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 Dark #23 Review

Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Mikel Janin

This series has been amazing ever since Jeff Lemire took over, and although it has been variable over just how good it is as of recent, it has always been at least good. The Trinity War story that it is in the now has also been great, as although the last part wasn't spectacular the story has a whole has been.

Plot

Madame Xanadu is coming to terms with what is actually going to happen, while there is a fight for Pandora's Box, with Shazam (Billy Batson) makes a dramatic return.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, and much better than the last part of Trinity War, but not quite as good as the last issue from this series. Jeff Lemire did an amazing job of continuing from where the last part left off, creating a very exciting issue. I've really enjoyed how Lemire has managed to keep the Justice League Dark feel about this series during this storyline, as although it ultimately follows on with that story, it still feels very much like a JLD issue, having all the characters present. I also loved the action that Lemire added to this issue, and found it to be very spontaneous, and exciting, being very entertaining, and unique.

The art from Mikel Janin was absolutely amazing, and although there was one thing that I didn't like about the art in this issue, that was more due to Jeromy Cox's colours, as the red on Shazam wasn't as slick as it's been in the previous parts of this story. The detail in Janin's art was however brilliant, with everything looking perfect, and crisp. I especially loved how he drew the characters, and more so how he showed their facial expressions throughout this struggle, feeling that the change in their attitudes caused by the box was perfectly shown. The action was also explosive, and exciting, with a very dynamic layout throughout.

This issue would show would be narrated by Madame Xanadu, and show her starting to understand what's about to happen. I've always found Madame Xanadu interesting throughout this series, and I was very happy when I first noticed what her role in this story would possibly be. This however has shown us more, and her narration in this issue was very gritty, and interesting, adding a brilliant overtone to the issue. Xanadu's role in this issue also added more mystery as well, creating brilliant build-up.

This issue would also see the return of Shazam, as following his encounter with John Constantine, and how Constantine tried to steal his powers in Constantine #5, he hasn't featured in the story. I was happy to see him return, but I was more happy that it managed to quickly sum up what happened in Constantine #5 for anyone who hasn't read it, as although I read it myself, it's nice to have that for people who haven't. I also loved the new attitude that Shazam brought in this issue, as following the way he was treated by Constantine he has a very different view of being told what to do, and that was obvious in this issue.

The most exciting part of this issue would have to be the huge fight that would take place between all the heroes around Pandora's Box, and even Shazam once he arrived got involved, with the box having an affect on anyone nearby. The dialogue during this was also great, as it was nice to see all these proud superheroes talk in such a manner, making things even more exciting, with the fighting itself being very explosive, and entertaining as well.

Final Verdict

This was a great issue, and although not the best in the story so far, a big improvement over the last part, setting the finale up perfectly. It also had great drama, and action, with explosive action, and entertaining dialogue. Due to all this it's easy to recommend this, and I'd also highly recommend the rest of the story, looking forward to the final part even more now.

Rating: 8/10

Justice League of America #7 Review

Writers: Geoff Johns & Jeff Lemire
Artist: Doug Mahnke

Since this series started it has been very good, as although some issues haven't been spectacular, they have all been amazing, and very interesting. The Trinity War crossover event itself has also been very exciting, and although the first JLA part wasn't amazing, the story so far has been.

Plot

With the teams now being a mixture of all three groups, going in three different directions, one heads to look for Dr. Psycho, whilst another are at The House of Mystery, and the third are looking for Pandora's Box.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, but nothing spectacular, feeling much like a filler, setting up the final part of the story. I did however feel that Geoff Johns, and Jeff Lemire did a great job of the writing on this issue, as despite the lack of much proper story development, there was plenty of suspense, and drama, as well as a little bit of action which was exciting, but at the same time nothing special. I have however found the interaction by these mixed teams to be very interesting, as although I never expected things to go this way, it has given for a very unique direction, with Johns, and Lemire doing a great job of building on that in this issue. The series has however once again not done much to help the quality of the story.

Doug Mahnke did a great job of the artwork, with his art on this issue being much better than it was last issue, feeling less crowded, or rushed, with the detail being much better. I also loved Mahnke's layouts, as it gave great tone, and depth to the story, making it feel more dynamic. Mahnke also drew the characters brilliantly, and especially Wonder Woman, as although she didn't appear much during this issue, Mahnke made her look amazing. The small bit of action during this issue was also amazing, being very explosive, with the artwork being very vibrant. The character emotions were also handled perfectly, as Mahnke did a great job of showing what the characters were feeling throughout the issue.

This issue would introduce Lex Luthor into the story, as whilst getting told that he may soon be a free man, he is more interested in the headline talking about how Superman killer Dr. Light. Now I initially questioned the sudden appearance of Luthor, but thinking forward to the upcoming Forever Evil story arc, it would make sense for him to have a role in this story seems it'll play into Forever Evil, which Luthor will be a key character in. Besides that I loved how he was used, as although it was nothing special, it was very interesting, and believable, and I look forward to seeing what role, if any that he'll have in the remainder of this story.

Whilst this was happening the Justice League team that sided with Superman were heading to Pittsburgh, where they would find Dr. Psycho, the man they believed caused Superman to kill Sr. Light. Now I don't know a lot about Dr. Psycho, bar the fact that he's usually a Wonder Woman villain, but I was interested to see him in this issue. I did however feel that his presence was just a stepping stone for the JL, as although the sequence he was in was dramatic, and interesting, it didn't really do much for the development of the story, revealing to the JL something that the reader already knew, which could have easily been told over a couple of pages.

The Justice League team that stayed with Steve Trevor where at the House of Mystery during this issue, trying to work out what the Phantom Stranger did to Batman, Katana, and Deadman in The Phantom Stranger #11. I found it nice how the issue easily moved round the events of Phantom Stranger, meaning that people who missed it wouldn't be too confused. I did however also feel that this was another unnecessary sequence, as although there needed to be clarification as to whether these characters would return, it could have also been done quicker. The sequence itself was however still very entertaining, with some interesting dialogue.

Final Verdict

This was a good issue, but probably the worst in the story so far. It had some interesting points, also having some brilliant drama, and suspense, but overall it didn't too much to develop the story, and felt like a filler issue, with the sole purpose of setting up the final two issues in the story. I would however still recommend it, but only to people considering getting the entire story, or who have been getting the story so far, as it's a good continuation, but would be too confusing on it's own.

Rating: 8/10

Justice League Dark #22 Review

Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Mikel Janin

This has been one of the more surprising series I've read, as it's been amazing, and I have loved every issue since Jeff Lemire took over. I have however been more interested in the crossover that it's a part of, Trinity War, and am happy to see the Justice League Dark finally have a proper role in it.

Plot

As Wonder Woman goes to the Justice League Dark for help, Phantom Stranger warns the other Justice League members to stop her, whilst the Question (Vic Sage) tries to help Superman.

Review

This was an amazing issue, and a great continuation from the last issue, which was slightly slow. Jeff Lemire has done a superb job with this issue, balancing it perfectly, by having enough action to keep it entertaining, and exciting, whilst also making some shocking changes to keep the story dynamic, interesting, and even more exciting. Lemire has also done a great job of adding more mystery to the story, making me question even more about what is actually behind this, and what will happen next. He also added a lot of tension, and drama, and although this issue didn't have as much excitement as the first part, it was just as exciting due to the changes made.

Mikel Janin once again amazes me with his great artwork, as although he's always done a great job of drawing the JLD, I wasn't sure if he could keep the same level of quality when it comes to adding more characters. I however should have never doubted him, as his art was amazing, and he did a great job with all the characters, and I'm sure he'd do a great job on any Justice League title. His art was so fabulously detailed, with a nice crispness to it, as well as a very dynamic layout, which adds more drama to the story. Janin also did a great job of the small pieces of action in this issue, and overall made everything look spectacular, and intense.

Finally all of the Trinity of Sin have been shown in this series, with Phantom Stranger making his first appearance in this issue. The whole Trinity of Sin involvement was one of the key things that I was looking forward to with this series, as although Pandora is a fairly new character, I have always been interested in the Question, and Phantom Stranger, and although the later has had his own series for about a year, it's nice to see him in a story that I'm reading, as was seeing the Question in the New 52 for the first. I also found his presence in this issue to add more depth, and mystique to it, and also questioned why the JL had no problem trusting him.

This issue would continue Wonder Woman wanting the JLD's help, with every on bar John Constantine being happy to help. The conversation between Wonder Woman, and the JLD (Constantine in particular) was also interesting, and very entertaining, with tons of mood, and drama. I also stated the reasoning that the JLD were introduced last issue, which was looking for the missing Madame Xanadu, and although it was kind of obvious it was confirmed in this issue. It was also nice to see what actually happened to Xanadu, and the events shown just leave even more questions to be answered, keeping my interest.

Probably the most interesting event in this issue would be when the remaining Justice League members (from both teams), intercepted the JLD, leaving each team to decide what side they were on, forming two teams sharing members of each group. I found this very interspersing, and besides the tension it adds, it also leaves the question of what will come out of this. Another thing that I enjoyed about this entire situation was the interaction that everyone had with each other, but the one that appealed to me the most was between Constantine, and Zatanna, as I loved their interaction in the past, and have missed it since she left the JLD.

Final Verdict

This was a fantastic issue, and an fantastic continuation to the crossover. It may not have had as much action as the first part, but it made up in excitement with fabulous confrontations, and entertaining interactions. It also had a lot of drama, and mystery to it, with tons of depth as well, keeping me very interested in the further development of the story. Due to all this I'd highly recommend this issue, as well as the rest of the event, and hope that it has converted some off you into JLD fans.

Rating: 5/5

Justice League of America #6 Review

Writers: Geoff Johns & Jeff Lemire
Artist: Doug Mahnke

Overall this series has been very interesting, and has had one of the more stronger starts from the New 52 series, even if it has been slightly inconsistent. I has however been Trinity War that has enthralled me recently, and I loved the opening in Justice League #22, and hopefully the story will continue to amaze.

Plot

After killing Dr. Light it is questioned whether Superman is safe to be around, and whether he's in control of his powers, or not. The Question (Vic Sage) also interjects himself into the war, trying to find out who is behind the evil.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, and although it's not quite as good as the last part, it was still very enjoyable. Geoff Johns, and Jeff Lemire did a terrific job of writing this issue, as although the pace is slowed down, it still focused on some serious points, whilst moving the story forward. Both Johns, and Lemire also did a super job of showing more of the fabulous fight between the two teams, as introducing more character's to the story, making me intrigued as to where the story will go next. It was also interesting to see how Johns, and Lemire handled the interaction between the two teams in a calm environment, as although it wasn't anything special, it was interesting.

The art from Doug Mahnke was amazing, as although it's not got anything on Ivan Reis' art from part one, or Justice League Dark artist Mikel Janin, it was still very good. I did however find his art to be a little too rough at times, and it looked as if he had trouble drawing all these big character's in one panel, as his art is usually much smoother. The art was however much better in the pages/panels that had less going on, with brilliant detail that really stood out. The character's facial expressions, and character emotion were also handled perfectly, as you could really tell what the character's were feeling, which gave more depth to the issue.

Although The Question was shown in the Trinity War prequel issue, Trinity of Sin: Pandora #1, this issue had his first proper appearance in the storyline. Now the Question is a character that has interested me for years, and he is the member of the Trinity of Sin that interests me the most. What I loved about his appearance in this issue was that it was gradually made, with him apparently going about his normal life, trying to find out who he is, and what's behind the evil. I do however look forward to seeing more from him, and with the Question featuring in this issue, and Pandora featuring in the last part, I would expect the Phantom Stranger to appear in the next part, Justice League Dark #22.

The most interesting part of Justice League #22 was the fact that Superman killed Dr. Light, and that continued into this issue, with the question of whether he was in control of his powers at the time, and whether he's safe to be around being the main focus points of this issue. I personally found this to be a brilliant development point for the story, as although everyone knows that Superman doesn't kill, it shows what magic can do. I also loved seeing the reaction from certain character's, and how they responded, but it was Superman's response that interested me the most, and I look forward to seeing it developed.

This issue would also see the first appearance from the Justice League Dark in this storyline, and although they don't really do much, it still made me happy, as I have really been enjoying their series. Anyway I won't go into too much detail about their appearance in this issue, as to avoid spoilers, but it would appear that they're investigating Madame Xanadu's disappearance, which I expected they would. Besides this they had an interesting conversation with an other character in this issue, and I really look forward to seeing how they fit into this story.

Final Verdict

Although slower than last issue, this was a great continuation of the Trinity War storyline, setting up future developments, as well as exploring ones that have already been started. It had a little action, which was awesome, as well as some emotion sequences, and yet more mystery. Due to all this I'd highly recommend this issue, and am really looking forward to Justice League Dark #22.

Rating: 4/5

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