where the entire team was gathered, yet Superman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman have a handful of words at best before being relegated off-panel. I know Johns and Jim Lee have high hopes for their new incarnation of Justice League, including adding a ton more members. But as it stands now, they seem to be having trouble just balancing seven.

I still really enjoyed this issue, despite all my whining. It was filled with action from Darkseid, Flash, Green Lantern and Batman with a great last page of the whole team heading out to take down their first villain as a team.

Grade: C+