Form Of........ Disappointment
Previously in Justice League, we saw all the Brian Michael Bendis creations showing up to fill up an issue that ultimately did nothing but the big gist of the issue was, Synmar Utopica escaped his United Federation of Planets' cell and was making his way back to Earth to take on Superman, while Green Arrow and Black Canary were confronted with some Checkmate business. Lets' jump into this issue and hope that something happens and hope that it feels like Bendis understands or cares about the characters that he's using here. Let's check it out.
As we saw at the end of the previous issue, Synmar Utopica has made his way to Earth and now it's up to the Justice League to stop him...... and also do some goofy shit along the way, like Zan from the Wonder Twins, turning into water complete with a bucket, just so Batman can splash Aquaman and Jayna turning into Gorilla Grodd...... which did nothing at all. I don't know what Bendis is doing with these characters but I don't know who would like this. Strange choices for our characters aside, we do have the side story of Black Canary and Green Arrow dealing with a mysterious figure who's involved with Checkmate, and while the reveal might wow some....... Bendis just feels like he put a recognizable name on someone as a wow factor and never bothered to wonder if it really made sense... So yeah, a lot of disappointing things in this issue, not to mention, it really doesn't go anywhere from where we were in the previous issue.
As for the Justice League Dark backup, which I was originally enjoying but have been finding it to be diminishing in its return with each issue, we see our Batman and the 13th Oathswoman Elnara Roshtu side plot go into strange territory, while Merin sets his sights on the proper Atlantis and it's up to our JLD team to stop him.... but since they don't show up until the last page, we essentially don't get much out of this backup this issue either.
All in all, the Justice League book has been a big disappointment since Bendis clearly doesn't know the characters he's writing and would rather make Super Friends jokes and propel his own characters before doing anything with the characters you know and love and if he did...... Well, you probably wouldn't recognize them. There's nothing in the Justice League portion of this book beyond the great art that has any real redeeming qualities and while I like the Justice League Dark backup more, there isn't much to that this issue either and this and the previous issue feel like ways to pad out the story and find a way to put Batman in for no real reason.
Bits and Pieces:
While I love the art in both the Justice League and Justice League Dark stories this issue, neither stories feel like they do much to progress their arcs, but at least the JLD bits didn't go full Bendis and make you realize that the person in charge of the Worlds' Greatest Superheroes has no idea what he's doing beyond trying to make people like Naomi and things he introduced during his Superman run. Wow, this Justice League is rough, which is weird because it really didn't go anywhere.
So im not saying bendis is bad but this is like the 3rd Dc book he had made unreadable for me :/
ReplyDeleteConspiracy Theory------ He's a Marvel Comics double-agent that came to DC Comics to ruin the World's Greatest Superheroes.
DeleteWell atleast here the storylines appear to wrap up within a reasonable number of issues unlike his runs on the Superman books that never seemed to go anywhere. Though to be fair I have to say that's an issue I've had with most writers the past few years not just Bendis. I mean it seems like it would take two or three years to finish one story. I'm not here for that. I miss the days where stories would last a certain number of issues then they would move onto something else none of these long drawn out sagas that last for years.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with them wrapping up fairly quickly is you have a bunch of issues that still don't take you anywhere by the end.
DeleteI've been wondering something in the opening it mentioned Aquaman is a new father. But if everything happened does that mean his dead son whom Black Manta killed also existed in current continuity? I don't read Aquaman so I'm hoping someone could tell me if this was addressed. And while we're on that subject is Garth and Dolphin's marriage canon? Same with their dead son. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWhile DC might say that Everything Matters now, there's certain things I don't think they want to bring up like Aquaman's dead son or the fact that Emiko Queen's mother is also the mother of a forgotten son of Green Arrow as well. "Everything Matters"....... until it doesn't.
DeleteSo does that mean Connor Hawke is Emiko's brother and nephew? Assuming you mean Connor and that he exists.
DeleteConner exists, he's chilling over there in the Robin comic. I'm talking about Oliver's other son, Robert, who was Shado and his kid. So Robert would indeed be the brother/nephew of Emiko Queen.
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