REVIEW: “Justice League” #18

(DC Comics, 2013)

Reviewed by Shawn Warner

WRITER:  Geoff Johns
ARTISTS: Jesus Saiz & Gary Frank
COLOR ART: Jeromy Cox & Brad Anderson

The Grid is a database in Cyborg’s program consisting of nearly every super-human on Earth including their code names, powers and how to contact them. He uses it in Justice League #18 to contact potential recruits needed to free up the core members to deal with the ever-growing demands they find themselves faced with. Some of them are obvious choices like Firestorm, Black Canary and Nightwing. Others are more obscure like Element Woman, Gold Rush and a creation of Will Magnus’ called Platinum, an artificial intelligence made of pure platinum with a brain called a responsometer inside. Highly unstable she goes berserk in the midst of this super-power summit at Justice League headquarters. She is convinced Dr. Magnus is in danger at the hands of the Justice League. Current members and hopefuls alike join forces to take her down. In the end three candidates emerge as potential fits: The Atom, Element Woman and Firestorm.

This is the beginning of Geoff Johns’ next story arc called “Trinity War” which is sure to change not only the current roster but the League itself for some time to come. Johns’ writing is as solid as ever. He draws us in with great dialogue and concise set-up. The action sequence is not merely a battle but a plot device used to propel the story forward resolving the initial dilemma of finding new members ending in a final page cliff-hanger. Classic Geoff Johns, complex without being pedantic he captures the voices and personalities of each character.

The art by Jesus Saiz however I found rather flat. I wouldn’t blame his pencils as much as Jeromy Cox’s colors. There is very little tonal dimension giving an overall blocky feel to the finished art. In contrast Gary Frank’s art on the Shazam back-up story, also written by Geoff Johns, is amazing. It is detailed where Saiz is minimal. Frank’s anatomy is much more believable giving his finished pages a more dynamic feel.

All-in-all Justice League is a solid book. Geoff Johns continues to produce vastly readable engrossing stories filled with fully developed heroes and villains. Still managing to keep the most tried and true current, relevant and interesting. I would really like to see a top grade artist on this book. Come back Jim Lee we miss you.

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Follow Shawn Warner on Twitter: @shawnwarner629