Batman has powers (again!) but with a dark twist in Justice League #38 by Geoff Johns, art by Jason Fabok, Brad Anderson on color and Carlos M. Mangual on lettering.
We last left the Trinity finding Patient Zero for Lex Luthor to stop the Amazo Virus. Bruce has been infected and has developed sonic-laser echolocation as his Amazo Virus powers. Unfortunately that means he’s got limited time from now on (as if ). Meanwhile Bullet is about to finish things up with Lex Luthor, whom he presumably shot in the head, but Captain Cold protected Lex and goes on to freeze Bullet. With a blast from Bruce Diana and Superman are able to bring Patient Zero back to the now safe Lex Luthor. They find out they can’t however use his blood as they planned; they need Superman’s blood. As I predicted, the Amazo Virus was created by Lex Luthor for Superman to leave him powerless, it didn’t work so Lex had it put on lockdown. He explains himself, and while pretty rotten does swear he never intended it to be released the way it has been. Meanwhile all that have been exposed have shown signs of a zombie-like hive mind, uttering “Us”. As Diana intervenes between Superman and Lex, Bruce has woken up and attacks them, with the rest of the virus affected League in tow.
POSITIVES 
Like last month I don’t mind the art on this, it’s solid and weighty with vaguely cinematic composition. Fabok is good. I wish the coloring was slightly more stylized but it’s still more attractive to look at than say Jim Lee, who Fabok is obviously a descendant style wise from, but does it much better. Fabok doesn’t forget to make Diana look strong and that’s important. This story is nothing particularly innovative and you know they all make it out okay unless they aim to kill the new Green Lantern or someone minor so it’s still classic superhero soap opera. We still don’t know who made the hit on Luthor to begin with and that’s rather exciting since I don’t think we’ve even seen any clues or given anything in particular to guess.
NEGATIVES
I still doubt Shazam would be affected by this and to an extent Atlantians but here we are. Billy would be if in his normal form but as Shazam I doubt he would have been affected and this would have been a great arc to feature him. For someone who supposedly loves The Marvels Johns is oddly, odd in using them.
VERDICT
This isn’t ground breaking and it totally went to where I didn’t want it to go regarding the Amazo Virus being made to cripple Superman (a petty stupid idea on Lex’s part but his assertion regarding the Phantom Zone is particularly valid) it’s still moderately well done and it’s sum of its parts are much better than a lot of other comics right now looks wise too so I’d still rate this as pretty passable traditional fare.
