REBIRTH! Man, a brick ton of news that concerns the future of DC comics dropped since the last issue of Justice League. However let’s finish Darkseid War before we start peering into the future of DC comics. While I’ve been mainly positive about Darkseid War since it’s launch last June, part me of knows that this is starting to feel something you don’t want to feel during something of this magnitude. The “dragging” feeling, where the once high octane action can begin to take a toll, which is a problem Geoff has had in previous event style sagas. Let’s see if this issue turns the tide or continues down the path of action fatigue.
One thing I can say about this issue of Justice League, is that now that the team is officially the Crime Syndicate this feels like a culmination of Johns’ entire run on Justice League. It’s one thing to be able bring in all the elements of a run to a final climatic showdown, it’s a completely different thing to be able to balance said elements into a cohesive narrative. What I mean by that is, Johns doesn’t lose any newer readers as he weaves events from Forever Evil into the current arc at hand. All the information is laid out before you, without feeling like boring exposition. Sure other’s wont share my sentiment on this but that’s how I see it.
With Mobius officially reborn several issues ago, the back of my mind wondered what exactly Johns would do to establish him as a serious threat. One might say that since Mobius was once the Anti-Monitor, there isn’t a need for a demonstration as a threat. If you saw one model of a character that had a high horse power, then the next year a newer model has even more horse power wouldn’t you want a test drive? It isn’t until John’s set’s up this Superman/Ultraman combo as the “big guns” to take down Mobius, It’s ultimate result firmly plants Mobius as a credible threat to the DCU.
Thankfully, this issue appears to end the “rut” that Justice League was in as now the story actually feels like it’s heading towards it’s epic conclusion. Yes, Geoff Johns is still setting more pieces but every writer always lays more rail road tracks before the line runs out. What made this issue absolutely spectacular was once again, you guessed it Jason Fabok on art.
Everyone is probably sick to death of the sheer amount of praise I’ve given Fabok for the past 9 months, but John’s script are perfectly tailored to what Fabok excels at. Dynamic action sequences with intricate detail that one could examine for days. The way this issue is paced out immensely made two splash pages (one featuring the entire GLC and the return of Lex Luthor) made those splash pages actually have the impact that is needed when going for a moment like the two previously mentioned. Seeing Jessica Cruz’s face become a source of twisted evil, with Fabok delivering each facial expression of her’s in all of it’s expressive glory. I love John’s writing but it’s Fabok art that makes Justice League the book that it is.
Another chapter of Darkseid War has come and gone, with this issue ramping up the storyline and the action ramping up, the finale is at hand. While Johns delivered an entertaining script, Jason Fabok deserves more credit for the sheer impact some of these moments had. Also Ultraman needing kryptonite like crack will never not be hilarious.
Justice League #48 earns a 4/5
That is best justice league 48 issue .