They are the new Justice League of America: Martian Manhunter, Hawkman, Katana, Catwoman, Stargirl, Green Lantern Simon Baz, Green Arrow, and Vibe (yes, THAT Vibe). Brought together by Amanda Waller, they are led by former Justice League liaison, Steve Trevor. However, the Justice League of America serves a greater and sinister purpose: should the original Justice League go rogue, they have the power to stop them.
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #2
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: David Finch
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Colorist: Sonia Oback
Editor: Brian Cunningham
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in Justice League of America: Amanda Waller and Steve Trevor discuss gathering each member of their team whose individual purpose is to take down a member of the original Justice League should the need arise. Meanwhile an evil Secret Society emerges from the shadows to track down the mysterious Dark Hunter, who survives their attack and escapes to Steve Trevor and A.R.G.U.S. It is revealed that Dark Hunter is really Green Arrow, who attempted to infiltrate the Secret Society but failed. He goes unconscious before revealing his attackers.
COUNTER-HEROES AND SECRET SOCIETIES
Geoff Johns’s Justice League of America #2 gathers the new team at Washington D.C. as they prepare for their first mission. Assembling a counter-Justice League is a concept that has never been done before. With the large power the original Justice League holds in the new DC Universe, it only took the government five years to assemble these heroes. Unfortunately, despite all the hype and drama depicted in the first issue, this comic loses some momentum. Catwoman’s sexuality is over the top. She serves as the femme fatale of the group, but at the expense of her subtlety. Amanda Waller and Steve Trevor create a great dynamic as they attempt to build a functioning team. Both leaders have their own way of doing things, which will lead to more conflict in the future. Vibe gets a surprising spotlight in this issue. He fills the rookie hero role perfectly, and has a deeper personality than his hero counterpart in the old Justice League Detroit series. The other heroes are still relatively undeveloped. Characters such as Hawkman, Green Arrow, and now Katana have their own comic books and the writer assumes you have read them. With this many heroes in one comic, some characters will only express themselves when the moment calls for their action, so several Leaguers fade into the background. There is too much build-up to their first mission, so if you were looking for action, you will be disappointed. Also, the cliff hanger ending is not really suspenseful or deceptive if you are familiar with the DC Universe. However, since the universe reset, it is all new to JLA. Similar to the current Justice League series, this comic also features a mini-story. Martian Manhunter stops an assassination to convince the president to green light th JLA. Compared to Justice League’s Shazam arc, it’s a filler story at best.
DARK TONES BUT FLAWED DESIGN
David Finch continues to provide artwork for the Justice League of America. The dark tone of the inks complements the overall theme. His pencilings are well done, showcasing the revamped character designs. However, Amanda Waller’s design is different from her depiction in the first issue. Her hair is different and she looks younger. In real life people change their appearance all the time. However, excluding a costume change, this does not work for depicting comic book characters. They need to be consistent so the reader can recognize each hero and villain. Also, Catwoman’s costume design is hilariously inappropriate for combat. She should at least zipper up before a mission so she does not risk her body “popping out” in front of her new teammates. Superhero costumes are meant to be unrealistic, but Catwoman’s suit needs a redesign in common sense.
BOTTOM LINE: SOPHOMOR
E SLUMP
Geoff Johns and David Finch made a big splash with the initial release of the Justice League of America. The concept of a counter-Justice League for the reboot reflects the paranoia of the modern age. In fact, there are clues in the current Justice League that show DC Comics has been planning the Justice League of America for a while. However, things need to pick up fast or the comic will end up like their cancelled Justice League International title. With the new team combating a “Secret Society,” we will see if readers will warm up to the new Justice League title.
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1 Comment
I couldn’t agree more about Catwoman’s costume. What is the point of even having a zipper if that much skin is going to be shown. While I loved the first issue, this one was quite a disappointment.