Review: Justice League Of America #1

There is something amiss in the DCU. The Justice League, a team that has been put on a pedestal by the general public, has been falling out of favor with the U.S. government. Mostly resulting from the ramifications of the attack by Atlantis, the Justice League now finds itself with a target on it’s back, one that has been put there by the same people that helped to back them in the first place. Now, another team has been put into play, and this one has been hand picked to take the Justice League down!

Blockbuster scribe Geoff Johns and fan-favorite artist David Finch have come together to give us a tale of deep intrigue, covert operations and betrayal that will both excite and captivate readers. Though the general outline of the story has been done many times before -government covert ops set up a team of super powered individuals to take down other super powered individuals – it is the structure and scope of the tale that will entice readers to dive into the series wholeheartedly. Through flashback sequences mingled with aspects happening in the present, Johns builds a powerful story of a manipulative Amanda Waller that will not take no for an answer as she builds her ultimate team to become the poster child of the U.S.. government.

The tale is steeped in collusion, bringing some fan-favorite characters back into the DCU in completely new ways and bringing them to the forefront, whether they like it or not. Personally, it was a pleasure just to see Star Girl and Hawkman in the same book once again, and although they have become foreign to me in their New 52 incarnations, they are as exciting to me now as they were the first time I read them in James Robinson and David Goyer’s JSA #1 in 1999! But the character to watch will be Vibe — I know, I can’t believe I said it either! With a completely new origin, Vibe has the potential to become a truly fantastic character and one that will far surpass it’s previous incarnation.

Although Johns weaves a fantastic first issue of beguilement, it is David Finch’s artistic duties that catapults this book further than it would have reached with a lesser talent. His work on Avengers was great but this is truly something special! Darker and using slightly different techniques to diversify the core characters, Finch has given his all for this book. He has gone from a well rounded penciler to an outstanding artist that will tantalize the eyes.

As “set-up” issues go, it is outstanding and will envelop you into Johns’ vision of the new JLA! His opening salvo into a darker era is intense and exceptional while his choices for the team and the reasoning behind them are fantastic, if not somewhat diabolical. I can’t wait for everyone to see who is chosen to take out whom, it will definitely light up the message boards! So, choose your individual state flag cover and get to reading!