With everyone running along side that Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice hype train, it seems only fitting to continue dissecting the latest chapter of The Darkside War. It’s no secret that Geoff Johns can deliver a spectacle that can only be done within the medium of comics, and while John’s has his critics (boy does he have his critics) one can’t deny his love for the DCU and his ability to get to the core of what makes these group of characters great. Not all agree with that opinion and that’s okay, so without further adieu let’s see if Johns and Fabok can keep the momentum going with JL 42.

Over his career at DC Comics, Geoff Johns has managed to tell a story that has defined the biggest characters in the DCU, this very website is one example, others being Flash, Aquaman, Superman, and even Batman thanks to the Earth One line of OGN’s. However one glaring omission from that list is Wonder Woman. With the inclusion of Grail and her mother, the ties to Wonder Woman become stronger. Granted I don’t have the most experience with Wonder Woman, but from a relatively new fan perspective John’s gets across what makes Diana a unique member of the Justice League.

The struggle inside Wonder Woman’s mind between conflict and peace is the perspective that John chooses to focus on and it meshes well within the context of the story. Along side that, as John’s has Diana size herself up against Grail showing her tactical side. None of these are what any expect reader of Wonder Woman would call deep incursions into her character, but along side this roller coaster of a story.

In contrast to the previous issue, where a majority was filled with dynamic action sequences mixed with inner dialog, John’s slows the pace down for exposition. Given the explosive start it makes sense to bring the reader down as you don’t want to enter what I call “action fatigue.” Thanks to Jason Fabok’s ability to make characters look interesting during “talking heads” Although during some panels, you see that classic stiff super hero pose, but given what other magic Fabok conjures on other pages/panels it’s a forgiving cliche.

Sadly the only real negative aspect of this issue was the debut of “New God Batman” and it’s not for the reasons you may think. Yes Johns handled the execution of what the Mobius chair in excellent fashion, but how Batman just stumbles onto the chair almost killed that moment. It almost looks like he trips. Outside of that seeing Batman as a New God doesn’t make me mad as I find it interesting to put Bruce into a position he’s never been in before, and could provide an extra spice to a storyline already brimming with delicious flavor, or it could be sensory overload only time will tell on this one. For now it’s a cool visual to see.

Speaking of visuals, Jason Fabok continues his amazing art work. One particular sequence that shows Fabok is more than a big muscles is when Wonder Woman has Metron tied up with her lasso, and through his outstanding storytelling you can determine what exactly is going on with the visual cues alone. For me that’s how you separate a good comic artist from a great comic artist. Fabok’s amazing detail remains intact along with his dynamic action sequences it’s hard to not have a smile on your face when looking through this issue.

Justice League 42 while a heavy exposition issue was still enjoyable thanks to the team of Johns and Fabok. Plus it was a nice nod from Johns to acknowledge the Lights Out crossover thanks to Hal Jordan’s dialog.

Justice League #42 earns a 4/5

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