Justice League #25 Review

The Prodigal Sun has Returned

Written by: Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV
Art by: Jorge Jimenez, Alejandro Sanchez, Tom Napolitano, Javier Fernandez and Hi-Fi
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: June 5, 2019

The 6th Dimension story is ending just in time to get the Justice League book into the Year of the Villain and it shouldn't be that far a leap.  I mean, the League does have to get back to our Earth (hopefully with Superman) and to do that, they just have to beat older, better versions of themselves...and the World Forger...and a Batman in a suit that can do the old mind control on ya!  No biggie, right?  Well, with Mxy changing up our reality in the meantime, the League better do you know what or get off the pot.  So, how does it all wrap up and is it as good as the last bunch of issues?  Let's find out...


The issue opens with the usual Superman thinking time, but this one is a bit of a twist.  We start out with Clark and Pa Kent and it's a nice peek at the great father-son stuff that we haven't been able to get since the beginning of the New 52.  It does swing back to the scene with the lantern that has been building this entire arc and while we see what Scott Snyder was talking about when he brought up the "Grey Kryptonite",  Superman has even more pressing issues at hand in his sunless pocket dimension.

It's then off to the 6th Dimension and the Justice League are battling themselves and there's some good trash talking going on and it really looks like our League might just win outright.  It's more of a battle of attrition and distraction though and we do get to see more of the talk between Batman and the World Forger that set it all up.  While I hated thinking Batman was on the wrong side of things at first, this issue really stresses that Batman doesn't think that way and also that he is giving the League one more shot of doing things of their own volition...you know, before he mind controls them!

Just when things are at their darkest (literally), the tables turn and if the issue had a soundtrack, I would love to think that a certain George Harrison Beatles song would be playing, though it is kind of in plural in this case.  I am not going to lie and tell you that I understand the big plan that set this up 100%, but the realization of what has happened from Clark and the emotions for what might be from Lois really made this part for me.  Plus, Superman got to punch the World Forger in his big, ugly face!

After Superman somehow forgives Batman for what he did, the League pretty much skips every plan and goes right to Z and it's crazy.  I'm not going to spoil it here, but I had my doubts the minute I read it until...

The Justice League and the book are then back on our Earth and this is where we shift to the Year of the Villain bit.  Usually, I'd look at this as a way to extend the issue for the whole "Anniversary" $4.99, but James Tynion gets tagged in and does a really good job getting me fired up for it all.  If you read the Year of the Villain Special, you know the big parts we see as recap here, but Tynion fills in the cracks, makes it fit in the ongoing Justice League story, sets up The Offer stuff more and then ends it with a crazy cliffhanger that got me pretty pumped.  Yea, I'm worried that the Amanda Waller thing might not jive with Event Leviathan, but if it does things will be even crazier.

While I had some nitpicks, I really liked this issue.  I'm sure some may say it came to a quick and forced ending, but I liked that Superman saves the day and then gives us a little hope for tomorrow by thinking of the "good guy plan".  I'm not sure if it will work out, but a larger Justice League might just do the trick... and I am all for a larger Justice League!

Jorge Jimenez's art is really good and he throws old school comic and film easter eggs into the mix that made me smile.  Things do get a bit frenetic at times, but he keeps up and makes it all look good.  Javier Fernandez takes over the last bit and it is some of his best work since Rebirth started.

Bits and Pieces:

I really enjoyed this issue and while it was a little forced, it steers us into the Year of the Villain and promises a Justice League with a much bigger a more diverse lineup than a lot of people reading this review has ever seen.  I am all for that and just in case you were wondering... Jarro is barely in the issue and still steals the show!

9.0/10