Justice League 14 Discussion/Spoilers

[Rakzo]

I must say, this was a nice improvement over the previous issue.

Cheetah still seems one dimensional at first glance but Johns adds some interesting twists about her and her relationship with Wonder Woman including some previous identities that fans will able to recognize. Still, the best part of this is story is the development in Superman and Wonder Woman relationship, Johns does a quite good job at building them as a compelling couple.

Also, that last page. Oh Bats, you never change.

The Shazam backup continues to be the best aspect of this title. Black Adam is portrayed as a dangerous threat, Sivana is going back to the form that most people recognize and the worldbuilding implemented here is great. I was disappointed that Lemire was not going to do the ongoing but it's hard to feel bad with the kind of stories we're getting from Johns.

[Retro315]

Yeah it's been a while since Johns JL was the first issue I read in a week, but the preview had me curious and I feel like this didn't disappoint - Johns managed to do quite a bit more with two issues. Frankly, I thought it was a good limitation for him to have, to tell a compelling story in two issues, keep juggling the B- and C-Plots. He has a tendency to work in blocs of 4 issues or 6 issues and draw things out too much and this while clearly part of a greater story managed to be a punchy two issues.

I complimented Daniel's art in the preview thread, but it remained consistently good throughout. He's not my favorite artist, but he's better here than I've seen him since, oh, the "Eye of the Beholder" Dick Grayson arc in Batman, and I think an improvement on Jim Lee for sure. I won't go so far as to bash Lee's art, when he shines he shines, but Daniel does better work with the little moments and the acting, I think. Grant Morrison back when R.I.P. began mentioned that Tony had a bit of the spirit of the 70s and 80s Batman artists in him, and I think that gives him the edge, even if his art shares a common ancestry with Lee's own style. (And I like that his Wonder Woman has a bit of a mascera look around the eyes.)

Tangentially linking the were-cheetah to Ya'wara was a really neat move, I guess that Aquaman-interconnective stuff is already happening in a big way, but mostly I get the vibe that there's a big undercurrent of Indiana Jones style relic-hunting going on in the fringes of the DCU. The whole thing felt very pulpy like I was hoping it would, the Smallville bit in the second half was really quite nice (Johns might tell basic, non-radical spacey Superman stories, but he's one of the masters of handling the simple goodness and decency "Clark Kent" side of things.)

And it was nice to see a resolute Barry, and Aquaman go in for the win, with some finny friends straight off of the show River Monsters. I got a big kick out of the "cat in water" pun-fun of the whole take-down. And I even didn't mind the shrewd, but still cliched way the Belle Reve thing played out, because it was couched in a villain who considers herself a lost cause even as the hero doesn't. Hardly a complex, unexpected dynamic, but he played it honestly and I thought it worked. Cheetah knowing Manta relates back to that whole magical artifact Indiana Jones thing. They're both tomb raiders.

Shazam was great fun. On the one hand you're like "Oh man, Black Adam vs. Corrupt People" and morbidly fascinated, but on the other hand ... a protest, a strike, whatever else ... voicing your problems and then taking them to court is a far, far, far cry from casually murdering them to set an example. Black Adam didn't seem to grasp the whole "casual murder doesn't fly now" memo Sivana was trying to give him.

Sloth was fun, the move toward a classic Sivana was fun. Billy and Freddy were fun. Good times.

[Desaad]

Thought it was the strongest issue in a while, but still didn't love it. Johns does a lot of 'telling', and he's getting worse and worse about it, characters just declaring every relevant plot point, action or thought without rhyme or reason.

Still, some interesting mythology building here -- Can we agree that Desaad probably forged Godslayer? -- and it's a nice twist that Minerva corrupted the Cheetah, rahter than the other way around.

Enjoyed the Shazam backup well enough, too.

[EXCELSIOR 2.0]

Billy & Freddy are amazing. Bastards, but amazing. I can't wait till Adam catches up with them. Oh, and that Aquaman scene was pretty great too!

[stillanerd]

Well to paraphrase Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly from Back to the Future, "Batman's a peeping tom!"

But seriously, spoilers:

you can bet that Batman, knowing that Superman and Wonder Woman are now romantically involved will come to the conclusion that their romance puts the entire Justice League in jeopardy. Because he knows there is no way the various governments of the world will allow the possible coupling of the two strongest superheroes on Earth.

end of spoilers

[Retro315]

Well to paraphrase Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly from Back to the Future, "Batman's a peeping tom!"

But seriously, spoilers:

you can bet that Batman, knowing that Superman and Wonder Woman are now romantically involved will come to the conclusion that their romance puts the entire Justice League in jeopardy. Because he knows there is no way the various governments of the world will allow the possible coupling of the two strongest superheroes on Earth.

end of spoilers

The likelihood of him voicing complaints that are close to this seem very high.

But I'm hedging my bets that what his real interest is, is that Superman is one of his best friends and he's the kind of paranoid friend who doesn't want to see two of his friends get together and break up the band in any way. Batman belongs to many clubs, but usually he's the boss. He runs Batman, Inc. He runs the Outsiders. This group is comprised of his equals, not just his trusted allies, but his good chums.

Bruce is a cynic, he can't help it.

[stillanerd]

The likelihood of him voicing complaints that are close to this seem very high.

But I'm hedging my bets that what his real interest is, is that Superman is one of his best friends and he's the kind of paranoid friend who doesn't want to see two of his friends get together and break up the band in any way. Batman belongs to many clubs, but usually he's the boss. He runs Batman, Inc. He runs the Outsiders. This group is comprised of his equals, not just his trusted allies, but his good chums.

Bruce is a cynic, he can't help it.

Exactly. Even though Batman is technically "the leader" of the Justice League, the group are, as you point out, equals, each one having their say on League matters and casting their vote on how to proceed. A romantic relationship between Superman and Wonder Woman essentially creates an "alliance" and upsets the balance of power, especially since they also happen to be the League's most powerful members. Maybe spoilers:

this is how Shazam/Captain Marvel eventually gets recruited into the Justice League--it's Batman bringing in someone he knows can check both Superman and Wonder Woman in case the two of them decide to go rogue.

end of spoilers

[Jabare]

great art.

Wonder Woman and Superman are getting real close now. lol

Alos Flash got owned this issue and badly.

Supes got taken out/turned evil early and Flash just got slashed up by Cheetah.

Also Batman never fails to impress, wonde rif he has all the Justice League members bugged

[LoneNecromancer]

Also Batman never fails to impress, wonde rif he has all the Justice League members bugged

No, Superman's the one-off, and Bats has had him bugged for five years, if that's the same tracker he put on him back in Action Comics.

[Jabare]

No, Superman's the one-off, and Bats has had him bugged for five years, if that's the same tracker he put on him back in Action Comics.

oh okay.

I get Bats has his reasons but that is so sketchy. What if the two started getting really intimate Batman's just going to sit there and watch.

Also how has Supes not noticed in 5 years? Does he not wash or inspect his costume at all?

[bobbyraw]

Wonder Woman's back appears a bit broken...



Superman appears to be getting his makeup tips from watching twilight.

Edit: just wait... I'm getting larger image sizes

[spair]

oh okay.

I get Bats has his reasons but that is so sketchy. What if the two started getting really intimate Batman's just going to sit there and watch.

Also how has Supes not noticed in 5 years? Does he not wash or inspect his costume at all?

Superman is still under the impression that Batman 'trusts' him. lol.

[Aquacatlungfish]

Was Flash's exit really terrible or natural?

[Namtab]

Still, some interesting mythology building here -- Can we agree that Desaad probably forged Godslayer? -- and it's a nice twist that Minerva corrupted the Cheetah, rahter than the other way around.

Could be. Also, it was said that the Godslayer was used to spoilers:

kill a "mysterious alien sun god." Could that be Rao?

end of spoilers

[Desaad]

Could be. Also, it was said that the Godslayer was used to spoilers:

kill a "mysterious alien sun god." Could that be Rao?

end of spoilers

Yup, thatt was definitely Rao.