Justice League Dark #22

Writer:  Jeff Lemire

Art:  Mikel Janin, Jeromy Cox

Get Caught Up...

Trinity War is upon us.  Superman has killed Dr. Light (how culpable he is in the incident is hotly contested) and is in custody.  Madame Xanadu has been taken by the Outsider and the Secret Society of Super-villains.  Stuff’s getting crazy.

What’s Good?

Everything’s starting to heat up.  We’re treated to battle lines being drawn, and the various team’s rosters splitting up.  I’m not a huge fan of heroes fighting heroes, but it really works well in Trinity War.  This is especially true since it appears most everything that has happened so far has been some form of set-up.  

I really like what DC has done with the Trinity of Sin characters.  The scenes with Phantom Stranger are great, and I’m looking forward to his tie-in book with Batman.  I’m intrigued by the New 52 Question.  Nothing is known about him, so I’m really hoping the eventual reveal lives up the smoke and mirrors approach we have have been given to his character.

The Outsider is a great villain.  The entire idea of a mole within a super-team feeding information is extremely played out, especially since the JLA has already done that not too long ago with their own mole in the Justice League.  Regardless, I’ll allow it.

What’s Not So Good?

This is part three of six.  The event is half over, but it really is just feeling like it’s getting going still.  I know this is really the first part of a larger story that will certainly include the upcoming Villains Month and Forever Evil mini-series.  I just hope we get a satisfying conclusion on some level, instead of just a lead-in to whatever is coming this fall.

This was a big, big issue to draw.  The cast of characters is large, and the set pieces are vast and different.  It is understandable that some pages are better than others.  It is still a tremendous effort on the part of the creative team.  It isn’t that the art is bad in areas, some areas are just more bland than others.  I didn’t get the feel of anticipation that I have gotten from other issues.

I understand why this isn’t a miniseries unto itself.  DC wants to split up the duties to make sure everything comes out on time, without doing the Marvel method that might result in less editorial control over the story.  I just want to see more Justice League Dark in a Justice League Dark book.

The Verdict...

I’m hooked.  I love the characters involved in this story, and I really enjoy what’s going on with them.  Superman as a pawn is a very interesting story move, and I can’t wait to see what he does when he gets to the bottom of everything.  The conclusion to this is hopefully going to be as epic as we deserve after such a wait.

Oh, Yeah, And...


Constantine is a bastard, and I love him.  Pick up Constantine #5 for more Trinity War tie-in action with Captain Marvel.