DCU Comic Book Reviews

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #0

Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow

September 2006

Written by Brad Meltzer

Pencils by An All-Star Cast Of Artists

Inks by An All-Star Cast Of Artists

Cover by Michael Turner & Peter Steigerwald and J. Scott Campbell & Sandra Hope

Synopsis

Yesterday, Gotham City...Batman and Superman decide to form the first Justice League.  Both invite Wonder Woman (and thus create the Trinity).  Yesterday, above the Earth...they mourn the loss of the Red Tornado.  Tomorrow, Coast City...Hal Jordan gets married, reminding them of yesterday and the wedding of Donna Troy.  Tomorrow, Metropolis....The Trinity fight Lex Luthor.  Yesterday, Challengers Mountain...the Trinity argue over the formation of the Detroit Justice League.  Tomorrow, Smallville...the Trinity mourn the loss of Jonathan Kent.  Yesterday, Gotham City...Batman tells the others Jason Todd, the new Robin.  Tomorrow, Paradise Island...Superman makes sure Wonder Woman is ready to get married.  Yesterday, JLI Embassy...Superman can’t help but laugh when he hears Batman punched Guy Gardner.  Tomorrow, the new satellite... Superman is alone, angry and hurt, as Batman and Wonder Woman do not show for the annual meeting.  Yesterday, Antarctica....Wonder Woman and Batman mourn the “death” of Superman.  Tomorrow, the Hall...the Trinity find a second Earth.  Yesterday, the Watchtower...Wonder Woman scolds Batman for his files on the league.  Tomorrow, Crime Alley...Wonder Woman and Superman mourn the death of Batman.  Yesterday, the Trinity confirms they will meet every year.  Today, Gotham City...the Trinity decide to reform the Justice League of America.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

As a celebration of the Justice League of America, this falls short.  As a chance to find out who will be part of the new Justice League America, it falls short.  In essence, this issue tries to do both and it falls short.  That is not to say that it is not a bad issue, but the random back and forth from present to future, gives this issue herky jerky a feel.  It did not give any sense of the history of the league or of the DCU.  Donna Troy’s wedding juxtaposed to Hal Jordan’s wedding is a neat touch, but the message from Dick Grayson about the Teen Titans and what it means to Batman gets lost.  My own personal preference is that it might have worked better to have the Trinity sit down and discuss past events, much in the same way a television clip show might do it.  This issue is not the beginning (hence the #0 numbering) so there is not a need to have any kind of narrative thread.  However, what Meltzer was able to do with all of these different incarnations and events was to really bring forth the relationship of the three and how much they really meant to each other over the years.  Whether it is crying over their deaths (but not Diana’s for some reason) or laughing at Batman punching Guy or arguing amongst themselves over Batman being a jerk, these scenes really help show how they have evolved over the years.

Here is the list of future events: 

Hal Jordan’s marriage

Jonathan Kent’s death

Wonder Woman’s marriage

Batman’s death

The Trinity not meeting for some unexplained reason

The appearance of a second Earth.

The artists include: 

Eric Wight (opening sequence)

Dick Giordano (death of red Tornado)

Tony Harris (wedding of Hal Jordan)

George Perez (wedding of Donna Troy)

J.H. Williams III (fight with Luthor)

Luke McDonnell & Paul Neary (Detroit JL)

Gene Ha (death of Pa Kent)

Rags Morales (Jason Todd announcement)

Ethan Van Sciver (Diana’s marriage)

Kevin Maguire (Batman punches Guy Gardner)

Adam Kubert (Superman’s tears)

Dan Jurgens & Kevin Nowlan (death of Superman)

Jim Lee (second Earth)

Howard Porter & Dexter Vines (Tower of Babel)

Andy Kubert & Jesse Delperdang (death of Batman)

Phil Jimenez & Andy Lanning (Meeting every year)

Ed Benes & Sandra Hope (today)

Comic Connection

The "yesterday" events:

The first ever "teaming" of super heroes (to battle Appellaxian Invasion) occurred in Justice League Of America, issue #9 (February 1962).

The death of Red Tornado occurred in Justice League of America, beginning with issue #102 (October 1972).

Jason Todd first appeared in Batman, issue #357 (March 1983) and first appeared as Robin in Detective Comics, issue #526 (May 1983).

The Detroit-era team first appeared in Justice League of America, issue #233 (December 1984).  Batman eventually agrees to train the Detroit-era team in Justice League of America, issue #250 (May 1986)

Donna Troy married Terry Long in Tales Of The New Teen Titans, issue #50 (February 1985).

Batman punching Guy Gardner occurred in Justice League, issue #5 (September 1987).

The death of Superman occurred in Superman, issue #75 (January 1993). 

The scene with Wonder Woman chastising Batman for his files on the rest of the league members references events in JLA (Tower of Babel story arc), beginning with issue #43 (July 2000).

 

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