Justice League of America #18 Review

The Trouble with Tribbs

Written by: Steve Orlando
Art by: Hugo Petrus, Hi-Fi and Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: November 8, 2017

After the nonsense that was the Panic in the Microverse, I don't know if I was just looking more for anything that wasn't that or just the exit.  Sure, I took this book over from Eric a while back, bit that doesn't mean I have to like it, right?  It's not like I am asking for much...a coherent story, some decent dialogue and for Steve Orlando not to mess up characters and continuity along the way, but somehow he never seems to be able to do at least two of those each issue.  So, what things does he do this week to drive me nuts?  Let's find out...

The issue starts with Documentarian, John Porter, giving us the narration as he films the Justice League of America Members.  He starts with Killer Frost and moves to Ryan and I already want to slap the guy in hi jerk off face!  It's just another way for Steve Orlando to keep forcing this whole "powder keg" notion down our throats as Porter shows how unlike a team the JLA really is.  Leave it to The Ray to continue being the most unlikable guy on the team (and it's a team with Lobo!)...I don't know why Steve Orlando keeps writing him as an ungrateful jerk.  Then the best thing happens since this run started...Ray leaves!  I know that it's supposed to be a big, emotional moment and it is...I am soooooo happy right now!!!

We then head off to the Realm of Chaos for a confusing scene before going back to The Sanctuary.  The JLA is still upset at Ray leaving and we see that John Porter wasn't who he said he was.  It was all a plan to bring down the JLA by Afterthought who then makes sure to shut down the Sanctuary and activates Ryan's Bio-Belt somehow before confronting Frost.  It seems about above his skill set, but I'm willing to wait and see if it's explained.

He continues by freezing Frost and then goes after Lobo and Black Canary, but not before we get a convoluted exchange between the two and the same old and tired "Lobo speak" from Orlando.  Please, you can't just string words together and call it a day, unless you can tell me how a Czarnian tracheotomy would be different from any other!

The issue then ends with Vixen trying to help the people trapped with them in the Sanctuary and the big reveal of the Big Bad...Prometheus.  I usually don't spoil things like that, but since it's pretty much a repeat of  last issue's cliffhanger (just a change of venue difference), why should I care?

This has been and continues being one of the worst books in all of Rebirth.  While I hope that Ray never is seen again, having Batman leave the team takes away one of the only draws this book had.  Granted, Steve Orlando did absolutely nothing with him, but I can say that for everyone else in this book as well.  Every problem that has plagued this book rears it's ugly head again this week including Orlando's total lack of writing a well paced story.  We ended last issue with the big reveal of Prometheus, only to end this issue with him talking trash and posing again.

I did like Hugo Petrus' art in this issue and look forward to more with him, but hopefully it will be on a better book.

Bits and Pieces:

Steve Orlando continues giving readers an uninteresting story with uninteresting characters.  I liked the art in this issue, but everything else is just...well, uninteresting.  This really needs to end!

4.0/10