DC Comics 2018
Written by James Tynion IV
Pencilled by Alvaro Martinez Bueno
Inked by Raul Fernandez
Coloured by Brad Anderson
Lettered by Rob Leigh
Earth’s magic once belonged to them. Now they want the magic back. But who exactly are they? It’s up to the new Justice League Dark to find out and stop this nightmarish new threat at all costs! After the events of NO JUSTICE, team leader Wonder Woman guides the misfit magic mix of Zatanna, Swamp Thing, Man-Bat and Detective Chimp against enemies too fantastic even for the Justice League. Plus, what awful things are coming through the Tree of Wonder? Dark days ahead...
I will admit that while I like the idea of having the Justice League Dark back I don’t believe that Wonder Woman she be a part of it. Yes she carries a magical item and yes she has ties to the Greek Gods but she isn’t magical nor is she a part of the magical world. So when I was at the store I flipped through it and the moment I saw Klarion the Witch Boy I closed the book and knew I was getting it. I love the magical part of the DCU when it’s done right and they really the fringe element and only Zatanna held her own as a Leaguer and a member of that outsiders world.
James Tynion IV is an amazingly good writer and I don’t think there is something he’s written that I haven’t enjoyed and even though I almost wish otherwise he keeps that streak alive. I mean between Zatanna and Bobo (The Detective Chimp) Wonder Woman’s lack of knowledge when it comes to the mystical realm is laid bare before her. I love the fact that it’s told to her in this no nonsense kind of way that says your an outsider and this is for us to contend with. Granted Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman second film is reaching it’s release date and DC will inundate with her while the irons hot, sigh stupid, stupid ploy but that’s another thing altogether. I think once Wonder Woman leaves the team and it finds new members like Constantine (who should’ve been here from the get go) that this will truly be a magically based team.
I like the way that this is structured and the opening is utterly brilliant so that it does precisely what an opening is intended to do. It captures the reader’s attention right away and it has all the right kinds of drama and action to make the readers eyes widen and guarantee’s they won’t want to leave. Once I was reading it that held true for me at least. I do like how the book progresses and how Diana cannot understand why no one would join her cause. Now I didn’t read any of that Metal or No Justice garbage so I was a little surprised to learn that the Nightmaster was no longer among the living. However the Oblivion Bar now belonging to Bobo was great!
The interiors here are spectacular. I like the sharp clean and tight linework that we see throughout the book. The attention to detail that we see is marvellous and showcases how well the linework is being manipulated so that from those bold strokes to the subtle moments they all shine through beautifully. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective shows a very nice eye for storytelling. Backgrounds are utilised nicely and the creativity and imagination that we see is extremely well realised.
While I don’t understand why Man-Bat has been recruited because he’s more science than magic and why is he stuck in a bat form? He’s by far one of the more interesting reasons to be reading this that’s for sure. So can Wonder Woman learn how to play by the rules of magic or will her attempt at tackling this like a brute be her undoing? It is certainly an interesting dilemma and honestly one I really want to see play out. Damn you James the Fourth for being so good at what you do!