REVIEW: Justice League Dark Annual #1

Halloween season may be over, but one last bit of spookiness awaits readers of DC’s Justice League Dark. That’s right, it’s DC’s resident Ghostbusters wrapping up their quest to capture the most powerful magical artifacts in the DC Universe, the Books of Magic. Major Spoilers has your review of JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK ANNUAL #1, after the jump…

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK ANNUAL #1
Writers: Jeff Lemire
Art: Mikel Janin
Colors: Ulises Arreola
Editor: Brian Cunningham
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $4.99

Previously in JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK:  The JLD, under the leadership of John Constantine, have been battling the forces of evil on a quest to find the Books of Magic. Villains Felix Faust and Nick Necro battle against them. The JLD have suffered major setbacks including a betrayal from a team member, and the action all comes to a climax in this book!

SUPERNATURAL ACTION DONE RIGHT

Let me get this out of the way: this book is not meant to be a jumping-on point for new readers. Rather, it is the organic conclusion of a fantastic storyline found in the ongoing title. The events in this issue move at an exciting speed. Each league member has a moment in the spotlight to do his or her thing, and there are some great guest appearances by other supernatural DC heroes. Of special note is Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E., who fits into the team dynamic perfectly. With his book ending, I am hereby begging DC to allow him to stick with the Justice League Dark.

The heroes aren’t the only interesting characters in this book. Nick Necro, a character just introduced, has in a short time established himself as a credible threat and a great opposite of Constantine. Also of note is Timothy Hunter, who regrettably has not been fleshed out in this series, but plays a crucial part to the story. Hunter’s historical claim to fame is that he was the focus of DC’s “Books of Magic” series. I never read that series, and thus would have missed out on a lot of this book had I not listened to MAJOR SPOILERS PODCAST ISSUE #447: THE PODCASTS OF MAGIC (cheap plug!). Still, even if you are completely unfamiliar with Timothy Hunter, there’s plenty that will keep you interested.

FANTASTIC ART THAT CONTINUES TO THRILL

Janin’s art has been a treat in this series. With so much emphasis on magic, there is a dangerous risk of making the special effects look silly as opposed to impressive. Janin has been able to accomplish this feat throughout his run on the book. Along with the action, characters look fantastic. The team is comprised of a diverse cast that displays powerful emotions while wearing colorful costumes. The art is as beautiful to see as the story is as exciting to read.

BOTTOM LINE: PICK UP THIS BOOK!

Justice League Dark has really found its footing in this storyline, and this issue has done a perfect job of capping off the team’s latest adventure. If you haven’t been following this title, this issue is impressive enough to track down the previous issues, get caught up, and then finish up with this one. Seriously, it’s that good. If you’re not able to find those past issues, pick up this book anyway and enjoy the ride. You won’t be disappointed.

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