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Justice League Red

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Meet a Justice League team so covert even the founders can’t know it exists! Meet the Justice League Red, founded by Red Tornado, the fate of the planet and humanity itself hangs in the balance!

From the all-star creative team Saladin Ahmed (Daredevil, Wolverine), and Clayton Henry (Action Comics) comes Justice League Red, a dive into the most secretive and covert corners of the Justice League Unlimited! Run by Red Tornado, the android who maintains sole control over the systems of the Justice League Watchtower,  the Justice League Red is so top secret that even Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman can’t know it exists! When Red deduces that there’s danger lurking, a select group of heroes find that their membership ID cards light up red, and the must answer the call…or face dire consequences!

Collects Justice League Red #1-6.

152 pages, Paperback

Published May 12, 2026

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About the author

Saladin Ahmed

503 books1,776 followers
Saladin Ahmed was born in Detroit and raised in a working-class, Arab American enclave in Dearborn, MI.

His short stories have been nominated for the Nebula and Campbell awards, and have appeared in Year's Best Fantasy and numerous other magazines, anthologies, and podcasts, as well as being translated into five foreign languages. He is represented by Jennifer Jackson of the Donald Maass Literary Agency. THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON is his first novel.

Saladin lives near Detroit with his wife and twin children.

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5 stars
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4 stars
28 (25%)
3 stars
48 (44%)
2 stars
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Profile Image for Bill Riggs.
1,059 reviews19 followers
July 29, 2026
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. The characters are great they just need a better storyline. It’s a shame, this could have been so much more interesting. I hope they do bring this team back for a better adventure.
Profile Image for Ya Boi Be Reading.
841 reviews3 followers
June 14, 2026
1.5 or 1.75 either way rounded up to 2 stars.
Took many (imo bad) twists and turns to get to a rogue AI. The JLU Red is less a team that gets character growth and moreso the characters wrapped up in, and then cleaning up, Red Tornado's Rogue AI moment who is the real center of this story. There is not any team stuff which I think the advertising misled people to believe was on equal grounds with the main conspiracy.
Drama and conspiracy is at the forefront here with Red Tornado's questionable actions fraught with ulterior motives and purposefully not keeping people in the loop. I think this sort of does the “Should we questionable things now for the better of the future” that Civil War 2 asked and similar to there it fumbles around it. At first the concept is interesting but by the end its turned into a much more generic rogue AI setup which I can’t help but feel was a real fumble on Ahmed’s part. Like I enjoy the idea that humanity is important and human feelings cannot be cast aside to cold rationality. But the ideas brought up earlier were more interesting. And the rogue AI issue is sort of lame when it could’ve been HEAVILY avoided by Red Tornado. And then Red Canary is here to get involved in The Red but that’s sealed away in the very miniseries that introduces it. :/ Maybe some other series will pick up on that since Red Canary has been given some feelers from DC in the All-In era and I’ve seen nothing but interest. This is also oddly lightly connected to DC KO which was odd since it felt sort of tacked on.
I think this reads better collected as a trade. Reading this in issue format would be pretty draining as the marketing was very heavy about this being a team but it takes until halfway through for everyone to come together and even then the focus is more firmly on Red Tornado's actions.
Clayton Henry's art is pretty solid and does well in the action. Its a shame they gave him so many panels of people sitting in a room talking with fairly plain paneling. I mean, he draws them well but I hope I see his art in another comic for sure if you get what I mean.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez.
Author 8 books34 followers
July 10, 2026
Hay cierto contrasentido a la hora de abordar un nuevo supergrupo ligado a la Justice League cuando el estado actual "Unlimited" básicamente ha amalgamado todos los grandes héroes y formaciones a esta red de protectores de la Tierra (en la serie troncal actualmente tienen hasta a villanos en un programa de reeducación). Por supuesto, a la hora de pensar en "grupos Black Ops" ya podemos intuir la mayor facilidad argumental de dar cabida a algo como Justice League Red. Pero por desgracia, esta propuesta del recién llegado a costas DCitas, Saladin Ahmed, sufre otro mayor contrasentido en este tipo de narraciones. Y eso es que la razón de ser del supergrupo termina derivando en una amenaza que es lo que provoca y promueve su formación y aventura de presentación (¿recordáis la primera película del Suicide Squad?).

En el actual estado incorpóreo de Tornado Rojo post Absolute Power, parece haber aprovechado para desarrollar unos algortimos predictivos que adelanten potenciales catástrofes apocalípticas las cuales surgen derivadas de la existencia de la JLU. De este modo, Tornado reúne a un grupo de dispares miembros asociados a la JLU para implicarlos en esta formación clandestina. Con más resquemor que confianza en su compañero androide sintiente, Power Girl, Cyborg, el Linterna Verde Simon Baz y la recién llegada Canario Rojo, comienzan a actuar en misiones secretas que parecen revelar un "malfuncionamiento" en los actos de TR. Eso o que el mismo héroe puede estar revelando un lado más oscuro...

Saladin Ahmed tiene un gran point conceptual a la hora de abordar mediante Tornado Rojo la debacle real con los sistemas algorítmicos predictivos de I.A. que en nuestro mundo ya están siendo empleados hasta en los conflictos bélicos en activo. El problema está en que esto más que quedar como monótono leitmotiv de Justice League Red, no es más que una excusa para motivar la gran sensación de amenaza latente y un clímax de "Enemigo Interior" que evidentemente se despacha a las primeras de cambio y ya ha sido empleado por otros autores del panorama ALL IN como en la serie Challengers of the Unknown o hasta el Atom Project. Queda ver cómo este autor aborda a los personajes escogidos para esta farsa de supergrupo. Si bien Power Girl está gozando de un nuevo boost editorial como el resto de la super familia, el que comparta espacio con Tornado Rojo retrotrae más bien a esa curiosa miniserie de One Star Squadron, de la que sigo sin saber si era algo totalmente independiente o perteneciente al canon troncal DCita. Porque realmente con estos personajes establecía unos puntos introspectivos muy interesantes de recuperar y reabordar aquí. Pero el recurso de la manipulación emocional con el pasado de esta Kryptoniana alternativa siempre está en el arsenal del autor que la escribe... Cyborg se convierte en un altavoz expositivo cuando se requiere explicar conceptos más tecnológicos o rebuscados de las motivaciones de TR. Sienna Song es un personaje de debut MUY reciente (el evento Dark Crisis), pero gracias a la alusión directa a Dinah Lance y la familia Green Arrow, cuanto menos se siente mínimanente reconocible a cualquier tipo de lector. El problema está en añadirle un poder a mayores como es la conexión con El Rojo, uno de los poderes Primordiales que para algo suelen estar asociados a Animal Man. Personaje que tiene una hija de mismo perfil y actitud. Por supuesto esto de El Rojo es meramente un recurso "deus ex machina" y poco más... Al final, tampoco es que el Linterna Verde afín a la etnia libanés-americana del propio autor destaque todo lo que podría. Sí que se establece con más ahínco su trasfondo dramático y de discurso humanista para cuando toque dar la reprimenda y arenga final a TR. Pero es otro personaje más "de fondo" que si bien aquí podría tener espacio de destacar, solo se mantiene algo "ocupado" editorialmente hablando... AH, y que no se me olvide DEADMAN... ¿Qué hace aquí? Me gustaría preguntarle a Saladin. Sé que el personaje tiene a punto el arranque de una cabecera individual en el sello Next Label... El caso es que no creo que lo que aquí se trata de revelar con una posibilidad más "encarnada" de este héroe fantasmagórico, se continúe en esa nueva serie. En Justice League Red se convierte en otro personaje que verbaliza de forma super exagerada y excesiva mucho de los points argumentales que ya se dejan claro a mitad de obra... Si es que el autor tiene tiempo a volver a sacar un momento a paseo a ese Black Adam que al menos en cómic se ha salvado algo del devastador intento cinematográfico de "cambio de poder en la hegemonía de DC Extended Universe".

Justice League Red cuenta con un artista como Clayton Henry que logra ofrecer un acabado de puro "super comic book" que sin mucha floritura o sorpresa en la composición o secuenciación de acción, por lo menos hace atractivo el sentido de "emoción verbaliza hueca" de Saladin Ahmed.






Profile Image for Idan Buddy Luisa Sanchez.
57 reviews
July 20, 2026
It felt like there certainly was a story to tell, but some confusion as how to tell it. The tone didn't shift jarringly too often, but the notes played in the story felt a bit repetitive and unnecessary, and this problem was especially jarring in the dialogue. Each issue had a recap page and yet the characters could not help but to reiterate again and again what happened in ways that add nothing to the story. They often said things that were exactly what they meant and had no subtext. It was disappointing to see that the most exciting character with the most charisma was a bit of a grandstanding villain that had nothing really to do with the team, and the team itself felt randomly put together and had little chemistry. The main character is red tornado, and he spends two thirds of it apologizing and lying and being inconsiderate. His plan simply is too formless to justify the measures he takes, something something about the future looking too dark and grim BECAUSE the JLU is the most effective it has ever been.

His whole idea of a Justice League Red is a red herring which only weakens the need for such a team to exist. It felt like too much happened and too little happened at the same time, with little reason to care at all. The butterfly effect gets used here in a way that makes me very annoyed, not a good enough reason to justify this story being told the way it is. Deadman is mischaracterized for seeminly no reason, and a character gets powers only to lose them, to act as a plot device to slide past the idea that their antagonist is invulnerable, and no explanation is provided for such powers to manifest as they do.

It had some bright spots, but they felt like tiny beats on the way to something else, or were otherwise miniature moments of true character development that could have used more of a spotlight than being tucked away as part of the plot.

It felt overall like a very pointless read, and the art does it little favor. It's a very standard DC house style, and there isn't much of anything notable about it.
Profile Image for Chris Lemmerman.
Author 8 books129 followers
Review of advance copy
May 11, 2026
This starts out very strong, and then kind of peters out. I'm not sure if it was cut down to size and was meant to be longer, or if this was meant to lead into DC KO (it doesn't, not properly), but something about it felt off.

The idea's sound - Red Tornado recruits an undercover Justice League to deal with threats the main JLU can't deal with because it's their fault they exist. Of course, he's using predictive AI and no one trusts it, especially once it turns out he's either lying to them or not giving them all the facts before sending them off. The team doesn't really get to gel since they spend so long worried about whether they can trust Reddy or not, and there's a strange subplot about Red Canary actually being tied to the Red itself that gets introduced and then used up by the end of the series - same with the Black Adam Feast of Worlds story that seemed like it was going somewhere and then doesn't.

The conclusion's fine, the team works out what's wrong and saves the day, but it definitely feels either truncated or incomplete. A solid idea, but not really executed in the best way. The art's nice at least - Clayton Henry draws all six issues, and he's always reliable.
Profile Image for Adam Fisher.
3,787 reviews25 followers
July 14, 2026
3.5 Stars.
Interesting premise, but one I would have thought would have been fought harder against by the heroes themselves.
Highlights:
- Red Tornado has taken it upon himself, using predictive AI, to find out the worst things that can come from the formation of the new Justice League Unlimited. He gathers members of a team he calls Justice League Red to conduct missions to avert these horrible futures.
- Team: Power Girl, Green Lantern Simon Baz, Cyborg, Deadman, and Red Canary
- They go through a bunch of criminally questionable missions, which is supposed to culminate with the death of Black Adam. When they go to confront him, he easily defeats them and warns that Red Tornado is not who he seems to be.
- Already skeptic, they head back and are attacked by Crimson Cloud, the full AI side of Reddy. By waking Red Tornado, they are able to defeat the rogue AI, and he begins working his way back into their trust.
- Red Canary is new, but has a connection to The Red. Wonder if we'll see more of these primal forces of Earth coming into play again.

Overall, a fast and decent read. Not bad if you really like any of the characters on the team.
Recommend.
Profile Image for Ángel Javier.
917 reviews19 followers
July 7, 2026
Oye, pues ni tan mal...

A ver, Ahmed Saladin es bastante malo, pero, de hecho, este cómic es lo único que ha escrito que no me ha aburrido soberanamente. La premisa es estúpida, de acuerdo, y el cómo pican una y otra vez en la misma trampa absurda héroes tan veteranos como Power Girl o Cyborg es de traca, pero si uno no se toma todo esto demasiado en serio, pues se pasa el rato. Black Adam actúa como el sentido común que les falta a todos ellos, y asunto arreglado.

El dibujo de Clayton Henry, correcto, como siempre. El resultado es un cómic tontarra, pero entretenido. Y que no merece que pierda el tiempo escribiendo más sobre él, eso también.
372 reviews4 followers
Review of advance copy
January 4, 2026
Read in single issues on the DCU App and abandoned.

The characters have no individual voices.
The concept is that the reformation of the justice league is going to lead to the end of the world, just because. No real explanation. Nothing. Then there’s the dialogue 🙄.

Not sure how this writer continues to get work.

People would kill for the opportunities he’s been given and he writes the most uninspiring garbage.

DC are doing well with their core titles just now but continue to shaft beloved lower tier characters by farming them out to hopeless writers who have no handle on them.
Profile Image for s ♡.
211 reviews3 followers
February 3, 2026
6 issue minis are like the comics version of 8 episode limited series bc i am so sad whenever i find a sick ass concept with unfortunately not enough time to let the writer’s voice truly flourish and take time w the characters i rly liked this besides the lack of consistent pacing w characters

however. i am investing in big sienna red canary bucks rn bc I AM GOING TO BECOME THE SIENNA RED CANARY SCHOLAR EVER
52 reviews2 followers
June 28, 2026
Could've been much better than it is.

It's nice to see an 'unusual' team book and have a smart, competent Powergirl (w/o Leah Williams' characterization).

But there's not many team scenes and quite a few half-baked or incomplete plot points. It feels like this was prematurely cancelled.

Clayton Henry's art is really good - with the exception of Red Canary's size-changing mask haha.
705 reviews9 followers
July 29, 2026
The DC All In era had a lot of promise but so many disappointing books, so this miniseries, a fun Secret Defenders type where heroes at somewhat random come together under dubious mandate to run secret missions. The star of this one is artist Clayton Henry - the clean, classic heroic lines move the story so well and sell the tension without having to be grim.
Profile Image for Dave.
513 reviews96 followers
May 14, 2026
Three and a half stars from me. The overall plot didn't really grab me. The art though and the character voices made this an especially run read. I really like Ahmed's take on Power Girl. There's almost a Carol Danvers quality to her.
Profile Image for Sarospice.
1,252 reviews14 followers
June 13, 2026
A quirky group that could have been really fun to follow given that the current JL is made up of EVERYONE. A splinter group makes sense ( except Red Canary who sucks) but the Red Tornado takes over the world storyline never got traction then I assume they were cancelled cause it ends in a thud.
Profile Image for Eva B..
1,722 reviews448 followers
August 5, 2026
Meh. This was fine I guess. The highlight was the team itself--I loved the dynamics between Simon and Cyborg/Simon and Power Girl, and Red Canary is shaping up to be pretty neat, but the rogue AI plot didn't do much for me.
Profile Image for Will Cooper.
2,000 reviews6 followers
September 13, 2026
Random Justice Leaguers thrown together, with twists that didn't really seem like twists. Also, not sure if it was going for a moral quandary, but I didn't feel one in here. Also, a waste of Deadman and weird new abilities for Red Canary?
Profile Image for James.
154 reviews4 followers
September 23, 2026
This limited series features a fun mix of Leaguers, a premise evocative of Force Works, and a great side story in the build up to TKO.

A must read? No.

A fun read, and a chance to see a bunch of characters getting page space they deserve?

Absolutely.
Profile Image for Leland.
36 reviews
Review of advance copy
January 28, 2026
I'm just happy to see more power girl
Profile Image for Keegan Schueler.
974 reviews1 follower
June 5, 2026
Feel like the potential is there but this just lands middle of the road at being alright. Could’ve had good setup for DC KO and had some connections to the justice league unlimited run.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews