Young Justice (2019) #1 Review
The Team is back with a brand-new lineup, but how does it compare to DC's other works?
The Young Justice cartoon is back with a bang, and DC Universe even released an exclusive Young Justice comic. It’s a great adventure with the team from the show, but this is not that comic. This is the new Young Justice comic released under the Wonder Comics banner (headed by Brian Bendis), and it’s really good.
15 years after the finale to their last run, Young Justice relaunches with Brian Michael Bendis as writer. This issue has a break-neck speed, only stopping to give a page or two for reunions between former members like Tim Drake’s Robin, Wonder Girl and Impulse, while introducing Jinny Hex, assumably a descendent from Jonah Hex and with twice the firepower. Unfortunately, that does lead to a small pacing issue when Teen Lantern shows up with no fanfare and only enough panel time to say his name before bumping into the bigger named characters. Similarly, Amethyst and the long-lost nineties version of Superboy are only given one page to establish their respective backstories.
Even with that small pacing issue though, Bendis let's the personalities of these characters ooze through every scene they’re in, allowing Young Justice to shine when the heroes face off against an invading force from Gemworld, of all places. Those personalities are what makes this book, even if the mystery of the Seven Crises is also interesting.
The art by Patrick Gleason, with colors by Alejandro Sanchez, is great but also awkwardly paced. There seems to be four different art styles vying for control and though they are all certainly great, it gives the first issue a somewhat disjointed feel.
However, Young Justice #1 is still a fantastic introduction to DC's Wonder Comics, and a book for those who love the publisher's sidekicks. Four stars!
