[New 52] Justice League #1 (2011)


A new beginning



Yes, I am reviewing a comic book. After all, the site's called The Reviewing Rodders, not The Film Reviewing Rodders. I got my issue today and, being a comics fan, I felt I should post my thoughts in review form.


Justice League #1 takes place Five years ago, when the world didn't worship superheroes, but were scared of these then-unknown heroes, each one working alone. The comic focuses on two heroes meeting for the very first time: Batman and Green Lantern.





If you are a new reader and wondering whether Justice League #1 would be a good entrance into the DC Universe, then don't worry, as this comic is a great entry point for new readers. For returning readers, however, it's curious to see these familiar characters in an utterly new starting point. But because of the familiarity we feel from Batman and Green Lantern, it really throws away any fears that the characters would be radical redesigns from what we knew and loved about them already.

Jim Lee's artwork is top-notch, greatly contrasting between Green Lanterns bright and bold colours and Batman being coloured darkly. I like how Geoff Johns chose to begin the series in a world where heroes are a new phenomenon, feared by the public and where the government will choose to shoot first when confronted with these heroes, and I look forward to seeing how the series will progress from humanity fearing the superheroes to humanity trusting them. There's also I scene I enjoyed where Green Lantern is surprised to learn that Batman is real, where a man who's been to outerspace and gotten a magical ring from aliens is surprised to learn the existence of a man who fights crime dressed as a bat, while possessing no superpowers.

The comic manages to lay the groundwork for a number of things that will take place in future issues, which longtime DC comics fans may be excited to see, including the introduction of a college football star, Victor Stone, and the set-up for the villain which, I'm guessing, will cause the superheroes on the front cover to band together in order to take down. Excuse me while I get ahead of myself, but if that is the case, then they haven't picked a better villain than Darkseid.

The first issue is really more of a Batman/Green Lantern team-up issue than a Justice League issue, which may be annoying to anybody who bought this issue hoping for a group effort on the part of DC's premier superhero team, as it appears we may have to wait a number of issues for the formation of said group. Also, considering that the issue is nearly 50 pages in size, it doesn't seem fair that only 24 of the pages are devoted to the storyline, with almost 10 of the pages devoted to advertising other upcoming comics. I do find it interesting that Geoff Johns chose to focus on the two heroes who's continuity hasn't been rebooted.

Justice League #1 is an entertaining issue, if not underwhelming, but a great way to getting new readers. It shows promise, which it'll hopefully live up to, and the cliffhanger is a great way to hook readers into wanting the next issue, I know it's had that effect on me.


Comments