The Darkseid War sieges on each month in the single issues, but if you’re one of those folks who was on the fence you get the chance to read the collected edition from the start this week. Collecting Justice League #40 to 44 here are five reasons this collection can’t be missed.
Justice League Vol. 7 (DC Comics)
1. The story’s backbone is an epic hero’s journey.
Like any good story this book opens a long time ago revealing a secret only now being told. A baby is born in secret, sons are traded to work out a peace between warring people and the Anti-Monitor looms ready to destroy everything. All of reality is under threat, yet a story of a boy who defies all odds is at the center of it all. That boy grows up to be Mister Miracle, the hero of this book. It may seem complicated but the story is paced very well, never going overboard with exposition or action at any one time. Instead the hero’s journey of Mister Miracle ties it all together incredibly well and takes the time to check in on all of our favorite JL characters.
This guy is very important to the story.
2. It contains a Lex/Superman team up that shouldn’t be missed.
Meanwhile good guy Lex Luthor from Earth 2 is forced to work with Superman to stay alive, fighting off the hordes of the planet Apokolips. Eventually this story arc takes a surprising turn and changes Superman into something new, exciting and potentially very scary.
3. Batman’s evolution suits him and it’s fun to see it change him.
Not to give too much away, but Batman gets a major role near the end of this book that enhances him ten fold. The enhancement makes him the greatest detective in many ways which is cool, but it also shows us a side of Batman we haven’t seen before. When given the powers of a God what would Batman do with them? Sure he’d use them for good, but could his insatiable need for answers be very healthy?
This story is big!
4. Epic action that is by every definition of the word awesome.
Characters fight as they do in comic books, but there’s some next level fighting going on in this volume. At one point Darkseid’s daughter practically defeats each Justice League member with one hand and she does so in epic fashion. Later we actually see two giants (10 stories tall sized) going at it all in high detail from Jason Fabok’s pen. This issue also weaves in universe changing events from the DCU with tons of characters per page and panel at times, making each page a visual feast.
5. Every panel is gorgeous.
Jason Fabok and Brad Anderson have thrown together one of the most gorgeous books I’ve ever read. The detail is incredible — at times reminiscent of some of Jim Lee’s best work because it’s not only detailed but dynamic. This is the type of book that probably should have gone through countless delays in order to give the artists the time to draw so many highly detailed and complex layouts. Take for instance one double page spread bordered by Wonder Woman and Mister Miracle in the foreground as they look upon two armies running into each other midway through and finally in the background two giant titans ready to throw fists at each other.
Foreshadowing danger for Lex?
Conclusion:
One of the reasons this book was such a treat to read was because it felt big and small all at once. The story and stakes in play are huge and universe shattering, but at the same time characters get their moments of growth and development. It opens on a baby but ends with doomsday looming and life as we know it hanging in the balance.
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