While the the JLE's having no luck in changing the world's mind about the existence of Maxwell Lord, they decide to take a new approach to getting into Checkmate's secure facility - - misdirection.
The Good
It's a funny and sensible ruse for this unofficial JLE to hoodwink Checkmate's savy defenses by pretending to be radical communist Rocket Reds. I especially love the guards' consternation about being accused of being anti-communists. I've also been enjoying the logic and reason the team's pitting against this nightmarish fantasy situation they've been thrust into - - how they're testing the parameters of just how extensively the rest of the worlds forgotten about Max Lord. Bennett's art here too is some rare work where you're just feeling all corners. He never skimps on the detail for the scenery and it always contributes to the storytelling in every panel. It just feels fleshed out.
The Bad
The deliberate pacing on this is something of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it allows for more detailed character exploration and a modest tone that reflects these characters experience as C-listers who're in an overwhelming situation where everything takes a lot more time and effort than the regular Justice League would have to go through. On the other hand, the title's taken its time to get these characters trying to infiltrate Checkmate.
The Verdict - 4.5/5
Every two weeks, I'm looking forward to reading this comic. DC's been experimenting with weekly and bi-weekly content for the past few years and this is definitely one of the best executions of that publishing model. It never feels rushed and, in fact, it feels a lot more polished than other DC titles that are coming out on a less-frequent basis. I'm running out of praise to level on this. Suffice it to say, you'd do well to pick this comic up.
