justice league 18 coverJUSTICE LEAGUE 18
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Jesus Saiz and Gary Frank
Publisher: DC
Reviewer: Rob Patey (aka Optimous Douche – Ain’t It Cool News)

Why hello JSA, I missed you.

Like a conductor stuck playing VFW gigs, Johns steps back into commanding a full orchestra of heroes in this latest installment of JUSTICE LEAGUE. The last time our maestro had this many action figures to play with was in Pre-52 JSA. Fear not though, the gremlin like expansion of that team will not be plaguing JL,  because after some fun and genuinely funny commotion,  only three contestants will remain on, “Who wants to live on a space station?”

With ranks dwindling by the epic event, Cyborg’s clarion call across the DC Universe at the bleakest moment of Thrones is finally answered. A new section of the Internet he invented called the Grid can pinpoint the location of every hero on Earth at a moment’s notice. Zatana, Firestorm and Black Canary are the first to be asked by the stalkerish Web 9.0, ” What are you wearing?” It was also at this moment the drool cup on Batman’s cowl swung into activation. Hey anyone remember that bug Bats planted on Superman’s back when he and Wonder Woman were playing grab ass in Kansas? No? Ok, guess it wasn’t important. Moving on.

The invitees who are touched by a Cyborg to try out for the JL are a motley and strange crew. Perhaps The Grid only has a plug-in for Bing. Aside from the aforementioned three the likes of Blue Devil, Black Lightening, Goldrush, Nightwing, Element Woman, Vixen and a Metalmen andrette named Platinum are invited to sit at the table.

Madness ensues as we learn the New 52 Will Magnus is more ineffective than Talia Al Ghul’s 12 Steps to Raising a Happy Child.

As Magnus’ failed experiment, Platinum, tarnishes everyone’s faces, the recruits get to show their stuff in true and surprising problem solving style though. A most welcome change from bash em up escapes. After all, all life is sacred, even when it’s broken and createdp by an ineffective simpering scientist. On that; I was seriously surprised by these Magnus moments and also Barry’s channeling of Wally West. One I can live with the change, but Barry no cute quips please even if you are being molested by a Goldfinger harem escapee.

The three that make the final cut are Firestorm (making super friends fans everywhere rejoice), the uninvited stowaway Lady Atom (I find her endearing already) and Element Woman (more kooky than a tenured college professor).

Once the party has ended and the moon bounce returned, our new justice league is faced with its first threat from some very l33t hackzors.

Ill allow the league this one issue respite, and even the ensuing next few issues of training wheels as the team works the kinks out. Learn from Atlantis though, BIG events because a BIG team deserves them.

Saiz did an excellent job, but he forgot to look at the cover and ensure Cyborg properly raged his way through recruitment instead of being calm and cordial like he was.

Shazam…I love you, please become your own book already. It’s so good and goes by so quickly I refuse to even review it. Sorry.