DC Comics’ Justice League of America #2 by Bryan Hitch hit stands today.
Spoilers and capsule review follow for the DC You initiative’s Justice League of America #2 loving also called JLA #2.
We get a good look at the presumed god Rao from dead Krypton as the story picks up right where Justice League of America #1 left off. Superman gets weak in the knees, literally, around him.
Superman also vouches for him, which leads to Superman taking Rao to meet U.S. President Barack Obama, the United Nations and others throughout the opening of the issue.
Rao also sends his prophets to heal the sick to a grateful populace.
Flash and Green Lantern are missing and Batman remains skeptical, but its Wonder Woman who gets a rude awakening at the end of Justice League of America #2. Who decimated Olympus, the home of the Greek gods?
Is Rao vengeful and can’t deal with competitor gods? What is Rao’s plan for Earth? And, who is Rao really?
JLA #2 is generally beautifully drawn book, but I found some of Bryan Hitch’s faces, particularly the eyes, off in a few panels. He does drawn heroic and mythic characters well while also making Batman look quite grounded yet imposing.
In terms of the writing, a god with prophets with a hidden agenda? I don’t know. However, I give Hitch and DC Comics big marks for introducing a relatively new character we haven’t seen explored in DC You or even DC Comics folklore in a substantive way. Yes “Rao” has been exclaimed in Superman comics for generations, but we’ll now get to see who he / it is or we’ll get a new pretender villain out of the deal. Either way, the story seems somewhat fresh.
Am I curious about what comes with JLA #3 next month? Yes, but I’m not sure if I’m hooked. This issue does suffer from decompressed story-itis; it’ll clearly read better, faster and likely be more satisfying read in its collected tpb form.
