Comic Info
Comic Name: Justice League (Volume 2)
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Jim Lee
# of Issues: 6
Release Date: 2012
Justice League (2) #3
Reprints Justice League (2) #1-6 (October 2011-April 2012). Heroes are appearing all over the world. When mysterious boxes start popping up around the globe, Batman, Green Lantern, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Flash, and a young man named Victor find themselves thrust into the middle of a war. As Victor tries to adjust to new cybernetic attachments, he joins the other heroes in a desperate battle against the forces of a being called Darkseid.
Written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Jim Lee, Justice League 1: Origin was the first launch of the New 52 relaunch by DC Comics. Following the events of Flashpoint, Justice League helps relaunch the DC Universe by presenting an origin story for DC’s most popular superhero team. The storyline was adapted into the DC Animated feature Justice League: War in 2014.
Despite getting rave reviews, I am not the biggest fan of Justice League. I read Flashpoint and really wasn’t looking for a new origin story when I picked up the series. I had read early Justice League of America issues and JLA: Year One so I felt that despite a “New 52” that the origin material could pretty much be left alone. With a whole new world, going back to the beginnings in this fashion feels like retread.
Justice League (2) #6
The story has elements of the Legends miniseries and other “old” DC stories, but it mostly feels like a big fight. Other than the inclusion of Cyborg, I don’t feel Johns did enough to really change up the Justice League in this volume. Other series like Justice League Dark or even Justice League International at least provided a more varied team. If Cyborg is part of the “original” Justice League, that’s fine, but also include some other weird characters to really provide a difference…instead there is the typical brooding Batman who doesn’t trust anyone, the fun loving Flash, the hothead Green Lantern, the otherworldly Superman, and the almost holy Wonder Woman…nothing is different. Aquaman does provide a bit different direction in his character because Johns is also writing that title.
I do love Jim Lee’s art. The story doesn’t lend itself well to it with a lot of generic explosions and high tech stuff surrounding Cyborg and Apokolips, but his character designs still are great. I would love to see more lush environments for the characters instead of the standard city, but for this story arc, it just doesn’t work out that way.
Justice League 1: Origin isn’t a great start. I know that many would say this is an inaccurate description, but even after the first issue, I wasn’t very interested while many other New 52 titles did provide a different spin or a new take on old characters. I wish Johns took some more chances (that doesn’t necessarily mean make radical changes) and made something a bit more distinctive for a great team. Justice League 1: Origin is followed by Justice League 2: The Villain’s Journey.
Related Links:
Justice League 2: The Villain’s Journey
Justice League 3: Throne of Atlantis
Justice League 5: Forever Heroes
Justice League 6: Injustice League
