Writers: James Tynion IV and Scott Snyder / Artists: Jorge Jiminez and Javier Fernandez / DC Comics
What! An! Issue!
Justice League #25 capped off the Sixth Dimension arc. And in a collection of strong individual issues, it rises above them all with its action, its twists, its payoffs, and its setups. This was such a joy to read.
The number one thing about this issue that made it so special was Superman. Supes, and Batman (to a degree) have taken a backseat during this run to some of the other characters like Martian Manhunter and Hawkgirl. I’ve never complained about that. I’ve actually thought it’s what made the series so strong. We’ve seen all the stories from their perspectives. So, this new direction was fresh. But this arc really put Clark and Bruce front and center. And it did so in a way that I don’t think I fully realized until this issue. If Clark has been sidelined during this run, then in this arc he was a DNP who didn’t travel with the team. And that’s what made his redemption and subsequent yellow sun-fueled, speed of sound enhanced right hook against the World Forger, feel so much more pertinent.
The same goes for Bruce. He was out front and center in the narrative of this arc in how it pertained to his unwavering morality. Because we know Batman so well, some of the decisions that he made during this whole arc might have made us scratch our heads. But the more you thought about it, the more it made sense. So much so that Snyder & Co. really had us doubting Ol’ Batsy. Unsurprisingly, he made the predictable choice, but not before throwing us all for a loop.
The biggest jaw-dropping moment for me was the aftermath of the battle with the World Forger. It wasn’t Clark’s unlikely survival or Bruce’s double cross, it was the defeat and recruitment of the World Forger to the Justice League. I don’t think there’s a version of me in six dimensions that would have seen that coming. But I love it. It’s fresh, it’s different, and it’s unexpected. That decision alone is like a microcosm of how this series has been. You might not see it all coming, but it’s so different than what you’re used to, you can’t help but wish that the two weeks between each issue went faster. To quote Batman from this issue: “It’s uncharted territory. Which is exactly where we need to be.”
Justice League #25 manages to stick the landing on one of the most satisfying and thought-provoking comic arcs to come out of the big two in recent memory. And the best word to describe the set up for what’s to come is… Doom.
10 Adopted bi-special multiversal sons out of 10
Reading Justice League? Find BNP’s other reviews here.
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