Even though it was often very silly, I was a fan of the original Justice League International. The scripts by Keith Giffen and J.M. deMatteis were funny and the art by Kevin Maguire was fantastic.There have been attempts to revive the concept over the years, but they've mostly stumbled because the comics companies (and DC in particular) seem to have little room for humor in their comics.
So what are we to make of the limited series Justice League: Generation Lost? Is it comedy, drama or what?
The answer: mostly "what." The first issue focuses on the manhunt for Maxwell Lord, the millionaire who first brought the JLI together, and more recently became a mind-controlling monster who used his powers for evil purposes - and he ended up being killed by Wonder Woman.
But he was returned to life at the end of the Blackest Night, and here we begin to see his new plans unfold - and barring future revelations, so far it's a plan that's tough to swallow.
Also at the heart of the story are four of the surviving members of the JLI, as they join the effort to track down Max - and find themselves in a unique position as a result.
The story is by Keith Giffen and Judd Winick, and I have to say that so far, it doesn't do much for me. The whole setup seems very contrived and I just can't buy the formerly comic figure of Maxwell Lord as a scheming criminal mastermind.
The art's not bad at all, with breakdowns by Giffen, pencils by Aaron Lopresti and inks by Matt Ryan, but it's the only bright spot for this issue.
So the series is off to a rough start. Maybe if it was a bit less grim and gritty and allowed itself an occasional "bwah-hah-hah," it would be easier to take.
Grade: C+
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