Justice League of America #4

Writer: Steve Orlando

Artist: Ivan Reis

Colourist: Marcelo Maiolo

Publisher: DC Comics

This was a very disappointing first arc. There was an unnaturally steep decline in quality since the first issue of the series, and I just think Steve Orlando didn't put his heart into the story. DC has been setting this team up for. So. Long. The entire Justice League vs. Suicide Squad event had no purpose but to set up this series, and the subsequent one-shots of each character's origins helped establish their individual personalities. And with the beginning of this arc, the characters don’t exactly fully trust each other and are getting to know each other. At this point, I needed more than team set-up to get me excited for the series.

The Extremists were such weak villains. Lord Havok felt like a Dr. Doom knockoff, and his minions weren't interesting enough to make the conflict any more interesting than it already is.

Ivan Reis is back on art, and it genuinely feels like a step down. It looks somewhat rushed, as if DC knew the bi-monthly schedule wouldn't work too well with Reis' art and his art had to be pumped out. This isn't the art I fell in love with from the man who drew Geoff Johns' Aquaman. Marcelo Maiolo's colours may have saved the art from looking bad, though.

The ending seemingly teases a certain plot element from DC Universe: Rebirth.

I hope this series finds itself next issue. It has all the necessary elements for good stories with fun characters, but Orlando felt the need to drill it in our heads that this team is progressive and exists for the good of the people.