Ricky Church reviews Justice League #50…
This is it!! The massive, 48-page conclusion to the critically-acclaimed “DARKSEID WAR” can hardly be contained between two covers! Don’t miss the final fates of the world’s greatest heroes and villains, along with world-changing revelations for Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. It doesn’t get bigger than this as DC’s monthly super hero event comic sets the stage for the next year and beyond!
SEE ALSO: Check out a preview of Justice League #50
The conclusion of The Darkseid War was an action heavy spectacle that delivered on several emotional moments and answered some long-standing questions made throughout this story. It is also Geoff Johns’ send off from Justice League, DC’s flagship title which he has written since The New 52 launched in 2011. Justice League #50 closes the door on this era of the title while opening some new ones to be explored in DC Rebirth.
Since this is the climax of such a long story, it moves along at a fast pace with very little room to relax until the end of the battle. This can sometimes be harmful to a story, but thankfully Johns imbues enough character moments and emotional beats to keep it from being a straight up brawl between the Justice League and Grail. Jessica Cruz gets a moment to shine that has been a long time coming while Wonder Woman displays her compassion to Steve Trevor, Myrina and even Grail. There’s even a great moment between Batman and Green Lantern that acts as a callback to their very first interaction from Justice League #1, bringing their relationship full circle.
Justice League #50 does, at times, feel a like it has a little too much exposition during the battle scenes, but most of the time it doesn’t hinder the issue’s pace. There are, however, a couple plot points that seem to be wrapped up a little too conveniently, particularly with the use of the Crime Syndicate and the god-like powers the Justice League gained throughout The Darkseid War. I will say the way Johns used Superwoman’s newborn baby was a clever callback to Forever Evil, but it also seemed like a quick answer to bring the Justice League back to their status quo.
The action in this issue looked great thanks to Jason Fabok. His depiction of the fight (or several fights) was fluid throughout and there is one particular two-page spread that is simply gorgeous. Brad Anderson’s colours elevate the issue as well, making each panel pop with vibrancy. Their combined work on facial expressions was very detailed and helped sell the emotional beats by a great deal. Though Fabok’s time on Justice League was relatively short, his final issue is certainly a highlight on not just his run, but of Justice League’s overall New 52 volume.
The Darkseid War concluded with a bang. Johns once again displayed his competency as a writer and his understanding of all the characters within the Justice League and was helped by Fabok and Anderson’s great art. While this ends the Justice League’s time in The New 52, Johns does leave open some intriguing new doors for several of the characters, namely Batman, Wonder Woman and Jessica Cruz, to be explored by other writers. His time on Justice League has been epic and The Darkseid War may be some of the best work he’s given fans yet.
Rating: 7.5/10
Ricky Church
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Originally published May 26, 2016. Updated November 10, 2019.
