DC Comics Rebirth Spoilers & Review: Justice League Vs. Suicide Squad #5 Sees Batman Form A New League As Maxwell Lord Fights For Control With Eclipso’s Diamond!

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DC Comics Rebirth Spoilers and Review follow for Justice League Vs. Suicide Squad #5.

Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #5 opens with the super-powered members of the Justice League under the control of Maxwell Lord and the black “Heart of Darkness” diamond of Eclipso.

At the same time, Batman is stuck under rubble with Amanda Waller, Deadshot and the headless body of Lobo… who is regenerating. Interestingly, its a super-strong mesh net that Batman created that keeps the rubble from crushing them all.

Batman is happy to Superman until he realizes he’s been Eclipso’d for lack of a batter term. Superman easily beats Batman as Maxwell Lord wants Amanda Waller.

Lobo than regenerates and Batman tells him he blew his head up to break whatever mind control Maxwell Lord had over him. Lobo gets it and as they’re free themselves they meet up with Rick Flag and Katana and…

…learn that Cyborg’s tech-side is struggling with Cyborg’s human side which has been Eclipso’d.

We get a look at what’s in the diamond while Batman all, but sounds like he’s giving up as Maxwell Lord is right… they don’t have the power to defeat him.

Batman is convinced by Killer Frost to let her and the villains help him defeat Maxwell Lord; Batman makes it sound like a… drumm roll please… suicide mission. However, they’re all in including Eclipso and Batman unnecessarily deputizes them as member of a new Justice League!

Who confront the old Eclipso’d Justice League on the lawn of the White House where Maxwell Lord and Amanda Waller are.

At the same time, Amanda Waller has an audience with Maxwell Lord who explains that he went earlier on to the island so the monks could put a sigil on his chest to protect him from the influence of the diamond.

Despite his precautions, Maxwell Lord is succumbing the black diamond and begs Amanda Waller for help.

In a fairly grotesque scene Maxwell Lord seemingly dies as something climbs out of his body…

…Eclipso himself!

An ending that was spoiled with the release of the cover to the finale of this mini-series with next week’s Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #6.

So…

Writer Josh Williamson, for the most part, wrote some strong characterization and drama in this issues despite the ending of Eclipso’s debut being at best predictable and at worst spoiled. However, Maxwell Lord’s seeming fate was a surprise. It’s interesting I have to weigh whether the expected moments of the series are as weighty to the story as the parts I didn’t expect or really liked sich as the characterization. The art by penciller Robson Rocha is gritty and works for this kind of mini-series; he’s been a stalwart with Green Lanterns a fave DC Rebirth series of mine. I give this book 7 out of 10. It was entertaining.

John is a long-time pop culture fan, comics historian, and blogger. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief at Comics Nexus. Prior to being EIC he has produced several column series including DEMYTHIFY, NEAR MINT MEMORIES and the ONE FAN'S TRIALS at the Nexus plus a stint at Bleeding Cool producing the COMICS REALISM column. As BabosScribe, John is active on his twitter account, his facebook page, his instagram feed and welcomes any and all feedback. Bring it on!