Writer: Scott Snyder / Artist: Jorge Jimenez / DC Comics
Justice League #20 dives head first into a world where the Justice League beats the Legion of Doom and drastically changes the world for the better. Basically, it’s every heroes’ hopes and dreams all bundled up in a beautiful utopia.
Every member of the team gets to see the best versions of themselves in a world where everything seems perfect. J’onn and Kendra have a hybrid Martian-Thanagarian son. John Stewart is a White Lantern with a nod to his animated bald goatee look. And Gotham is showered in… sunlight!? So many positive and heartwarming changes have presented themselves, which provides the heroes a moment to breathe. They get to relax and bask in the glory of their hard work. It really gives them a chance to update themselves and the audience about where their heads are presently.
Craftwise, this issue provides an opportunity to flesh out some personal moments between our characters while the story slows down. And as the team takes everything in, we get to take the scenic route through this new world beautifully illustrated by Jorge Jiminez. But as the saying goes, things are too good to be true. As the audience, we’re behind the veil so we knew something was up from the jump. But now’s the time for the League to start figuring it out as well. But nobody really does. Nobody except the homie Batman. This dude can just never relax, and while there are plenty of times that he should just sit and take a break, it’s probably for the best that he always listens to his gut. The fate of everything depends on it.
But enough with the close view of the story! Let’s get broad.
Week after week, I rave about how good this book is. It’s got a tight narrative focus that is very carefully planned out by a team of talented writers. And the rotating door of artists helps bring the League to life in a way that feels fresh every issue. But this current tandem is a whole different beast! Snyder and Jiminez make Justice League the most cinematic book in mainstream comics. The scale is huge, the vision is focused. When these two are together, this world feels real.
Justice League #20 delivers some satisfying sights into the future, both for the characters and the audience. This arc continues to display one of the boldest stories Snyder’s ever written and gives us some of the most enjoyable art from Jimenez. Missing out on this arc is like choosing not to eat dessert after dinner. Shame on you.
9.5 Skeptical Bruces out of 10
Reading Justice League? Find BNP’s other reviews here.
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