Review: Justice League:Cry For Justice #2

Justice League:Cry For Justice #2 was released last week and did a good job of getting all the players on the same field. This issue was titled 'The Gathering' and that is exactly what it was. The heroes of this league finally gathered together.

While James Robinson does a better job with dialogue in this issue (not as much overly heavy speeches punctuated with 'Justice!'), the real draw right now is Mauro Cascioli's art. I know I bemoaned the late arrival of this title but if that delay was to provide me with these interiors I am okay with it now.

Also, I am going concentrate on the story and gloss over the Hal/Huntress/Lady Blackhawk three-way conversation since so many other sites are talking about it. I don't know if I would add much to the discussion.

I will refer people to When Fangirls Attack ( http://womenincomics.blogspot.com/2009/08/thursday-august-6th.html ) and blog-friend Saranga's excellent blog ( http://paiwings.blogspot.com/2009/08/cry-for-justice-2-not-sexist-at-all.html ) for some views on it although it is all over the web ... maybe even surpassing bike shorts talk!



The book starts with Hal and Ollie on a rooftop in Gotham awaiting some intel on a gathering of super-villains.

One thing that I have liked about this book so far has been Hal's comments about the big three. Last issue he talked about losing himself in the shadow of the Trinity. Here he admits that he respected but disliked Batman. I think any time there are two strong and similar personalities put together there is a chance that they won't be able to tolerate each other. Batman and Green Lantern are both 'law and order' guys but with very different means to achieve their ends.

I don't recall reading any where else that Hal felt that way about Batman or Superman and Wonder Woman. It is an interesting new take on him ... that even he might feel intimidated by them.


Across the globe, Starman and Congorilla's individual investigations into the deaths of their loved ones have led them both to an abandoned Blackhawk Island base defended by D-list baddie Houngan.

Of course no comic series can exist without 2 heroes mistakenly fighting each other. After a skirmish, the two realize they are on the same side. Comparing notes, they figure out that the next step in avenging their loved ones' deaths lies Gotham City. They hop into a Grumman Skyrocket and fly off.

In the meantime, things heat up a bit in Gotham. Jason Bard shows up and let's GL and GA know what his investigations have learned. Prometheus has been looting the world of cutting edge technology and has ordered a bunch of tech-based C-list villains to gather in Gotham.

Hmmm ... we are just getting a sniff of this plot but the 'evil mastermind using lowly tech-based villains to achieve some wide-reaching plot' reminded me of Marvel's Secret War mini from a few years ago.

Remember that Hal decided to form this little team to act pro-actively and basically kick the tar out of the baddies. What could be better than a bunch of scrubs gathered in one place?

I liked everything about his panel ... the poses, the perspective, the dialogue ... it all worked.

This panel really worked in my mind more like a freeze frame in a movie when the heroes leap to action. It didn't evoke a kinetic feel of this heroic leap. You don't feel GL and GA falling here. Still, I thought this was a very strong panel in a book stuffed with excellent art.

Unfortunately the action is done off screen as the book shifts to the Atom and his detective work in Central City.

The Atom arrives at a smashed Flash Museum with Jay Garrick trying to pick up the pieces. Turns out that more tech has been stolen from here - Cosmic Treadmill tech! Moreover, three security guards (based on Flash's WWII comic relief characters Winky, Blinky, and Noddy) were killed by the supervillains robbing the place. Now I don't know how many people are even aware of Winky, Blinky, and Noddy but their deaths spur Garrick into wanting (wait for it) Justice!!

He wants it so much he is willing to join the Atom on his crusade.

I really like the Jay Garrick Flash so I was glad to see him included even peripherally in a series like this.

It is clear that Robinson has a love for the Atom. The back of the issue is a text piece about Palmer and his stories.

Robinson really wants to explore the complexities of the character and the tumultuous ride he has been on. Even Garrick can feel the heaviness on Palmer's shoulders. He tells Palmer that he needs to stop blaming himself for the actions of others. But I think the Atom is in too dark a place right now. And that maybe part of the overall story here - the redemption of the Atom's spirit.

Soon they are joined by Captain Marvel who has been on the trail of some villains who stole Zeta-beam tech in Fawcett City. Yes it looks like Prometheus has been very busy. However, he has not kept his trail clean because Marvel has also realized that the villains are gathering in Gotham.

Marvel and the Atom decide head to Gotham and face the villains. The Flash decides to stay in Central City to track down some leads there.

When they arrive in Gotham, they easily find Green Lantern and Green Arrow who have dispatched the throng of villains with some minor property damage. What a hodge-podge of villains who never seem to win: Javelin, Hellgrammite, Black Manta, The Scarecrow, Bolt, Crazy Quilt. Sheesh ... the heaviest hitter I saw in the pile of bodies was Dr. Polaris!

There was a brief reunion scene where the old JLA friends are reunited. This might be the first time that Hal and Ollie have seen Palmer since Identity Crisis. Both he and Freddy reiterate that it is the need for justice that led them to Gotham.

Later in the scene Ollie says that when Captain Marvel says justice there is a feeling of hope rather than the empty rhetoric from the old timers. It is a nice line since every other time I have read someone say justice in this book it could easily be replaced with the word revenge. I still think that Ollie joined Hal not because he believed in this cause but to make sure Green Lantern didn't revert back to a more Parallax-ian way of thinking.

Suddenly, the Javelin who has recovered heaves a spear at the gathered heroes.

A red and blue streak blocks the projectile and clobbers the Javelin.

Initially the heroes think it must be Superman who has joined them.

Nope.

It's Supergirl.

A rather stunning splash page of Supergirl.

Wow!

That is a devastatingly beautiful splash page of Supergirl.

The best adjective I can come up with for Cascioli's Supergirl is statuesque. She looks confident, powerful, athletic ... holding the unconscious super-villain in her fist. This isn't a cheesecake splash page. This is a heroic splash page.

So the story has unfolded enough to see that Prometheus is stockpiling cutting edge technology and amassing a small army of super-villains. The main players have been brought together and share a common goal. And the dialogue for the most part sounded right. And there is the utterly fabulous art by Cascioli throughout the book.

While this was only the set-up for the next 5 issues, I think it worked.

Overall grade: B+/B