Comic Review: Justice League (2018-) #60

Justice League #60

DC Comics

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: David Marquez

Following a somewhat lackluster first issue from the new Justice League team of Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez, Justice League #60 offers a more than a redemptive issue. Ideally, we could have had these two issues put together in a single oversized issue to build the hype more effectively, but I digress. Justice League #60 is a bundle of joy, from the fantastic Marquez art to Bendis’ pinpoint team banter.

Going into this new arc, my main concern was with the inclusion of Black Adam in the Justice League. Movie-comics synergy tends to be a pet peeve of mine, and the forcing of heroics onto popular villains is another. However, despite both of those being apparently true, I can’t deny that I was impressed by him in this issue. I think it helps that Adam has never been horribly irredeemable and more so skirts the same gray line that a Namor-type character does, therefore making his current heroically inclined journey more compelling and believable. As long as he never loses his edge, I think his time on the Justice League has potential.

One issue I had with #59 was that it was pretty bare. There wasn’t much to chew on, neither in terms of plot or in characterization. This issue flips the script and focuses heavily on these things, and effectively weaving them together. I think this script benefits from Bendis’ experience on New Avengers, which informs his non-traditional lineup as well as the unique ways in which they interact with each other. For instance, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, and Luke Cage are a rare trio to share pages together, and Bendis was able to find a way to make that work. Similarly, the combination of Superman, Green Arrow, and Black Adam makes for a unique reading experience.

Dave Marquez is an absolutely inspired choice for this book. On one hand, it’s as DC of a title as you can get, and so his familiar style is fitting and not likely to scare off a more casual fan. On the other, he blends that comfortable feeling with all the fluidity and finesse of a more experimental style. His quiet moments are as precisely delivered as his bombastic action, and it’s gorgeous all the way through. Regardless of how you feel about Bendis as a writer, the fact that he has brought some of the best artists in the business with him is a net win for the company.

Justice League #60 shows a huge improvement over the already competent first issue. As the team dynamic begins to solidify, so too does the direction of the plot. The creative team manages to sidestep my hang-ups about Black Adam and manages to make me look forward to what he brings to the table. This is a fine issue that makes the future of the title look more bright.

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