DCU Comic Book Reviews

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #14

Unlimited, Chapter 3:  Two Against Nature

December 2007

Written by Dwayne McDuffie

Pencils by Ed Benes

Inks by Sandra Hope

Covers by Ian Churchill and Norm Rapmund

Synopsis

Members of the Justice League have been captured by the new Injustice League.  Black Lightning and Superman stand before Lex Luthor, although it is a hologram.  Luthor taunts them, showing the other league members being tortured, as he tells them to find him.  In doesn’t take long for Superman and Black Lightning to find the Hall of Doom.  The duo attack, but they are outnumbered and quickly beaten.  Luthor grabs Superman and threatens him with a piece of Kryptonite.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

Is it just me or does this issue end pretty much like the way the previous issue ended, with Lex Luthor taunting Superman?  When this story began I was excited because it looked like we would get some action (finally) in this title.  While there have been some fight scenes, they have all been pretty much the same (JLA gets their ass kicked) to the point that it has now gotten boring and not very interesting.  And that is the core problem of this story:  McDuffie has repeated the same basic plot elements for three issues running and it is starting to get boring.  I mean, really, the entire league gets captured and beaten for three straight issues?  And this is all leading to the ending where Firestorm (who was the first to get beaten, but not captured) saves their butts in the next issue?  I think the problem stems from the fact that the Injustice League doesn’t seem to have an agenda beyond just beating the crap out of the Justice League.  Luthor’s brief explanation in this issue is less of a story-driven reason and more of a writer’s tool to avoid providing a reason (because the Injustice League will be defeated before Luthor’s plan begins, there is no reason to go into big detail about it).  The repeating action is dragging down the story and I can’t figure out why McDuffie seems intent on writing it that way.  Perhaps it is the volume of characters that McDuffie is trying to insert into the story, which can overwhelm the page and not allow a writer to focus on the plot because he’s too worried about giving everyone panel time.  Or perhaps McDuffie is leading into a larger story, which is only on part three, after all.  If this is a six-part story (to neatly fit into the trade paperback) then perhaps we’ll see some motivation and reasoning next issue before Firestorm comes to the rescue.  But, somehow, I just don’t think that is going to happen.

The other problem I have with this issue is the moment when Superman declines to call in the reserves.  This does not make sense.  I never considered the character of Superman to have an ego, which is the only reason why anyone would decide to tackle a large group of villains on his own.  What was his reasoning:  “No time”?  How long does it take to push the button to summon others?  Or to call Oracle and ask others to come to the Hall of Justice?  Hell, leave Black Lightning behind to inform the others so he lead them to the rescue.  Superman not asking for help is very uncharacteristic of him.

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