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Justice League (2011)
Justice League, Volume 7: Darkseid War Part 1
DARKSEID VS. THE ANTI-MONITOR!
The Justice League first came together years ago to stop the Darkseid and his parademon army from invading our Earth. Now Darkseid will once again make the planet a warzone, as Earth becomes the frontline in his battle with the Anti-Monitor, one of the most powerfully destructive creatures ever created.
Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman and the rest of the Justice League are working with Mister Miracle to stop the coming bloodshed, but when two unstoppable forces of evil go to war, even the world’s greatest heroes might not be enough to save the world!
Collects: Justice League #40-44 and DC Sneak Peek: Justice League.
The Justice League first came together years ago to stop the Darkseid and his parademon army from invading our Earth. Now Darkseid will once again make the planet a warzone, as Earth becomes the frontline in his battle with the Anti-Monitor, one of the most powerfully destructive creatures ever created.
Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman and the rest of the Justice League are working with Mister Miracle to stop the coming bloodshed, but when two unstoppable forces of evil go to war, even the world’s greatest heroes might not be enough to save the world!
Collects: Justice League #40-44 and DC Sneak Peek: Justice League.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2016
57 people are currently reading
1389 people want to read
About the author
Geoff Johns
2,706 books2,417 followersGeoff Johns originally hails from Detroit, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University, where he earned a degree in Media Arts and Film. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1990s in search of work within the film industry. Through perseverance, Geoff ended up as the assistant to Richard Donner, working on Conspiracy Theory and Lethal Weapon 4. During that time, he also began his comics career writing Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. and JSA (co-written with David S. Goyer) for DC Comics. He worked with Richard Donner for four years, leaving the company to pursue writing full-time.
His first comics assignments led to a critically acclaimed five-year run on the The Flash. Since then, he has quickly become one of the most popular and prolific comics writers today, working on such titles including a highly successful re-imagining of Green Lantern, Action Comics (co-written with Richard Donner), Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, Infinite Crisis and the experimental breakout hit series 52 for DC with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Geoff received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 thru 2005, 2007 and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 thru 2005. Geoff also developed BLADE: THE SERIES with David S. Goyer, as well as penned the acclaimed “Legion” episode of SMALLVILLE. He also served as staff writer for the fourth season of ROBOT CHICKEN.
Geoff recently became a New York Times Bestselling author with the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac with art by Gary Frank.
His first comics assignments led to a critically acclaimed five-year run on the The Flash. Since then, he has quickly become one of the most popular and prolific comics writers today, working on such titles including a highly successful re-imagining of Green Lantern, Action Comics (co-written with Richard Donner), Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, Infinite Crisis and the experimental breakout hit series 52 for DC with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Geoff received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 thru 2005, 2007 and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 thru 2005. Geoff also developed BLADE: THE SERIES with David S. Goyer, as well as penned the acclaimed “Legion” episode of SMALLVILLE. He also served as staff writer for the fourth season of ROBOT CHICKEN.
Geoff recently became a New York Times Bestselling author with the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac with art by Gary Frank.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews
September 15, 2025
(A-) 83% | Very Good
Notes: Told brash and bold, the art is gold (intensifying scenes), no starter book, it's pressure-cooked with lore and gasoline.
Notes: Told brash and bold, the art is gold (intensifying scenes), no starter book, it's pressure-cooked with lore and gasoline.
February 7, 2017
OH MY GOD I LOVED DARKSEID WAR!
However, it seems that about half of my friends were less than impressed with this, so take my enthusiasm with a grain of salt...
But not really, because they're obviously crazy. Listen to meeeee!
Exactly, Diana!
Ok, I don't want to spoil the the story for anyone, but I do wanna mention the part that I thought was reallyreallycool. So, turn away now if you want to know nothing about the plot before you read it.
*waits patiently*
Ook, so one thing that we always talk about are reboots.
We hate 'em, but at the same time, deep down (really, really, really deeeeeep), I think most comic book readers know that they are somewhat necessary.
Still. They're almost always a clusterfuck, right?
Butbutbutbut...
No.
The vast majority of reboots create bigger problems than the comics had to start with. They tend to destroy the wrong continuity, fart away the potential to tell a great new story, and destroy the fans' ability to give a fuck about the current situation of their favorite superhero. <--b/c who cares when that whole storyline is probably gonna get wiped out in 2 or 3 years, right?
Well, this story kind of throws all of us a bone, because it implies that all of these reboots were part of the universe naturally resetting itself. Or something like that.
And, yeah, it may be a cheesy way to apologize to us for the numerous fuck-ups, but...
*sniffle*
Awwwwwww. C'mere, DC! Let's hug it out!
As far as the plot goes, I know that a lot of my pals get annoyed with DC because of their knack for senseless violence and regurgitated storylines. And I get it, I really do.
But, in my humble opinion, nobody does senseless violence like DC. I mean, take the Batman vs Superman movie, for example. Was there any reason for those two to duke it out?
No, not even a little one!
The whole fight thing was so far beyond retarded, it was probably the least believable part of the movie. The flying dude from Krypton with the lazer beam eyes seemed plausible in comparison!
But.
I enjoyed the hell out of watching those two go at it!
And I giggled like a schoolgirl while Batman picked up a motherfucking gun and killed...I don't know how the fuck many people he eventually mowed down!
Just an ultra violent lunatic dressed up like a bat, amirite?!
I FUCKING LOVED IT!
Obviously, something is very wrong with me. I accept that.
My point is, sometimes you just wanna see shit blow up. And that's where DC shines!
In all seriousness, I didn't think that the plotline for Darkseid War sucked at all. I know some of you are going to disagree with me, but I love these kinds of stories. Lots of action, fast-paced, over-the-top villains, and a little mystery thrown in to keep it spicy!
And this...
I don't give a shit what anyone says, THAT was awesome!
Re-read this in 2017, and still thought it was great.
However, it seems that about half of my friends were less than impressed with this, so take my enthusiasm with a grain of salt...
Exactly, Diana!
Ok, I don't want to spoil the the story for anyone, but I do wanna mention the part that I thought was reallyreallycool. So, turn away now if you want to know nothing about the plot before you read it.
*waits patiently*
Ook, so one thing that we always talk about are reboots.
We hate 'em, but at the same time, deep down (really, really, really deeeeeep), I think most comic book readers know that they are somewhat necessary.
Still. They're almost always a clusterfuck, right?
Butbutbutbut...
No.
The vast majority of reboots create bigger problems than the comics had to start with. They tend to destroy the wrong continuity, fart away the potential to tell a great new story, and destroy the fans' ability to give a fuck about the current situation of their favorite superhero. <--b/c who cares when that whole storyline is probably gonna get wiped out in 2 or 3 years, right?
Well, this story kind of throws all of us a bone, because it implies that all of these reboots were part of the universe naturally resetting itself. Or something like that.
And, yeah, it may be a cheesy way to apologize to us for the numerous fuck-ups, but...
*sniffle*
Awwwwwww. C'mere, DC! Let's hug it out!
As far as the plot goes, I know that a lot of my pals get annoyed with DC because of their knack for senseless violence and regurgitated storylines. And I get it, I really do.
But, in my humble opinion, nobody does senseless violence like DC. I mean, take the Batman vs Superman movie, for example. Was there any reason for those two to duke it out?
No, not even a little one!
The whole fight thing was so far beyond retarded, it was probably the least believable part of the movie. The flying dude from Krypton with the lazer beam eyes seemed plausible in comparison!
But.
I enjoyed the hell out of watching those two go at it!
And I giggled like a schoolgirl while Batman picked up a motherfucking gun and killed...I don't know how the fuck many people he eventually mowed down!
Just an ultra violent lunatic dressed up like a bat, amirite?!
I FUCKING LOVED IT!
Obviously, something is very wrong with me. I accept that.
My point is, sometimes you just wanna see shit blow up. And that's where DC shines!
In all seriousness, I didn't think that the plotline for Darkseid War sucked at all. I know some of you are going to disagree with me, but I love these kinds of stories. Lots of action, fast-paced, over-the-top villains, and a little mystery thrown in to keep it spicy!
And this...
I don't give a shit what anyone says, THAT was awesome!
Re-read this in 2017, and still thought it was great.
September 7, 2016
The Darkseid War begins!
I got this in its single comic book issues, but I chosen this TPB edition to be able of writing a better overall review.
This TPB collects “Justice League” #40-44 plus a part of “Divergence” #1 (Free Comic Book Day issue).
Creative Team:
Writer: Geoff Johns
Illustrator: Jason Fabok
Guest Illustrators (for issue #40): Kevin Maguire, Phil Jimenez, Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Scott Kolins & Jim Lee.
NERVOUS CRISIS
Reality cannot survive another crisis.
The New52 era is coming to an end, but this time won’t be a crisis per se, since in and out of the pages of DC Comics, people know that already there were too many crises…
…and the DC Universe may not be able to deal with another one.
So, ironically while Marvel Comics is enduring its first formal crisis (aka Secret Wars’ 2016 event), DC Comics, the very company that conceived the reboot comic book universes, won’t do it in a proper sense, but instead a crisis, it will go under a…
…CONVERGENCE…
…that maybe even more confusing than a simple crisis.
Since, you know, a DC Comics’ crisis is usually a big event where everything is rewritten and starting anew once again, some multiple earths here, some zero hours there, and even a flashpoint around, but usually, it was easy to understand that they were rebooting its universe of comic book titles.
However, Convergence establishing that the “cool” storylines of the past did happen, but the “uncool” storylines didn’t, however, being able to know for certain what the heck is canon once again and what doesn’t, it’s a mess now.
So, maybe it will be a crisis after all, but…
…a nervous crisis in many DC fans trying to understand Convergence.
MONITORING GODS
And while it’s unavoidable to be aware of the Convergence deal while you’re reading the Darkseid War, at least here, in the pages of Justice League you are facing a simpler scenario…
…The Anti-Monitor wants to engage a war against Darkseid, and the Justice League is in the middle to the conflict.
Easy to digest. Exciting to witness.
In this first part (of two) of the Darkseid War, you have the prologue part detailing key events happened many years ago; in Themyscira, showing that you may know about Wonder Woman’s birth may not be as you thought it was; and in Apokolips & New Genesis, showing that you remember of the peace pact between those two mighty worlds, has been rewritten for this last days of the New52; and quite awesome, you’ll get to know why Metron’s mobile throne, the Mobius’ Chair is called in that way.
After the prologue section, you engage into the Darkseid War storyline where Kanto and Lashina (Apokolips’ agents) are looking for a woman named Myrina Black (that I can’t believe, it seems that there are A LOT of women with that name on Earth! I can believe that may be several Sarah Connors, just in Los Angeles area, BUT more than one dang Myrina Black in the whole planet?!!! Geez!) and they are eliminating one by one until eventually reaching the right one.
The corpses’ trail will bring the attention of the Justice League that they will put them soon enough in confrontation of an unexpected new character with a secret agenda leading to the battle of two of the most evil and most powerful beings in the universe using Earth as their boxing ring.
Men will fall into darkness. Gods will rise unto fate. Men will become gods. Gods will become dust.
The Darkseid War is just beginning!
I got this in its single comic book issues, but I chosen this TPB edition to be able of writing a better overall review.
This TPB collects “Justice League” #40-44 plus a part of “Divergence” #1 (Free Comic Book Day issue).
Creative Team:
Writer: Geoff Johns
Illustrator: Jason Fabok
Guest Illustrators (for issue #40): Kevin Maguire, Phil Jimenez, Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Scott Kolins & Jim Lee.
NERVOUS CRISIS
Reality cannot survive another crisis.
The New52 era is coming to an end, but this time won’t be a crisis per se, since in and out of the pages of DC Comics, people know that already there were too many crises…
…and the DC Universe may not be able to deal with another one.
So, ironically while Marvel Comics is enduring its first formal crisis (aka Secret Wars’ 2016 event), DC Comics, the very company that conceived the reboot comic book universes, won’t do it in a proper sense, but instead a crisis, it will go under a…
…CONVERGENCE…
…that maybe even more confusing than a simple crisis.
Since, you know, a DC Comics’ crisis is usually a big event where everything is rewritten and starting anew once again, some multiple earths here, some zero hours there, and even a flashpoint around, but usually, it was easy to understand that they were rebooting its universe of comic book titles.
However, Convergence establishing that the “cool” storylines of the past did happen, but the “uncool” storylines didn’t, however, being able to know for certain what the heck is canon once again and what doesn’t, it’s a mess now.
So, maybe it will be a crisis after all, but…
…a nervous crisis in many DC fans trying to understand Convergence.
MONITORING GODS
And while it’s unavoidable to be aware of the Convergence deal while you’re reading the Darkseid War, at least here, in the pages of Justice League you are facing a simpler scenario…
…The Anti-Monitor wants to engage a war against Darkseid, and the Justice League is in the middle to the conflict.
Easy to digest. Exciting to witness.
In this first part (of two) of the Darkseid War, you have the prologue part detailing key events happened many years ago; in Themyscira, showing that you may know about Wonder Woman’s birth may not be as you thought it was; and in Apokolips & New Genesis, showing that you remember of the peace pact between those two mighty worlds, has been rewritten for this last days of the New52; and quite awesome, you’ll get to know why Metron’s mobile throne, the Mobius’ Chair is called in that way.
After the prologue section, you engage into the Darkseid War storyline where Kanto and Lashina (Apokolips’ agents) are looking for a woman named Myrina Black (that I can’t believe, it seems that there are A LOT of women with that name on Earth! I can believe that may be several Sarah Connors, just in Los Angeles area, BUT more than one dang Myrina Black in the whole planet?!!! Geez!) and they are eliminating one by one until eventually reaching the right one.
The corpses’ trail will bring the attention of the Justice League that they will put them soon enough in confrontation of an unexpected new character with a secret agenda leading to the battle of two of the most evil and most powerful beings in the universe using Earth as their boxing ring.
Men will fall into darkness. Gods will rise unto fate. Men will become gods. Gods will become dust.
The Darkseid War is just beginning!
September 22, 2024
Great volume. So far, this has it all great story, great artwork, great characters, and even more importantly, great interaction between the characters. My only criticism of this is that it finished too quickly. I would have loved another couple of issues, but with the ending, I know why they chose to end it there.
This is the story that has been set up since the Forever Evil storyline. Who and what is the Anti-Monitor? All we know about his so far, is he is the being that had the Ultra-man and his band of big bads peeing themselves as then ran to the next dimension. You do not have had to read any of the other volumes to enjoy this volume (but it does help). Most of the time is a bit of a history/introduction to the new but important characters. As always, I love the interaction between Batman and the Green Lantern (Hal Jordan). The Justice League part is narrated by Wonder Woman. If you have read Wonder Woman's own comics, you will know of her divine heritage. However, another Amazon was born on the same day to a darker deity. Now, she is there to perform the task she was born for. She seem to have intimate knowledge of the Justice League, including their weakness and secrets certain member has even kept from the other. The other thing The Justice League must decide is whose side are they on? This is a fight between the two most evil being who have chosen Earth as their battle ground. This is one of those epic story arks you will kick yourself if you miss it. I can't wait for the next volume where the war continues with more answers.
This is the story that has been set up since the Forever Evil storyline. Who and what is the Anti-Monitor? All we know about his so far, is he is the being that had the Ultra-man and his band of big bads peeing themselves as then ran to the next dimension. You do not have had to read any of the other volumes to enjoy this volume (but it does help). Most of the time is a bit of a history/introduction to the new but important characters. As always, I love the interaction between Batman and the Green Lantern (Hal Jordan). The Justice League part is narrated by Wonder Woman. If you have read Wonder Woman's own comics, you will know of her divine heritage. However, another Amazon was born on the same day to a darker deity. Now, she is there to perform the task she was born for. She seem to have intimate knowledge of the Justice League, including their weakness and secrets certain member has even kept from the other. The other thing The Justice League must decide is whose side are they on? This is a fight between the two most evil being who have chosen Earth as their battle ground. This is one of those epic story arks you will kick yourself if you miss it. I can't wait for the next volume where the war continues with more answers.
January 25, 2019
I finally thought this Justice League run pulled off a good story. Several of the team members really get to shine in this issue. I mean Batman probably has the best part in this story. Superman and Lex Luthor get beamed to another world where there is no red sun so Superman is losing his power. Everyone is in peril and Darkseid seems unstoppable. Wonder Woman is leading the battle again Darkseid and I mean who else could really do it.
We haven't really seen the Flash shine in this one yet, but I suspect the next issue they all will and it will be well written I hope. There was plenty of action and entertainment. I was into this story, what can I say.
There have been a ton of misses in this NEW 52 collection, but I feel that this volume has been a bright spot. I hope it ends well. I look forward to finishing up the story.
We haven't really seen the Flash shine in this one yet, but I suspect the next issue they all will and it will be well written I hope. There was plenty of action and entertainment. I was into this story, what can I say.
There have been a ton of misses in this NEW 52 collection, but I feel that this volume has been a bright spot. I hope it ends well. I look forward to finishing up the story.
March 22, 2016
Y’all ready for this?
Bum bum bum buh-buh-buh-buh bum bum bum bah-bah-bah-bah – Darkseid vs The Anti-Monitor!
Who? Why? Uh… because…
Mobius, the Anti-Monitor, wants war with Darkseid because he says the New Gods are over while Darkseid wants to eat Superman’s soul – both of which make them sound like complete idiots. How that translates to the two fighting each other is anyone’s guess. There are a couple of new female characters: Grail, Darkseid’s daughter, who wants to kill her dad, probably for a reason, and Myrina Black, who’s important, also probably for a reason – that said, this is Geoff Johns so he might not bother with reasons! The Justice League get involved because Mobius and Darkseid have arbitrarily chosen Earth as their battleground. Yup, it’s a Geoff Johns comic alright: big, loud, stupid, largely incoherent and haphazardly plotted!
The Darkseid War (Part 1 – groan) is basically Final Crisis for dummies. Johns wisely steers clear of calling this a Crisis though as DC have really overused the title in the last 10+ years but that’s what this is. Worlds colliding, Darkseid, Metron, the Anti-Life Equation, Death the Black Racer, Superman undergoes a transformation – superficially Johns ticks all the Grant Morrison boxes without any of his style or intelligence though it does feel as messy as Final Crisis! Also, if you’re unfamiliar with these characters (most will probably know Darkseid), Johns won’t help you out by explaining them so newer readers are going to be lost or are going to be googling every few pages – always a pleasant reading experience, having to frequently set the book down and go online!
Johns does include some variations to the Final Crisis-seeming formula though and they were actually quite good. My favourite part of this book was the side-story where Superman and Lex get boomed over to Apokolips and have to work together to survive. Johns raises the stakes: Superman is depowered as no sun-rays make it through Apokolips’ atmosphere and Lex is shot – brilliant! There are some great twists and turns as the pair dodge parademons and try to figure out a way home.
I also liked what happens to Batman in this one (the real Batman, Bruce Wayne, not the embarrassing robot-Batman Jim Gordon). It’s absolutely bonkers but it’s a fun temporary development for the character. I didn’t like that he got paired with Green Lantern though – Hal’s annoying chatter wasn’t needed, we could’ve just had Bruce’s calm inner monologue instead. But it’s a Justice League book so I guess Johns has to find stuff for the other characters to do.
And that’s the thing about this one: it’s not a great Justice League comic. Superman and Batman have great storylines but the others are barely doing anything. Wonder Woman is relegated to the role of bored narrator, Shazam and Cyborg ineffectively fight whoever when they’re remembered at all, Flash hangs about until something happens to him at the end, and Aquaman is missing entirely! The new additional Green Lantern proves to be a hindrance rather than a benefit.
I get that it’s tricky to juggle so many characters at once but this is the problem with two ridiculously over-powered characters like the Anti-Monitor and Darkseid as the big bads fighting amongst themselves: the others are basically bystanders. The Justice League are also in the same position as the reader, asking which side we’re meant to be rooting for and why - they end up just standing around watching.
I liked the Superman and Batman sub-plots (though what they have to do with anything is anyone’s guess!) and Jason Fabok’s art looks suitably grand and shiny-looking but Darkseid War Part 1 was largely a baffling and boring read - another sound and fury example from DC. I’m not sure what the story is supposed to be or why we should care, all of which shows how poorly Geoff Johns has written this book.
Y’all ready for piss? It’s The Darkseid Bore!
Bum bum bum buh-buh-buh-buh bum bum bum bah-bah-bah-bah – Darkseid vs The Anti-Monitor!
Who? Why? Uh… because…
Mobius, the Anti-Monitor, wants war with Darkseid because he says the New Gods are over while Darkseid wants to eat Superman’s soul – both of which make them sound like complete idiots. How that translates to the two fighting each other is anyone’s guess. There are a couple of new female characters: Grail, Darkseid’s daughter, who wants to kill her dad, probably for a reason, and Myrina Black, who’s important, also probably for a reason – that said, this is Geoff Johns so he might not bother with reasons! The Justice League get involved because Mobius and Darkseid have arbitrarily chosen Earth as their battleground. Yup, it’s a Geoff Johns comic alright: big, loud, stupid, largely incoherent and haphazardly plotted!
The Darkseid War (Part 1 – groan) is basically Final Crisis for dummies. Johns wisely steers clear of calling this a Crisis though as DC have really overused the title in the last 10+ years but that’s what this is. Worlds colliding, Darkseid, Metron, the Anti-Life Equation, Death the Black Racer, Superman undergoes a transformation – superficially Johns ticks all the Grant Morrison boxes without any of his style or intelligence though it does feel as messy as Final Crisis! Also, if you’re unfamiliar with these characters (most will probably know Darkseid), Johns won’t help you out by explaining them so newer readers are going to be lost or are going to be googling every few pages – always a pleasant reading experience, having to frequently set the book down and go online!
Johns does include some variations to the Final Crisis-seeming formula though and they were actually quite good. My favourite part of this book was the side-story where Superman and Lex get boomed over to Apokolips and have to work together to survive. Johns raises the stakes: Superman is depowered as no sun-rays make it through Apokolips’ atmosphere and Lex is shot – brilliant! There are some great twists and turns as the pair dodge parademons and try to figure out a way home.
I also liked what happens to Batman in this one (the real Batman, Bruce Wayne, not the embarrassing robot-Batman Jim Gordon). It’s absolutely bonkers but it’s a fun temporary development for the character. I didn’t like that he got paired with Green Lantern though – Hal’s annoying chatter wasn’t needed, we could’ve just had Bruce’s calm inner monologue instead. But it’s a Justice League book so I guess Johns has to find stuff for the other characters to do.
And that’s the thing about this one: it’s not a great Justice League comic. Superman and Batman have great storylines but the others are barely doing anything. Wonder Woman is relegated to the role of bored narrator, Shazam and Cyborg ineffectively fight whoever when they’re remembered at all, Flash hangs about until something happens to him at the end, and Aquaman is missing entirely! The new additional Green Lantern proves to be a hindrance rather than a benefit.
I get that it’s tricky to juggle so many characters at once but this is the problem with two ridiculously over-powered characters like the Anti-Monitor and Darkseid as the big bads fighting amongst themselves: the others are basically bystanders. The Justice League are also in the same position as the reader, asking which side we’re meant to be rooting for and why - they end up just standing around watching.
I liked the Superman and Batman sub-plots (though what they have to do with anything is anyone’s guess!) and Jason Fabok’s art looks suitably grand and shiny-looking but Darkseid War Part 1 was largely a baffling and boring read - another sound and fury example from DC. I’m not sure what the story is supposed to be or why we should care, all of which shows how poorly Geoff Johns has written this book.
Y’all ready for piss? It’s The Darkseid Bore!
February 19, 2019
Jason Fabok's art is top shelf and he is clicking on all cylinders with Geoff Johns. Johns has given the New Gods a makeover and the characters have generally been redesigned for the better. Darkseid's minions especially have had some exceptionally goofy costumes in the past. I liked how he tied the New Gods into the Amazon mythos.
Received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 20, 2021
THIS WAS EPIC!
It starts with the arrival of Grail and Anti-Monitor on earth and we see their origins and like whatever is going on with them and their motives and I love the twist Johns pulls with Grail and showcasing her dark origins but its when he fleshes her out that it becomes epic and the arrival of Darkseid and the big war thats happening and the death of one and the birth of New Gods aka JL and its so well done.
This is one of those stories that he has been building to and its so well done here and reads so well and is a cinematic masterpiece as Fabok's art makes it so and it has great moments. Its a quick read too and its less about the story, more about the tension "whats the lesser evil" and a philosophical quagmire too for Diana. A MUST READ.
It starts with the arrival of Grail and Anti-Monitor on earth and we see their origins and like whatever is going on with them and their motives and I love the twist Johns pulls with Grail and showcasing her dark origins but its when he fleshes her out that it becomes epic and the arrival of Darkseid and the big war thats happening and the death of one and the birth of New Gods aka JL and its so well done.
This is one of those stories that he has been building to and its so well done here and reads so well and is a cinematic masterpiece as Fabok's art makes it so and it has great moments. Its a quick read too and its less about the story, more about the tension "whats the lesser evil" and a philosophical quagmire too for Diana. A MUST READ.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2016
This was a really good volume of the New 52 Justice League. Darkseid is just one of the Justice League's problems. There are many and their villains are ruthless with no respect for life. The JL has their hands full and I really thought most of them were goners more than once in this book. I hope my library gets the next volume soon.
February 26, 2017
The JLA deals with Darkseid and his spawn as he tries to dominate Earth once more. Some of our JLA heroes pick up special powers that compromise them.
This one took some risks so higher grade for expanding the genre.
OVERALL GRADE: B to B plus.
This one took some risks so higher grade for expanding the genre.
OVERALL GRADE: B to B plus.
February 4, 2025
Well, turns out that a couple of DC characters have some skeletons in the closet -- secret relatives, secret rivals -- and they are coming home to kick ass and chew bubble gum. And guess what's running low?
Ends in a cliff-hanger, with at least Three Very Bad Happenings: Darkseid may have underestimated his counterpart; Superman has had his moral compass %>-ed with, big time; and Flash isn't alone inside that scarlet speed-suit anymore.
Ends in a cliff-hanger, with at least Three Very Bad Happenings: Darkseid may have underestimated his counterpart; Superman has had his moral compass %>-ed with, big time; and Flash isn't alone inside that scarlet speed-suit anymore.
April 4, 2016
5 stars
Very good book. Darkseid is dead. What?! The Anti-God (Mobius) sounds very weird. Hope Bruce will do okay on the chair. Also hope they will be able to stop the Anti-God. Interesting that Darkseid had a daughter, Grail.
Can't wait to read the next Darkseid War book!!!
Very good book. Darkseid is dead. What?! The Anti-God (Mobius) sounds very weird. Hope Bruce will do okay on the chair. Also hope they will be able to stop the Anti-God. Interesting that Darkseid had a daughter, Grail.
Can't wait to read the next Darkseid War book!!!
April 26, 2016
The Darkseid War Part 1 keeps Justice League at the forefront of “big hero” comic book storytelling.
In The Darkseid War, the Justice League finds itself in the crossfire of a brewing conflict between two insanely powerful villains. In one camp is arch-villain Darkseid and his legions of assassins, parademons and various brutal minions. In the other is the Anti-Monitor, a being of incredible destructive power (revealed as the entity that laid waste to Earth 3 in Forever Evil) determined to kill Darkseid.
Central to the conflict is Grail, the deadly daughter of Darkseid. Raised by her mother (a renegade Amazon) for the purpose of killing her father, Grail is crucial in leading the Anti-Monitor to Earth for an epic showdown with Darkseid. Also drawn into the conflict are other New Gods, including Mister Miracle, the son of Highfather who was raised on Apokolips under Darkseid’s thumb, who brings crucial information to the Justice League, and the mysterious, untrustworthy Metron, the “god of knowledge” whose destiny seems inextricably linked to the conflict between the immensely powerful titans. The first part of the saga wraps on a cliffhanger, with one of the chief combatants apparently slain.
Geoff Johns had finally hit his Justice League stride with previous arc The Amazo Virus. With The Darkseid War Part 1, he amps up all the good things from that run and comes up with the best story that this volume of the franchise has produced. The stakes are cosmic and the action is big-screen in the best way. The League gets into the thick of the battle between the villains and Johns shows them really struggling. It’s great to see the writer give his team a true challenge, but it’s also gratifying how Johns uses the plot to explore various facets of the characters.
Wonder Woman takes a spotlight in The Darkseid War, serving as narrator. Johns zeroes in on the central conflict of the Amazon princess, between peace and war, without being mawkish or clichéd. Johns uses some cannily-selected character pairings, such as Superman/Lex Luthor and Batman/Green Lantern, to illuminate interesting corners of well-known personalities. He’s also unafraid to put the cast through the wringer. By the cliffhanger, Batman, Superman and Flash have all endured startling transformations. Johns does a nice job with Mister Miracle, finding a fresh angle on the well-worn character and integrating him into the cast smoothly. Grail and her mother also make for fascinating antagonists. Johns doesn’t skimp on other nice character moments, even for cast members not in the spotlight (a couple of strong panels devoted to Shazam and Captain Cold, respectively, pack a lot of punch). He also works in some nice beats of suspense, as the heroes begin to piece together the varied elements driving the conflict. This is the kind of epic, classic super-team action fans want from Justice League.
Jason Fabok had impressed with his inaugural Justice League arc, but he takes a big leap forward in The Darkseid War. His character and design work are absolutely stunning. He updates familiar characters in interesting ways and infuses a lot of dynamism, energy and style into his pages. His layouts are unfussy, focusing on the best configuration to sell the drama of the action-intensive story. He crafts several beautiful, memorable images. Especially impressive is a two-page spread of the heroes enduring the fallout of a furious clash between Darkseid and the Anti-Monitor; it crackles with energy and practically leaps off the page. Colorist Brad Anderson (with an assist from Alex Sinclair) does some amazing work that really enhances the power and drama of Fabok’s art. Anderson employs a varied palette that fits each phase of the story ideally, really putting a high class gloss on the book’s visual presentation. Lettering often gets overlooked, but the work Rob Leigh does in this arc is quite impressive, providing crucial support that helps maintain the high graphic standards. This team makes Justice League one of the best looking books on the shelves right now.
The Darkseid War Part 1 provides the kind of high octane, big concept team action you want from a book like this. It’s really great work and worth seeking out.
A version of this review originally appeared on www.thunderalleybcp.com
In The Darkseid War, the Justice League finds itself in the crossfire of a brewing conflict between two insanely powerful villains. In one camp is arch-villain Darkseid and his legions of assassins, parademons and various brutal minions. In the other is the Anti-Monitor, a being of incredible destructive power (revealed as the entity that laid waste to Earth 3 in Forever Evil) determined to kill Darkseid.
Central to the conflict is Grail, the deadly daughter of Darkseid. Raised by her mother (a renegade Amazon) for the purpose of killing her father, Grail is crucial in leading the Anti-Monitor to Earth for an epic showdown with Darkseid. Also drawn into the conflict are other New Gods, including Mister Miracle, the son of Highfather who was raised on Apokolips under Darkseid’s thumb, who brings crucial information to the Justice League, and the mysterious, untrustworthy Metron, the “god of knowledge” whose destiny seems inextricably linked to the conflict between the immensely powerful titans. The first part of the saga wraps on a cliffhanger, with one of the chief combatants apparently slain.
Geoff Johns had finally hit his Justice League stride with previous arc The Amazo Virus. With The Darkseid War Part 1, he amps up all the good things from that run and comes up with the best story that this volume of the franchise has produced. The stakes are cosmic and the action is big-screen in the best way. The League gets into the thick of the battle between the villains and Johns shows them really struggling. It’s great to see the writer give his team a true challenge, but it’s also gratifying how Johns uses the plot to explore various facets of the characters.
Wonder Woman takes a spotlight in The Darkseid War, serving as narrator. Johns zeroes in on the central conflict of the Amazon princess, between peace and war, without being mawkish or clichéd. Johns uses some cannily-selected character pairings, such as Superman/Lex Luthor and Batman/Green Lantern, to illuminate interesting corners of well-known personalities. He’s also unafraid to put the cast through the wringer. By the cliffhanger, Batman, Superman and Flash have all endured startling transformations. Johns does a nice job with Mister Miracle, finding a fresh angle on the well-worn character and integrating him into the cast smoothly. Grail and her mother also make for fascinating antagonists. Johns doesn’t skimp on other nice character moments, even for cast members not in the spotlight (a couple of strong panels devoted to Shazam and Captain Cold, respectively, pack a lot of punch). He also works in some nice beats of suspense, as the heroes begin to piece together the varied elements driving the conflict. This is the kind of epic, classic super-team action fans want from Justice League.
Jason Fabok had impressed with his inaugural Justice League arc, but he takes a big leap forward in The Darkseid War. His character and design work are absolutely stunning. He updates familiar characters in interesting ways and infuses a lot of dynamism, energy and style into his pages. His layouts are unfussy, focusing on the best configuration to sell the drama of the action-intensive story. He crafts several beautiful, memorable images. Especially impressive is a two-page spread of the heroes enduring the fallout of a furious clash between Darkseid and the Anti-Monitor; it crackles with energy and practically leaps off the page. Colorist Brad Anderson (with an assist from Alex Sinclair) does some amazing work that really enhances the power and drama of Fabok’s art. Anderson employs a varied palette that fits each phase of the story ideally, really putting a high class gloss on the book’s visual presentation. Lettering often gets overlooked, but the work Rob Leigh does in this arc is quite impressive, providing crucial support that helps maintain the high graphic standards. This team makes Justice League one of the best looking books on the shelves right now.
The Darkseid War Part 1 provides the kind of high octane, big concept team action you want from a book like this. It’s really great work and worth seeking out.
A version of this review originally appeared on www.thunderalleybcp.com
November 28, 2016
Oh man...I wanted to love this. But I didn't.
So there's something big coming. The war to end all wars. Darkseid (Do you pronouce his name darkside?) and the Anti-Monitor. Now maybe because I'm not a HUGE DC reader, and only really began getting deep into their mythology the last year and a half, but I had no clue who the fuck the Anti dude was. Like he looks like Darkseid except not as cool.
Anyway our heroes are really just like little bugs in this. Even Superman feels weak against these two monsters going to War. Also the prologue is LONG and BORING and I wanted to skip it but was afraid I wouldn't understand what was happening. So it's a ton of exposition instead of just showing the events or going through any fun dialog. It's just boring, it's the best way I can put it. Sad.
Batman becoming a God was fucking sick tho. Dude looked badass.
Yeah, so it feels like Part 1 of a movie. Like nothing major happened (except the ending) and then we gotta wait till Part 2 to get good...let's hope it does.
So there's something big coming. The war to end all wars. Darkseid (Do you pronouce his name darkside?) and the Anti-Monitor. Now maybe because I'm not a HUGE DC reader, and only really began getting deep into their mythology the last year and a half, but I had no clue who the fuck the Anti dude was. Like he looks like Darkseid except not as cool.
Anyway our heroes are really just like little bugs in this. Even Superman feels weak against these two monsters going to War. Also the prologue is LONG and BORING and I wanted to skip it but was afraid I wouldn't understand what was happening. So it's a ton of exposition instead of just showing the events or going through any fun dialog. It's just boring, it's the best way I can put it. Sad.
Batman becoming a God was fucking sick tho. Dude looked badass.
Yeah, so it feels like Part 1 of a movie. Like nothing major happened (except the ending) and then we gotta wait till Part 2 to get good...let's hope it does.
January 6, 2017
4.5 stars
It's been quite some time since I read the volumes preceding this but I still remembered a good bit about the storyline. I just couldn't get my library to get a copy for a long time.
The narration for this was a little jagged and chaotic at times but it was easy enough to pick up on after the first issue. I loved how far this reached into the multiversity and that's been one of my favorite things about DC since I read Crisis on Infinite Earths (reading that before Darkseid War is a slight advantage). The artwork was great and the set of characters was good but there really wasn't much time to focus on the League.
I seriously can't wait to read the next volume and finish this series. The series has been one of my favorites. I'll probably just find the rest for free somewhere online.
It's been quite some time since I read the volumes preceding this but I still remembered a good bit about the storyline. I just couldn't get my library to get a copy for a long time.
The narration for this was a little jagged and chaotic at times but it was easy enough to pick up on after the first issue. I loved how far this reached into the multiversity and that's been one of my favorite things about DC since I read Crisis on Infinite Earths (reading that before Darkseid War is a slight advantage). The artwork was great and the set of characters was good but there really wasn't much time to focus on the League.
I seriously can't wait to read the next volume and finish this series. The series has been one of my favorites. I'll probably just find the rest for free somewhere online.
March 22, 2025
Enjoying this beyond limits, it is a piece of art and joyful to read. Wonder woman is taking the focus this round with the entry of another amazonian being the daughter of Darkseid, who is taking the lead to bring a war between her father and the Anti-monitor, taking place on earth.
The Justice league find themselves in the middle of the foray, between two evil sides at war, it is a dilemma, as they are forced to fight as both sides are their enemies, but their efforts can help topple the scales towards one of them, so who should it be? which is the lesser of evils?
Will the JL have the final say in this war, or they will step to the sidelines and deal with the victor later, whomever it might be? this is an answer that will be provided in the 8th and final volume of this epic saga...
MiM
The Justice league find themselves in the middle of the foray, between two evil sides at war, it is a dilemma, as they are forced to fight as both sides are their enemies, but their efforts can help topple the scales towards one of them, so who should it be? which is the lesser of evils?
Will the JL have the final say in this war, or they will step to the sidelines and deal with the victor later, whomever it might be? this is an answer that will be provided in the 8th and final volume of this epic saga...
MiM
July 19, 2017
Much like the latest entry in DC's cinematic grimverse, this volume has an excess of cataclysm and a shortage of engaging story. Some of the art was nice, I guess, but I don't generally read comics just for the visuals but for the ideas and conflicts they represent.
I've enjoyed reading the new 52 thus far because I felt at least some desultory efforts were being made to rejuvenate old characters and shake up the lore, but volumes like this feel like a major step backwards. Who is this supposed to please or appeal to? Unfortunately, not me.
I've enjoyed reading the new 52 thus far because I felt at least some desultory efforts were being made to rejuvenate old characters and shake up the lore, but volumes like this feel like a major step backwards. Who is this supposed to please or appeal to? Unfortunately, not me.
August 19, 2021
Darkseid War is the very definition of EPIC, its Darkseid vs. the Anti-Monitor, it makes me want to clench my fists up in the air and shout FUCK YEAH! Seriously, I recommend this to every superhero fan out there, bear in mind though, you need to have at least some basic knowledge about the Crisis events, the Fourth World lore, and the Forever Evil storyline, but it's really not that hard to follow. Zack Snyder was clearly taking inspiration from this book for the Justice League movie, but he totally missed the mark there, what a shame.
March 16, 2016
I was surprised by how much I liked this one. I mean, the story is a bit all over the place, but it was really fun to read. And the concept of JL members becoming actual gods is pretty intriguing. The artwork's good, too.
February 20, 2018
I liked it.
It wasn't something AWESOME. It wasn't even something GREAT!
It was GOOD. It had its moments which I liked, and a bunch of stuff that were confusing, and some others that I didn't like at all.
What I liked since the start and I still like while I'm now reading Part 2 on Darkseid War, is the artwork. Really REALLY nice!
Darkseid comes to earth and the Anti-Monitor comes to earth too, so they can fight to the death and JLA is in the middle of all of it trying to figure out what to do allthewhile having the evil JLA (the Crime Syndicate) messing with them and whatnot.
So... you're going to love the story? I don't think so. Nothing new. It's mediocre at best.
You're going to love the dialogue? Maybe, it's well written imho.
You're going to love the narration? No. You will NOT. At all. It's exhausting and super long every single time, explaining shit you already know, and if you don't, it doesn't matter because we really don't give a shit if WW has to express her feelings or the other stupid fucking dude with the chair has to tell us how he thinks about the current situation that's happening in the moment. We. Don't. Care.
Say what you need to say in a couple of lines. Not when the shit goes down, to have WW talk without stopping about what she thinks would happen, how she thinks it happened, when she was a baby this and that happened, and when her mother was hunting down animals to eat WW was thinking a bunch of stuff AND SHIT THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CURRENT SITUATION. Besides stupid fucking cliche shit about honour and duty and whatever the fuck ---pfffff FUCK THAT.
NO.
Fuck . that. Shit. One more star down.
Anyway, other than that bullshit, everything else is fine, besides the story being meh... and personally Cyborg being like... what do we have this guy here in JLA again? yeah.... So DC can say they have a black superhero in the team? Hm? No? Ok. Yeah. I'd rather read Bettie & Veronica (not even Archie) than to read a single-ass boring-ass issue of Cyborg.
Anyway.
After me giving the everything the shit about it and bitching about everything, I think you'll love it. HA. But no, seriously, it's nice and it had me going to see what's happening without getting super bored. And I get bored fast. Barry Allen fast. So that means it had something!
If you like JLA like me, and you want to finally get into Rebirth, like me, then you should read it!
It wasn't something AWESOME. It wasn't even something GREAT!
It was GOOD. It had its moments which I liked, and a bunch of stuff that were confusing, and some others that I didn't like at all.
What I liked since the start and I still like while I'm now reading Part 2 on Darkseid War, is the artwork. Really REALLY nice!
Darkseid comes to earth and the Anti-Monitor comes to earth too, so they can fight to the death and JLA is in the middle of all of it trying to figure out what to do allthewhile having the evil JLA (the Crime Syndicate) messing with them and whatnot.
So... you're going to love the story? I don't think so. Nothing new. It's mediocre at best.
You're going to love the dialogue? Maybe, it's well written imho.
You're going to love the narration? No. You will NOT. At all. It's exhausting and super long every single time, explaining shit you already know, and if you don't, it doesn't matter because we really don't give a shit if WW has to express her feelings or the other stupid fucking dude with the chair has to tell us how he thinks about the current situation that's happening in the moment. We. Don't. Care.
Say what you need to say in a couple of lines. Not when the shit goes down, to have WW talk without stopping about what she thinks would happen, how she thinks it happened, when she was a baby this and that happened, and when her mother was hunting down animals to eat WW was thinking a bunch of stuff AND SHIT THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CURRENT SITUATION. Besides stupid fucking cliche shit about honour and duty and whatever the fuck ---pfffff FUCK THAT.
NO.
Fuck . that. Shit. One more star down.
Anyway, other than that bullshit, everything else is fine, besides the story being meh... and personally Cyborg being like... what do we have this guy here in JLA again? yeah.... So DC can say they have a black superhero in the team? Hm? No? Ok. Yeah. I'd rather read Bettie & Veronica (not even Archie) than to read a single-ass boring-ass issue of Cyborg.
Anyway.
After me giving the everything the shit about it and bitching about everything, I think you'll love it. HA. But no, seriously, it's nice and it had me going to see what's happening without getting super bored. And I get bored fast. Barry Allen fast. So that means it had something!
If you like JLA like me, and you want to finally get into Rebirth, like me, then you should read it!
August 22, 2016
What in the world is this story?
On paper, I agree it seems like a great idea...Darkseid vs another evil titan and this conflict taking place on Earth.
But the reality was more like...
Some barely comprehensible backstory (I had to reread it to get the whole exchanging sons thing)
Some randomly distributed murders by Darkseid's generalissimo (or is it Antimonitor's, I forget)
Followed by this completely badass Darkseid's daughter character (Grail?) whose motivations I don't fully understand
Some more backstory about Grail and a gibberish prophecy, also something about Luthor's heartless sister, all random
The Flash and Bats in CSI mode (I realize much later that this volume is part of DC Rebirth; until then confused by Flash's presence)
Some other hero from Apokolips (well technically New Genesis, but semantics) whose real name (Scott Free) and hero name (Mister Miracle) both sound like detergents
The Justice League splits up like the Scooby Doo gang to best deal with the monumental threat of a planet conqueror and a planet destroyer fighting in a civilian area
Meanwhile I cannot tell Anti-Monitor and Darkseid apart, because similar Lego faces and coloring
Grail curb-stomps the Justice League and they just watch the destruction caused by the war like a tennis match
Some Leaguers go off with Miracle Man to see the know-it-all Metron to find a solution
Metron does not want to help anyone #badhairday
Batman cleverly overcomes this problem by shoving Metron off chair and sitting on it so he now knows everything #gameofthronesspoilers
Bats now has more twisted priorities than an insurance salesman, rambles on about the Joker's identity (like I care?) and won't get out that creepy computer throne
VOLUME SUDDENLY ENDS
This is what happens when you don't read up on stuff before actually reading it. On the plus side, Grail's character design is really cool. Too bad she isn't a hero...
On paper, I agree it seems like a great idea...Darkseid vs another evil titan and this conflict taking place on Earth.
But the reality was more like...
Some barely comprehensible backstory (I had to reread it to get the whole exchanging sons thing)
Some randomly distributed murders by Darkseid's generalissimo (or is it Antimonitor's, I forget)
Followed by this completely badass Darkseid's daughter character (Grail?) whose motivations I don't fully understand
Some more backstory about Grail and a gibberish prophecy, also something about Luthor's heartless sister, all random
The Flash and Bats in CSI mode (I realize much later that this volume is part of DC Rebirth; until then confused by Flash's presence)
Some other hero from Apokolips (well technically New Genesis, but semantics) whose real name (Scott Free) and hero name (Mister Miracle) both sound like detergents
The Justice League splits up like the Scooby Doo gang to best deal with the monumental threat of a planet conqueror and a planet destroyer fighting in a civilian area
Meanwhile I cannot tell Anti-Monitor and Darkseid apart, because similar Lego faces and coloring
Grail curb-stomps the Justice League and they just watch the destruction caused by the war like a tennis match
Some Leaguers go off with Miracle Man to see the know-it-all Metron to find a solution
Metron does not want to help anyone #badhairday
Batman cleverly overcomes this problem by shoving Metron off chair and sitting on it so he now knows everything #gameofthronesspoilers
Bats now has more twisted priorities than an insurance salesman, rambles on about the Joker's identity (like I care?) and won't get out that creepy computer throne
VOLUME SUDDENLY ENDS
This is what happens when you don't read up on stuff before actually reading it. On the plus side, Grail's character design is really cool. Too bad she isn't a hero...
October 19, 2017
This series opened by quoting Gandhi and then went into a murderous rampage.
Earth is caught between between the Scylla and Charybdis of Anti-Monitor and Darkseid, for overly complicated reasons and it is upto Justice League to save the planet off this battlefield, again. Story does actually deliver the big tease from the final pages of Forever Evil, but fails to hold the lure for long. In fact, Apokolips and New Genesis lore were solid to begin with, till New Gods started interfering. To me, the run, atleast in parts, felt like a reverse Trinity War where everyone is at the bright end of their power spectrum from Pandora's box. And like the Outsider, we are introduced to Metron(extending my general lack of knowledge to everyone), the weilder of Moebius chair as a non interfering entity, with obvious ulterior motives.
An old Jack Kirby run was included to explain Darkseid's Boring Company and his first attempt at 'hyperloop', as a 100 page special. And this boom tubing history was actually boring. Things went really weird after Batman going after the question to which the answer is 42, in his Wikipedia chair. Honestly, the whole God act was off putting for me. So were the attempts to introduce an amazonian Jason, Joker's identity, recurring Luther savior complex and prologue to Rebirth. Nevertheless, the individual issues were fun. Though I didn't find the fan favoured Lantern take that appealing, they more or less modelled the powers with persona. Also, the origin story of Jessica Cruz, engaging artwork and mindless action are redeeming elements worth reading for.
I had some continuity issues moving through the story line, so atleast a read of Forever Evil would be good to have one primed.
(review includes the complete arc)
Earth is caught between between the Scylla and Charybdis of Anti-Monitor and Darkseid, for overly complicated reasons and it is upto Justice League to save the planet off this battlefield, again. Story does actually deliver the big tease from the final pages of Forever Evil, but fails to hold the lure for long. In fact, Apokolips and New Genesis lore were solid to begin with, till New Gods started interfering. To me, the run, atleast in parts, felt like a reverse Trinity War where everyone is at the bright end of their power spectrum from Pandora's box. And like the Outsider, we are introduced to Metron(extending my general lack of knowledge to everyone), the weilder of Moebius chair as a non interfering entity, with obvious ulterior motives.
An old Jack Kirby run was included to explain Darkseid's Boring Company and his first attempt at 'hyperloop', as a 100 page special. And this boom tubing history was actually boring. Things went really weird after Batman going after the question to which the answer is 42, in his Wikipedia chair. Honestly, the whole God act was off putting for me. So were the attempts to introduce an amazonian Jason, Joker's identity, recurring Luther savior complex and prologue to Rebirth. Nevertheless, the individual issues were fun. Though I didn't find the fan favoured Lantern take that appealing, they more or less modelled the powers with persona. Also, the origin story of Jessica Cruz, engaging artwork and mindless action are redeeming elements worth reading for.
I had some continuity issues moving through the story line, so atleast a read of Forever Evil would be good to have one primed.
(review includes the complete arc)
July 23, 2017
The new 52 Version of the New Gods, mix in Crisis and a few other people and you get a lot of moving parts. This is only part 1 of the Darkseid War which is aided by Fabok's artwork who I prefer over Ivan Reis. The story feels big, but it also is worrisome in that there may not be a lot of depth. Looks promising though.
April 19, 2020
Great art. Very good story. I was instantly pulled into this one, recalled a lot of the plot threads from Johns' earlier Justice League stories without having to refresh my memory, and found myself quickly flipping pages. Sure, there were things I didn't like about some of the characterization, but, honestly, none of that kept me from enjoying this one.
July 8, 2016
This series is on shaky ground. Another high concept somewhat oddly executed.
January 20, 2016
Apparently I need to read this arc from start to finish now that all the issues are released, because I have no idea what is going on. I know it can be hard to keep track going from issue to issue with a month break in between, but usually I can keep up with the story. I was immediately confused when I started issue 46. New characters are introduced into the fight halfway through, there's weird tension between Steve and Diana, yet again, and a whole page discussing on her and Superman's relationship. Then suddenly the Crime Syndicate is back?
What even.
Maybe I'll backtrack and retry the whole arc when this story line is finished. Then again, it looks like this Darkseid War is scheduled to go on for ages.
Great.
What even.
Maybe I'll backtrack and retry the whole arc when this story line is finished. Then again, it looks like this Darkseid War is scheduled to go on for ages.
Great.
June 25, 2017
I've always though the Justice League's greatest villain was Darkseid (although the Legion of Super Villains and Crime Syndicate are close) so it's usually a good story when the two clash, and this volume is no different. The art is exceptional, and this is really more the prelude to the real story but it's still quite a set up, and quite an ending. We get to see the New 52 Mr. Miracle and also the Anti Monitor Vs. Darkseid. Very interested to see where this goes because it started with a bang!
May 9, 2016
Outstanding! I've been looking forward to this volume for awhile & it did not dissapoint. Lots if cool new characters with interesting agendas,...great writing & great artwork. Really looking forward to seeing where this goes.
December 15, 2016
DC always does world threaten level events well. When Anti-monitor and Darkseid clash, it's an amazing sight to behold. However, the new character Grail seems a bit overpowered and doesn't get that much development. Perhaps that is addressed in Part 2.
July 5, 2017
Hmmmm fighting Gods.. becoming Gods.... this was quite the trip already..
I'm keeping it very brief again, because I need to go to the next part!!
Just one thing: read this Mofo!! B-)
I'm keeping it very brief again, because I need to go to the next part!!
Just one thing: read this Mofo!! B-)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews