Classic Comics Cavalcade: Paying Tribute To Masters Of The Art Form With ‘Justice League International’ V1
by Tony Thornley
We interrupt this month full of horror comics to take a look at and pay tribute to one of the masters of comics. Earlier this week, Keith Giffen, renowned comics artist and writer, passed away at the age of 70. To pay tribute to his long career, we wanted to take a look at one of the keystone stories of his long, incredible career- Justice League International.
At the end of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Justice League was at a creative low point. The League had transformed from the premiere super-team of the DC Universe to a c-tier team of almost-unknowns, known to most fans today as the Detroit League era. After that volume came to an end in Crisis, the series brought in Giffen, JM DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire to revitalize the League for the eighties.
The run would go on to become legendary.
The new team was a mixture of DC’s A- and B-list (Batman, Martian Manhunter, Captain Marvel, Black Canary), with cult favorites and new characters (Guy Gardner, Blue Beetle, Doctor Light, and Mister Miracle). They were immediately put face to face with terrorists, brutal dictators, the entire Iron Curtain, and- yes really- the Avengers.
The great thing about this run is that it’s immediately full of engaging characters and interactions between them. Guy Gardner is the first character on the page, and he’s established right away as a total ass. After a narcissistic internal monologue, the new squad starts arriving in the team’s HQ, and Guy is incredibly hostile to each up until Batman’s arrival. It’s a sequence that immediately establishes the character and their dynamics, but it also creates the tone for the series to come. It’s irreverent, has a sense of humor, but when the League is needed they get serious.
This first story displays the strength of Giffen’s plotting and his sense of humor. DeMatteis’s gift of dialogue in his script shines through immediately. The duo have a great creative relationship throughout the storyarc, making the characters feel fully realized, with real relationships, but also giving the conflict and setting depth and real stakes.
Maguire, with inks by Terry Austin, and Al Gordon, and colors by Gene D’Angelo, is such a start here. He has a knack for pacing his layouts to make the action feel like it’s in motion, and the dialogue comes to life. His facial expressions are incredible- at one point Garder is rescued by Captain Marvel, and the disgruntled look on his face is laugh out loud funny, and tells the readers everything we need to know about Guy.
I had only ever read this series in bits and pieces. However, it was quickly clear to me why it’s such a classic. This is not just the Justice League at its best, but also each member of the creative team as well.
Justice League International V1 is available collected in several formats, both in physical and digital versions, from DC Comics.
