Justice League #23 Review

Star Light Star Bright

Written by: Scott Snyder
Art by: Jorge Jimenez, Alejandro Sanchez, and Tom Napolitano
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: May 1, 2019

I have really been into the Sixth Dimension story that Scott Snyder has been telling in this book.  Yea, I was a bit upset that the brakes were slammed on it the last issue, but we are back baby and I am pumped.  If you don't remember, the League was being put in an alt-Apokolips prison by Lois Lane and if that doesn't have you chomping at the bit, then you ain't going to win the derby!  Yea, that doesn't make sense, but hopefully, this issue does and a whole lot more...

The issue opens with Superman thinking about his perfect day and then seeing him try to make sure there is a chance for more of those in the future.  Boy, I love seeing Clark and the proper Jon just having a nice day, hanging out.  We cut to see Supes back on the dismal rock that the World Forger left him on and even though the chips are done, Superman gives it one last shot.  We actually leave him with a little hope that he will get back to his friends.

Going to them, though, we see the dire straights they are in.  However, we also get to see Lois and another awesome character and this is what I love about Elseworlds stories even when they aren't necessarily Elseworlds by definition.

We jump between the League being put in a cell and Batman talking things over with the World Forger.  I still am holding out hope that Batman is pulling a distract then attack plan, but he does seem to be smelling what the Forger is cooking.  Snyder catches the reader up a little to what is going on with our Earth and then hits us with the kicker of what Batman has to do if he agrees with the plan at hand.  

Back in the prison cells, Shayne shows up literally out of nowhere and while I like the idea of this character, he doesn't make sense even being here and there hasn't been enough information about him to make me trust him one bit.  Plus, he always seems to be the McGuffin to push the story forward when we hit a dead end.  He does that again here, but it leads the League to...another dead end!  The issue ends with Batman seemingly choosing poorly and the rest of the League getting a helping hand for a very unlikely source.  Yea, Snyder got me again at the end and I can't wait for next issue.

It took a little to get my engines going again, but by the end, I was a revved up and doing donuts in the school parking lot.  This issue is a bit of setup and while I liked a whole lot about it, it was mainly the characters standing around talking.  The art was fantastic, though, and the more hints I get that this is the place to be with getting the DCU back on track (it really pushes it hard at one point this week), the more I sit up and take notice.  I just hope we don't lose our way before getting there.

Bits and Pieces:

This Sixth Dimension story has been all sorts of fun, but Scott Snyder shows us a bit of the dark side (is?) of it all.  We are left wondering if our heroes are making the right choices and I am surely coming back in two weeks to find out.  The story is intriguing and the art is awesome!

8.0/10