From its inception, Justice League Red has been building to a conflict between the Red Tornado and the team he assembled, seemingly to prevent disasters before they happen. That confrontation finally takes place in Justice League Red #6. There’s just one caveat: The Tornado’s artificial intelligence has evolved into its own entity, naming itself the “Crimson Cloud” and determined to save humanity…even if it has to kill this new Justice League to do it!
The idea of the Red Tornado as a villain is a terrifying one, and Saladin Ahmed plays up that horror in every page that the Cloud appears in. Not only is it built to withstand the League’s powers, it also turns their worst fears against them. Simon Baz is confronted with his criminal past; Cyborg, the potential hellish future that might unfold from DC K.O.; Power Girl, the guilt of failing not one but two worlds; and Red Canary, the fear that she might not be good enough. Other villains have taken a similar tactic, but the fact that the Cloud used to be someone these heroes knew twists the knife further.
The Cloud also makes for a terrifying visual under Clayton Henry’s pencils, appearing as a series of spiraling twisters surrounding a pair of glowing blue eyes and massive pixels that approximate a face. It’s essentially a hellish version of the Wizard from The Wizard of Oz, only this guy actually is great and terrible. If that wasn’t enough, Arif Prianto soaks most of his pages in red as the Cloud takes up the entirety of a page. Even its illusions are a dark red, once again letting Justice League Red live up to its name.
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Stopping the Cloud’s rampage means that the League has to work together as a team, and work together they do. Deadman proves to be the ace in the hole, given that he’s already died and faced his worst fears. So does Red Canary, whose mastery over the Red proves to be the one thing that could stop the Cloud in its tracks. I’m genuinely happy this series gave her a prominent role, as she’s been a character I’ve wanted to see more of. Ahmed’s past experience writing teenage heroes like Miles Morales and Kamala Khan comes in handy here, as he shows Red Canary overcoming her fears and stepping up to save the day.
While Justice League Red wraps up all of its plot threads, it leaves the door hanging open for more adventures. It’s unclear if these adventures will ever see the light of day, as most comics depend on strong word of mouth and sales to sustain momentum. Still, the idea of a team book dedicated to a superhero universe’s lesser known characters isn’t a bad idea, as it gives the chance for characters not named Superman or Batman to have the spotlight.
Justice League Red #6 closes the book on one of DC’s more intriguing thought experiments, while also hinting there could be more on the horizon. It’ll also make you wonder if there are other Justice League spinoffs in the works.
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