Justice League #1 Review

Justice League #1 written by Geoff Johns. Pencils by Jim Lee and inks by Scott Williams. Price: $3.99, 29 pages.

While this first issue is called Justice League, the team doesn't even exist as the comic opens, which is a flashback to events from five years ago. Batman appears to be chasing a terrorist alien and both are being pursued by a miltary/police force that doesn't hesitate to take out Batman as well. In the new 52, super heroes are recently arrived on the scene and are the targets of a lot of suspicion and fear. It seems that none of the heroes we took for granted in the last universe have made much of a name for themselves yet. Luckily for Batman, Green Lantern shows up to save his ass just in the nick of time. Most of the heroes haven't met each other either. When GL first meets Batman, he exclaims in a shocked manner "You're real?", as if Batman were an urban legend.

With only Batman and GL taking centerstage, the first issue of Justice League is more like the first issues of The Brave and the Bold instead of being a team book. But of course, we are starting from scratch. I think it would have made more sense to get all the solo books going first BEFORE bringing them together for Justice League. That way we would know a little more of their backstories instead of being thrown into the water of the New 52 to sink or swim.

Unlike some comic book readers I do not worship Jim Lee as Jesus Christ. He's a good artist but he tends to overdo his line work and add an almost psychotic amount of detail. But not in a good way. He draws a beautiful scene and then studies it too long and keeps adding stuff George Lucas-yo yo style. There are so many lines in GL's and Batman's costumes they begin to look like androids. The weird thing is that Lee keeps using this sharp linework even when he draws flesh. It even reminded me a little of Michael Turner. But I guess I can deal with it.

I'm all for the new 52 because I fell away from mainstream DC and Marvel superhero comics back in the late 80s and never found a good inroad back into either universe. I'm actually excited about the new reboot. I'm very interested to see how it goes and plan to buy most of the books except the surefire stinkers like Frankenstein and Static Shock.

My Grade: A