Justice League #39 Review

The Spoilers of Victory
Written by: Scott Snyder
Art by: Jorge Jimenez, Daniel Sampere, Juan Albarran, Alejandro Sanchez, Hi-Fi, and Tom Napolitano
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 29, 2020

I give credit to Scott Snyder for going big for his Justice League run.  DC was in a tight bind with Doomsday Clock going through delays, and Snyder stepped up, proclaimed this book was going into Event Mode, and made it so.  Unfortunately, that "go big or go home" attitude didn't allow this book to breathe much during its 39 issues, and some big questions went unanswered.  All that is in the past now with the final issue of Snyder's run here.   Do we get a satisfying conclusion?  Let's find out...



The issue begins with Martian Manhunter alive and well and in full narration mode as he guides us through the issue.  After a little bit of cat and mouse with Perpetua, he once again connects with the people of Earth, but this time,  it seems that Snyder wants him to communicate with the reader even more.

This issue is very meta, with a lot of the dialogue and narration playing double duty as Snyder seems to be talking to the reader directly about what the DCU has become since Rebirth.  I looked at this as an apology as well as a mission statement of what's to come.

The story continues with the Justice League under attack while the people make up their minds who to support... and they choose Doom!  What What?!?!  Yep, the Justice League and the rest of the heroes pull a big zero, and Perpetua wins big time!  She does say there was no other way and then goes through a list of all the things that she set up and finagled to get here.  Spoiler Alert...it was everything!  Who does she think she is, Bane?  Or was that Thomas Wayne?  Sorry, wrong book!

So, what does the winner of the ultimate contest do to celebrate?  Well, she sends all the varied hypertime travelers home and thinks she kills the Justice League.  Yea, I said "thinks" because we continue, not with an actual ending, but a set up for what should be this summer's big event that some are already calling "Metal 2". Can we please add "Electric Boogaloo" to it?  Thank You!

As the issue ends, we go back to that feeling from before with Snyder getting very meta and setting up the idea of the new timeline coming down the pike as well as more promises to get back to...well, it feels like he wants to get back to Rebirth... or at least the spirit of it.  The last image is of the League running through an open door of blue light to fight "for everything," and I will be honest, I am more pumped for what's coming (Timeline, 5G, my dinner) than I was before.

There is a problem with all this, though.  I can't wait to get something shiny and new going in the DCU, and by the end, Snyder is singing my tune loud and clear... but I am here for the ending of the Justice/Doom War story and everything else tied into it.  I ended up feeling let down as we get a rapid finish that seems to happen only to push our heroes to the next story.  A story we don't know anything about yet.  I think I understand what Eric felt like when Sliders ended on a cliffhanger!  Well, it's a bit better than that since we do know it will continue, but still...

Bits and Pieces:

Scott Snyder ends his Justice League story, and while it makes me very hopeful for the future, it has me disappointed in the here and now.  Everything ends so quickly and then doesn't end at all.  It makes this entire run feel like a setup for the next more significant thing, and while I understand how this sort of thing works, that doesn't mean I have to like it.  I still will recommend reading this issue, just not for a satisfying conclusion to this Justice League story. 

6.5/10