Ricky Church reviews Justice League #44…
Darkseid versus Anti-Monitor! A corrupted Superman versus Lex Luthor! Myrina Black versus Grail! This chapter of “Darkseid War” has it all—plus an ending that will change the League forever!
Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok once again pull the carpet out from the readers as they deliver a stunning twist in the climax of Justice League #44, part four of ‘The Darkseid War’. The war between Darkseid and the Anti-Monitor heats up, drawing the Justice League in even more than they already were. It’s an intense chapter as they’re stuck between two gods and their armies fighting a very destructive battle.
The League is still split up with Batman and Green Lantern investigating the mysterious origins of the Anti-Monitor, Superman and Luthor still trapped on Apokolips and the rest of the League fighting against the two powerful gods. It could have been a tough juggling act, but each plotline gets a good amount of time and focus. The only plot that does fall by the wayside a bit is Superman’s and Luthor’s as not much development happens on their end. They’re still trapped on Darkseid’s homeworld and we get a brief look at how much Superman has been infected by whatever darkness there is on the planet, placing Luthor in a very dangerous position.
Wonder Woman continues to be the story’s main narrative focal point. She’s still the narrator of the story and her inner thoughts fit the character very well, a continuing great sign since she’s often been somewhat cast aside during Johns’ run. She also has quite a role to play in the battle; without Batman or Superman around, Wonder Woman takes charge of the League and jumps straight into battle. Each of the League members also get they own chance to do something in the battle as well, with one member in particular becoming the key to the issue’s climax and cliffhanger.
With full scale war broken out and so many sides engaged in it, Jason Fabok’s art really shines throughout the book. His renderings of Darkseid and the Anti-Monitor battling it out succeeds in making them both seem larger than life and gives a threatening presence to the two beings. These sequences are very rich in detail, but his quieter moments with Batman and Green Lantern or Superman and Luthor are equally well done and great to look at. Brad Anderson’s colours help the visuals pop even more, making the tiniest thing stand out.
‘The Darkseid War’ has been enjoyable, but with the game changing cliax, there’s no telling where it will go next. This is one of the joys of reading Geoff Johns as he takes the path less expected by readers and offers genuine surprises. Whether you’re a fan of Geoff Johns or of the Justice League, this is one book you definitely need to be reading right now.
Rating: 9/10
Ricky Church
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_zu6XuI_g4
Originally published October 7, 2015. Updated April 15, 2018.
