Time for more Justice League Infinity! The previous issues have been delightful. Will Justice League Infinity #3 keep up the momentum? And arguably more importantly, will we finally get a little more time with these characters we know and love? Read on to find out.
ART
Ethan Beaver’s art and Nick Filardi’s colors continue to be the best part of this comic. The backgrounds evoke Jack Kirby (much more often than the cartoon used to) and the character models stick to the Timm house style while being a little less wooden. Both continue to add a generous slather of that late 90s early aughts Cartoon Network aesthetic, making everything somehow seem even more cartoony than the actual cartoon.
The closest things I can compare it to are the remakes and homages to older videogames that somehow manage to look more like your memory of the original than revisiting the original does. It’s all still a bit visually crowded/busy, but a complete treat to look at.
STORY
Time and space are unraveling. Heroes and ordinary folk alike are popping out of their universes and into others. The Justice League struggles to keep both Overman and Lois’ temper in check while they mount a voyage into one of the holes that has appeared across the multiverse.
Meanwhile, on Earth-D, Superman-D (not to be confused with Calvin Ellis, even though he has Ellis’s super-symbol) and the Justice Alliance plan to do the same. Until Superman-D vanishes from their reality, joining Superman in Overman’s native Nazi-infested dystopia.
Lois takes over as narrator of the issue. And while her narration isn’t as compelling for me as J’onn J’onnz or Superman’s, it still adds a bit of characterization. Not a bad thing, considering how plot-focused Justice League Infinity has been so far. Though I can see the heavy reliance on narration becoming a problem if the series keeps it up. If it isn’t one already. Take the page below for example.
It takes a whopping six text boxes, slash, eight whole sentences to accomplish what a simple location caption like “Earth-D, home of the Justice Alliance.” would have accomplished just as well. All that extra exposition adds nothing and looks kind of ugly to boot.
Another thing that irks me is the fact that not one, or even two, but three characters in JLI #3 spontaneously develop mild ESP — becoming able to sense good, evil, or “spite and hate pouring out … like toxic radiation.” It comes across as a bit lazy and/or hackneyed. The characterization in general is quickly becoming a weak point of Justice League Infinity. Issue #1 had a decent bit of character-fleshing. Issue #2 was weaker, but at least we got a bit of Superman being Superman. In issue #3 we really only get a scant few panels of Batman reacting to someone vanishing and a fleeting caption about Hawkgirl having hurt (or jealousy) in her eyes. The weak characterization is a real shame considering the focus on character was one of the cartoon’s strongest elements.
All that said, the plot is still interesting and the mystery of what’s going on remains compelling (and there’s a fun stinger on the final page) — it’s just that some cracks (pun intended) are starting to show.
Recommended if…
- Multiversal shenanigans, nuff said
- Taking the piss out of Overman is your idea of a good time (hint: it should be)
- Come on, who doesn’t want more DCAU Justice League?
OVERALL
Despite its flaws (eg: an excessive amount of narration, putting plot before character and/or not giving these characters enough time or space to emote or interact) starting to show, Justice League Infinity is still an enjoyable read. Especially the art, which continues to be a joy to gander at.
Score: 7.5/10
Disclaimer: DC Comics provided Batman News with an advance copy of this comic for the purpose of this review.
