Review– ‘Justice League Unlimited’ #1 Brings The League Back Right

After years away, DC’s flagship team of superheroes has returned. Justice League Unlimited #1 brings the League back bigger and better than ever.

Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain, and Ariana Maher bring the League back to save the world.

The Justice League is back and better than ever, but they’re on edge. Darkseid’s attack on the satellite has left them on high alert. When several high stakes missions begin to go right, they gain hope. Unknown to them though, one of their newest members has only joined the League to kill them all.

Waid is one of the greatest superhero writers of all time. There was no question that he would make the new League interesting at a minimum. In collaboration with Mora, though, they nail it.

Waid is able to bring emotional stakes to the entire issue. By mixing the heavy hitters like Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman with characters like Airwave and Star Sapphire everything has stakes, and we can see how the characters will develop. The plotlines introduced here are engaging- with one main action story wrapped up by the end and an ongoing mystery for later issues. The identity of the potential traitor was a great twist too.

I can’t help but feel that the entirety of Mora’s DC career has been building to this issue though, especially Bonvillain on color art. Every panel is full of activity, with the Watchtower feeling truly alive. Mora’s depiction of the action is big and widescreen, but never loses the characters in it. Bonvillain also does a fantastic job deepening the art with her colors, and creating moods with what she does.

Maher continues to come into her own as one of the better letterers in the industry. Her bubbles are clean, she doesn’t obscure the art, but she makes sure everything is clear and readable. 

Justice League Unlimited #1 is available now from DC Comics.