The solicits for Justice League Red #1 had a very intriguing hook. With the Justice League now going full “Unlimited” and turning into a veritable army, they have the manpower to combat any threat. But Red Tornado – who due to circumstances, now serves as the League’s “mission control” – has been running doomsday scenarios and took matters into his own hands to stop them. Whenever a Justice League member’s card flashes red, it means that Tornado has called them on a mission that’s so secret, their teammates can’t know about it.
On paper, that’s a hell of an idea. What’s even better is the creative team of Saladin Ahmed and Clayton Henry. Ahmed’s delivered superhero stories that’ve dug deep into a character’s state of mind, particularly with his runs on Black Bolt and Miles Morales: Spider-Man. Henry’s work, especially in the “Phantoms” arc of Action Comics last year, delivers a simple yet striking style that’s perfect for the denizens of the DC Universe.
Together, they deliver a debut issue that grabs readers from the very first page. Disaster after disaster is shown, hinting at the dangers Tornado is trying to stop. Meanwhile, a moment where Power Girl stops a group of robbers lets her showcase the full range of her Kryptonian powers, to the point where one of the thieves wisely gives up. The most striking imagery, however, comes from the reveal that Tornado has built his own secret base on the dark side of the moon. And I mean dark – Arif Prianto literally shrouds the moon in shadow, reflecting the secretive nature of this team.
DC
Justice League Red #1 also reveals a major curveball toward the back half of its story that throws its entire premise, and Tornado’s motives, into question. Here’s where Ahmed’s gift for subversive superhero storytelling pays off; with this twist, he’s exploring how dangerous it could be to act on preemptive knowledge. Unlike other superhero stories, it feels relevant due to the fact that a machine is calling the shots, which taps into underlying concerns of AI and military overreach.
But the one dangling issue with Justice League Red #1 is that aside from Power Girl and Green Lantern Simon Baz, no other heroes show up. It’s an issue that’s plagued most modern team books, as usually it’ll take roughly half the first arc for the entire team to form; the current New Avengers and the New 52 Justice League are the biggest examples of this. This approach strips the book of some intriguing character dynamics (especially since Deadman and Cyborg were teased to be part of the team), and while it’s bound to change I feel having a full team would have made the twist hit even harder.
Justice League Red #1 takes the tried-and-true trope of a covert ops superhero team and flips it on its ear, promising a deeper story to come. Future issues should hopefully bring in more team members, and build upon this book’s major twist.
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