It's sad to note that the Justice League of America - a comic that should be the top book in the DC Universe - has for years now been dragged around by the company's mega-events.The team suffers for having to bend its stories around other events, and this issue is just the latest example.
It actually has a double whammy against it - not only must it deal with the Blackest Night events (without including any of the main players), but it also has to mark time until the end of the Cry for Justice mini-series.
As with most comics that shoehorn events into the ongoing mega-series, it's not a great fit. Here we have the second-stringers - Vixen, Gypsy, Dr. Light, Plastic Man and Zatanna - returning to the Hall of Justice to face Black Lanterns in the form of Zatara (Zatanna's dad), the evil Dr. Light, and former JLA members Vibe and Steel.
It all adds up to an issue-long fight scene with some racist comments thrown in against the Japanese and the Gypsies. Thoroughly repellent and completely unnecessary. I expected much better from writer James Robinson.
The art, on the other hand, is outstanding, but Mark Bagley's considerable skills are wasted in this effort. I've said it before: great art can't save a bad story. (Ironically, a great story can redeem poor art.)
Hopefully this book will eventually takes its place again as DC's flagship title. But it's not there yet.
Grade: C-
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