Are you sure this is the present? the people are creeping me out
For those who haven’t been reading justice league at all this is your chance to do so as the title jumps into the present and…..well is just not that impressive and not only because of the artwork but because this doesn’t feel like justice league at all. But we get neat stuff like finally get to see billy batson and shazam in this re-launch.
The issue starts with giant mouth monsters that are terrorizing as they are countered by generic high tech defense forces number 7,443,124,144 named Argus lead by Steve Trevor. A news reporter out of stupidity goes asking him in the middle of a battle about where the justice league is and all even if the monsters are less than a few centimeters away from them. Then we get to see the team arriving teleported (no high tech jet? Oh well much more convenient since gas this days is really expensive). Everyone is completely happy about their appearance and praise them like if they were being saved from an crossover event level threat….no seriously, it’s just a bunch of medium size man eating creatures and not the anti-monitor.....Okay maybe I'm not being fair here, they are still a bunch of medium size man eating creatures that are multiplying like crazy. They stop the threat quickly while all act like if they just met a few days ago but they are teammates so they have to work together……which is weird because 5 years is long enough for people to get along as a team just fine even if some don’t like each other (i don't think they should dislike each other in the first place, they are all very interesting people with unique personalities...what is not to like about each other?). Later we see Trevor in a press conference being asked about why the group should take over the country the hell? And why they are the best thing ever. After that and almost breaking a reporters hand for asking about wonder woman and him in a rude way, his superiors want to inspect the watchtower but our main character for this issue threats them that the league can’t be controlled and things could happen to them if they start showing signs of mistrust. The issue ends with Trevon talking to Diana through webcam as the other members act like again as if they just met the other day and act like irresponsible adults by acting like morons (well hal mostly…..no wait….it’s totally hal and batman but bats in a less extent.....i mean he goes asking about disbanding the JLI......wait what?) and someone writing about how to destroy the league and trevon is the key.
We then move to curse of shazam that is more like a preview of what it is going to be about. The wizard is looking for a candidate to become shazam, a guy is investigating this and knows about the story of black adam, billy is different in terms of personality but I think he will get better so I don’t worry and in trailer style we are told that magic is apparently returning to earth as billy transforms into shazam (whose I dig his new appearance…….at least the parts that are visible).
The Good:
We finally jump into the present as we don’t have to think when the league is doing while every other title moves forward (except demon knights and western....but the reasons are obvious) is a great jumping on point for the ones who aren’t reading this book and we get to see some league action and the curse of shazam is finally here.
The Bad:
First of all the art for me even if it’s not bad it just doesn’t fit the book at all. The team doesn’t even feel like the justice league and act much more like a group of people who are forced to work together. I find it quite unrealistic since the team should already had gotten their game together and know how to work together. Superman is the strongest there so why doesn't he take some authority about this kind of behavior? (he is just there).
Why in the world do we need yet another organization made to counter superhuman threats? Don’t we have checkmate, S.H.A.D.E, blackhawks and some other ones I might not know or forgot? Okay, anyone who’s heard my opinions about the “civilians hating the heroes” might be a little surprised that it feels odd that everyone loves the Justice League, I don’t know…..probably because all other tittles everyone treats superheroes like threats it feels a little inconsistent. I like when people don’t act like morons and blame the heroes for everything but because this new universe everyone treats heroes like crap (most of them) it feels a little odd that they totally love them here….feels creepy and odd…..if they acted more normal about then I would be happy and have no problem with it. Also it’s weird how everyone acts like little fanboys when they see all this great heroes and then fear superman, blame the flash for things he didn’t do and make fun of aquaman in their tittles. Oh! and don't think i forgot how out of nowhere batman wants to disband the JLI when he was there when all the tragedy happened in issue 7....plus he was very supportive of the team and still is.
Overall: 3/5
This is a jumping on point to enter for those who haven’t read Justice League before (but let’s be honest, lot’s of you are reading it). It might still be the superior title compared to the avengers (yes, it’s necessary to compare both companies’ main books…..because it’s fun that way and that’s how I roll anyways). So if you want to jump in into this title is your chance but be warned since its just average and getting shazam for the first time in the dcnu helped a little. I just hope next issue gets better
