It’s hard for me to say whether I ‘like’ the new DC Universe. First off, I’ve never been a fan of easy answers for complex questions. But secondly, what the question is really asking is whether I like the DCnU better than the DC Post-Crisis Universe. That question hits me where it hurts, as that is the DC Universe of my youth. I am bothered that Deathstroke is no longer connected to the Teen Titans. I don’t like the absence of Wally West and Donna Troy. I liked that the characters of Black Canary, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Atom, and others had a connection to the mystery men of the 1940s. So that’s kindof like asking if I like the new Volkswagen Beetle better than the old one.
But, I’ve always admired DC for doing this. Sure they risk alienating old school fans, including me at this point. But isn’t that better than what Marvel does, where they are connected to origin stories that don’t make sense in 2011? (Fantastic Four heading to space before the Communists can get there being the prime example). So, when I heard that DC was doing this, I certainly nodded my head thinking it was necessary to do it.
This Justice League title is acting as the perfect foundation for this new Universe. They are going back to the moment when the world first discovered the superheroes in their midst. Every superhero story must now fit into this five year window, or it doesn’t work. It makes it all the more interesting, as they are learning the lessons of the Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot, where none of the creators even knew which stories were cannon or not.
I like how things are going, and now we’re just left with the execution.
Justice League #3: 
Published By: DC Comics
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Jim Lee
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: 11/16/2011
Review: Digital Copy (from Comixology)
In last month’s issue of Justice League #2, the Flash joined Green Lantern and Batman in trying to subdue Superman enough to talk. Superman had battled one of the demon creatures and also found one of the boxes that Green Lantern and Batman found. Victor Stone confronts his dad at STAR labs about not attending his football games. All of the boxes explode with energy. The demon creatures attack the heroes, and at STAR Labs, Victor’s body is engulfed in flames.
Synopsis
- In Washington D.C., Princess Diana escapes from the government to fight what she thinks is a harpy, but turns out to be one of the demons being fought by the other heroes.
- Silas Stone takes Victor’s dying body to the lab where he grafts Promethium metal to his body and injects nanites into his bloodstream.
- Superman, Green Lantern, Flash, and Batman battle the demon creatures and are eventually joined by Wonder Woman.
- The demon creatures create a giant obelisk in the middle of the water, and the heroes are joined by Aquaman who has also been fighting the creatures.
Questions and Answers
Answer: Colonel Steve Trevor is Diana’s government liaison.
Answer: Professor Ivo and Doctor Thomas Morrow (T.O. Morrow) are both scientist who work with Silas Stone at Star Labs.
Answer: In Cyborg’s new origin, he is dying from the fires of Apocalypse, and his father uses technology recovered (presumably alien) from all over the world.
Question: Are Ivo and Morrow connected to the invasion, or are they simply created to STAR Labs due to their interest in robotics?
Question: How did Diana get from Washington D.C. to Metropolis so quickly. She must have some powers of transportation.
Answer: Victor’s mom is already dead in the DCnU.
Analysis
This was overall a well-paced, action-packed super-hero book. It’s going to take four issues just to get this team together, and that seems a bit long, especially as it’s a team we know is going to be together, and how the personalities mesh. So there’s no suspense. But all of the characters are distinct.
I thought Jim Lee’s pencils were really good here. I especially liked how he drew Diana. Wonder Woman is supposed to look like a timeless beauty who is almost unapproachable and who can totally kick your ass. I thought that was pretty well represented here.
I like the cover, but it’s too reminiscent of the first cover for this book. I’d like some distinction and some different backgrounds please.
After the confrontations with each other over the last two issues, it was a bit weird to have them just fighting para-demons throughout this one.
I didn’t think it made sense for Silas to craft Cyborg’s face plate in the short time as Victor is dying. That seemed just a little too convenient, even for comic books.
The writers are going out of their way to give the superheroes much different personalities, not only from their (Post Crisis) DC Universe counterparts, but even from their contemporary (DCnU) counterparts.
- In the Wonder Woman book, Diana is savvy, reserved, and calm in the face of battle. In this book, she is naïve, eager for battle, and rebellious.
- In the Superman book, Clark is methodical and confident. In this book, he is rash, hot headed, and braggadocios.
- In the Aquaman book, Arthur is imposing but weary of the world around him. Here he is cocky and headstrong.
- In the Green Lantern book, Hal is a bit of a cocky jerk, and here… oh wait, bad example…
This is all fine. Nothing wrong with a writer’s take on the characters. Nothing wrong with redefining these characters that many of us know too well. But it just doesn’t feel like these characters would take only five years to get from who they are in Justice League to who they become in their solo books. Five years is not a short period of time, but it’s not that long either. If these characters are around 25 years old at the time of Justice League, then they are only 30 in the time of their current books. It doesn’t quite fit.
Personally, I think they would be better served saying it was 10 years and not 5. It makes sense that Superman (or more specifically Clark Kent) is like 34-35.
Diana especially seems very young here in her attitude. Sure, she’s not been a part of Western Civilization for most of her life, but she’s been around people. And to pull off the line, “I’m done with people telling me what to do”, well that’s the attitude of someone who is like 18-19 years old. And that seems young for Diana.
Funniest line goes to Flash talking about Batman, “I thought you were a vampire or something.”
Now, regarding Superman. I know that this is a new Superman for a new generation. Okay, I get all that. And I know that they are fighting para-demons, creatures who are mindless warriors who will fight to the death for their lord, Darkseid. But Superman killing para-demons (or ripping their arms off, dumping them in the ocean) without knowing anything about them, that seems out of character. Yes, maybe Superman doesn’t have to be the peace first guy, but the death first guy 
seems out of character.
There had better be some real connection between Victor and Darkseid due to the Apocalypse fire or energy that flowed over him, or something, otherwise this page is a total artistic vanity project, and is best left out of the book, regardless of how pretty it looks.
Aquaman gets a very solid entrance. I’m not sold on the chains that surround his body, but maybe there’s a reason for it. But it still seems overly cocky of anyone to come to the surface and declare themselves the leader. I mean other than that fact that they have bigger fish to fry (no pun intended), and the fact that WE know that it’s Aquaman, what’s to stop the heroes from thinking that Arthur had something to do with the attacks.
I’m not quite nit-picking here, as there certainly is some fine stuff in this issue. It’s too funny, I read Batwoman #3 and I complain about too little action, and this one probably had too much, but all in all a very good effort by the team.
Verdict
Hail, hail, the gang’s all here. Now that we have the cast, let’s see if we can put this show on the road. I want to see more in the upcoming issues, but this was pretty good. Hopefully, this battle goes until the sixth issue. Good writing, and the pencils and ink were definitely on point. Good Stuff
Overall Grade: 8.5 (Predictable but solid)
Current Series Grade: B
