Justice League #24 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ivan Reis

This series as a whole as been amazing and one of the series that I've enjoyed the most since the start of the New 52 two years ago. It has however gotten even better since the start of Trinity War and now that Forever Evil has started I'm sure it will continue to be just as brilliant.

Plot

Ultraman's origin is revealed whilst in the present he pays the Daily Planet a visit.

Review

This was a fantastic issue and a brilliant Ultraman story. Geoff Johns continues to do an amazing job on this series, doing a great job of tie-in this in with the events of Forever Evil without taking anything away from the main event itself. Johns also did a great job of transitioning from Ultraman's origin story to the present, with the narration from Ultraman throughout this issue also being amazing. Johns would also add a lot of drama and suspense in this issue, with the tone being perfect for both the characters and the event as a whole. I did however feel that this issue was too much of a set-up for Forever Evil #3, as although it was very exciting and enjoyable, I couldn't help but feel that it was ever so slightly incomplete.

The artwork in this issue was simply phenomenal with Ivan Reis producing some of his finest work. The detail throughout this issue was simply outstanding, as although there were a couple of minor imperfections they are very hard to notice, and overall the detail was very consistent throughout. The layouts of Reis's art was also amazing, adding a lot of depth and tone to the issue, helping the story to flow smoothly. The action and character emotions would also be brilliantly handled, adding a lot of excitement and realism to the issue. On top of all that Reis would also produce an amazing cover that was a brilliant homage to Jim Lee's cover for the first issue of the series.

This issue would start by re-telling Ultraman's origin. Now for anyone who knows Ultraman's origin this may or may not interest you, but having not read it myself I personally really enjoyed the re-telling, feeling that it was the perfect start to this Ultraman themed issue. What I especially enjoyed was that although it was very similar to Superman's origin, it was much darker and grittier, with everything having a bad natured tone to it. Ultraman as a child would also be rather creepy, with his red eyes reminding me of Damien from the Omen.

In the present part of this issue Ultraman would pay a visit to the Daily Planet, to see just how different the staff are compared to their Earth-3 counterparts. This was a very intense and exciting sequence, and I especially loved how Ultraman exerted his dominance, and how angry he got over the differences between these characters compared to their Earth-3 counterparts. I also yet again loved the dark tone to this, as if it was Superman doing this I would have hated it, but cause it's Ultraman it's very dramatic and intense.

This issue would also see a fight between Ultraman and Black Adam. Now I won't go into any detail as to how the fight started, but I will say my thoughts on the fight. First of all I loved that it happened, as following the tease in Forever Evil #2 I was looking forward to the two squaring off. I also found it funny that Black Adam was actually the hero here, as having been considered a villain it's easy to forget that his intentions are usually good, just not always moral. It was however a shame that it didn't end in this issue, but in saying that I'm even more excited for Forever Evil #3 now.

Final Verdict

This was an outstanding issue, as although not necessary for anyone who is only interested in the bare essentials of Forever Evil, it was still an exciting read, retelling Ultraman's origin in a very dark and gritty way that contrasts Superman's origins perfectly. There would also be some brilliant action as well, as although it was mainly setting up Forever Evil #3 it was still very exciting, also being suspenseful. Due to all this I'd highly recommend this issue as it was a very fun and entertaining read.

Rating: 9/10

Justice League #23.4 Secret Society Review

Writers: Geoff Johns and Sterling Gates

Artist: Szymon Kudranski

With this being the Villains Month issue that's tied into Forever Evil the most I was really looking forward to it. I was also looking forward to seeing how the Secret Society of Super Villains were built, as well as more of The Outsider's background.

Plot

The Outsider recounts how it was like on Earth-3 and how he would do anything for Owlman.

Review

This was an amazing issue, and one of the best issues from this weeks Villains Month. Geoff Johns and Sterling Gates do a brilliant job of taking us into the word of the Crime Syndicate prior to Forever Evil. The tone of the issue was simply perfect, as Johns and Gates managed to give a very dark story that had a mysterious overtone to it. I also loved how Johns and Gates managed to show how Earth-3 was nearly the exact opposite of the normal DC Universe, with the villains appearing more noble than the supposed heroes. Johns and Gates also did a great job of adding a lot of suspense and drama to this issue, and although this was a fantastic issue I wish it had more to do with the Secret Society.

The art in this issue was simply outstanding, as although I had a few problems with Szymon Kudranski's artwork in last weeks Scarecrow issue, he redeemed himself here. The detail in his artwork was simply amazing, being very consistent throughout. Kudranski's dark style also suited this story perfectly, adding brilliant tone and atmosphere to the issue, and also showed the gritty nature of this word perfectly. I also really liked the layout of Kudranski's artwork, as it managed to add a lot of depth, as well as adding even more tone to the issue. Kudranski also did a great job of showing the characters facial expressions, as they were very realistic, adding amazing emotion to the issue.

This issue would focus quite heavily on Owlman, as with the Outsider telling the story it's only natural that the man he'd die for would be the centre of it. I quite enjoyed seeing this different side to the Batman style character, as with Batman being my favourite character it's natural that Owlman is the character from the Crime Syndicate that interests me the most. I also liked how this issue would show probably the most famous Batman sequence ever but in a different fashion, and found the way it was handled so impactful. I also enjoyed the interaction between Owlman and the Outsider and how other Batman characters were referenced throughout.

We'd also see the Earth-3 version of the Joker in this issue, which was a pleasant surprise. Now I doubt I'm going to like this version over the normal any time soon, but I did enjoy seeing how due to the equivalent of Batman having a different personality, that Joker would too, and that in this universe he is more towards good than Owlman is. Another thing that I enjoyed about this was that besides the attitude change Joker was very similar to the one we know, looking the same, and laughing all the time, just having different goals.

Now although I said that this issue didn't focus on the Secret Society as much as it could have, it still would feature them, showing how the Outsider came to the regular universe and formed the Secret Society. Now this wasn't really anything special, and it actually acted really quickly. I did however still enjoy reading it as it made the title a bit more appropriate as although it still should have been simply the Outsider, it was good to see some connection, even if not much of one. I will however add that I probably would prefer this story over one that focused on the Secret Society more, just that the title wasn't aptly named.

Final Verdict

Although this didn't focus on the Secret Society as much as I hoped it would, it did an amazing job of showing how The Outsider and Owlman lived on Earth-3. The story itself was also very dramatic, being both dark and mysterious. The issue also had brilliant artwork from Kudranski which added the perfect tone and atmosphere that this issue needed. Considering all this I'd highly recommend this issue, especially to anyone who enjoyed Trinity War or is currently reading Forever Evil.

Rating: 8/10

Justice League #23.1 Darkseid Review

Writer: Greg Pak

Artists: Paulo Siqueira & Netho Diaz

Darkseid has been a character that has intrigued me over the last few years, so I was excited to hear that he would be part of the Villains Month like he should be. Also given the recent events of Batman/Superman, and the talk of him playing a role in that I had to see what was behind this.

Plot

Uxas, a mud grubber on his home planet despises the Old Gods, eventually making a plan to rid himself of them, becoming a god himself. Now he has to live the life of a god, killing anything he dislikes.

Review

This was a very good issue, but not quite as good as I was hoping for. Greg Pak did however do a fantastic job of re-telling Darkseid's origin, and the way that he has managed to work this in with the work he's been doing on Batman/Superman was very nice, and extremely interesting. I did however feel that it all happened a little too quickly, as due to wanting to be both an origin story, as well as a story that sets up Darkseid for the future it felt like too much in one issue, jumping about a bit too much like a stone getting skipped over water. Pak did however manage to make this a very impactful story, as although it was a little too much for one issue it was still very enjoyable.

I loved the art in this issue, and I felt that Paulo Siqueira, and Netho Diaz did a fantastic job. I haven't seen much work from either artists, only having seen Siqueira's art alongside other artists on certain issues, so I was pleasantly surprised with how good it was. The way both artists work meshed with each other was brilliant, as although I usually dislike more than one artist on an issue, it's not a problem when they work that well next to each other that you can't tell which is which. I also loved the layout, and the emotion on Darkseid throughout, and love how imposing he looked. I also need to credit colourist Hi-Fi, as although it's the pencils that make the art great, it needs great colour to make it phenomenal, which Hi-Fi did.

This issue would start with Darkseid as a normal person named Uxas working as a mud grubber in the world before our world. I found this to be an interesting addition to the issue, as although due to most of it being an origin it was expected, it was still nice to see, and executed perfectly. I just loved how we get to see some proper emotion from this character, and that he was relatively normal prior to becoming Darkseid, just disliking the ways the Old Gods work, and how they were always laughing.

Becoming Darkseid was however what I was most looking forward to with this issue, and it didn't disappoint. It would show how as Uxas he got that angry with one god that he killed it, eventually killing more until he became one himself, becoming Darkseid. Again Pak executed this perfectly, as although I complained earlier about how I disliked the way it jumped from place to place, he did manage to make the sequences exciting, and interesting, and the transformation was probably the best being very impactful. I also loved seeing him living as a god, and how he would kill anything that he disliked.

This issue would also play of Pak's recent Batman/Superman story, having the Trickster have an involvement in the issue, forever teasing Darkseid. I really enjoyed this as following the disappointing appearance of Darkseid in Batman/Superman #3 (it wasn't actually Darkseid) it was nice to see where the idea to tease an appearance of him came from. I also liked how Trickster's involvement allows the speculation that he may very well make another appearance soon, whether in Batman/Superman or Earth 2.

Final Verdict

This was a brilliant issue, but overall it wasn't quite as good as I hoped it would be, being too much for one issue. It did however re-tell Darkseid's origin nicely, and teased the possibility of him returning to the main pages of a DC series soon by tying this in slightly with the events of Pak's Batman/Superman series. Overall however I'd recommend this issue, as although I found it ever so slightly disappointing, you may love it, as it's very exciting, and entertaining.

Rating: 7/10

Justice League #23 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ivan Reis

As a whole this series has been fantastic, and although it's not been the best that DC has produced, it hasn't been far off, having produced some fabulous storylines so far. The current Trinity War story that finishes this issue has however intrigued me the most recently, and I look forward to seeing how it leads into Forever Evil.

Plot

All the heroes have assembled in Greece, with Pandora's Box turning everyone against each other, with The Outsider makes this play to his advantage.

Review

This was a phenomenal issue, and easily the best issue in the story, ending on a high note. Geoff Johns has done a great job in wrapping this story up, whilst also setting the following storyline up perfectly. The drama, and suspense in this issue was also amazing well handled, as Johns managed to give the perfect tone for this issue, making it exciting, whilst also being entertaining. The dialogue in this issue was also spectacular, as with the amazing action in this issue you could easily forgive less than perfect dialogue, but you don't have to with this, as it's simply amazing, being extremely dynamic. I also loved the revelation of all the mystery, and look forward to seeing what Johns has in store with Forever Evil.

The art from Ivan Reis in this issue was simply astonishing, and truly some of the best work that he has every produced. From the amazing re-telling of previous Justice League events at the start of the issue, to the phenomenal action in the present, Reis managed to excel in all areas. The detail was also outstanding, as with all that was happening in this issue you'd probably expect very small imperfections, but if there are, they're hard to notice. I also loved the amazing emotion that Reis showed on the characters, which was simply fantastic, adding a lot of depth to the issue. Reis' layouts were also once again sensational, being very dynamic, and I especially loved all the double pages that he added.

This issue would start with a quick re-telling of the Justice League's adventures up till now, whilst also telling The Outsider's story. Now I found this a very interesting way of allowing new readers to quickly get up to date with the events that the Justice League have been a part of. I also loved this monologue from the Outsider, giving an insight into his personal journey as well, building up to the revelation of who he truly is. I also loved how this mystery was solved, and I was surprised that I didn't catch on as to who he really was sooner.

This issue would also have a huge fight between all the superheroes over Pandora's Box. I just loved how it started gradually, going from Constantine warning them, to a full scale war. I was also happy to see some re-drawing from The New 52 FCBD Special Edition as although there was some minor changes, it shows that this is truly the same event that was teased all that time ago. I also loved the dialogue during this sequence, and I loved that we got to see some of the characters deepest, and truest feelings, as although it's the box that has turned them bitter, it's obvious that the characters actually have these feelings, which was nice, making it feel more realists.

The revelation of the Outsiders traitor was also revealed in this issue, and although I won't go into any details, or reveal their identity as to avoid spoilers, I will say what I thought of this revelation. To be honest I wasn't that surprised as to who the traitor was, and although this choice worked well with the story so far, it would have been nicer for it to have been a bigger surprise, with more shock value to it. I did however love the reactions from the character to this revelation, and look forward to seeing if there's any follow-up to this in Forever Evil or not.

Final Verdict

This was a truly amazing issue, and a phenomenal way to end the story. It managed to end this story on a shocking, and entertaining note, whilst setting up the next storyline perfectly. It also had plenty of action, as well as tremendous suspense, drama, and excitement. The revelations within were also outstanding, and due to this I can't wait till Forever Evil. Due to all this I'd highly recommend this issue, but would also recommend the entire story as well, as there's only one reason to get it otherwise. That reason would be for anyone who's missed this but is getting Forever Evil, as this is a great set-up for that.

Rating: 10/10

Justice League #22 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ivan Reis

This has been a brilliant series over the last couple of years, and although it's not always been amazing, it's usually been good. It is however this crossover that excites me more, as I've been looking forward to it since it was teased in The New 52 FCBD Special Edition last June.

Plot

As Shazam (Billy Batson) heads to Kahndaq to scatter Black Adam's ashes, he is intercepted by the Justice League, who in turn are intercepted by the Justice League of America.

Review

This was an amazing issue, and a brilliant way to start to Trinity War. Geoff Johns has done an amazing job of starting this story, making it both suspenseful, as well as exciting. I also loved how added to the suspense was a layer of mystery, with some action not necessarily being clean cut, leaving questions opened. I also feel that Johns has moved on perfectly from all the set-up in both Justice League, and Justice League of America, with even the conclusion of the Shazam back-ups playing a role. The action was also handled perfectly, though there was the odd controversial moment that will rile some people up, though I personally think that adds to the drama, and suspense.

The art from Ivan Reis was as usual, amazing, and I'm extremely happy that he's returned for this story. The detail in his work is simply outstanding, with very few imperfections, which are usually in character's that are in the distance. Reis' layouts were also brilliant, adding more depth to the story, as well as adding to the overall tone, and drama. Where Reis excels though is in his action sequences, as he draws some of the most explosive action sequences that I've ever seen in comics. Reis also does a fabulous job with the character's, and especially showing their feeling, and emotions, with the facial expressions being extraordinarily good.

This issue started with a woman visiting Madame Xanadu who whilst reading her fortune cards learns of the upcoming Trinity War. Now this was a nice way to start the issue, and with the story apparently being centred around magic, and the Trinity of Sin it was fitting to have a magical character start the story off. The sequence itself also added some suspense, and mystery to the issue, giving the issue that much more of an atmosphere. It also acts as a brilliant way to introduce the Justice League Dark into the series, as although she left them at the end of the last issue of Justice League Dark, she's bound to be the reason for them joining this fight.

The way that Shazam was introduced into this story, and how he inadvertently caused the start of this war was nice, making the conclusion to his back-up story much more impactful, as well as a brilliant way of introducing him into the DCnU properly. I also loved how during this you could still tell that there was a kid controlling this metahuman, and it was interesting to see Shazam, and Superman square off, and how Shazam reacted to that.

Now what I was waiting for in this story was to see the two Justice League's square off, and although the issue builds up to this, we get to see the start of the fight in this issue. Now this is brilliant, as it means that readers don't have to wait to see the teams square off. It does however give Johns an interesting task of pacing this fight, and I'm sure he'll find ways to have breaks that will make the story stretch the six issues. I also loved how there was a little controversy in this fight, and although it's bound to make people upset, I feel it adds more excitement.

Final Verdict

This was a amazing issue, and the best that this series has seen since Throne of Atlantis. It was very exciting, with suspense, and drama evened out through the issue, with some mystery added in. It also had some amazing action, and some questionable events, making me want to read the next part of this story even more than I would have before this issue. Due to all this I'd highly recommend this issue as it's amazing, and exciting. It also appears to be a vital story for the future of the DCnU so I'd even recommend it to non JL, JLA, or JLD fans.

Rating: 5/5

Justice League #21 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Gary Frank

Since it started almost two years ago this has been an amazing series, and although it's had it's ups, and downs, it's overall been a very fun book. The Shazam! back-ups have also been a key part of this series for well over a year now, and I'm sad to see it end, but excited at the same time.

Plot

As Black Adam threatens to kill his friends Billy Batson has to make a huge choice in whether giving up his powers to save his friends, or stopping Black Adam.

Review

This was a great issue, and although it wasn't the best instalment in the Shazam! storyline, it was a brilliant way to end it. Geoff Johns has been doing amazing work on this series, as well as Aquaman, Justice League of America, and Green Lantern (which he left recently) over the last couple of years, and although this hasn't always been the best of those series, it's been one of the most important ones. The Shazam! back-ups however have been brilliant, and one of the best things about this series, and although I'm sad that it's now ended, it was a brilliant ending. Johns' has taken Billy Batson and turned him from a mistrusting young boy into a hero, and I've loved being along for that journey. Johns' has also handled Billy's family perfectly, as well as the villain Black Adam, and overall he seems to really know what he's doing with these character's, although that's no surprise coming form Johns, who's made nearly every character he's touched turn into gold. This issue also had a lot of drama, and suspense, as well as excitement, which was all brilliant, giving a great atmosphere. The action was also amazing, and although it wasn't isolated, with not just one big action sequence, it was still brilliant. The only thing that I hope now is that Johns manages to start a Shazam! series, as I'd love that.

The art in this issue was also fantastic, and Gary Frank has once again produced some phenomenal artwork, and has been doing so throughout this entire story. Frank's best work always seems to come whilst working with Johns, as although he's done great art with other writers, his art with Johns on the likes of Superman: Secret Origin, and Batman: Earth One seem just that little bit better. His style however also suits this story perfectly, as he makes all the character's look amazing. Besides that he also does amazing layouts, making everything look so much more dramatic, and dynamic, which is always a joy. Frank also draws some of the most amazing action sequences, and he seems to have saved the best till last in this story. The action was simply outstanding, being explosive, and exciting, whilst also being dramatic, having lots of depth to it. Frank also has an amazing ability of showing the character's emotions perfectly, and this couldn't be shown any better than on the faces of Billy, and Black Adam, as you can see the hate, and remorse in Black Adam's face, and the hope, and hint of fear in Billy's which makes the story feel that much more alive.

This issue saw the Seven Deadly Sins return, and chose their host. Now I won't go into any more detail as to avoid spoilers, but this was awesome, and although it took away from the Shazam!/Black Adam sequence, it was still brilliant, and allowed the story to have more than just one setting. Although I won't name who the Deadly Sins chose as their host, I will say that it was a very interesting choice, and that what that person turned into was simply amazing, and one of the coolest monsters I've seen for a while.

WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD!

Now I don't like giving away spoilers, but it's hard to say my feelings about this next topic without doing so, and it's something that I really enjoyed in this issue. That of course was Billy sharing his powers. Now he was originally meant to give them to Black Adam, but instead he landed up sharing them with his foster siblings, turning them into the Marvel Family. Now I haven't read many Shazam! stories prior to this, but I do know about the Marvel Family, and although I kind of hoped that they'd stay out of the Shazam! story, possibly turning into the Marvel Family in a later story, it was still nice that it happened. I loved seeing them use their powers, and I especially loved seeing Tawky Tawny return, as I love that tiger.

Talking of family we got to see a lot of family values in this issue, as with the lives of his family in the balance Billy finally starts to show feelings for them. Now unless you already knew about Shazam!'s pre-Flashpoint you'd be surprised that this was the same character, as he hated them at the start of this story. It is however nice that he has started to show his feelings, as although the broody, loner role works for certain character', it doesn't for Shazam!, who needs to be a friendly person, with people around him for support.

Now finally we get to the big fight in this issue, which was obviously between Shazam!, and Black Adam. Now we've seen the two fight briefly in previous parts of this story, but this was the first time they got into a proper fight. Now I'll start by saying that this was neither the biggest, nor the most explosive fight that I've ever seen, but it was brilliantly written, and had ton's of emotion. The main thing that appealed to me about this fight was that although there was action, and excitement, it was more a fight of morals, with emotion being the key focus, and this made for a much more deep, and dramatic fight. The dialogue during the fight was also outstanding, and overall although it wasn't phenomenal, it was brilliant.

Final Verdict

This was a excellent way to end this origin story, and although it wasn't the best, it was still brilliant. It had action, humour, and emotion, also being very dramatic, and I will seriously miss this back-up story. I would highly recommend it to anyone, but if you haven't been following this series it'd probably be best to get the hardback collection that's coming out with just this story in it.

Rating: 5/5

Justice League #20 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Gene Ha, Andres Guinaldo & Joe Prado

Since this series started the New 52 it's been nothing short of amazing, and although it may have had the odd blip along the way, it's always been fun, and unique, and well worth the purchase. With Trinity War creeping ever so closer I really look forward to seeing what's in store for the Justice League, and what causes them to clash with the Justice League of America, and Justice League Dark.

Plot

After getting food for the Justice League, Element Woman returns to the Justice League Watchtower to find the rest of the new recruits being attacked by Despero.

Shazam! Chapter 12

Now captured by Black Adam, Billy Batson finally learns the truth about Black Adam.

Review

This was yet another brilliant issue, and although the series is still not quite to the highest level that it's been in the past, it's still much better than it was a couple of issues ago. Geoff Johns has been doing an excellent job with the Justice League over the last couple of years, and although it's not always been perfect, most issues have been very enjoyable. I loved how in this issue Johns was able to make it fun, and lighthearted in places, whilst also making it very dramatic, and suspenseful in others, and he found the right consistency in this issue. I also liked how Johns managed to add some mystery throughout this issue, as there were things that left you speculating as to what's actually going on, which was nice, and really added another layer of drama to this issue. I did however find it slightly disappointing that the Justice League didn't feature as much as I'd have liked in this issue, as although I know that Johns is currently trying to focus more on the new recruits to the Justice League, which is nice, I'd still like to see more of the Justice League that I've enjoyed reading over the last two years. Johns did however also do an amazing job with the action in this issue, and overall he did a great job on the issue, and I'm sure it will get even better with Trinity War.

I wasn't entirely sure what to think of the art in this issue, as although I was upset that Ivan Reis once again was missing an issue, it wasn't the worst art that I've seen, as Gene Ha, Andres Guinaldo, and Joe Prado's pencils were decent, as was Zander Cannon's layouts. Having not seen much art from any of these artists I'm not entirely sure about who did what in the issue, so I'll refrain from naming anyone when talking about a specific piece of art, and most of my comments will be about the collective in general. The art that I probably liked most in this issue was during the fight against Despero, as although it wasn't excellent, it was very dynamic, and dramatic, and really helped to make the sequence feel more alive. I also felt that along with this, Cannon's layouts were the next best thing about the artwork in this issue, as it really made the whole story flow smoothly, and yet again added more drama to the story. I did however notice that due to having multiple artists working on the same issue that the artwork was a little inconsistent, as there were parts that were very smooth, and others that were much rougher, and although none of these were bad, it would have been nicer if the art was more consistent.

This issue opened with one of the new Justice League recruits, Element Woman, ordering food for the Justice League. Now prior to her appearance in this series I've known nothing about Element Woman, and with her having not had a huge role until now I still didn't really know anything about her until this issue. I have to say she's one of the most wackiest character's that I've seen in recent years, and if there wasn't character's like Howard the Duck, and Doop out there I may have even classed her as the wackiest. I did however find her very interesting, and loved how she added a bit of fun to the issue, especially with the fact that she was buying food for the Justice League, which was a bit mad in itself. I do however question whether she'll be a valuable member to the team in the long run, but only time will tell.

The big thing about this issue had to be the presence of Despero, who was shocked with what he found at the Justice League Watchtower. Now Despero isn't one of my favourite villains, but there's no denying that he's a force to be reckoned with, and that's shown in this issue. The fight that Despero put up against these recruits was brilliant, and easily the best thing about the issue. I also loved how this gave the recruits the chance to get used working as part of a team, as they've not really had experience in that field in the past, so to have a villain of this magnitude face them was no mean feat. I won't go into any more details about this fight, as I'm afraid I'll spoil something, but I will say that it was very enjoyable, and especially the ending.

One of the things I notice whilst reading this issue was that Atom (Rhonda Pineda) kept thinking about a secret that she had, and how she didn't want it getting out, as well as feeling guilty about it. Now in fact it was during a second read through that I really noticed this, and was surprised that I didn't notice it the first time round (couldn't have been paying enough attention). Anyway I won't go into any details about this secret, as to yet again avoid spoilers, but the mystery that it added to the issue was brilliant, as it really added more drama to the issue, and I really enjoyed speculating what it was.

As I said a little earlier, the Justice League don't appear in this issue as much as I'd have initially hoped they would. Whilst the recruits handle Despero, the League are still in discussion as to how Batman got the Kryptonite Ring in the first place, and why he felt it his duty to plan for the worst case scenario. Now most of this didn't really do much for the issue, as the main chunk of the entertainment came from the Despero fight, but it was nice to see that the League wasn't sitting doing nothing, and I really look forward to seeing if any of them change their minds on Batman's actions, or whether things will stay as they are.

One of the things I've loved the most over the last year has been the Shazam! back-ups, and it will be a shame to see them end with the next issue. This wasn't the best chapter in this back-up story, not by a long shot, as although it was very entertaining, it was nowhere near as good as some of the previous chapters have been. The story in this chapter actually went along fairly quickly, as although each chapter only lasting about eight pages, this one felt a bit shorter, even though it wasn't. That was probably due to the story only focusing on one thing instead of a couple, with it mainly telling the true origin of Black Adam. Now I found this issue very interesting, and loved how Johns rectified the things that I questioned about the previous instalment, which was nice. The art from Gary Frank was also once again amazing, and I've been very happy that he's worked on this story, and look forward to seeing him produce a full issue worth of art in the next issue. His style just suits all the character's, especially Black Adam, and Shazam!, and his layout really makes the story that more dramatic. He also adds ton's of emotion to the character's, and he's truly a wonderful artist, and I will miss seeing him on these back-up chapters.

Final Verdict

This was an excellent issue, and a brilliant issue in the lead-up to Trinity War. This issue was very fun, and entertaining, whilst also being dramatic, and serious, also having a hint of mystery to it, which really made the issue diverse. It also had some amazing action, and dialogue, and if this is a sign of things to come, Trinity War should be amazing. I'd highly recommend this issue, and the entire series, as although it's had the odd poor issue along the way, in general it's been amazing.

Rating: 4/5

Justice League #19 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ivan Reis

This has been an amazing series, and although it's not always hit the top mark quality wise, it's always been interesting, and overall the series is amazing. Also with the upcoming Trinity War which will also include Justice League of America, and Justice League Dark it's a very exciting time to be a Justice League fan.

Plot

Someone breaks into the Batcave, and steals something. Also Superman, and Wonder Woman travel to Kahndaq to help the people, and Firestorm, and Atom (Rhonda Pineda) wait for the Justice League in the Justice League Satellite.

Shazam! Part 11

Billy Batson travels with his friends to try and get rid of the power of Shazam! but Francesca tells him the origin of Black Adam.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, and the series is back to being brilliant again. Last issue was a little poor, and although it was interesting it let the series down, but thankfully Geoff Johns has managed to bring the quality back up to what I expect, by producing an amazing issue. Johns did an amazing job of giving something that was not just exciting, but interesting, as there was plenty of action in this issue, but also mystery, and drama. There was also fun moments in this story as well, which was nice, as it added another layer to the overall tone of the issue. I also loved how Johns has managed to continue previous story plots like the development of Superman, and Wonder Woman's relationship, as well as introducing new elements. This issue however wasn't quite perfect, as at times it felt a bit slow, and it also felt like too much was going on at once, but overall it was still amazing.

The art was amazing, and I was ecstatic to see Ivan Reis back on the series. Now I know that it was only one issue that he was absent for, and Jesus Saiz didn't do a bad job of filling in, but it was solicited that Reis would be doing the art for the last issue, and I was disappointed when it wasn't the case, also questioning if the solicits for the following issues were also true or not. Anyway, Reis did a phenomenal job of the artwork, and he really seems to suit this series, as I've never seen a bad piece of art from him so far. I also love how Reis is able to draw vast amount of characters in one sequence without losing any detail, as the detail is amazing, with everything looking perfect. Reis' art is also very dramatic, as the way he lays it out, it really gives more depth. The emotion on the character's expressions are also fabulous, as he even manages to show emotion on Red Hood (Jason Todd), and considering he's got a helmet covering his face that isn't easy.

I'll start by talking about the cover, and although I don't usually talk much about covers unless they're amazing, this time I'm talking about it cause it's misleading. The cover show Batman using his Kryptonite Ring against Superman, which suggests that there's a reason Batman needs to do this, Batman's getting controlled somehow, or that there's an imposter Batman. None of these were the case, as it was actually that someone stole Batman's Kryptonite Ring from his Batcave. Although this made it more interesting, and mysterious it was still slightly disappointing.

When the robber stole the Kryptonite Ring, it appeared to be from a box with Superman's emblem on it, and there appeared to be a box for each Justice League member. Although I've not actually read JLA: Tower of Babel, I have read the plot online, and this appears to be in a very similar vein, as Batman appears to have contingencies against all the members, but with actual objects being stored instead of computer files. I do like it when the New 52 throwback to a previous story from pre-New 52, but at the same time I always question whether it's necessary, and the right thing to do. I'm still not quite sure whether this is the right thing, as Johns probably could have thought of something a little more unique, but with the team still being fairly new, and Batman being mistrusting it's an interesting element, and with Trinity War coming up it makes the build-up more exciting. This also made me question how Batman got the Kryptonite Ring in the first place as pre-New 52 he was given it by Superman himself, but it appears that this is no longer the case.

The introduction of Atom to this issue was brilliant, and although she's appeared before this is the first real time we get to see more of her. I liked how she was introduced in a fun way, and although I won't spoil it, I will say that it was very clever, as well as fun. The interaction between Atom and Firestorm was also interesting, but I found Firestorm taking to himself out loud a bit confusing, as usually it's obvious that they're two people in one, whereas this just looked like one person with a split personality. I don't however follow The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men so I don't know if there have been any developments there that would explain that, but I still found it a bit weird, and confusing.

The development in Superman, and Wonder Woman's relationship was brilliant in this issue, and I was happy to see it continue. We've had their relationship develop on and off since their famous kiss in Justice League #12, but with there always being something happening in between there hasn't been a lot of chance for proper development, so it was nice to see some in this issue. Seeing them working together was brilliant, but the thing that interested me the most was how Batman felt on the subject. It was revealed in Justice League #14 that Batman knew of Superman, and Wonder Woman's relationship, but we've never actually seen his opinion on the subject. I won't go into any details as to avoid spoilers, but it was very interesting, and I look forward to seeing how it develops in the next issue.

The Shazam! back-ups have been one of the best things about this series over the last year, and although the series itself has still been awesome, with Throne of Atlantis being exceptionally brilliant, this has been the thing that I look forward to the most. This was not the best chapter in the story so far, but it was still brilliant, and very interesting. I really liked the emotion that was shown throughout, especially from Billy, as he seemed to be a bit frightened at the star, but changes gradually throughout. I also loved seeing the backstory to Black Adam, as it showed brilliant insight into the character, and why he's possibly the way he is. I did however also like that there was mystery left with this, as although it revealed certain things about Black Adam's backstory, it still left with me questioning whether there was more to it, which I'm sure there is. It was also nice to see Francesca back, and although I don't know much about her personally, I found her an interesting character last time round, and was happy to see her make another appearance. Gary Frank's artwork on this chapter was also brilliant, and like always it was amazing, with fantastic detail, and also showing brilliant character emotion, and drama.

Final Verdict

This was a brilliant issue, and although the series is still not quite as good as it was during Throne of Atlantis, it's still very exciting, and interesting, and the way the series is going in the build up to Trinity War is fantastic. I also loved the mysteriousness of the issue, and the Shazam! back-up story continues to be an amazing addition, and one of the best things about the series. Although last issue was disappointing I'd highly recommend this one as the series is back to it's average level of quality, and this issue itself was amazing.

Rating: 4/5

Justice League #18 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Jesus Saiz

Coming of the breathtakingly brilliant Throne of Atlantis story, Justice League has big shoes to fill, and with the upcoming Trinity War story coming it needs to show that it can continue being brilliant, especially considering within two issues Justice League of America has been a better series (although it's only been two issues).

Plot

After the events of Throne of Atlantis the Justice League agree that there needs to be new members that can act on a more permanent basis in case something prevents a current member from acting, so Cyborg uses the Grid to find candidates.



Shazam! Part 10

Mr. Bryer comes to Billy Batson's foster home with the police wanting him arrested, but with Billy not being there he is dismissed. After that the remaining children in the foster home follow Freddy Freeman in searching for Billy.

Review

This wasn't the best issue in the series, so far, but it wasn't the worst. Geoff Johns had a lot to live up to after the brilliant Throne of Atlantis story, but I never expected this issue to match that. I did however find the issue very interesting, and liked how Johns handled the whole Grid situation. Although not very exciting, Johns did however do a good job on the issue besides that, as it had some very interesting sequences, and concepts, a well as leaving some interesting teasers. I also liked that Cyborg had a bigger role in this issue, and felt Johns also handled this well, but I'll talk more about this later on in my review.

The absence of Ivan Reis was noticeable from page one, and I was disappointed as he was solicited as bring the artist. Jesus Saiz did however do a very good job of the art in this issue, and although I'd prefer Reis working on the art, Saiz did do better than a lot of other artists who have worked on Justice League titles in the past. Saiz' art was very detailed, and I actually liked how he drew the characters. Although his art wasn't as beautiful as Reis', it was still very lively, and showed a lot of dynamic. Saiz' also did a brilliant job of the characters facial expressions, and the odd action sequence that featured in this issue was drawn perfectly, giving a very dramatic feel. I do however hope that the solicits are true for the next few issues of Justice League, and that Reis is doing the art, as I really missed it on this issue.

What is the Grid? The Grid is what Cyborg uses to find the potential superheroes to be members of the Justice League. He uses this to find their phone numbers, and homes, and I personally found this controversial, and something unexpected of Cyborg. I'm not surprised that Cyborg is capable of this, as to be honest it's something that I'd imagine wouldn't be that hard for him to do, but I do question whether it's morally right prying into the affairs of other hero's, as some may hold their secret identity close. I would expect this sort of thing from Batman, and when it was revealed that he was involved in some way I wasn't surprised, but at the same time I never thought that Cyborg would do such a thing without consulting the League, although I understand him using it during the Throne of Atlantis storyline, as that was a life an death situation for the planet, let alone the League. I do however wonder if the League will follow up on this, showing their feelings towards it. It was however a very interesting concept, and Johns handled it brilliantly.

Despite finding it morally wrong, I like how the Grid was put into effect, with hero's receiving random messages from the Justice League telling them that they could help. What was most interesting about this was the reaction from the characters on the receiving end, as the shock was obvious, and Saiz' art showed it well. I also liked that Johns took the time to delve into the normal lives of some of these hero's as having not read any of the series the featured characters receiving messages are in, it was nice to see their world.

The meeting at the Justice League Satellite was very interesting, and so was the discussion between the League before that. What I really liked during this conversation was actually that Flash (Barry Allen) made a reference to not being present in the Throne of Atlantis, and why, which helped show that the timelines were in sync. The sequence where the selected hero's arrive in the Satellite was interesting, but not as interesting as I'd have hoped. There were some conversations that were more interesting than others, like Firestorm's conversation with Superman, but overall it wasn't as interesting as I'd have hoped. I did however like Nightwing's (Dick Grayson) reaction to the meeting. Zatanna's appearance was also interesting, as she was a member of the Justice League Dark, but apparently John Constantine's removed her permanently from the team. I've never read Justice League Dark, but I have recently acquired most issues from issue 9, so I don't know exactly what happened with the JLD, and Zatanna, but this makes me more interested to find out.

As I said there wasn't much action in this issue, but the small sequence to feature action was exciting. I won't go into details as it happens late in the issue, and I hate spoiling anything, but I will say that it was an interesting turn of events, and the attentive reader will see it coming. The way everyone reacted to the event was also very interesting, as due to the circumstances most would be shocked about it even happening. Another thing I liked about this was the aftermath, as it provided a brilliant conclusion to the issue, and has me interested in the next issue.

The Shazam! back-ups featuring Billy Batson as the magical Shazam! character has been the thing I've loved most in this series over the last year, and although this wasn't the best chapter in the story so far, it was still very good, and very interesting. There was two things that I really liked about this issue, and the first of them was the involvement of Mr. Bryer. This showed that the development of character, with Billy standing up to Bryer wasn't for nothing, and also that it wasn't forgotten, as it showed the characteristics that made Billy the perfect candidate for becoming Shazam! The other thing I liked was that the rest of the foster family, and more importantly Tawky Tawny were involved. I've not read a lot of Shazam! prior to the New 52, but I have read-up on his history, and from what I have read, the tiger, Tawky Tawny was my favourite character, bar Shazam! himself, so it was nice seeing him featured. I also loved that it showed that Billy wasn't an idiot, and that he was afraid of Black Adam. The art from Gary Frank was once again fabulous, and it's really detailed, making Johns amazing story look phenomenal.

Final Verdict

This wasn't the best issue in the series so far, but it was interesting, and it does have a very interesting conclusion. It didn't have much action, or excitement, but I never expected it to, but it was still interesting, and still better than a lot of series out there. I would still recommend this issue, as it was interesting, but I would advise newer readers to tread with caution, as it isn't the best issue to entice you into the series.

Rating: 3/5

Justice League #17 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Ivan Reis & Paul Pelletier

I have been thoroughly enjoying this series, and with the new Justice League of America starting this week hopefully we'll have double the fun. This storyline has been brilliant, and I'm really looking forward to seeing exactly how it affects the future issues of this series, Aquaman, and even the new Justice League of America series.

Plot

The final battle begins, as the Justice League make a final fight against the Atlanteans, and Aquaman faces of against his brother the Ocean Master in a fight for the crown of Atlantis.

Review

This was a brilliant way to end the Throne of Atlantis storyline, and Geoff Johns has done a fabulous job. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this issue as the storyline so far although good has been slightly unpredictable. What I liked most about the writing however was that although it showed a brilliant climax to the story, it also showed teasers for things to come, and showed that Johns was thinking ahead. Although Johns centered most of this final issue around the final confrontation between Aquaman, and Ocean Master it was still nice to see that he gave time for the other characters to have there moment, and I especially liked that he showed non League members like Hawkman, and Firestorm, especially Hawkman considering he'll be apart of the Justice League of America.

Once again Ivan Reis produces some of the most beautiful artwork I have ever seen. As I've said before I will miss him on Aquaman, but he is much more suited on this series. Reis' artwork is very detailed, and looks nothing shy of epic. Some of the pages are that vastly character/item contented (especially the double page landscapes) and there isn't any lack of detail, whereas a lot of artists wouldn't focus much, or sometimes any effort on the detail for background characters, but Reis does. The emotion throughout was also very nice, especially during the Aquaman/Ocean Master fight, as it's obvious that Aquaman doesn't want to fight his brother, but it's came to the stage that Aquaman is that frustrated that he can't hold anything back. It was also nice to see some art from the new Aquaman artist Paul Pelletier in a couple of pages at the back. I usually complain when more than one artist work on the same comic, but it was nice this time round, as it was only a few pages, and it mainly centered around the future of Aquaman. Rod Reis, and Nathan Eyring also produced some amazing colours throughout this issue, making Ivan Reis, and Pelletier's artwork look even more beautiful than it already is.

How can I do this review without talking about the Aquaman/Ocean Master battle. It was nothing short of epic, and I'm glad that it ruled the majority of the issue. It was really interesting as it got to the point that although Aquaman didn't want the throne of Atlantis there was no other way to stop the fight than to go for it. Although some people may have worked out the ending of the fight I won't say it, as I don't want to deliberately spoil it, and apologies to anyone that's worked it out. The thing I loved most about this fight was the emotion, as it was obvious that Aquaman was in two minds during the fight, whilst it mainly showed his frustration, and anger. The Ocean Masters actions during the fight were also interesting as he appeared to show little concern for Aquaman, whilst stating that he loved him, and always wanted a brother, which I didn't quite buy. In saying that it was very difficult to understand what was true and not from Ocean Master, as when he was fighting Aquaman he showed no remorse, and had evil intentions in his expressions, but at certain points he looked slightly sorry, which made it slightly confusing.

The only disappointing thing in the story was the involvement of Vulko. After revealing that he caused this I was expecting a lot more to be shown between Aquaman and Vulko during this issue, but nothing much happened. Although Vulko produced an explanation for his actions it appeared that the main reason for this to be in the story was to have a cliffhanger conclusion to the last issue of Aquaman.

I'll finally talk about how this leads into the future of the Justice League. It has been shown back in Justice League #12 that this there was going to be a second Justice League team, in another title, and the series has been gradually leading up to this ever since. What I liked about this story line is that it gave the perfect reason for this secondary team to come into existence, and it also leaves questions about what this means for the already established Justice League. It's obvious that the League alone isn't enough to stop ever threat, and even the now know this themselves, but with someone like Amanda Waller leading this new team will the current League be seen as friends or foes.

The only thing that I was slightly upset at was that the Shazam! (Billy Batson) back-up story was missing. It's been the thing I most look forward to in this series, but overall I'm actually happy that it's missing, as the issue really needed all of the 30 pages to tell the remainder of the story in.

Final Verdict

This was a fantastic climax to a fabulous story. Between Johns writing, and Reis' artwork it is an phenomenally epic issue, and it leaves so many possibilities for the future of the series. I would highly recommend this issue, the series, and this entire story, as they are all brilliant. I'd also recommend getting the new Justice League of America series, as with this finale is a huge teaser for that series.

Rating: 5/5

Justice League #16 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ivan Reis

Initially I wasn't going to review this issue, or the remaining issues in the Throne of Atlantis crossover due to not being able to review everything I wanted to. I however wanted to review the final issue of the crossover, and thought that it wouldn't make sense missing a couple, so went back to review this issue.

Plot

Aquaman has to fight between both sides, and the rest of the Atlantean army coming to play, leaving little hope for the surface dwellers.

Shazam! Part 9

In the backup story featuring Shazam! (Billy Batson), Shazam!, and Black Adam finally meat each other in an epic fight.

Review

This crossover has been truly brilliant, and although the first two parts weren't perfect the storyline is finally becoming strong. I've loved most of Geoff Johns work over the last few years, and although this series has had a few rough patches, it has been one of my favourites. The way he integrates all these characters is just brilliant, and he knows exactly when to add some development to the team. After the gripping conclusion to last issue I was really looking forward to this issue, and where Aquaman's allegiances lie. What I've especially loved about this storylines is how Johns has been able to connect the two series together, and how he's taken every character into consideration, even though it mainly centres around Aquaman.

Although I'm still slightly upset that Ivan Reis won't be drawing Aquaman any more I'm very happy that he's moved onto this series, and overall I think he's more suited here. Although Aquaman is a brilliant comic with all the additional characters floating about in this series it needs a brilliant artist, especially now that Jim Lee won't be on it any more as he will be working on a new Superman series with Scott Snyder. This was also the best storyline to do the switch, as due to Aquaman being the main character it makes the transition from both series a lot smoother. Anyway Reis once again blows my mind with his artwork, and everything looks amazing, and I truly think that Reis can jump on any series and make it look beautiful. The fight sequences in this issue were epic, and Reis really produced the goods, making them look even better than they were. The detail in his artwork is also outstanding, and it doesn't matter if it's a vast picture with many characters, a fight sequence, or an emotional sequence, the detail's always perfect.

As I said earlier the conclusion to last issue really set the tone for this issue, but it was the fight sequences that really made this issue as good as it was. To be honest most of the issue is a gigantic fight, and although that's not always a brilliant thing this time it was. Although epic giant fight sequences don't really tend to push a story forward much, and usually are added to give some excitement, and add to the page count. Johns however was able to progress the story through the fight sequence as the dialogue was brilliantly written. Besides the dialogue the art in the fight sequences really shone through, and between both the art, and the writing it lead for a very exciting, and dramatic sequence.

The thing that really showed in this issue was the Ocean Master's characteristics. Although Aquaman fans will know that Ocean Master is a villain it is this story that shows this for the first time since the New 52. This issue shows that Ocean Master isn't willing to listen to anything that Aquaman has to say, and it looks like he's using this as the perfect opportunity of attacking the surface more than actually wanting to protect Atlantis.

The most interesting part about this issue was how the Justice League and Aquaman got along together. As I've already said the ending of the last issue was very interesting, and it was mainly due to finding out where Aquaman's allegiances lie, so seeing him fighting the League (all be it half-heartedly) was interesting, and what was more interesting was how little the League understood Aquaman. You'd have thought that the League would have supported Aquaman, and although at the end of the day they need to think of the rest of the world first they should have left Aquaman to try and sort things out for a bit longer. This however really eat into Ocean Master's hands, and Aquaman decided what side he was on, although I won't spoil that.

Another thing I loved during this issue was when Superman got really angry. Although Superman has been angry in the past I can't recall ever seeing him as mad as he is during this issue. The art from Ivan Reis, as well as the colouring from Rod Reis is in my opinion what really helped to show this as it was simply amazing, and showed that they can even make this very angry expression look beautiful.

Whilst all this is happening Cyborg takes Dr. Stephen Shin and Vulko to the Justice League Watchtower I don't really want to talk much about what happens in this sequence as it will most likely spoil the ending of the issue, but I will say that it's very interesting, and the ending of the issue is awesome.

The Shazam! back-up story continues to get better and better, with this being the best part yet. I've really been looking forward to the fight between Shazam! and Black Adam finally happening. Gary Frank continues to do an amazing job on the artwork, and it really bring the right tone to the story, as it's full of brilliant details, and great emotions. What I liked most about this part of the story was that for the first time since becoming Shazam! Billy realizes that he's not quite as invincible as he thought he was. What I liked better though was that Billy wasn't just going to sit back and take it, and that he stuck to character by standing up to the bully. The issue once more has a terrific ending which makes me want to see the next part of the story.

Final Verdict

A brilliant issue, and the best part in the Throne of Atlantis storyline yet. I would highly recommend this issue to anyone, as well as the story so far, as it's been a very good story.

Rating: 5/5

Justice League #15 Review

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ivan Reis

I have been a fan of this series since the start, and although it's had a couple of rough patches it's still been an excellent series, and one of my favourites in the New 52. Geoff Johns has done an excellent job writing this series, and although I was a little upset when I heard Jim Lee wouldn't be doing the art after issue12, his replacement Ivan Reis is just as good. Reis addition to this series does however mean that he will no longer be doing art on the brilliant Aquaman series, but Aquaman's loss is Justice Leagues gain.

Plot

After being accidentally attacked by missiles, Atlantis initiate the Atlantean War Plans, and engulf Gotham City, and Metropolis, as well as other locations in water killing people. This issue also sees Superman taking Wonder Woman on a date.

Shazam! Part 8

In the backup story featuring Shazam! (Billy Batson), Shazam stops multiple robbery attempts and also learns that he can fly.

Review

This was a brilliant start to the Throne of Atlantis crossover. It isn't the best issue of Justice League I have ever read, but it is slightly better than the last issue, and very good considering that it's starting a brand new story, which crosses over into another series. I liked how Johns continued this from the last issue of Justice League with Superman and Wonder Woman continuing their discussion from the last issue, and how this new story is slipped in during this. I also loved how the Justice League was split into smaller groups, with Aquaman and Batman working together, Superman and Wonder Woman working together, and Cyborg in the Justice League Watchtower. The location of Flash is also questionable during this issue, but I just assume that this didn't affect him, or he was preoccupied with something else.

As I said I loved the art, and warmly welcome Ivan Reis as the new Justice League artist. His art in Aquaman, and Blackest Night was brilliant, and having already drawn most of the Justice League members in the past, whether in the regular universe, or the cover of Earth 2 #1, so he was the perfect choice to replace Jim Lee as the artist on Justice League. Don't get me wrong I loved Tony Daniel's art over the last couple of issues, as I said in my reviews, but Reis' art has something more appealing towards it. He's also the perfect choice for this story because he's been drawing Aquaman for over a year now, and with this story mainly focusing on him and Atlantis, it makes sense to have Reis. Besides this Reis art is simply beautiful, and has ton's of detail. Rod Reis also does a brilliant job with the colouring of this issue, and he really makes Ivan Reis' art even more beautiful. I especially like how he get's the shine on the costumes, mainly Superman's S.

Aquaman in Gotham

Aquaman visits Gotham in this issue to ask Batman for help. I wouldn't have seen this coming, as with both characters being very proud and stubborn I'd have thought that Aquaman would have only asked for help at the last resort. I did however like that Aquaman starts by helping Batman, and that he acknowledges that they don't always see eye to eye. It was also interesting in this issue, as Batman appears to be sorry for Aquaman when he tells him about being torn between the land and the sea. I also found it funny when one of the cops who's cousin works in Boston (where Aquaman's from) makes jokes comparing Batman and Aquaman after another Cop asks if his cousin works with Aquaman, like James Gordon works with Batman.

It was also interesting seeing at the start of the issue the reason why Atlantis put it's War Plans into effect, and it also leaves a lot of questions about who changed the co-ordinates of the missile. This did however give Ocean Master the perfect excuse for attacking the land, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was somehow behind it.

Superman Explaining to Wonder Woman
why Clark Kent is his Mask

Superman continues explaining to Wonder Woman about why Clark Kent is his mask, and not Superman. Although there was all the Throne of Atlantis stuff going on in this issue this was the sequence that I liked the most. Any Superman fan knows the reason for Clark Kent being Superman's mask, but it was interesting seeing him explain it to Wonder Woman, who doesn't know much about secret identities, as she's always Wonder Woman. The date between Wonder Woman and Superman in this issue was also interesting, and I loved that Clark showed her how to hide her identity like he does, by putting glasses, and a suit on her, and having her hair tied up.

Shazam Can Fly

The Shazam! backup story was once again brilliant, and always worth reading. Although it's not been the best part in the Shazam! story it was still very fun and the set up for the next part was brilliant. Gary Frank really does a terrific job on the artwork, and really brings this story to life, with ton's of detail. I also enjoyed seeing Shazam! fly for the first time in this issue, and how he reacted to the prospect of being a child again. Freddy Freeman has also been a brilliant friend to Billy and it's nice that Billy becoming Shazam! has made them closer friends, as they were far from friends at the start of this story. It was also nice to see Shazam! stopping robbers, and I'm really looking forward to the next part, which should be the best yet.

Final Verdict

A good start, and I hope that this will be a great crossover. I would highly recommend this issue, as well as Aquaman #15, which was also out this week, and am looking forward to Justice League #16, and the continuation of the Throne of Atlantis storyline.

Rating: 4/5