DCU Comic Book Reviews

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #25

The Second Coming, Part Four:  Best Lack Conviction

November 2008

Written by Dwayne McDuffie

Pencils by Ed Benes, Doug Mahnke, Darick Robertson, Shane Davis, Ian Churchill, Ivan Reis

Inks by Ed Benes, Christian Alamy, Darick Robertson, Rob Stull, Ian Churchill, Joe Prado

Cover by Ed Benes

Synopsis

At the Hall Of Justice, the team rebuilds after the attack by Amazo.  Meanwhile, Red Tornado proposes to Kathy.  She says yes.  Then Batman appears with the information Reddy is looking for.  Reddy wants to end it now.  In California, Vixen and Animal Man discuss the change in their powers.  As they talk, Vixen hears voices. When she touches her totem, she disappears inside the amulet.  There, she encounters Anansi, the trickster God.  At the watchtower, Black Lightning takes over monitor duty from Hawkgirl so she can visit her daughter.  In Dubai City, Reddy confronts Professor Ivo, except it is actually a robot.  However, Batman planned for the contingency and Zatanna is able to track him down.  Afterards, Reddy declares he is taking a sabbatical from the league.  Inside Vixen’s amulet, Anansi make Buddy also appear.  Anansi confuses the two heroes with double speak and showing different realities of the league coming to save them.  However, Vixen is able to get away, which pleases Anansi, who is depending on her. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This was essentially two stories merged into one over-sized issue.  I liked one story and thought it was a great way to wrap up the anniversary special while I did not enjoy the second story, although I think there is potential with it. 

First, the Red Tornado portion of the issue.  When this book first was re-launched several years ago, Reddy was the central figure of the story.  Over time Reddy has been in and out of the various plots (as well as bodies), but the basic story of his relationship with Kathy has not been resolved, or at the very least, put into a position writers can work with.  McDuffie ends all that here and while I think the resolution seems to be a little too quick (has Reddy even indicated he wanted to locate Ivo before this issue?), it does work to tie up everything since the first issue.  It is a signal that perhaps McDuffie is being allowed to do his own thing, free from Meltzer’s run and free from the endless tie-ins that have haunted (and hamstrung) this book for awhile now. 

Second, the Vixen portion of the issue.  While this is something that Meltzer brought up during his brief run, there is enough in the basic concept of the plot and story that should give McDuffie enough room to craft something that is uniquely his and not a Meltzer knock-off.  And it shows with the introduction of Anansi.  Yet, I didn’t like it.  I am not found of the metatextual aspect of Anansi and “stories” and all that.  It doesn’t work for me.  I enjoyed Morrison’s run of Animal Man, until Morrison himself showed up.  Then I lost interest.  I don’t need to read about a character who acts as the mouthpiece for the writer.  Moreover, I was not thrilled with the alternate realities shown in this issue.  Well, let me back up and say that I always like it when we are shown “what if?” scenarios, but coming on the heels of the Trinity plot change, it seemed like McDuffie was repeating something that had just been done.  Having said all that, I am intrigued by what might happen next (and I like how McDuffie manages to incorporate Morrison’s run into Vixen’s story) and how McDuffie will resolve the dangling plot threads and it certainly has the promise of being good, as long as the alternate worlds is not prominent. 

Finally, I wish McDuffie would lay off the sexual remarks from Hal Jordan.  It doesn’t feel right.  I don’t mind Jordan being shown as a playboy or a ladies man, but getting sex out in the open (or even stated as innuendo) just feels so…wrong.