Justice League International, Book One: Born Again

Justice League International: New Edition

by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, Kevin Maguire (Illustrator)

Batman leads a team of unlikely heroes in these satirical 1980s adventures, co-starring Black Canary, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Martian Manhunter, Mister Miracle and more in Justice League International Book 1: Born Again .

The world's greatest super-team, the Justice League, are Earth's greatest and last line of defense against all manner of world-threatening villains... assuming they don't wipe each other out first! Find out what happens when Batman, Superman and the rest of the gang face a galactic invasion fleet known as the Cluster, exchange harsh words with crazed bounty hunter Lobo and track Mister Miracle back to the hell planet that is Apokolips, and then battle yet another invasion fleet...because that's how they roll. Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis' classic run of Justice League stories--ably illustrated by Kevin Maguire - begins, mixing classic JLA action with a liberal dose of humor.

Justice League International Book 1: Born Again collects Justice League #1-6, Justice League International #7-17, Justice League Annual #1, Justice League International Annual #2 and Suicide Squad #13.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Batman, Graphic Novels Comics

552 pages, Paperback

Published January 28, 2020

About the author

Keith Ian Giffen was an American comic book illustrator and writer. He is possibly best-known for his long runs illustrating, and later writing the Legion of Super-Heroes title in the 1980s and 1990s. He also created the alien mercenary character Lobo (with Roger Slifer), and the irreverent "want-to-be" hero, Ambush Bug. Giffen is known for having an unorthodox writing style, often using characters in ways not seen before. His dialogue is usually characterized by a biting wit that is seen as much less zany than dialogue provided by longtime collaborators DeMatteis and Robert Loren Fleming. That approach has brought him both criticism and admiration, as perhaps best illustrated by the mixed (although commercially successful) response to his work in DC Comics' Justice League International (1987-1992). He also plotted and was breakdown artist for an Aquaman limited series and one-shot special in 1989 with writer Robert Loren Fleming and artist Curt Swan for DC Comics.

Giffen's first published work was "The Sword and The Star", a black-and-white series featured in Marvel Preview, with writer Bill Mantlo. He has worked on titles (owned by several different companies) including Woodgod, All Star Comics, Doctor Fate, Drax the Destroyer, Heckler, Nick Fury's Howling Commandos, Reign of the Zodiac, Suicide Squad, Trencher (to be re-released in a collected edition by Boom! Studios)., T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, and Vext. He was also responsible for the English adaptation of the Battle Royale and Ikki Tousen manga, as well as creating "I Luv Halloween" for Tokyopop. He also worked for Dark Horse from 1994-95 on their Comics Greatest World/Dark Horse Heroes line, as the writer of two short lived series, Division 13 and co-author, with Lovern Kindzierski, of Agents of Law. For Valiant Comics, Giffen wrote XO-Manowar, Magnus, Robot Fighter, Punx and the final issue of Solar, Man of the Atom.

He took a break from the comic industry for several years, working on storyboards for television and film, including shows such as The Real Ghostbusters and Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy.

He is also the lead writer for Marvel Comics's Annihilation event, having written the one-shot prologue, the lead-in stories in Thanos and Drax, the Silver Surfer as well as the main six issues mini-series. He also wrote the Star-Lord mini-series for the follow-up story Annihilation: Conquest. He currently writes Doom Patrol for DC, and is also completing an abandoned Grant Morrison plot in The Authority: the Lost Year for Wildstorm.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I personally think this one of the best Justice League runs out there.
Most older comics are hard for me to read because the dialogue is silly, it's too wordy, or the plots are just plain dumb by today's standards.



Not Giffen's JLI. It holds up.
The characters hold up. The plot holds up. The humor holds up.
Well. Ok, the humor has that Dad Joke feel to it, but since the comic doesn't take itself seriously it manages to keep this low-key funny vibe throughout the entire book. And of course, this is the story that has the now famous panel with Batman knocking Guy Gardner out cold.



The main gist of this one is that the Justice League has been sanctioned by the United Nations to operate across the borders. This plan was put into motion by the smarmy machinations of Maxwell Lord for reasons that only become known to the reader towards the end.



I liked the colorful cast of heroes that star in this thing. Gone are the Trinity. Those guys are off doing cool shit in another book.
Well, except for Batman. He's popping in and out, wreaking havoc on anyone too stupid to get out of his way.
But this one showcases a lot of B-listers and C-listers, then makes you really care for them.



I also noticed that even the political jokes in this were lighter and not at all as vicious and polarizing as what we've become accustomed to seeing today. I miss this sort of thing.



Scott Free (Mister Miracle) and Barda stole the show for me. If I hadn't already been crazy about this couple, this would have sealed the deal for me. Born Again leaves you on a cliffhanger that involves these guys, so I'm thinking I'd like to read the rest of this run and find out what happens next.



The only complaint I sorta-kinda have is that occasionally it felt like Giffen was trying too hard to cram the jokes into every panel. It never actually crossed the line into annoying, but it came a tad close once or twice.
Regardless, this is still an excellent comic.
Highly Recommended.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This run of the Justice League from the 80's remains my favorite run on the title to date. There is a perfect balance of action and jokes. Kevin Maguire comes out of nowhere and immediately kills it on art. His expressive faces are perfect for landing those jokes, visually adding to the humor. The personalities in this book too. Guy Gardner, DC's biggest jerk, constantly put in his place by Batman. Blue Beetle along with Booster Gold and Mister Miracle for comedy relief. Maxwell Lord, manipulating everything behind the scenes. Rocket Red as a fish out of water. Captain Marvel in all his Captain Whitebread wholesomeness. It all adds up to a fantastic book.

[Derek Moreland · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? It lived up to the hype.

[Cristhian · Rating 5 out of 5]

La JLI siempre ha sido un equipo de segundones. Puro B lister a donde tuvieron que meter a Batman para levantar... pero esa es la magia que la JLI de Giffen tiene: eran personajes que en su mayoría no le importaban a nadie y eso le permitió jugar y desarrollarlos a todos dotándoles de personalidad y características que los hacían diferentes y mucho mejores que a otros.

En eso radica el genio de Keith y aquí, con este grupo, es su mejor ejemplo.

[T.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forget Zach Snyder's grim 'n gritty take on the Justice League. THIS is the team I grew up reading in the 1980's and my favorite version of the Justice League. As the story goes, DC was just coming off of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Most of the big name characters like Superman and Wonder Woman were being reinvented in their solo comics and therefore were not available to use. So the creative team assembled a bunch of second rate heroes and third rate oddballs under the Justice League name, taking them from obscure to awesome. Everyone loves Superman and Batman, but not everyone can get to know and love Martian Manhunter, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, and Fire 'n Ice! There is worldsaving and action, and yes, a lot of humor and heart. It was a different time, and it was great. For me, rereading these stories was like a reunion with old friends. Can't wait to read volume 2.

[Dallas Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes a bit to really hit its stride as genuinely funny. Once it does, it's easy to see how jarring and iconic this series was among the other superhero books of its time!

This book does make Martian Manhunter, Mister Miracle, and Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) a good deal interesting and fun to follow!

Personally, I didn't find it nearly as funny as Shazam's 70s books and wanted to read this for Booster Gold (just finished Jurgens' original run), and yet all of his depth is sucked out entirely after his first fun appearance in here!

[Nico D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's so much here that works. Though a little dated, this series is genuinely funny in a way that holds up in a modern context, albeit being a little 'dad-jokey'. The art is always competent, occasionally exceptional, with a focus on realistic looking faces which can be both a visual strength and a little off-putting. For example, the start of every new chapter has a giant face of one of the Leaguers on a splash page leading into the story proper which are always mildly hilarious/horrifying. I love it.

The plots are mostly fun and lighthearted, with a focus on inter-team dynamics, adventure and humor. Russian-American relations play a heavy role throughout the story, which makes sense considering the time that it was originally written. There's a heavy emphasis on nuclear armaments and the tension between the two countries, but Russia isn't horribly vilified-- at least not any more so than the insinuation that Ronald Reagan is awful (we stan) by proxy of being one of the few things Guy Gardner, who we are supposed to see as a total blowhard, respects. If anything the biggest concern is from Bialya, which continues to be a Russia/Middle East expy, but decidedly more antagonistic than either of them.

There's a lot of fun character work, which is impressive for such a huge, rotating cast of characters. The cover makes it seem like Kimiyo Hoshi (Dr. Light) will be a prominent addition to the cast, but she only really makes an impact for the first arc. From there on, the cast shifts off and on, with Mister Miracle, Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Martian Manhunter and Guy Gardner being the mainstay focuses, while Batman and Black Canary also heavily feature. Booster and Beetle are handily my favorite part, with formation and development of their romance love bromance being funny, earnest and highly endearing. It helps that Ted is one of the funniest characters in the book, and Booster is right behind him *badam-tiss*

Scott Free (Mister Miracle) is also great, though having his wife Barda sidelined from the team most of the book seems like an odd choice. It's never explained why Barda isn't part of the initial line-up when she's more then capable of kicking tons of ass, and enjoys doing so, which makes it feel a little like an 80s boyclub writing decision instead of one which feels authentic to her character. This seems to be changing for the better at the end of the book, with Barda taking an active role in preparing to rescue Scott from the clutches of the always shouting Lord Manga (insert anime joke here) alongside J'onn. This, coupled with the introduction of Fire and Ice into the team, balances out the sexes a little better. Strangely, Dinah (Black Canary) seems to be AWOL now that they're around, so I'm hoping this wasn't a trade-off.

There is some notable cheesecake in the book, with a cameo from Nightshade showing that she's clearly not wearing anything beneath her very short skirt, and plenty of art of Barda's big... assets. It's not too prevalent though, and the queers get an extended sequence of Boostle both being shirtless and hairy with attention paid to their treasure trails and it made me feel things that I will not discuss any further on this public forum.

Ahem.

Like with the treatment of women, Batman was a bit of a mixed bag as well. He's not badly written or out of character, exactly, but his dickery is exaggerated a bit here for comedic effect and he feels a little 'off' as much as he does when he's on. It's doesn't ruin my immersion, but it did give me pause a few times.

Other than that, the only issue I really had was with Guy. Not that he's a total asshole, because he is, but that he gets a sudden personality shift into a super positive woobie soft boy due to a head injury which doesn't really get explored or explained. Assumedly it's for comedic effect-- and it is pretty funny-- but I'm ready for them to examine that a little more in a future volume, or maybe have him go back to his initial personality and have literally no one comment on it for maximum hilarity.

And that's really what the book is. It's funny. It's an enjoyable read and though it can be a little on the eighties side, it proves that levity and fun can be just as valuable to the comic medium as dark and gritty. I'm really looking forward to picking up Book Two to see what happens next.

[Hugo Emanuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justice League International was an itineration of the Justice League I had fond memories of. I first and last read it when I was about 12 years old or so, and rememberred loving it at the time. I'm 42 now, so it had been a while.
The humourous approach to the DC comics universe was a breath of fresh air, especially considering that at the time, DC was leaning towards a grittier take on most of their characters.

I actually first read it in brazillian monthly editions that collected both Batman issues and Justice League International issues in the same volumes.They were small sized, 80 to 100 pages collections titled "Liga da Justiça e Batman".
Against the Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon and Alan Grant penned Batman tales, the JLI breezier approach to the DC universe stood out even more. I loved those volumes, as they had two very distinct tones, and were the publications I'd most eagerly waited month in and month out.
But that had been over 30 years ago, and I often wondered how they would hold up these days.
Well, they hold up brilliantly.

The comedic moments remains as funny as ever, and the plots, that veer from superhero and political satire to seriously high stakes threats, remain engaging and even relevant.

As interesting as the plots may be, its the characters dynamics that really elevate this approach to new heights, and the fact that it comprises mostly of relatively unknown or B-listers charaters (at least, at the time), actually helps ,as it allows the writers to take more liberties with their characterizations, and pairing them up in unexpected ways, to great comedic effect. The most memorable pairing is, of course, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle, a duo that became the Abbot and Costello of the series, and is revered and rememberd by readers as one of the most inspired character dynamics of all time.

For younger readers, some of the comedy may feel a bit "dad-jokey", but I guess me being a dad and all, it does resonate with me, and had me guffawing frequently.

The creative team nails it out of the park. Keith Giffen does the plots and breakdowns, and J.M de Matteis, of all people, writes the scripts and dialogues, and co-plots it. Matteis was and is mostly well known for esoteric stories infused with phylosophy and metaphysical concepts, so its quite surprising how he ended up writing one of the funniest books in the history of DC comics.

Keving Maguire does most of the artwork, and his work is fantastic. His character's expressions are so... well... expressive. It really nails the jokes and punchlines in a way no other artist could.

As for this specific TPB edition, its generous in its contents - lots of pages, lots of issues, but the transfers are often very poor, with whole pages of significantly muted colouring, or excessively brightened. The paper quality leaves something to be desired as well. It's not glossy, or even of the sort of paper that has been predominant on the latest DC paperbacks- its worse than that.
Overall, it's an affordable way to get your JLI fix, but more work could an should have gone into it.
I can't really spring for the JLI omnibuses at the moment, so these editons will have to do for now. But a reader would be much much better served with the omnis, as the transfers are miles better, as is the paper quality.

In short, JLI holds up brillaintly for me, and I am really looking forward to diving into the second volume.

Stand outs for me are Batman and Gardner's "feud", the "Blue and Gold" pairing, and Mr. Miracle's and Big Barda's relationship. Really fun stuff.

[Clint · Rating 4 out of 5]

Distinctly of the 80s in a way that doesn’t feel dated or like the pastiches more common now. Two major factors to the plots here are the early days of grappling with recently unregulated TV news as entertainment and the closing days of the Cold War (featuring a paranoid and hollowed out USSR and an Alzheimer’s-y Reagan), but a goofy deadpan sense of humor pervades it all and keeps it feeling light. The irreverently jokey tone and media-riffing reminds me of a less zany precursor to Milligan’s X-Statix.

I also appreciate how sophisticated references get made in passing without feeling pretentious; Herman Melville and Gogol and Ingmar Bergman and David Cronenberg all get humorously alluded to. That might sound stuffy or academic, but the tone of the humor is mostly broad dad jokes that regularly made me smile and laugh. A perfect example is Blue Beetle mouth-fogging up a window on their superjet so he can finger “HELP” after a saboteur sneaks onboard, while several other heroes are fighting the threat. There’s also a hapless Green Lantern who’s given his position thanks to nepotism and assigned a stretch of space that’s thought to be uninhabited.

The inciting conflicts in these issues are typically grand superhero stuff with a few original twists, but the real conflicts are the sitcom farce of interpersonal dynamics on the team, akin to an eight person buddy comedy. I love the cast of mostly B or C list characters despite having no previous attachment to them, and even the occasional A-list cameo from Batman feels much different and looser than any modern version of him.

I’m not generally a fan of old comic art and worried the art might turn me off here, but Maguire’s work here is pretty decent. It still didn’t change my mind in general about older comic art, but I really liked some of his pages and didn’t mind the rest.

[Norman Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories, collected from Justice League #1-6, Justice League International #7-17, Justice League Annual #1, Justice League International Annual #2, and Suicide Squad #13 (covering the span from early 1987 to late 1988), are a bit uneven but are overall quite entertaining. Giffen and DeMatteis seemingly didn't intend for these stories to veer into comedy, but the light tone that they set at the beginning of the run served them well, and their total commitment to humor in the later issues solidified this as an instant classic. I don't think a serious tone with a group of B- and C-Listers would have worked as well. The running gag of Batman hitting Green Lantern Guy Gardner so hard that Gardner flipped from being a total jerk into sickly sweetness is definitely a highlight. The bromance between Booster Gold and Blue Beetle is another highlight. The combination of humor with some excellent action set pieces is close to what Marvel has done with many of its movies, so if you like those movies you'll probably like these stories. (DC might take note that they could do well to incorporate more lightness to their movies--they could make a straight adaptation of these and be very successful, I think.) Kevin Maguire's artwork is excellent, aided by a few other artists doing fill-ins or special issues. This is a hefty volume that ends on a cliffhanger involving Scott Free (Mister Miracle) and his wife Barda, so we will have to check out the next volume to see what happens next.

[Kenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really tricky trying to rate this one. On one hand it's already easily one of my favorite comic runs, such an enjoyable experience. Often hilarious book that just kept getting better the more I acclimated to it. An expansive but concentrated look at the DC universe that I couldn't get enough of.

On the other hand, it's not really a complete "book" telling one story. It's not some crazy thematic masterpiece, and this edition isn't just one story as there are several arcs encapsulated inside, and the final one (my favorite so far) isn't even finished here.

It's kind of like rating a season of a sitcom TV series. Yes, partially in that this is in a lot of ways a sitcom-esque comic, but also in that you just can't compare it to something like a True Detective S1.

Ultimately though, this comic is one of the funnest reading experiences I've had in a long time. Hilarious, unique, at times epic, and an absolute treat for a DC fan looking to dive deeper into this expansive world. Cannot wait to read the rest of this run. 4.5 stars, though the run itself could very well be 5 stars already.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

500+ pages of entertaining 80's superhero comics from a time when the League (and its writers) had a pretty weird sense of humor. The art is great, including some very distinctive 80's fashions, interesting page layouts, and wonderfully expressive faces. That said, the series really doesn't take itself seriously enough some times; experienced heroes sometimes act like amateurs, and novice heroes act like idiots. Other than a few character interactions like the growing friendship between Booster Gold and Blue Beetle, this team doesn't really do a lot of team building; there's a lot more focus on squabbling, particularly the iconic conflict between Batman and Guy Gardner. (Yes, this includes the "one punch" issue, for those who know about that notable moment in DC Comics.) And finally, it's a little hard to get past some of the very dated portrayals of eastern European and Middle Eastern countries. This volume is very much a relic of the comics of the 80's, for good and bad.

[Cybernex007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is some of the best comics you can read, full of humor and action and great crossovers and new characters. I included the bulk of my notes on each issue including in this collection. Quick notes are below. Last number out of 5 includes the rating, if there is a number before that it is the date read. There was a large gap in reading because I had to catch up on he suicide squad first, and I read a lot of other things as well.

Issue #1 - 12/13/24 - 5/5
Issue #2 - 4/5
Issue #3 - 12/14/24 - 4/5
Issue #4 - 5/5
Issue #5 - 5/5
Issue #6 - 4/5
Issue #8 - 12/15/24 - 5/5
Issue #9 - 12/16/24 - 4/5
Issue #10 - 4/5
Issue #11 - 12/17/24 - 5/5
Issue #12 - 5/5
Annual #1 - 4/5
Issue #13 - 4/6/25 - 5/5
Suicide Squad #13 - 4/5
Annual #2 - 4/5
Issue #14 - 4/7/25 - 4/5
Issue #15 - 4/5
Issue #16 - 4/5
Issue #17 - 4/5

[Sarabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun. The storylines were nothing special, and it was a little convoluted at times, but the characters made it enjoyable. The art wasn't my favorite (I'm too used to George Perez and now my standards are high), but the dialogue was frequently quite funny, and I loved all the banter. Batman's interactions with Guy Gardner were hilarious, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle's friendship never ceases to bring me joy, and I loved the introduction of Fire and Ice (sorry, "Green Flame" and "Ice Maiden"). Their shenanigans personify the JLI for me. I'm excited to read the next volume.

Also, Cold War-era superhero comics are interesting to say the least, and this was no exception.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The weird post-crisis Justice League relaunch that had to use a bunch of C-listers cause the Big Boys were unavailable. There's a ton of charm to this, especially when Kevin Maguire is on art- the pages are chock full of goofy facial expressions that really establish the tone of the series and give all these characters really strong personalities. That being said, sometimes the humor of the series can be pretty grating and undercuts the tension of what's actually happening. Still, this is full of Guys You Like To See: Mister Miracle, Big Barda, Guy Gardener, Martian Manhunter, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold... they all get their time to shine.

[Gar Berner · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much personality packed into one book! This collection starts the 'BWAH-HAHA era' of the Justice League and it was refreshing to reread this volume. Some of the jokes hold up and most of the fashions did not. JLI was just a joke machine, it was a serious series with political intrigue and international superhero action. The hero of the run is undoubtedly Keith Giffen, whos layouts (and some full page illustrations) brings a consistency to the series, even when the finish artists vary.

[Amna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and charming. I went in with low expectations since I started reading this as part of my Black Canary deep dive, but ended up loving a number of other characters along the way. The team chemistry’s on point.

The panel of Batman knocking out Guy Gardner is *chef’s kiss*. Booster and Blue Beetle are fun together. Mr. Miracle’s great, especially when Barda’s involved.

[Isaac Bettridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always fun to read a comic run that you realise retrospectively influenced so much stuff that came after. Great cast of characters here and some really compelling stories, a rich look at the DC world in all its weird and wonderful glory. Not all the arcs hit and Guy Gardner is there but on the whole really liked this.

[Darik · Rating 5 out of 5]

... This is about the closest thing to a Legends of Tomorrow comic book we've ever gotten. Except the heroes actually get to use their powers, they're more often than not in costume, and the writers are actually allowed to use Batman.

It's beautiful.

[cc · Rating 4 out of 5]

REAL COMICS

[John Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the intention of this book but found the writing and the humor insufferable, not charming.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

my love for ted is endless
my love for booster is infinite

[Adri Ruzkor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es increible el nivel de humor y acción que tiene este equipo. Creo que ha sido buen punto para mi para empezar a conocer más gente de DC.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe the best super hero comic I've read, and I have read a few.

[Wonk Tonk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guy has the thinnest skull known the man. One bump and his personality will change just like that. He needs a CT scan STAT.

[John Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever the Hells ago this was published
was when I was beginning to realise that the comics world was SO MUCH
MORE!!!!!
than just Marvel heroes punching each other.
That comics could be smart ; clever; full of all the feels ; and about so much more than
just punching.
Giffen and Dematteis create stories that wow and stun.
Creating an. entirely new direction for the DC Heroes.

[Eskana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adds on to the collection of the original JLA/JLI as in Justice League International, Vol.1. The main difference is that Vol. 1 was just the JL (1987) issues 1-6, while this has Also collects Justice League #1-6, Justice League Annual #1, Justice League International Annual #2, and Suicide Squad #13.

A great starting place for people who want to know more about B and C level heroes of DC comics (and where I first learned to love them,) this series sets up a new generation of heroes who are part of the Justice League. They seem to be mostly characters who've had a mixed amount of attention, but here, without bigger heroes to take the spotlight, they get to shine in their own way. But you couldn't exactly call them "super-friends," and for some of them, the teamwork ethic really leaves something to be desired (in a humorous way). The benefit of that is that you get to see them grow over time, and see how much of a punch they really can pack! (makes you wonder where they are these days...) Overall, this is a lighthearted and upbeat action comic, featuring a fun and diverse set of characters who don't bring a lot of drama, but always lift my spirits.

The new members include:
Captain Marvel, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Mister Miracle, Oberon, Martian Manhunter, Black Canary, Batman
Rotating or added members: Dr. Light, Dr. Fate, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Rocket Red, Maxwell Lord, Fire/Green Flame, Ice/Ice Maiden, and a set of guest characters, including the Joker!

Special Features (fun firsts for readers): the formation of the Justice League International, the first meeting of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, Batman punching out Green Lantern, the JLI going up against the Joker