Justice League #5 is the beginning of the end of the Darkseid story line. Within this issue you get to see the entire Justice League together, while seeing that the team dynamic isn’t entirely there yet. Geoff Johns and Jim Lee are finally at the point where all the cards are on the table, at least that’s what they want you to think. Nothing is slow about this issue, it’s a mix of one part set up for the next issue and one part action packed thrill ride. As with my recent Justice League reviews, it’s going to be hard to discuss some points without mild spoilers. Some have already been revealed online, so I’m not too worried about most of them. Say this for certain, this issue isn’t perfect, yet it is mostly a solid story.
You’re in the thick of the action from the beginning as it follows directly from the last page of issue #4. Darkseid is here and he’s destroying whatever is in his way. As Flash is initially the only one awake, Jim Lee’s way of illustrating that stare down did send chills. Then the next page, Darkseid’s new design doesn’t entirely work for him, looking like the son of the Anti-Monitor. The face works, it’s just the rest that looks off. There’s a nice decision by Johns to not have Darkseid speak, I think it amplifies the intensity of the situation. Especially when he unleashes a homing beam from his eyes chasing Superman and The Flash across the city. One quibble here is in the midst of the running, Flash finally gets a chance to catch his breath, I didn’t like that the police were about the shoot him on sight. Though it is understandable to a point, I see that Johns is showing that no matter what, these people don’t trust their heroes.
The latter half of Justice League becomes a brutal one on one fight with Green Lantern vs. Darkseid. With Green Lantern taking the brunt of the punishment, it’s a brutal fight to watch. Jim Lee executes this fight with absolute precision, as you can feel every blow coming at you from the pages. As the rest of the Justice League is knocked to the side within the fight. Though as Green Lantern is smacked up and separated from a majority of the team, I liked how Johns used Batman as the one to help unite the Justice League together. Though I don’t entirely understand why Hal didn’t know a certain something about Batman when it’s revealed to him. Minor quibble on this end, though it does help to unite the team, while showing how awesome Batman is. Seeing the end of the issue, I can only imagine what we’re in for in the final part of this story.
One aspect of the issue I didn’t exactly like is the rest of the Justice League getting pushed to the side. The issue’s main focus was Green Lantern, Batman, and in a tiny way Flash. I do understand where Geoff Johns is going but I’m hoping in the next issue that some of these weaknesses will be addressed. Jim Lee’s art was solid, the fight scenes were excellent, though you could tell there was some rushed areas here and there. Nothing entirely massive, but this is the first issue I could really tell. Outside of any of my minor quibbles with this issue, I look forward to seeing what’s going to happen in next. If the last page is any indication, the final issue of the first Justice League arc is going to be explosive.
