Hi there DC, Sean here. We need to have a serious conversation about what you’re doing with these covers for Justice League 3000. In issue 4 you gave away that Flash would return on the cover, only to have him return pretty much on the final page. I thought you would have changed your ways, but here we are again, revealing that not only is Flash returning, but it will also be in the body of Terry.
Terry, of course, was last seen getting her neck snapped by her brother, Teri, at the end of last issue. That would have been an awesome reveal, but seeing as how you just wanted everyone to know about it, you plastered it all over the cover. Please, never do this again. It wasted twenty minutes of my reading experience seeing as how Flash-Terry isn’t revealed until the very last page of “Turning Point.”
But on to the issue itself. We pick up where we left off last issue, with Teri having betrayed the 31st century Justice League members, killing his sister, and blowing up Flash. The heroes and Ariel Masters are transported back to Cadmus, where Teri has taken the facility over and is now lording over the island with the other members of The Five. Now, this is the first part that confused me, is Teri the creator of The Five or is he part of them, too? And if he’s part of them, why hasn’t anyone raised the question: Hey, I know the entire galaxy knows about Locus, Coeval, The Convert, and Kali, but why are they called The Five? Is there a fifth member that’s under Teri’s control or did people just think that the most powerful villains of the 31st century can’t count?
The remaining heroes are currently locked up on Cadmus, and we have another revelation that actually makes sense when you consider the origins of these heroes. The rest of the heroes are incarcerated but aren’t? It’s difficult to understand. There are scenes where they complain that they are under constant surveillance and detained in their quarters, but then they’re surrounded by other people in the next panel. Do the reanimated superheroes just live with random people? I was confused.
Issue 8 is called “Turning Point,” because, as Wonder Woman points out in more or less words, the Justice League has been getting its butt handed to it ever since the heroes were brought back to life. They’ve lost over and over again, with their only successful battle of the series coming against a horde of normal people. This issue marks the turning point for our heroes taking the fight back to The Five, with help from Ariel Masters. There is a surprising amount of speed and story progression for an issue that was based around the remaining heroes just talking with one another.
The plan the heroes create requires a little “Green-Lantern-ex-machina,” with things simply falling into place for the benefit of the heroes. I’ll go into detail about the plan itself in the Spoilers, but it boils down to “oh hey, I can do this cool stuff and I don’t know why and I’ve never had this power before.” It really wasn’t explained well, but it gives the League members a fighting chance. The rest of the story centers on Ariel Masters and her operations while the League is captured, but the fruits of her plan are given away on, you know, the cover.
Howard Porter’s art is exceptional and unique as always, and the futuristic/scientific feel of Justice League 3000 make this a visually pleasing book. The arrays of blues in particular on full display in “Turning Point,” and everything from the Great Wall of DNA to Coeval’s displays look brilliant. Justice League 3000 consistently produces high-quality art, and for me it’s up there with the best of the New 52. I highly recommend everyone check this out.
- Green Lantern can suddenly just control all of the machinery in Cadmus. He doesn’t know why, and it’s never explained other than “oh, this Green Lantern was created using 31st technology, so he can instantly just wish things can happen.”
- Teri-Flash actually looks really awesome!
- So Ariel Masters can also control all the computer technology and operate around Coeval, too? You would think Terry, the super genius, and Coeval, the sentient embodiment of computer technology, would figure a way around that.
Favorite Quote: “We gave the world everything, Hal, and now –“ “Now, we’re going to do it one more time – because that’s who we are.” – Batman and Green Lantern.
Recommended If…
- You enjoy the fantastic artwork of Howard Porter.
- You don’t mind that the cover spoils the best part of the issue.
- You like seeing heroes recover when they’re at their lowest.
Overall: The actual plan of counter-attack will have to wait until next issue, but have a hyper-intelligent scientist with all the powers of the Speed Force should be a major asset against the strength of The Five.
SCORE: 7/10
