Justice League of America #1 Review - Geoff Johns and David Finch

JLA1Ever wondered what it€™s like to sit in on a DC execs€™ meeting? No? Well, like it or not, Justice League of America #1 is here to show you how DC come up with their ideas by going through the process via their characters. Most of the issue is set in Amanda Waller€™s office while she and Steve Trevor look over files and pinned-up headshots on boards, discussing why the disparate characters that will make up this incarnation of the JLA are a good fit for this group. They should rename this comic Marketing Meeting #1. Hawkman, Katana, Vibe, Star Girl, Green Arrow, J€™onn J€™onzz the Martian Manhunter, a Green Lantern, and Catwoman. Wonder why these odd choices for a team were picked? There€™s a handy set of headshots toward the end that connect each of the Justice League members to the JLA, eg. Superman - Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman - Katana. It€™s an obvious way of saying €œhey, these teams are going fight each other in a future event!€. That and the fact that Amanda Waller repeatedly brings up €œstopping super-humans - if necessary€. All this because they think Wonder Woman might influence Superman to start running the world himself when they're seen smooching? So this unexciting group of B-listers (and some D-list characters too - Star Girl?!), don€™t even team-up in this issue, they€™re just talked about by Amanda and Steve who want them to team-up. It€™s doubly dull - the characters suck and the €œstory€ in this issue is non-existent. As for why any of these characters would choose to team up anyway is a mystery. Do they feel the same way as Amanda Waller in that the JLA are too far away up in their Watchtower to help - are Catwoman or Hawkman that empathetic? The other reason to form the JLA is national security - United States national security. And why would Katana (Japanese) and J€™onn J€™onzz (from Mars) be interested in that, again? They think Hawkman will join because they€™ll grant him diplomatic immunity - because that€™s what a guy who can fly anywhere in the world wants right? - which will allow him to carry on his own personal mission so the US are in effect sanctioning his delusional murders, one of which introduces him to the reader in his first appearance in this book! Katana will apparently join for information on her husband€™s killers so she can kill them - this group are so likeable aren€™t they? Vibe - well, there€™s no reason given why he joined. I guess you'll have to read Vibe #1 (out now!) to find out. I can't imagine it'd take much though - what else has he got going on? They€™re blackmailing Star Girl to join, getting Green Lantern - not sure which one yet but he is a cosmic being who can leave the planet if he wanted! - off of a conviction charge, and Catwoman joining? I have no idea. I€™m not up to date with the character so her cryptic exchange with Steve Trevor means nothing. Green Arrow€™s the only one who actually seems eager to join, though J€™onn joins amicably too though without a discernible reason - maybe he€™s (sigh) doing it for the greater good? I suppose since he retconned himself out of Stormwatch, he has to have something to do. There is a sliver of story revealed in this issue with Green Arrow on some kind of secret mission dressed as a villain being hunted (but somehow getting away from) the Justice League proper with Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman after him. Why any of that is happening is another mystery though I€™d rather have spent the issue following that thread rather than stuck in the office with Amanda and Steve (or Geoff and David as they're known in the real world). All in all, JLA #1 is a thoroughly dull experience which spent most of its time trying to justify its own existence by getting the reader to see their point of view in creating the team - which I still don€™t get! Also I have to say I don€™t really like any of the characters nor have I been given a reason to so far. Despite being a boring opening issue, maybe Geoff Johns is saving the action/fun/excitement for future issues? Anyway, Justice League of America #1 is a fizzle. The New 52 strikes out again!
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