Comic Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #4
If the JLI is the poor man’s Justice League, I can’t help but wonder when the B-Team takes the bench and the starters get the ball.
Written by: Dan Jurgens Art by: Aaron Lopresti, Matt Ryan Cover by: David Finch, Richard Friend, Peter Steigerwald Lettering by: Terris Lanham Published by: DC Availabe in comic stores now! If the JLI is the poor mans Justice League, I cant help but wonder when the B-Team takes the bench and the starters get the ball. One of the great things in the original Justice League International book was the relationships between team members. In the current JLI, we dont get much characterization. In fact, Im fairly certain one of the cast didnt even speak any lines this issue. Not that youd notice much. Aside from the fact that Lady Godiva is somewhat obsessed with male genitalia, there wasnt much in terms of character building. There is a lot of cliché in this comic. All of the heroes are incapacitated while the bad guy gives an expository speech detailing his motivations and plans. The team is out of contact, but lets hope they can still make it; if not, theyll be killed along with their enemy. Oh no! Cliffhanger: Is Earth really going to be completely destroyed next issue? Its hard to take a story seriously when it throws the old standards in your face without even attempting to subvert them or offer any sort of commentary. Were expected to take them completely at face value. I mean, seriously - does anyone really think the planet is in danger of being wiped out? On top of that, the threat that the JLI is facing this issue is so monumental that its hard to imagine that the actual Justice League wouldnt be involved. In fact, every hero in the DC Universe should be involved. Yes, this is a problem with shared universes; its the same way in the Marvel Universe. So many things happen in New York City that its a little tough to believe that the Avengers and Fantastic Four dont cross paths more often. When dealing with a force that can literally destroy Earth on a whim, youd better jump through some hoops to explain why not even one other hero is a part of the defense. Up until this month, this book has been a light, fun read. Up until this month, Ive been interested in exploring the characters relationships with each other. This month Im finding it a lot harder to be invested. Unless youre a big fan of Booster Gold, Guy Gardner or Batman, you shouldnt be too disappointed missing this one since you wont really be hearing much from anyone else. This issue was low on character development and far too heavy with over used tropes.