Name: JPRoscoe
Email:
Bio: Follow me on Twitter @JPRoscoe76! Loves all things pop-culture especially if it has a bit of a counter-culture twist. Plays video games (basically from the start when a neighbor brought home an Atari 2600), comic loving (for almost 30 years), and a true critic of movies. Enjoys the art house but also isn't afraid to let in one or two popular movies at the same time.
Posts by JPRoscoe:
Shock Corridor (1963)
December 9th, 2018|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: Shock Corridor
Studio: Allied Artist Pictures
Genre(s): Drama/Mystery/Suspense
Release Date(s): September 11, 1963
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
I must convince them that I’m one of them.
The murder of a patient in an asylum has led journalist Johnny Barrett (Peter Breck) to a dangerous assignment that he thinks could win him the Pulitzer Prize. Going undercover with the help of girlfriend Cathy (Constance Towers), his editor Swanson (Bill Zuckert), and a psychiatrist Dr. Fong (Philip Ahn), Johnny is posing as insane to question three patients: Stuart (James Best), Trent (Hari Rhodes), and Boden (Gene Evans). Johnny is going to have to fight to gain their trust, and as he’s pushed harder and harder, Johnny might reach the breaking point before he finds the truth.
Directed by Sam Fuller, Shock Corridor is a murder-mystery melodrama. The movie was released to positive reviews and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 1996. The Criterion Collection released a remastered version of the film (Criterion #19).
Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head!
Shock Corridor was marketed as an exploitation film and rereleased with Fuller’s follow up The Naked Kiss. Both films have a kind of “shock” value to them that I’m sure felt different at the time. While The Naked Kiss has the neo-noir vibe to it, Shock Corridor feels at times it tries a bit too hard to be edgy.
The story definitely had edge in the 1960s. The look at psychiatry alone was something new that had been done in things like Ken Kesey’s novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in 1962, and this feels like it spins out of that (though it was planned earlier). You have characters dealing with current social issues like Trent who was forced into integration, Boden who was shattered by his part in the creation of the atomic bomb, and Stuart who was angry with his country. It is the framework story that is over-the-top and a bit too campy at times…including the ending which feels like a bad Twilight Zone twist.
Peter Breck does a good job being pushed to the edge. It is a tough role with events getting more and more tense, and Breck must continue to elevate himself. The movie also does well with its three supporting “crazies” played by James Best, Hari Rhodes, and Gene Evans. Constance Towers also gives a strong performance as Breck’s girlfriend who has to masquerade as his sister to keep his story going.
I’m CRAZY!!!
The movie is aided by great visuals. The “corridor” is a like a fun house presentation (Fuller hired little people to make it look like it extended further) and the black-and-white movie sometimes goes color with dream sequences. The movie also features a great moment where Breck is pushed over the edge and “rain” begins to flood the corridor. It is a very set based film, but it is effective in the use of the sets.
Shock Corridor is a fun film that probably has lost some of its drama over the years. The film was originally planned for the 1940s with Fritz Lang (which would have been a really experimental film at the time), but the movie probably was better served by being in the 1960s. It’s over the top and a visual feast at point, but Shock Corridor is worth seeking out.
It Follows (2014)
December 8th, 2018|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: It Follows
Studio: Animal Kingdom
Genre(s): Horror
Release Date(s): May 17, 2014 (Cannes Film Festival)/March 13, 2015 (US)
MPAA Rating: R
I think I broke my leg…
A night out with a boy named Hugh (Jake Weary) which ends in a never-ending terror for Jay (Maika Monroe). Hugh has “infected” Jay with something. Jay finds herself being followed by an unstoppable entity that can only be passed on to others but will always return to the previous victim. Jay with her friends Paul (Keir Gilchrist), Kelly (Lili Sepe), Yara (Olivia Luccardi), and Greg (Daniel Zovatto) set out to stop the creature and save Jay…but it follows.
Written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, It Follows is a horror film that premiered at Cannes in 2013. The film received strong reviews and good word of mouth. It received a small release in the United States in 2015 but a much larger release after strong box-office numbers.
Like many, I heard about It Follows from internet chat and slowly saw the movie build speed. I’m a fan of horror, but horror has a habit of letting you down (but a bad horror film is often a good comedy). It feels like horror has been in a bit of a slump over the years, and It Follows might be the key to breaking it out.
Sex is bad for you again…
It Follows is both high concept and retro. The movie feels like classic older horror films with an unstoppable entity (shades of The Evil Dead meets Night of the Living Dead). The classic feeling horror story is met with a nice social commentary of the dangers of sex. The writer based the story on a nightmare he had as a child but admitted he really didn’t want to examine the social aspect. Though the story feels like a commentary on STDs, it could also just be seen clearly as a horror story.
The cast is better than many classic horror films. The young cast brings a lot of depth to the story…this is something that generally isn’t true in horror films. Maika Monroe’s damaged Jay and her friends feel like they were screwed up before the entity began following them…it actually gives them direction that they seemed to lack. The smart cast is aided by smart writing.
Peek-a-Boo!!!
The visuals of the movie really are a throwback combined with more modern shooting style. The film is loaded with slow pans, and potential scares since the creature could be any of the people walking behind the scenes (and the movie loads the film with potential enemies). The entity isn’t always horrific, but it is nerve-racking while combined with the decay of Detroit which is scary in itself.
It Follows was a fun film. It is much more artsy than some may like and the more ambiguous ending might not sit with everyone who expects the monster to pop up in the last frame. I hope It Follows is a one and done. Yes, there is more that can be done with the story, but this is not a franchise. This movie feels like the originality that movies like Jennifer’s Body strived for…but failed. It Follows is a fun ride that I hope will reinvigorate the genre.
Room (2015)
December 8th, 2018|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: Room
Studio: TG4 Films
Genre(s): Drama/Mystery/Suspense
Release Date(s): September 4, 2015 (Telluride Film Festival)/October 16, 2015 (US)
MPAA Rating: R
How far would you go as a mother?
Jack (Jacob Tremblay) lives in Room with Lamp, Skylight, Wardrobe, and other things. Outside of Room is space and the TV world. Jack lives in Room with his mother Joy Newsome (Brie Larson) who takes care of him and meets with Old Nick (Sean Bridgers) when he visits. Jack has just turned five and things are going to change for Jack. Jack’s mother reveals to him that the stories she told him as a child are a lie and that there is a whole other world outside of Room that they must reach if they hope survive…and Jack must help his mother trick Old Nick for him to see them.
Directed by Lenny Abrahamson, Room is an adaptation of Emma Donoghue’s award winning 2002 novel and adapted by Donoghue herself. The film was released to rave reviews and awards for both Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay. The film won an Academy Award for Best Actress (Larson) with nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. A *****Spoiler Alert***** is in effect for the rest of the review.
Room feels like an adaptation of the Ohio abduction story…but was written long before the three women were discovered imprisoned in an Ohio home. That’s because this happens (scary as it seems) far more often than people expect. Room is a good example of how this can occur and what happens to the people if they survive captivity.
Great performances
I was surprised by Room’s structure. I expected more “Room” and less “after Room”. There were a number of times in the movie where I felt that the movie could end, and I would be satisfied. Instead, the movie switches direction about halfway through the film with Jack and Joy’s escape and how they (and their family) cope with what has occurred. Both halves of the film are compelling and both halves are equally good (for different reasons).
The acting for the film is stellar. Brie Larson provides a breakthrough performance as the mother willing to do or try anything to get her son to safety and who realizes that simply being “safe” isn’t enough. With children actors, it can also be tricky, but Jacob Tremblay also rules his scenes. He plays a slightly younger character, but he really is the star of the film. He shows exceptional skill at his age (especially during Room scenes). After the Room sequence, I like the dynamic set up with Joy’s family (played by William H. Macy, Joan Allen, and Tom McCamus) show different reactions to the abduction.
See the world through someone seeing the world for the first time
Visually, Room is quite amazing. The shooting area for the film is very tight and it managed to look big. That parallels the story which has the characters trying to feel like they are living in a big area despite the small size. The end of the film features a return to Room and Jack is able to see that Room was small and that the world is bigger…and analogy for the whole film.
Room is a great movie with a great cast and looks fantastic. It isn’t an easy movie, and it looks even rough on the actors involved. It was a tricky and still managed to surprise. I am glad I went into Room with little expectations or knowledge of the story and as a result it was one of the cases where I left with the film exceeding my expectations. See Room and check out some great acting.
Related Links:
The 88th Academy Award Nominations
Man Bites Dog (1992)
December 8th, 2018|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: Man Bites Dog
Studio: Les Artistes Anonymes
Genre(s): Comedy/Drama/Horror
Release Date(s): September 12, 1992 (Toronto International Film Festival)/January 15, 1993 (US)
MPAA Rating: NC-17
Man…disposing of bodies is such a pain
Ben (Benoît Poelvoorde) is about to become a star. He’s being followed by a documentary crew tracking and shooting his every move…as he lives his life as a serial killer. He’ll kill a postman and then use his mail to determine his next target, and Ben will maybe pick off one or two people annoying him along the way. With the crew in tow, Ben shows what it is like to kill for the joy of killing, but even killers have families and friends.
Directed by Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel, and Benoît Poelvoorde, Man Bites Dog (C’est arrivé près de chez vous or It Has Happened Near Your Home) is a mockumentary satire. The Belgium film was released at the Toronto International Film Festival in 1992 with a U.S. release in 1993 (with an NC-17 rating). The Criterion Collection released a remastered version of the film (Criterion #165).
I had seen Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon which got a lot of comparisons to this film. While Leslie Vernon is more of an ode to slasher and devolves into a slasher film at the end, much of the film feels lifted from Man Bites Dog…and of course Man Bites Dog does it better.
Um…yeah. I’m probably going to edit out the parts where I murder people too….
The film is the dark and evil version of mockumentaries like This Is Spinal Tap and Waiting for Guffman. Ben is entertaining and funny, and you don’t like yourself for thinking that. He’s a jerk, racist, and willing to kill children (though he doesn’t like it since there is no profit in it). The filmmakers realize this and capitalize on the uncomfortable laughter that follows Ben and his killings. The secondary story of the crew getting more involved of the killings is also interesting and brings into question the effects of violence on those around it.
The film is largely a vehicle for Benoît Poelvoorde. He must hold the movie together since he is the focus of the documentary and essentially all the other actors are just set pieces for him to play with. I do like his circle of friends who know he’s a serial killer and are ok with it (it does suck when your friend shoots you in the heat at a party though).
Just no profit in killing kids
The black-and-white movie is like many modern “found footage” films with shaky points and segments where the characters are talking off screen or running. It should be remembered that this movie was released before the whole found footage craze really erupted with The Blair Witch Project and it is put together better than many found footage films currently including sometimes playing with the audio and video in that aspect.
Man Bites Dog is an interesting film that was ahead of its time. The NC-17 movie now (while still violent) doesn’t feel as dangerous as I’m sure it felt back in 1992, and it is easier to “enjoy” the joy of the character and reflect on what that means. There is an interesting foreign barrier with the film in that it generally feels like serial killers are a uniquely “American” thing (not true at all), and it gives a foreign take on it when especially in early 1990s the Silence of the Lambs effect was leading to more stories about serial killers…check out Man Bites Dog and witness a strange morality code govern illogical actions.
Gate of Hell (1953)
December 7th, 2018|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: Gate of Hell
Studio: Daiei Studios
Genre(s): Drama
Release Date(s): October 31, 1953 (Japan)/December 10, 1954 (US)
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
I got a request…
Morito Endo (Kazuo Hasegawa) helps thwart a rebellion with one of the Queen’s lady-in-waiting named Kesa (Machiko Kyō). Granted a boon, Morito asks for Kesa’s hand in marriage only to learn that she’s already married to Wataru Wantanbe (Isao Yamagata). Vowing to win Kesa, Morito cannot give up the woman he loves…even if her feelings aren’t the same.
Directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa, Gate of Hell (地獄門 or Jigokumon) is a Japanese period piece (known as a jidaigeki generally set in the Edo period). It won the grand prize at the Cannes Film Festival and an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. The Criterion Collection released a remastered version of the film (Criterion #653).
The race for the heart of someone who doesn’t want her heart taken
Gate of Hell was a random library pick-up to see what it was about. I generally like samurai-type stories, but the story seemed like it was going to be a typical story. I have to admit that the story doesn’t go where I initially thought it would go…but that led to interesting twists and a problem.
In most of these tales, it feels like the lead to a woman stuck between choosing two good men. Here, Morito goes so far off the tracks that it feels like it isn’t even a choice. He is possessive, a stalker, and Kesa doesn’t seem that into him. The problem arises from this. I realize there is some culture involved in the story, but there is a strange sense of apathy in Kesa’s character. She dooms herself without looking for other outs (like just telling people that Morito is threatening her and her family). It doesn’t come off as much as heroic as pathetic.
Well…have some more alcohol
The cast is strong. Kazuo Hasegawa comes off as completely evil by the end of the film as Morito while Isao Yamagata is understanding and likable as Wataru Watanabe. Machiko Kyō is put through the ringer as Lady Kesa, but I still have problems with the apathy of the situation (which is no fault of the actress).
The film was Japan’s first internationally released film in color, and the movie seemed to understand the spectacle of it. The movie brought the beauty and mystery of Japan to an international audience with flare. It has a brightness to the dark story and still pops on screen.
Gate of Hell is a good period piece film. It takes the person who would normally be the hero of the story and turns him into a real villain. It was unexpected in this sense and an interesting twist on the type romance. Add to the story a bright, colorful landscape, and the film really pops as it tells its tale of woe…and death follows.
Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)
December 6th, 2018|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: Sunday Bloody Sunday
Studio: Vectia
Genre(s): Drama/Romance
Release Date(s): July 1, 1971 (Premiere)/September 8, 1971 (US)
MPAA Rating: R
He’s my sorta boyfriend
Divorcee Alex Greville (Glenda Jackson) and gay Jewish doctor Daniel Hirsh (Peter Finch) find themselves sharing the time of artist Bob Elkin (Murray Head). As Elkin bounces between the two, each find themselves falling in love and questioning what love is to them. Bob Elkin is young and up-and-coming and may not be something either one can hold on to.
Directed by John Schlesinger, Sunday Bloody Sunday is a drama. The film was critically acclaimed when it was released and received Academy Award nominations for Best Director, Best Actor (Finch), Best Actress (Jackson), and Best Original Screenplay. The Criterion Collection released a remastered version of the film (Criterion #629).
Midnight Cowboy is one of my favorite films and Sunday Bloody Sunday was Schlesinger’s follow-up. He had a lot more freedom and as a result he made a really original film that seems ahead of its time.
He’s my guy…sort of
What most critics note about Sunday Bloody Sunday is that it doesn’t demonize homosexuality. Finch is a respected doctor who does have relationship problems (as indicated by running into the guy he had previously picked up), but he is pretty normal with a normal relationship with Murray Head. Likewise Glenda Jackson is a divorcee who is rather normal and the conflict really isn’t between the two people in love with Head, but what they are doing with their lives.
The cast is strong. Glenda Jackson gets the “easier” role as a woman trying to spice up her life with Head, and since her role isn’t controversial, her strong performance is sometimes overlooked. Peter Finch got his role after a lot of other actors backed out and both he and Head are pretty fearless in their portrays as couple in a time when even “pretending” to be gay wasn’t in many actors’ roles because of the stigma (you could argue that Midnight Cowboy changed that a little with the attention from the Academy Awards). Head is good as the “boy toy” character, but sometimes he only feels like a boy toy, and I wish his character had been more developed. It is also notable that Daniel Day-Lewis makes his big screen debut (uncredited) in this film as one of the boys who is keying cars on the picnic day.
Well…this is awkward…kind of
The movie has that gritty-’70s look even though it is primarily a romantic drama. The London of Sunday Bloody Sunday is both pretty and dark. It feels real, but a nice contrast to the New York City of Midnight Cowboy. This is tempered with scenes with the family, the Jewish ceremony, the picnic, and the party in which characters are allowed to socialize and have fun (at least for a while…the dog scene is grueling).
Sunday Bloody Sunday is a modern movie made in a time when movies were really starting to experiment and try new things. The movie isn’t necessarily a romance since the relationship between the characters is so jaded and temperamental…they mostly feel lost and stuck between real relationships. The film isn’t for everyone, but it is a film that is full of more thought and real characters than most movies.
The Kid with a Bike (2011)
December 5th, 2018|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: The Kid with a Bike
Studio: Les Films du Fleuve
Genre(s): Drama
Release Date(s): May 15, 2011 (Cannes)/May 18, 2011 (Belgium)
MPAA Rating: PG-13
So…You’re kind of a jerk to me but I’ll still take you, kid
Cyril (Thomas Doret) finds himself suddenly left at a children’s home by his father (Jérémie Renier) after a promise that he will return for him in a month. When a hairdresser named Samantha (Cécile de France) encounters Cyril, she helps him get his bike back and forms an unlikely friendship. Cyril cannot seem to stay out of trouble, and when he encounters a dealer calling himself Wesker (Egon Di Mateo), Cyril could shatter the trust of Samantha and end up in a dangerous position.
Written and directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, The Kid with a Bike (Le gamin au vélo) is a Belgium-French film. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Grand Prix (with Once Upon a Time in Anatolia). The Criterion Collection released a version of the film (Criterion #646).
The Kid with a Bike was a “found it” type movie that I picked up with no research and simply watched because it was a Criterion film. The movie turned into a touching film with people that are “too good” to be real (and that’s ok).
No…I’m not a scuzzy con man at all…you have me all wrong
The movie goes for realism, and despite a woman who can’t possibly be that nice or going out of her way to help Cecil, it does work. In the context of the film, the relationship feels oddly believable and even moments where she chooses Cecil over her boyfriend is told with a rawness that comes from a real-world perspective. It is that honesty that makes Cecil’s bad decisions even more painful because Samantha is being so unrealistically nice to a boy she literally met accidentally that it is almost like spitting in her face (or in one case even physically assaulting her).
Cécile de France is great as the adult who goes out of her way to help someone, but Thomas Doret is also quite good for a child actor in the title role. The scenes between the two characters are strong, but Doret also takes on some great solo scenes with the creepy dealer Egon Di Mateo and Jérémie Renier (both of which are also good). This shows he has more range than just a good working relationship with de France and that he has an ability above his age.
No way anyone is this nice, lady
The movie also looks very normal. It is a naturalistic approach and doesn’t rely on lush scenery and locations. The Dardennes present a real city with real working people. It isn’t meant to glorify their lives or take away from it.
The Kid with a Bike is a nice movie that feels a lot like the classic François Truffaut coming-of-age film The 400 Blows. Both movies feature broken kids that have potential and are on the cusp of either destroying their lives or choosing the right path. I would like to see a follow-up to the characters and see how they ended up. I hope that they are successful and that the bond they built held…but as the movie reminds the viewer regularly, people make mistakes.
Slender Man (2018)
December 5th, 2018|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: Slender Man
Studio: Screen Gems
Genre(s): Horror
Release Date(s): August 10, 2018
MPAA Rating: PG-13
He’s coming for you, but do you even care?
Wren (Joey King), Hallie (Julia Goldani Telles), Chloe (Jaz Sinclair), and Katie (Annalise Basso) hate life in their small town. At a sleepover, they decide to test the urban legend of the Slender Man by summoning him off of a website. As the girls begin to see things that aren’t there, and Katie disappears, Hallie Wren, and Chloe realize that the urban legend might have truth behind it…and the Slender Man is coming for them!
Directed by Sylvain White, Slender Man is based upon the internet character who first appeared in a creepypasta internet meme in 2009 created by Eric Knudsen (who Hallie’s character was named after). The film was released to negative reviews and an average box office return.
Slender Man is a good “monster” and it is interesting to trace the modern urban legend since it can be fully documented. The problem with Slender Man is inherent in the character however and the laziness of the film.
Guys…this is really boring. Let’s watch paint dry instead
The Slender Man character is confusing. People summon him because they want to get away, but he’s evil? It is kind of a like a reverse Pied Piper who follows the children out of town. Unlike Bloody Mary, the monster is just really vague, and the movie doesn’t know what to do with it. The characters just have random reactions to the Slender Man and crazy visuals…there is nothing compelling about the story.
The cast is also all over the place. Many recent teen horror films have been blessed with strong, up-and-coming actor and actresses. This film does have Joey King who has a “scream queen” in the making history, but the other actresses seem to struggle with the horror (but I once again blame the script more for that). The movie also introduces a male character in Alex Fitzalan who completely fizzles out as a character in the plot and the addition of Hallie’s sister Lizzie played by Taylor Richardson further bogs down the movie.
If the movie was scary like this image, it would work (but it isn’t).
While internet visuals of the Slender Man are interesting, this movie relies too heavily on that concept for the scares. It takes the “glimpses” overboard and often the imagery is too dark to really even see anything. It also goes psychedelic at points with the Slender Man inducing visions which once again feel lazy instead of inspired.
Slender Man is a waste of time. It could have had potential and a hardcore R-Rated horror might have aided the limp story. Mostly, the film needed solid writing and a better guided view of the character (and the characters being tormented by him). Stick to the internet pictures of the Slender Man or even some of the games if you want real scares and avoid the movie.
Related Links:
Macbeth (1971)
December 4th, 2018|
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Movie Info
Movie Name: Macbeth
Studio: Caliban Films
Genre(s): Drama
Release Date(s): December 20, 1971 (US)/February 2, 1972 (UK)
MPAA Rating: R
Want to screw with some guys heads?
Macbeth (Jon Finch) and his friend Banquo (Martin Shaw) encounter a group of witches that predict a glorious future for both men. With dreams of being king, Macbeth and his wife (Francesca Annis) realize that the future can only be attained through action…and murder. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth do the unthinkable, and Macbeth learns that the witches’ prediction might be his destiny or a horror of a future he cannot escape!
Directed by Roman Polanski, Macbeth is an adaptation of the William Shakespeare tragedy. The film was the first film following the murder of Polanski’s wife Sharon Tate on August 9, 1969 and faced criticism due to the violence and nudity as a result. The movie bombed at the box office, but has gained more critical acclaim since its release. The Criterion Collection released a remastered version of the film (Criterion #726).
Macbeth is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. It is full of prophecies, witches, spirits, and unlike many of his other tragedies, there isn’t really a comic relief character…it’s just dark. This adaptation of Macbeth is solid and takes the darkness and runs with it.
You need a tough stain out, Shout it out!
The movie essentially presents the story, but by bringing a play to the screen, it isn’t confined by a stage set. The movie makes the play feel bigger and the magnitude of Macbeth’s actions can be seen in the land he usurps and his viciousness. He kills his king, and he and his wife pay the price for their disloyalty. It also raises the question of prophecy versus self-fulfilling prophecy…would Macbeth have still become king somehow if he hadn’t listened to the witches?
Jon Finch and Francesca Annis make good a good Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Generally, the roles were taken by veteran actors, but it doesn’t make much sense that the characters would be old. If someone is going to take the throne and wants to control it a long time, it would beg to reason that they would be young and potentially able to sire a lineage.
Well, this didn’t go how I planned…
The movie also looks great. From the creepy witches to the slaughtering of Macbeth’s enemies, the movie earns its R-Rating for a story that should be rated R. It’s a violent action, and the action has violent results.
Macbeth is great, but it is tainted by the Polanski problem. Polanski is a great filmmaker, but his crime in the past (of which he admitted to), was despicable…so can you enjoy his work and are you a bad person if you can ignore the crime? That’s up to the individual viewer, and it will be interesting to see how Polanski’s work is viewed in another ten years or fifty years as times change.
Justice League 6: Injustice League
December 4th, 2018|
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Comic Info
Comic Name: Justice League (Volume 2)
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Doug Mahnke/Jason Fabok/Ivan Reis/Scott Kolins/Keith Champagne/Scott Hanna/Christian Alamy/Mark Irwin/Ray McCarthy/Joe Prado
# of Issues: 10
Release Date: 2015
Justice League (2) #31
Reprints Justice League (2) #30-39 (July 2014-April 2015). The Justice League is still recovering from the attack of the Crime Syndicate and faced with a new threat in the Power Ring who has discovered a new host in a woman named Jessica Cruz. As the ring seeks its own purpose, the Justice League are hit with a deadly infection that could threaten the world…and the only hope could be the Justice League’s newest member: Lex Luthor!
Written by Geoff Johns, Justice League Volume 6: Injustice League is part of DC Comics’ New 52 line-up. Following Justice League Volume 5: Forever Heroes, the collection features art by Doug Mahnke, Jason Fabok, Ivan Reis, Scott Kolins, Keith Champagne, Scott Hanna, Christian Alamy, Mark Irwin, Ray McCarthy, and Joe Prado. The collection is divided into “Injustice League” (Justice League #30-34) and “The Amazo Virus” (Justice League #35-39).
I liked Grant Morrison’s run on JLA, but Morrison’s approach to the Justice League was unorthodox. I can see Johns taking a similar approach in this book with the freedom that New 52 unleashed and I do like some of the things he’s done.
Justice League (2) #36
I don’t know that this volume really should have been two different stories because it almost feels like one story, but by having two different plotlines, it feels choppier than it needs to be. The story is really about Lex Luthor joining the Justice League. In the first half, he manipulates himself into place by helping stop Power Ring and in the second story he cements his location by teaming up to stop a virus that he is responsible for. It is nice set-up (I always like villains on superhero teams) and it also works to develop Captain Cold as a superhero which is also fun.
Despite Luthor being the thrust of the volume, the biggest addition in this collection is Jessica Cruz who has gone on to become a fan favorite as part of Green Lanterns. The introduction of a new character is always tricky and the logic of including her in the second half of this collection doesn’t make much sense since she’s so volatile, but I do like that she starts to develop here before becoming a major player in DC’s Rebirth titles. I think for a new character to really grasp hold, you either need a big name writer or gradually insert them into the “universe”…or you face an uphill battle that isn’t often won.
Justice League 6: Injustice League is a bit episodic, but it does feel more wordy and thought out than other comic book titles nowadays which is a nice thing. You can see Johns is building to something, but the stories do hold together independently which is important. Justice League 6: Injustice League is followed by Justice League 7: Darkseid War—Part 1.
Related Links:
Justice League 2: The Villain’s Journey
Justice League 3: Throne of Atlantis
