Darkseid’s out for Kryptonian blood in Justice League #42 written by Geoff Johns, art by Jason Fabok,
coloring by Brad Anderson, Rob Leigh on letters.
Last issue Lex Luther’s sister Lena shot her brother and betrayed him for Darkseid (a big ?). Lex and Supes are now on Apokolips, Clark using his heat vision to cauterize Lex’s gunshot wounds. Desaad senses their presence and alerts both Steppenwolf and Darkseid himself. Steppenwolf aims to go take care of them himself but Darkseid stops him, telling them to release the slaves in the camps with freedom as the prize for killing Superman.
Meanwhile the Anti-Monitor (in mini-size, no really he’s like really small) has landed on Earth. Wonder Woman is about to battle grail when Metron intervenes and teleports the Justice League to the Rock of Eternity where Grail cannot find them.
While this goes on Mr. Miracle talks more with Myrina Black in her lair. She was the Amazons former chosen assassin who wishes to continue her task to save the world even after Hippolyta and the Ama
zons withdrew to Themyscira. Her plan to kill Darkseid is indeed her own daughter from him and use of the Anti-Monitor. Scott says that her plan is too zealous that many people will die if she holds her war on Earth. She doesn’t take kindly to this.
The issue ends with Metron and the Justice League speaking at the Rock of Eternity. Wonder Woman, seeking answers tries to use her lasso on Metron but she’s told it’s not really the guy but the chair that has the answers. Metron, under the lasso manages to eke out an edict to pull him from the chair. Wonder Woman does and Bruce makes a byline for the chair, sitting in it and essentially becoming (yet again) a god.
POSITIVES
This is still reasonable Superhero brand shlock. It’s not genre breaking stuff here nor does it have a counteractive sense of humor to really make it fun but its dark and cinematic in a way. The art continues to be similarly weighty and while the boob armor look on Myrina is a bit trite, however Fabok’s Diana is probably one of my current favorites as her current costume is her “battle” one, complete with arm straps and pteruges. The debate over pants or no pants for Wonder Woman should always be settled with “skirt”. Diana is used rather well here and is the main POV character when dealing with Justic
e League scenes.
NEGATIVES
Grail’s design is terrible, looking 100% like a femme Lobo which isn’t a bad thing, just tired or cliche. Also being a child of Darkseid and yet because she’s a girl she is “conventionally” attractive despite the grey skin and red eyes instead of monstrous like her half-brothers. Looking the same age as her mother is also pretty boring. I know “magic, Amazons dont really age much” but c’mon. Bruce asking the true identity of the Joker while on the chair, and learning it was completely eye rolling.
VERDICT
If you like your superheroes big and flashy and cinematic this is the comic for you. It’s got all of it. Fabok is a good artist, some questionable posing but his ladies are not completely back broken. Wonder Woman was used very well, its a shame we weren’t allowed a few more pages of her and Grail fighting. You can’t argue this isn’t a well made comic.
