DC Comics have done
something quite bold and according to the Flashpoint #5 (or so I
interpreted), the entire DC Universe has been reformed so
that all characters which we've come to love or hate
have in essence been reborn. It's virtually a blank sheet of
paper for all characters and as opposed to being bogged down by
continuity, creators can now concentrate on new stories and
characters that are firmly set in the 21st century as opposed to the
60's or the 90's.
Given these facts,
initially I was quite apprehensive as to DC were ignoring the
diverse and rich history of DC Comics and starting again but over
the years, continuity has become a mess of convoluted stories. With
that said, every few years, a Crisis would occur which would
patch, change or delete some aspect of DC Comics history. It was a
mess. Even as a long-term DC Comics fan, I thought I would give this
new universe a try and my first taste was Justice League #1 penned
by the master magician Geoff Johns with artist extraordinaire Jim
Lee. This was a match made in comic heaven.
This is the new
history of the Justice League and takes place 5-years before the new
continuity kicks off which starts on September 7th, 2011 with The
New 52. Just like a first read my brothers old issues of the Justice
League before Crisis on Infinite Earths which not only showcased the
Justice League but also the Justice Society, I was actually excited
to read a comic again. The characters were fresh and exciting again.
Best of all, the dialogue and artwork in Justice League was a treat
to read and view. It felt like a slick Hollywood movie.
Al though the cover
of Justice League #1 displays the initial line-up of the new Justice
League, this story is about the meeting of each of these characters
and how they will eventually form the legendary Justice League. The
main protagonists in the story are Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Green
Lantern (Hal Jordan) who unwilling meet in Gotham City as Batman is
chasing some otherworldly character. Green Lantern comes into the
picture because his ring detected an unauthorised alien presence on
Earth. Needless to say, they don't get along. To compound the
situation, the world is unsure of these "new" heroes which has half
of Gotham Police gunning for both Batman and Green Lantern.
Green Lantern is
gun-ho and cocky, whereas Batman is more reserved and cautious but
more importantly, both are relatively quite inexperienced to being
heroes. However, upon defeating this alien creature, they decide to
track down Superman who Batman believes is dangerous and
before Batman can say a word, he is literally dragged to Metropolis
to find the "alien" known as Superman. Apart from Batman and Green
Lantern, we see an interested cameo of Victor Stone (pre-Cyborg) and
an awesome Jim Lee splash page of you know who. I was hoping
to see more Justice League, however it turned out quite an
interesting read and precursor of what's to come.
As a reviewer, I
kept the spoilers at a minimum in order for others to enjoy this
comic as much as I did. With younger heroes, new stories and a world
that is not locked in continuity, I can finally understand what DC
Comics are attempting to do. If they manage which I sincerely hope
they do, they new DC Comics will be a place that both new and old
fans alike can experience the wonders of these characters from the
start again. My only negative of the story is that some non-DC
readers may feel a little alienated from the story as there was no
real Justice League team in it. This was more of a Batman and Green
Lantern adventure (ala Brave and the Bold) but with two powerful
aliens coming up in the next few issues, I'm really excited to see
where this story leads us.
Recommended!.
