Convergence: Justice League Of America #2 Review

Having seen one of their first adventures, now it’s time for us to join the Justice League Of America in their final adventure.  (At least until the next time-rending catastrophe brings them out of mothballs.)  Your Major Spoilers review of Convergence: Justice League Of America #1 awaits!

CONVERGENCE: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #2
Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Artist: Chriscross
Colorist: Snakebite Cortez
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Editor: Marie Javins
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99

Previously in Convergence: Justice League Of America: Having been stolen from Pre-Crisis Earth-1, the heroes of the Justice League Of America have spent a year powerless under the domes of the Convergence world.  Last time around, the heroes of the Tangent Universe attacked, with the intention of defeating the League in combat for their freedom.  Though initially, they seemed to take out most of the team, they made the one mistake that so many super-villains (*coughandcomicsreaderscough*) before them have made…

They underestimated this League.

1983 IS BACK, BABY!

Unfortunately, with Aquaman, Zatanna and the alien powerhouse Martian Manhunter out of the fight, the Justice Leaguers are outnumbered and outgunned by the Secret Six.  (To be honest, with The Flash and The Atom on their side, the Secret Six would probably have an edge in the power tables even with our JLA at full-strength.)  With both teams trying to defeat the other without excessive violence, the battle is a difficult one, narrated by Gotham City’s own Vicky Vale, who clearly believes that the heroes of the League are schmucks.  It’s something of a meta-statement to make, but when the JLA is forced to retreat from their opponents, it seems that she might have a point.  (That doesn’t stop Sue Dibny from giving her hell about the bias in her reporting though, reminding me how a well-written Sue is a force to be reckoned with and how her essentially-meaningless death was a shame for DC Comics.)  Retreating to one of Mr. Freeze’s hidden lairs, the heroes have some serious self-esteem problems to get through before they’re going to be able to help anyone…

HERO VERSUS HERO

The art in this issue is interesting, moody and tonal and nothing much like how I recall Chriscross’ work from the past.  As the issue goes on, we see more of the Leaguers in action, including a couple of amazing moments from Vibe (who, it must be noted, is sorta kinda the same character we see every week in the hit Flash TV show, which might explain his prominence) and even a big pep talk from Ralph Dibny makes for interesting reading.  Most interestingly, there is another reference to the strange Earthquake we’ve been hearing about since month #2 began (Seriously, have they explained that yet?) while the JLA finally gets the upper hand, Sue Dibny frees the Big Three heroes, and Zatanna delivers the coup de grace on the lost Tangent heroes.  There’s not a lot to do with Convergence in this issue, as with last time, instead using the issue to celebrate the 1983 Justice League.  (If only the folks who badmouth the team were actually going to READ this issue, but… c’est la vie, I suppose.)

THE BOTTOM LINE: WORKS FOR A FAN OF THE TEAM

As someone who enjoyed the adventures of this incarnation of the JLA from the very beginning (indeed, my first issue of Justice League was #227, which came out literally RIGHT before the stories that launched the JL Detroit incarnation), I found this issue to be fun, in a nostalgic sort of way, and now that I’ve accepted that Convergence really IS just about “Hey, remember these cool guys?”, I’m kind of content with it.  Convergence: Justice League Of America #2 is a nice way to while away half an hour or so, with complex and thoughtful art, and a little respect for a team that deserves more than it gets, earning 3.5 out of 5 stars overall.  Maybe it isn’t for everybody, but I think the comics world would be a better place if more people got the message of this League, rather than the faux-serious teeth-gritting dullardry of later incarnations of the team…