The Good
We've seen plenty of future versions of the DC Universe. Of course there will always be heroes but who is there and how they're related to the present day heroes, if at all, changes. DC has decided to show us what the world is like about a thousand years from now. It'd be hard to believe that the notion of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc still exist but we see versions of them, and other members of the League, present on this team in the future.
Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis approach this time period in a great way. Within pages we get an idea what the mood and vibe of this world is like. They could have introduced us to the team as they formed together but instead, we jump right into the action. This allows us to see the team, with a little experience under their belts. Their relationships and tension among different members is also present. Too often we see a lot of time spent introducing everything and the results are a slower pacing.
As for the why and how these heroes are here together as the Justice League, it's a fascinating approach. We've seen the idea of legacies play out several times and what we get here is thankfully different. In some ways it feels very wrong but that's what makes it work. We are seeing the results of how they were brought together and it adds a nice twist to the future-version-of-existing-heroes notion. The dynamic of the team isn't quite what you'd expect. The members may have been together for a little but they are a little rough together. That adds another interesting element to the book. Can they even survive working alongside each other?
Howard Porter's art fits in with the story. We are introduced to different locations and ideas and Porter definitely makes it feel different that the current time period. We're still learning what's going on in this time period and in this situation and it all looks pretty interesting. More importantly, I'm really curious about why the Flash looks the way he does...
The Bad
It's good that this team isn't exactly what we might have thought they'd be but that can be a good thing. There's a lot of bickering and rough spots in the team but you have to assume this is an aspect we'll see change as the series progresses.
There were a couple instances the facial expressions looked rough as well. It's hard to figure out if they're supposed to appear this way or if it's just Porter's style.
The Verdict
Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis have introduced another future time period for the DC Universe. As we see this future version of the Justice League, we discover they're not the traditional future incarnation we've seen before. The team has already been assembled and they don't operate as smoothly as you would think either. This adds a new dynamic as we'll get to see they'll grow together. Howard Porter details the futuristic time period and there's a great mix of grittiness mixed with a sci-fi future feel. There's still a lot to learn from their past and future which makes this a book you'll want to come back for next month.
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