Not So Sweet Dreams — Reviewing ‘Justice League: Dream Girls — A DC Pride Event’ #3

Court is in session as the assembled leadership members of the Justice League debate the fate of Dreamer and Galaxy. The deliberation leaves Dreamer’s dream sanctuary to become a nightmare as the Key moves one step closer to his plans.  

The end is nigh as Justice League: Dream Girls – A DC Pride Event #3 brings the tension, the heartfelt conversations, and passionate defenses to life. All from the team of Jadzia Axelrod, Nicole Maines, Brandt & Stein, Jan Bazaldua, Rosi Kampe, Dearbhla Kelly, Adriano Lucas, Triona Farrell, Frank Cvetkovic, and Jodie Troutman.  

Heroes: they’re out to save lives and do what they can to protect the world as it stands. Yet, they are often shortsighted and full of their own biases, anger, and misguided opinions just like regular people. While the Justice League is meant to be one of the best assemblages of the world’s finest, they also make mistakes.  

Which is where we find things in this issue.  

The previous one saw Dreamer going through it with her feelings about her life and failures. She chose to stay within the dream world, casting Galaxy out, rather than trying to go back to the painful reality. Maines and Axelrod really brought the emotion there and the very relatable feelings. They didn’t stop with that issue, though.  

Together, this dynamic duo of writers turns the gaze to Galaxy and her struggles. She’s tried to be perfect and that’s never good enough for some who have it out for her. It resonates with the idea of the “model minority” and how no matter what you do, it’ll never be enough for those considered “normal” in the power scales of the system.  

Having Kate Godwin, DC Comics first transgender character created by Rachel Pollack — a transgender woman — show up to be Galaxy’s sounding board was beyond a perfect choice. Seeing the Justice League be so beyond wrong about the danger of Galaxy spoke to how the heroes are not at the peak they should be yet. This sort of argument happens in comics all the time, a trope where those who have been through mind control, too much power, and other things calling out others in similar spots.  

Issues like this remind us that heart and struggle are just as important to these stories as any action. Characters with heart and purpose endear themselves to us quickly and become the icons that we need in whatever time we find ourselves. In short fashion, Dreamer and Galaxy have become those characters. Dream Girls #3 continues to prove why this duo has become so massive and deserve platforms like this … and so much more.  

Emotions are key to everything unfolding in this story. As noted, there is very little superhero action taking place in this particular installment. Consequently, the emotional and character weight must go even further. That’s no challenge for the art team.  

With most of the story happening in the real world, Brandt & Stein tackle most of this issue. While Bazaldua and Kampe are tapped to handle the few dream sequences we encounter. All the artwork continues to precisely find that middle ground between light whimsy and hard-slightly-darker roughness that befits such a complicated tale. It allows moments to feel authentic, whether they are reality or dream-inspired.  

Facial expressions and body language communicate much of the aforementioned emotional range. Each artist brings weight and purpose to those elements, showcasing what these characters are going through or doing to others in the moment.  

Our trio of colorists infuse the same overall energy into the work with their palette choices, sticking to more vibrant-meets-neutral colors for the main story beats. This is especially true with the Watchtower being so white-and-gray in every aspect. Colors for the dream sequences start lighter and then ramp up to darker and more ominous as the Key finally reveals his true nature and things slide into horror.  

Before tackling the rest of the lettering, a tip of the cap to the moment occurs when Galaxy returns to tear into the Justice League. Having the characters far away and lots of bubbles with squiggly lines is some fun, funny, and inspired stuff. Sure, there could have been the characters with no bubbles, with it still clear they were talking. This, though, is just more fun and has that comic book punch to it.  

Cvetkovic and Troutman continue their work to capture everything with such precise accuracy. The shift words and bubbles around to maximize the emotional coefficient and impact that will be felt in each utterance. It gives our mind the key (sorry-not-sorry) to accurately hear everything and everyone in this world.  

Justice League: Dream Girls –- A DC Pride Event #3 is now available from DC Comics.