Justice League Vol. 1: Origin
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4.5 • 242 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
Comics superstars Geoff Johns and Jim Lee bring you an all-new origin story for the Justice League! In a world where inexperienced superheroes operate under a cloud of suspicion from the public, loner vigilante Batman has stumbled upon a dark evil that threatens to destroy the earth as we know it. Now, faced with a threat far beyond anything he can handle on his own, the Dark Knight must trust an alien, a scarlet speedster, an accidental teenage hero, a space cop, an Amazon Princess and an undersea monarch. Will this combination of Superman, The Flash, Cyborg, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and Aquaman be able to put aside their differences and come together to save the world? Or will they destroy each other first? In one of the most game-changing titles in comic industry history, Geoff Johns and Jim Lee re-imagine the classic heroes of the DC Universe for the 21st century.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
As a part of DC's global reboot program, the New 52, these first six issues of Justice League serve as a fast-paced if dramatically inert origin story. Writer Johns resets the time line to "five years ago," when the world at large fears and mistrusts Batman, the Green Lantern, and Superman. Beset by infighting, these three are joined by Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Flash, and Cyborg to battle ever-multiplying emissaries sent by Darkseid to collect and recycle human beings. The plotting and character dynamics are mechanical and cautious: our heroes haven't really changed, but their costumes have. Cocky quips (the Green Lantern to Batman: "You're not just some guy in a bat costume, are you?") abound, but do little to change or develop readers' decades-old familiarity with these characters. The artwork by Lee and Williams reflects the industry standard for superhero tales: dynamic action is masterfully staged, while bodies suffer from anatomical hysteria. These first issues' major objective is persuading readers to again recalibrate their imaginations so that future stories are less burdened by continuity concerns. It's entertaining, but has the staying power of a stick of Juicy Fruit.
Customer Reviews
Never get tired of reading this
That's right. No matter how many times I read this comic, it never gets old for me. It's that good. So let me explain why I like it so much (and why I think it's one the best origins).
The stuff I like:
1.) The artwork by Jim Lee. Every panel in this comic looks awesome. From the choppers shooting at Batman, to the arrival of Darkseid.
2.) The interaction between the characters. This is what stands out most to me. Like the interaction between Batman and Green Lantern, for example. The character's interaction also has some of the humor that Marvel's movies have. My favorite joke is when Green Lantern touches Wonder Woman's lasso. Everyone is true to character in this book. I'd have to say the best portrayed character would be Green Lantern. And it's cool how they ultimately put aside their differences using a metaphor.
3.) Cyborg. At first, I had no idea why everyone thinks that Cyborg is so cool. But this comic and "Justice League: Doom" convinced me why. I like the big role he now plays in the DCU, and (spoiler alert) how he ultimately saves the day. Who would have known that a teenager would make his way into the Justice League.
4.) The action. Though there are times when you can't tell what's going on, it still has that superhero action that makes reading comics fun.
5.) The Villain. It shouldn't surprise you that the real villain turns out to Darkseid. It's something the League has fought before, but he still serves as a threat. That and his new design looks AWESOME.
The stuff I don't like
1.) Why does everyone in the world blame metahumans for every little thing? I know Geoff is trying to show how the public is afraid of these guys, and he does succeed most of the time, but it really loses me that everyone blames superheroes for this alien invasion.
But that's the only problem I have with this comic. The rest of the stuff really makes up for it. Geoff Johns and Jim Lee have made the Justice League my favorite superhero team. Something tells that the League will still be around after "Forever Evil". I just hope the adaptation of this book will be equally good. So read this book before seeing the new movie. It'll be a great place to start if you want to get into the comics from DC.
Geoff Johns hates batman
If you like Batman, stay away from the new justice league! He makes him worthless and someone who can't fight. He may as well be a therapist in a bat costume. I will not purchase any more Justice League comics and I suggest you don't either!
Decent, nothing spectacular
It has mostly great art (I say mostly because Jim Lee has an annoying habit of sometimes drawing lots of lines on characters' faces), but not much plot, and characterizations are questionable at times. We never get properly introduced to anyone in the book (except maybe Cyborg). The one who suffers from this the most is Darkseid, one of the most powerful, evil characters in the DC Universe, who is basically reduced to a video game boss here. My point is, for a book that is supposed to introduce the Justice League to a new generation (especially newcomers), it doesn't always do its' job very well. Still, it's an entertaining book and I recommend it, if just barely. Grade: B-