This issue begins the post “Throne of Atlantis” era for the Justice League and with only 6 members to speak of, the realization is: they need more help. After the events in the Throne of Atlantis, it’s become clear to the members that they need to increase their membership if they are to keep up with the growing threats. This was an opportunity for us to see the Justice League in a more relaxed state as they experience a brief moment of downtime.

The Dialogue:

I felt the dialogue in this issue was superb. Not only is Johns dealing with the 6 members of the league, but he’s introducing a plethora of new characters into the book. It’s important that they don’t sound like clones. In order to give the reader the sense that each character comes with their own personality, the dialogue must be unique for each person represented. Seeing as how there are a lot of different personalities thrown into this book I was a bit nervous about what to expect. Geoff Johns did an amazing job at giving everyone their own voice. If I had to criticize, it seemed as though there was a bit of double talking by Black Lightning. At one point he tells Batman that he’d consider it if BOTH he and Blue Devil were offered a spot. Then when Batman tells them they DO want both of them, he retracts his statement and says they have other responsibilities. I’m not sure if this was done on purpose by Johns, but it seemed a bit weird.

The Art:

Art duties this month go to Jesus Saiz and you can tell he had a lot of fun with this issue. It’s not often you get to include 16 different characters on a splash page and make them all look like they belong there. None of the poses look overly forced and you really felt as though they were just hanging out waiting for someone to take charge of the gathering. There are a few action sequences that he seemed to get a little lazy with as there were several shots of someone coming right at you. My favorite panel was when a surprise guest shows up to save the day (sorry, no spoilers here)! The shading and colors throughout the book are enough to add some depth, but not enough to be noticed right off the bat. It’s very colorful though.

What I Loved:

The story in general. I really enjoy a good character piece and that’s what this one is. While there is a little action sprinkled in, for the most part it’s an exploration of how different characters react when put in the same room with each other. There’s a touching (sarcasm intended) scene between Nightwing and Batman that provides a reminder that things aren’t all that great in the Bat family. There’s great interaction between the core members of the Justice League and a few little twists thrown into the story that really get you set up for the next arc.

What I Hated:

The backup story. Wait! Before you cry blasphemy, hear me out. I think the re-imagining of Shazaam has been a wonderful inclusion in the back pages of Justice League. That being said, I’m done with it. Give Billy Batson and the gang their own comic book or stop telling his story. I really feel it’s time to move on from buffering the Justice League book with this. It’s disappointing to be reading JL and think you have another ten pages to go, only to be cut short. Disclaimer: I’ve never read a Shazaam story until the New 52 got started. I only read it now because it’s more comic book to read. As much as I’m enjoying the Superhero version of Tom Hanks’ movie “Big”, I’d prefer to have more Justice League in my Justice League book.

Favorite (non-spoilerish) Line:

“They have phones in Atlantis?” – The Flash after Aquaman suggests calling the Atlanteans to make sure they’re handling a situation peacefully. During the Throne of Atlantis arc, Flash was not involved as he was busy with Gorilla Grodd. This type of levity was missed during that arc and it was nice to have it back.

In Conclusion:

This was an excellent jumping on point for new readers as we get to meet new characters and watch them interact with the core members of the League. This book leaves a door open for a new story arc coming up, although it hints that it may not get touched on until after Trinity War. Unless of course we just witnessed the start of it. It’s that cryptic.

Story: 9    Art: 8    Overall: 9    Recommendation: Buy

Justice League #18 Credits:

Writer: Geoff Johns Art: Jesus Saiz Colorist: Jeromy Cox Letterer: Nick J. Napolitano Cover Art: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado and Rod Reis Assistant Editor: Kate Stewart Associate Editor: Katie Kubert Senior Editor: Brian Cunningham Publisher: DC Comics Cover Date: May 2013 Cover Price: $3.99 US Title: “The Grid”