Justice League 3001 #12 Review

Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Goodbye

Written by: Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis
Art by: Colleen Doran, Timothy Green II, Hi-Fi and Sal Cipriano
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: May 27, 2016

I know it's kind of morbid to start my review of the finale of Justice League 3001 by talking about funerals, but it is appropriate for a couple of reasons.The obvious one is that this issue pretty much pronounces the book dead and buries it, but the other has to do with Keith Giffen.  There are some things in life that you don't want to be good at...being arrested, inciting wild animal attacks and writing kick ass final issues of canceled comic books.  It's kind of like winning the Comeback Player of the Year Award multiple times and Keith Giffen has become the Chad Pennington of DC Comics.  It's as if all bets are off and he (and J.M. DeMatteis here) get to spread their wings and fly.  If you remember Threshold (does anybody remember laughter? - Robert Plant) , Giffen basically gave the middle finger to everyone by killing off his main character and shutting the whole damn thing down in one of the most meta moments in years.  It was hilarious and he keeps doing it.  A little spoiler before we start...he actually has a meta moment of a meta moment of another one of his canceled books in this issue and again it was hilarious.  So, what do Giffen and DeMatteis give us as a eulogy for Justice League 3001?  Let's find out...


Well, it seems like they are ending it all by starting from the beginning.  The issue opens with a flashback to show us what went on three years ago on Cadmusworld.  Oh, the good old days.  The Wonder Twins are just plain old Teri and Terry and are dealing with their roles in bringing back the Justice League.  Actually, Teri is trying to deal with it while Terry is his usual pompous, dick headed self.  If we only knew what would happen...actually, this issue shows you exactly what does end up happening and how it all started.  Terry was always in cahoots with the Five!  Not a surprise at all, but I did enjoy seeing it.

We then head to the present to see the completely awesome battle between the Justice League and the Legion of Doom.  If you like seeing a silver age battles with twisted versions of familiar characters along with others that are thousands of years old, you will love this whole scene.  Screw it, if that sounds like fun to you, you will love this whole series!  As the battle rages on, we are again reminded that Lady Styx wants the Justice League dead...all except Flash.  We find out later, she just isn't a crushing fangirl, either.

We jump back in time again and if you have been reading this series since way back when it was plain old "3000", you should have a big smile on your face because we see douchebag Superman!!!!  Sure, he is there to show that shit is going wrong, but that is yesterday's news and...I LOVE DOUCHEBAG SUPERMAN!!!  Note to DC - You may use that quote on the TPB free of charge.

We leave the past with full knowledge that the Wonder Twins were never as close as one of them always believed and that is pretty much the bulk of the issue.  Teri is the Julius and Terry is the leftover crap.  I hate to say it Terry, but you are the Danny Devito in this equation.  Now, who is the Beetroot?

The big awesome fight still rages on and everyone gets a little screen time, but it's Tina/Batgirl who steals the show for me.  It's a shame she came along so late because she is the best character in this series since douchebag Superman and I want to see more of her.  My wish may come true...  Right now, however, we see what might be the last look at Gal Gardner (my third favorite) and this messed up Justice League, but also learn a jaw dropping secret.

I'm not going to spoil it, but it makes everything even more personal and leads to the crazy cliffhanger.  Listen, I loathe when a book ends with "To Be Continued...?", but it fits the writers and the series so well that I couldn't help but laugh.  Plus, it is one of those endings that does make me want a sequel and crazier things have happened.  Plus we get the meta-meta in a meta final panel that actually made this grumpy old man laugh out loud...oh wait, the young kids say LOL, right?!?!

I really enjoyed this final issue of a series I have loved from the start.  Justice League 3000/3001 bucked every trend of the New 52 and somehow managed to survive longer than it really had any right to.  I have heard people talk about all the other cancelled books leading into Rebirth and for my money, this one is the one I will miss the most.  It was just so much fun...not just funny, but honest to goodness fun each and every issue.  If you haven't read this series, don't just jump into this issue to see what's what, go back and read it all from the beginning.  It really is worth it.

The only thing that I can find fault with here is that we really don't get an ending at all.  It's weird, but sometimes I like thinking that even though a book is canceled, the story continues somewhere out in the void and that's how I feel with this.  However, I know some people like closure in their stories and so I have to take that into account as well.  Maybe one day we will get an event that will let us see all of our beloved characters again and tie up the loose ends left dangling...I'd call it Convergence  TieItUpence and it would be awesome!  Until then, the battle rages on!

While one of the big reasons I fell in love with this book in the first place was Howard Porter's art and character designs, Colleen Doran has really impressed me in the few issues she has been on JL 3001.  In fact, I think her style fits the book better than everyone else (no offense to Porter or Scott Kolins) and I just wish we could have seen more.  If Giffen is Chad Pennington, Doran is Bo Jackson because I'm left wondering what could have been.  She and Timothy Green II might have given fans the best looking issue of the entire series and believe me, that is a huge compliment.  I also have to mention HI-Fi because even though I am a dummy and the whole art thing kind of blends into one in my naive (stupid) brain, it is so obvious how much his colors have meant to this book and has gone hand-in-hand with the pencils, inks and whatever the hell else is involved (black magic perhaps?) to make this book look so fantastic.  Okay, everyone who was ever on this book should take a long, deep bow.  Thank You!

Bits and Pieces:

Since this book isn't heading into Rebirth (or is it?), Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis get to end things on their terms and while it's not as crazy as some of Giffen's other enders, fans of this series should get a kick out of it.  I'm not sure if this open-ended finale is a sign of what's to come or a plea for what could be, but I enjoyed seeing these wacky characters I fell in love with one last time.  To come up with the cheesiest thing I could think of to end it all...This book may not have fit easily into the New 52, but it sure fit where it counted...the hearts of it's fans.  Hey DC, I still want you to use the bit about Douchebag Superman on the TPB because I don't want people to see my sensitive side!

9.3/10