The DC reboot, or The New 52, is too big of an event in the comic world for just one review. With any relaunch, it’s important to keep your current fans happy while simultaneously attracting new readers. Therefore, we at The Nerd Repository have decided to let two of our columnists give their personal take from their own unique vantage points:
Kyle: Long-time DC Comics fanboy
Alan: Familiar with the heroes, but a new reader to the main DC comic continuity
Justice League #1 is a tricky beast to review because, in essence, it’s a teaser for the new DC universe. With such a big task, writer Geoff Johns keeps his first issue’s cast surprisingly small. Three of our JL members that appear on the cover are not even seen or referenced inside. In addition, one of the JL members that does actually appear in the pages has not even become his super-hero alter ego yet. While it sounds weird, it actually works pretty well. I found the first issue to be highly enjoyable, and it does a solid job of laying the ground work for what should be a fun ride in The New 52. Let’s get into the nitty gritty, shall we? Spoilers abound…
Set five years before The New 52’s current continuity (confusing timeframes?! oh DC, it is still you!), this issue is less a JL storyline and more of a Batman/Green Lantern team-up. Or a Brave & The Bold story, in DC fanboy lingo. The banter between the two icons is definitely the high point of the issue. The dialogue by Johns covers a lot of ground, establishing a fun rapport while also providing the expositional backstory on this new universe – most of which is predictable, drawing from the most common of superhero cliches: The government doesn’t like them, the public doesn’t trust them, the heroes don’t get along, yadda yadda. It works, but doesn’t exactly re-write the genre.
While still staying faithful, there are some minor character deviations. Most notably, Hal Jordan/Green Lantern is both younger in physical appearance and maturity, as well as being far more reckless and ego-driven than the Hal of old. Batman is still very grumpy and anti-social, while always being five steps ahead of everyone else. In a simple display of his cunning, Batman effortlessly takes the Green Lantern ring from Hal, effectively rendering him powerless with one well-timed strategic move. That’s classic Batman right there, folks. Good stuff.
Part of the fun of reading (and re-reading) this issue is picking up on the hints and foreshadowing of what is to come in this new continuity. We get a glimpse of pre-accident Victor Stone/Cyborg dominating the field as a highly recruited high school football player (his team is called The Titans. Heh!). Victor has a father who is unseen in the issue, but is apparently investigating the rise of super-powered vigilantes. I’m guessing the high school career doesn’t end well for young Victor. My personal favorite easter egg was the Lexcorp flyer near the end of the issue. Evil business man Lex Luthor is always my preference. Give me Armani-suit Lex over green power-suit Lex, any day.
Our last hero to make an appearance shows up in a goosebump-inducing cliffhanger. In a gorgeous panel of art by Jim Lee, we’re introduced to the new Superman after he flattens the powerful but all too cocky Green Lantern – right in front of Batman, before he has a chance to react. Supes has only one line in the issue (and it’s a good one) directed at The Dark Knight: “So… what can you do?” Followed by the tease: “Next: BATMAN vs. SUPERMAN.” Argh! Damn you, evil cliffhanger!! *shakes fist*
I’d be remiss if I did not at least briefly mention my take on the costume redesigns, although I feel like it’s been debated ad nauseum online. Other than adding a more armored look to most of the costumes, the changes are minimal at best. The biggest changes involve Wonder Woman with a darker, less “American flag-waving” outfit, while Superman has lost his red undies. That’s about it. Of those two, Wonder Woman lost more of her visual pop than necessary, but Superman’s suit, while weird at first glance, is actually a needed evolution in the costume design. The costumes are way less drastic than I would have anticipated, and look rather sharp in a more modernized fashion. Did you have any trouble recognizing who the characters were on the cover? No? Then the redesigns are fine. Mission accomplished. Let’s move on.
I think if you’re a long-term fan of the DC Universe and you don’t have any fun with this first issue, then there’s a good chance you had your mind made up before you opened it up. Geoff Johns and Jim Lee have people talking about DC again. There’s a palpable excitement surrounding this whole project, excitement that DC sorely needed. Whether or not it sustains for subsequent issues is up to the readers and the continued quality of the material. But Justice League #1 accomplishes what every good first issue should do: makes long term fans want to come back around for #2. I’ll be there, will you?
– KW
I’ve always liked comic books. However, by the time I started to truly appreciate them, they were already so established that it made jumping into the universe a little intimidating. Being a casual reader, I know more than the average person about the DC universe, but far less than the die-hard fan boys. Geoff Johns makes it easy to want to change that with the release of Justice League #1 as part of The New 52 event. As with any review, beware of some small spoilers!
I love how they kick off this series! It starts with a great action sequence that gets you ready to turn the page: a rooftop chase involving Batman and a mysterious figure, shown from the bird’s-eye perspective of a Gotham PD helicopter. Of course, a league consists of more than one person, and before long a bright green light signals the arrival of none other than Green Lantern.
The juxtaposition between a cocky, young Hal Jordan and a clever, calculating Batman who have never met before is fantastic. Johns provides witty banter and scenarios that show you who these characters are and how they perceive the world, and also conveys how the world perceives them. To quote Batman: “The world’s afraid of us.” I’m pretty excited for a story where superheroes are not yet understood by governments and average, everyday citizens. It has an allure that leaves me wanting to see more of this new DC universe.
The future of the current story, on the other hand, is a little less transparent about halfway through, when the mysterious creature from earlier screams a very notable name. This can go two ways. People not familiar with DC at all will wonder who this is. For people in the know… it’s a tasty nugget to get the gears in your head turning.
We then flash to a high-school football game, where Vic Stone makes an outstanding catch and barrels forward for a touchdown. While being hoisted in the air by his teammates, he looks over at the stands only to find an empty seat where his father should be. Okay, I guess this is Cyborg. He was always a character that I did not mind having around, but never knew too much about, so I’m looking forward to starting anew with this member of the Justice League. Then we’re back to the duo of Batman and Green Lantern one last time, to end on a cliffhanger which rounds out the first installment nicely.
Talking with a friend of mine that works at the local comic shop, he said that people have been responding to The New 52 both ways. Some are excited, while others are saying it seems like a good time to switch from DC to something else. I refer you to the old adage of “Don’t knock it until you try it.” Being able to start from the ground floor is such a great opportunity that does not come along often. Don’t let it pass you by.
– Alan