Justice League #8 Review

What a Hack!

Written by: Bryan Hitch
Art by: Neil Edwards, Daniel Henriques, Tony Avina and Richard Starkings
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: November 2, 2016

Another Justice League issue is upon us and after the two part "State of Fear" story, I am looking forward to this "Outbreak" arc.  I know some of you are probably wondering what I mean after reading my other reviews, but I am a DC Comics fan who is clinging to the hope that Bryan Hitch will right the flagship and give everyone the kick ass book they want and deserve. Is that what we get here?  Let's find out...


The issue opens with a little down time for the Justice League to reflect on their recent fight with the Kindred and everything else.  After all of that, there were a bunch of injuries, but only one death...Diane Palmer.  Really?  ONE DEATH?!?  There were multiple, worldwide earthquakes, at least one Tsunami and the Kindred consuming people who were then shot out into the air thousands of miles above Earth and Bryan Hitch wants us to believe there was only one death?!?  BULLSHIT!!!  I guess I'm going to have to accept it for what it is since this story seems to hinge on that, bullshit or not.

The issue continues with Cyborg and Batman being hacked and it all seems to stem from the news feed Cyborg was watching on the Watchtower monitors.  Again, it's very sketchy and pretty damn ridiculous, but leads to the Watchtower falling to Earth and all of Batman's tech turning on the Dark Knight and Alfred.

Hitch gives us an overlong action scene with Batman and Alfred trying to stay alive despite the Bat tech's best efforts and while it was not the worst part of the book, it devolves into ridiculousness when a familiar resident somehow attacks the duo as well.

Back with Cyborg, the fate of the Watchtower and himself is not well explained and confusing and ends with him summoning the rest of the League (minus Superman for some reason) who fight Cyborg even as he explains he can't control his own actions.  

While all this is going on, we get a quick peek at Diane Palmer's family (remember, the one death) and if we aren't given the "mysterious" villain's identity on a silver platter, I will apologize to Hitch in two weeks.

The issue ends with Batman apparently dead (yea, right) and the hacker shifting his control to more "greener" pastures.  I know it's supposed to be a cool cliffhanger, but I really want to get off this crazy ride and onto something better...actually, I will take anything at this point. 
ANYTHING!!!

Bryan Hitch has turned the Justice League into a mess of a joke and at this point, I don't want a creative team change, I want it to just end, period!  I know that the Justice League will never be cancelled, but this run has killed it for me to the point that I just want it to go away and come back later when my anger goes away.

All that being said, I did like Neil Edward's art.  I liked it a lot!  Everything looks great and while you can't polish a turd, I guess you can make it look a bit more presentable.  Sure, it's still a pile of shit, but it's a pretty pile of shit.  I guess that's something.

Bits and Pieces:

Bryan Hitch continues to destroy one of DC's biggest books and he seems to be doing it with zeal.  This story continues the trend of confusing storytelling being shoved at the reader as a mystery and I've had enough.  Neil Edwards does his best to save this sinking ship, but at this point, I'd abandon ship if I were you.  It can't be this bad, right?  No, it's worse!

4.5/10