[Editor’s note: This review may contain spoilers.]
Writer: Bryan Hitch
Artists: Matthew Clark, Tom Derenick, Sean Parsons, Trevor Scott & Adriano Lucas
Summary
The Justice League attempts to wind down after an intense battle.
Positives
The cover by Tony Daniel and Tomeu Morey is great. I love that it shows the Justice League in fear since that is what the issue deals with. It’s also an eye catching idea. A reader just looking through the store would want to know what could scare these characters.
The interior art is good as well. The pencils are by Matthew Clark and Tom Derenick with inks by Sean Parsons and Trevor Scott and colors by Adriano Lucas. There is not a lot of action in the issue so the team cannot rely on simply being flashy and big. The action is incredibly well done but it’s only a small part of the issue. Much of it is focused on the characters interacting specifically Jessica Cruz and Barry Allen. They do a good job of creating engaging art that does not rely on action and spectacle. They’re great at that too but the art is a little more personal.
I love the structure of and concept of this. After the previous story, I was worried about another giant cataclysmic event. And that’s done with as the issue starts. The issue starts with the end of a previous adventure in the style of a James Bond film. And then they all go off to relax and live their lives. There is more to it than that but I don’t want to give it away. The story is about the characters and their relationships with each other; that’s a nice change of pace.
Negatives
The “something more” I mentioned earlier happens a little too quickly with Jess and Barry. With everyone else, you can see little hints and it’s gradual. There is a slow burn aspect to it. With Jess and Barry, it seems to happen in a light switch moment. It just seemed too sudden in comparison to the rest of the book which has a nice slow burn style.
Verdict
This issue is very well-written. The personality of the characters really shines through but Bryan Hitch knows how to balance the characters. This issue is heavy on Jess, Barry and Clark but leave hints and clues as to where the other characters are going. The art is really great as well and I enjoyed getting a story on a smaller scale. It’s a fun issue and I recommend it.
