The good news is, the second issue of Justice League is much better than the first.The bad news is, after two full issues telling the origin of the team, we've still only met four heroes (five, if you count the one who isn't a hero yet). In the first issue, we only met three heroes, and the last one showed up on the final page.
This issue uses the classic Marvel shtick of "heroes meet, fight because of a misunderstanding, then team up." It's an oldie and a goodie, because it works - it gives the heroes a chance to show what they can do, and as the characters meet each other, the new reader learns more about them.
It's a model of efficiency, and it's managed well here - with one exception. Batman has to face an angry Superman at the beginning of the issue, and while I don't expect the Dark Knight to defeat the Man of Steel, I would certainly expect him to put up more of a fight than he does here.
Green Lantern and the Flash are used well here, and it's nice that they've teamed up before this story (though perhaps a bit annoying to think they teamed up before Batman and Superman, who should be the premiere heroes in the DC Universe, and the first to team up. But then, I suppose, they'd have no reason to fight here. But I digress).
Jim Lee continues to hold a clinic in "how to draw a terrific-looking comic." His heroes are virile, the action chaotic, the layouts powerful and the story rockets along briskly. (And a note to my pal James: loads and loads of detail work here.)
I suspect this story will read much better as a collection, because events are moving very slowly and at this rate it'll be issue five or six before we finally see all the heroes working together as a team.
Still, this is definitely moving in the right direction. More like this, please.
Grade: A-
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