Justice League 1: The Extinction Machines

Comic Info

Justice League (3) #1 Variant

Reprints Justice League: Rebirth #1 and Justice League (3) #1-5 (September 2016-November 2016). The world is in danger. Creatures are attacking Earth, earthquakes are shaking the planet, and an entity called the Kindred is spreading out over the land. The only hope of stopping the destruction of Earth is the Justice League and even they might be outgunned. With their Superman dead, the Justice League might have to turn to the “new” Superman for help…but will it be enough?

Written by Bryan Hitch, Justice League Volume 1: The Extinction Machines is the DC Comics Rebirth title spinning off of the end of the New 52. The collection features artwork by Tony S. Daniel, Jesus Merino, and Bryan Hitch. The issues in this volume were also collected in Justice League: Rebirth Deluxe Edition—Book 1.

The New 52 Justice League was fun (especially when it went dark with the Darkseid War). With the New 52 ending, “Rebirth” was an opportunity for DC to clean up some errors of the New 52 and continue the path for things that worked. The Justice League worked in New 52, but this version feels like more of the same.

Justice League (3) #5

The basic storyline has the Justice League assailed on all fronts. While most of the Justice League works as a team, you have some characters off on their own doing their own thing (like Aquaman who shows up at the end to help save the day). The story indicates that the Kindred’s actions are heralding something worse much like a Galactus or Thanos, but DC is someone lacking in heavy cosmic hitters besides Darkseid…and you can’t go to Darkseid everytime.

The primary importance of this collection is the restoration of the pre-New 52 Superman to the DCU. Superman was kind of all over the place in the New 52 and wasn’t very consistent in his writing. It is nice to have the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths Superman back, but as proven in his own title, he too isn’t quite the same since he now has a kid. The return of Superman does pose interesting problems due to the other Superman’s relationships with the Justice League including his romance with Wonder Woman which opens up tons of opportunities.

Justice League 1: The Extinction Machine has a lot going on in it and the balance between action and storytelling feels a little off. The multifaceted story feels slightly underdeveloped and it makes me wonder what would have happened if Geoff Johns had continued his Justice League with the return of the post-Crisis Superman. Justice League 1: The Extinction Machines was followed by Justice League 2: Outbreak.