Justice League #9

by John White on November 16, 2016

Writer: Bryan Hitch
Artist: Neil Edwards
Colorist: Tony Avi
ña
While all the evil in the universe may be no match for the Justice League, it turns out a small computer virus is. With the Batcave in shambles, Cyborg little more than a talking paperweight, and Simon Baz’s ring suddenly deciding that every thing is a threat worthy of destruction, I think it is safe to say that this is not one of the League’s finer days. In an issue that has ample amounts of Alfred as the wry butler, enough action to level a city, and Aquaman using his familiarity with fish to fight off some antagonistic light constructs, it is a real credit to Bryan Hitch that the most important and powerful part of the issue is one families way of dealing with unspeakable grief.  Following storylines that were shaky at times, Bryan Hitch seems to have finally found the mark as he mixes equal parts action and emotion to create a story that will reshape the way the world looks at the Justice League.

Picking up the story in the pile of gravel that was once the Batcave, we learn that not only are Alfred and Bruce miraculously unharmed but also that Alfred managed to copy the malignant computer virus into a portable computer. Although he is not the first to do it, it is great to see Hitch utilizing Alfred in a role besides manservant and comic foil to the stoic dark knight.  As Bruce sets himself to the task of identifying the origin of the computer virus, the scene shifts to downtown San Francisco where the League is pitted in a tense battle with one of their own. Simon Baz’s ring has become infected by the same virus overran Cyborg’s systems and brought down the watchtower and as it battles Wonder Woman, Flash, and Aquaman a few things come to light.. For instance, Aquaman is not a fan of Simon Baz. Despite fighting for his life, the Atlantean still find the time to belittle Simon’s attempt at controlling the uncontrollable and muses that this never would have happened to Hal. A recurring theme in Hitch’s run has been that this is not the untied team we are familiar with. Less like a band of brothers and more like the team that is brought together for a special project at the office. They may work well together, but they are certainly not all super friends. Another thing we learn, courtesy of a comically timed boxing glove, is that even though the virus is capable of overwriting complex code it cannot delete it, meaning that with a little luck the League may be able to stop this menace without sacrificing one of their own. Will this knowledge, plus Batman’s investigation into the code itself, be enough to stop the virus, save the League, and in turn save the world?

In an issue that saw Aquaman talk to fish and Wonder Woman casually discussing killing a teammate, there is a lot to like. Bryan Hitch seems to have finally found his stride as he tows the line between knock down – drag out action fest and story with real heart. Neil Edwards and Tony Aviña art really shines in this issue as both are given ample chance t display their talents. If the issues to come are anything like Justice League #9, then you can be sure that Justice League is a series you want to pick up.
 

Our Score:

8/10

A Look Inside

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