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Justice League Odyssey
Justice League Odyssey (2018-) Vol. 1: The Ghost Sector
When a cosmic menace threatens worlds beyond our own in the Ghost Sector, it falls to a new Justice League team to answer the call to battle! Cyborg, Starfire, Green Lantern Jessica Cruz and an out-of-his-element Azrael head to deep space inside a commandeered Brainiac Skull Ship. These wild-card teammates try to stop Despero from slave-trading Coluan refugees, only to discover something that nothing in the universe could have prepared them for: Darkseid...who says he’s there to help?! Collects issues #1-5, plus a section featuring behind-the-scenes art by Stjepan Sejic!
116 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 21, 2019
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248 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
December 23, 2019
Unsurprisingly for a spinoff to the abysmal Dark Nights: Metal event, Justice League Odyssey is utter drek!
Nobody’s favourite characters - Cyborg, Starfire, Azrael and Jessica Cruz Green Lantern - assemble in the Ghost Sector, a collection of newly-released worlds from Brainiac’s collection because a mysterious voice called them. But - whaaa - each are worshipped as gods on these planets?! And wha Darkseid doing here - wasn’t he a ba-ba a hot minute ago?
Darkseid is the reason I checked this one out as I wanted to see what the dude’s up to these days. Considering how popular Thanos has become these past couple years, it’s amazing that DC haven’t pushed Darkseid - the character Thanos was derived from - more into the spotlight, say, with his own series. I’m not sure how Darkseid went from being a baby to becoming full-grown again (and I don’t care - the answer’s likely bullshit anyway!) but I like his new look and I hope to see him in more books. But I also hope a more talented writer than Joshua Williamson writes him so that he’s more than just the generic baddie he is here.
Stjepan Sejic’s art is the only positive about this book - gorgeous as always, Stjepan - so it’s a shame he only draws the first couple issues before handing off to Philippe Briones and Carmine di Giandomenico. Not that their art is terrible but it’s nowhere near as beguiling.
Williamson’s story is so uninteresting I was forgetting it as I was reading it. I don’t like the characters or the arbitrary way they’re flung together, I don’t care about whatever they’re doing, this new character Rapture seems one-dimensional and contrived - the writing in this just sucks all the way through.
Utterly boring, thoroughly disposable and pointless, Justice League Odyssey is yet another ultra-pants Justice League title.
Nobody’s favourite characters - Cyborg, Starfire, Azrael and Jessica Cruz Green Lantern - assemble in the Ghost Sector, a collection of newly-released worlds from Brainiac’s collection because a mysterious voice called them. But - whaaa - each are worshipped as gods on these planets?! And wha Darkseid doing here - wasn’t he a ba-ba a hot minute ago?
Darkseid is the reason I checked this one out as I wanted to see what the dude’s up to these days. Considering how popular Thanos has become these past couple years, it’s amazing that DC haven’t pushed Darkseid - the character Thanos was derived from - more into the spotlight, say, with his own series. I’m not sure how Darkseid went from being a baby to becoming full-grown again (and I don’t care - the answer’s likely bullshit anyway!) but I like his new look and I hope to see him in more books. But I also hope a more talented writer than Joshua Williamson writes him so that he’s more than just the generic baddie he is here.
Stjepan Sejic’s art is the only positive about this book - gorgeous as always, Stjepan - so it’s a shame he only draws the first couple issues before handing off to Philippe Briones and Carmine di Giandomenico. Not that their art is terrible but it’s nowhere near as beguiling.
Williamson’s story is so uninteresting I was forgetting it as I was reading it. I don’t like the characters or the arbitrary way they’re flung together, I don’t care about whatever they’re doing, this new character Rapture seems one-dimensional and contrived - the writing in this just sucks all the way through.
Utterly boring, thoroughly disposable and pointless, Justice League Odyssey is yet another ultra-pants Justice League title.
July 15, 2019
I thought this was actually a pretty neat idea to spin out of a crummy event Justice League: No Justice. All the planets that Colu shrank have all expanded now and form the Ghost Sector. Starfire, Cyborg, and Azrael are drawn there and Green Lantern Jessica Cruz actually is there to stop them. Azrael makes absolutely no sense in this book as his thing is that he's devoted to God as his avenging angel. Here he's trying to get people to worship him. It's just poor writing, trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. There's a timey- wimey element that Williamson is definitely setting up as well. The reveal in issue 5 is actually kind of cool. I'm hoping the writing and art will tighten up in the next volume as the series has a lot of potential.
Stjepan Šejić creates some awesome character designs. Unfortunately, he only drew the first 2 issues. Phillipe Briones did the next two and his art wasn't as polished as normal. Carmine Di Giandomenico draws the last issue and it's better than his typical acular artwork.
Stjepan Šejić creates some awesome character designs. Unfortunately, he only drew the first 2 issues. Phillipe Briones did the next two and his art wasn't as polished as normal. Carmine Di Giandomenico draws the last issue and it's better than his typical acular artwork.
March 2, 2022
This one was really good!
It starts with Cyborg, Starfire, Azrael and Jess going to the ghost sector and discovering planets there and fighting threats on all sides until they are saved by Darkseid and we see the twist there that these 3 are actually the old gods of the Ghost sector and I love how the writer establishes the mystery already and then we have them go against various threats and what not, Starfire finding her followers, Cyborg meeting the machine people, a fight with Azrael and the coming of Rapture (Azrael's follower) and the twists and turns and the epic fight and what big thing happens with Cyborg and the future he sees of what Darkseid's plans are. Plus Blackfire!
Its an epic volume and from the get go its the art that makes you love this book, the first 2 issues by Sejic are gorgeously illustrated, some of the best in comics and makes the whole thing epic. Its the way its written and drawn is wonderful and then the whole unravelling of the mystery and Darkseid's big plans thats nuts and gorgeous in a good way! A great start to the series overall and I can't wait to read future volumes and also loving the team bonding here already, particularly Jess!
It starts with Cyborg, Starfire, Azrael and Jess going to the ghost sector and discovering planets there and fighting threats on all sides until they are saved by Darkseid and we see the twist there that these 3 are actually the old gods of the Ghost sector and I love how the writer establishes the mystery already and then we have them go against various threats and what not, Starfire finding her followers, Cyborg meeting the machine people, a fight with Azrael and the coming of Rapture (Azrael's follower) and the twists and turns and the epic fight and what big thing happens with Cyborg and the future he sees of what Darkseid's plans are. Plus Blackfire!
Its an epic volume and from the get go its the art that makes you love this book, the first 2 issues by Sejic are gorgeously illustrated, some of the best in comics and makes the whole thing epic. Its the way its written and drawn is wonderful and then the whole unravelling of the mystery and Darkseid's big plans thats nuts and gorgeous in a good way! A great start to the series overall and I can't wait to read future volumes and also loving the team bonding here already, particularly Jess!
March 23, 2020
This was fine. Should be better.
You have an unlikely team with Starfire, Cyborg, Jessica (Green Lantern) and Azurle or however spell his name. Religious Batman dude. Anyway they all go into space because of the events of Justice No More. Why? Who knows. But they find out people look up to them like gods and then they are unsure of themselves. BUT wait, Darkseid is here, why!? The mystery builds as a heroes try to band together to save the universe.
The art is pretty. The fights are cool. Some fun interactions, especially with Jessica. But this is the most typical superhero comic I've read in awhile. Band together, break apart, come back together, save the day. Lame. Darkseid was cool though.
I'll check out volume 2 down the line because I heard it gets better. But this is just a 2.5 out of 5.
You have an unlikely team with Starfire, Cyborg, Jessica (Green Lantern) and Azurle or however spell his name. Religious Batman dude. Anyway they all go into space because of the events of Justice No More. Why? Who knows. But they find out people look up to them like gods and then they are unsure of themselves. BUT wait, Darkseid is here, why!? The mystery builds as a heroes try to band together to save the universe.
The art is pretty. The fights are cool. Some fun interactions, especially with Jessica. But this is the most typical superhero comic I've read in awhile. Band together, break apart, come back together, save the day. Lame. Darkseid was cool though.
I'll check out volume 2 down the line because I heard it gets better. But this is just a 2.5 out of 5.
May 19, 2019
This book was plagued with re-writes and re-draws even before it launched, which explains why this first volume isn't quite as strong as the other Justice League titles are right now. Cyborg, Starfire, Azrael, Jessica Cruz, and Darkseid find themselves in the middle of a millenia-long plot featuring all of the missing planets that were captured by Brainiac, and now only they can save the Ghost Sector and possibly the entire universe as well.
It's a solid idea, and there's a lot more under the surface, but it takes a while to get to it. It does feel like it's being made up as it goes along, and I think that's just a symptom of the book not getting to hit the ground running as it would have done if the behind-the-scenes stuff had been ironed out entirely to start with.
The artwork's not bad, although Stejpan Sejic doesn't get to hang around quite as much as I'd have liked. Carmine Di Giandomenico is a good fit though, while Phillipe Briones does his best to keep up with the pair of them.
Not a bad start, but definitely not reaching its potential just yet. I can confirm however that the current volume (which is about halfway through) is a vast improvement, so it's definitely worth sticking with it for now.
It's a solid idea, and there's a lot more under the surface, but it takes a while to get to it. It does feel like it's being made up as it goes along, and I think that's just a symptom of the book not getting to hit the ground running as it would have done if the behind-the-scenes stuff had been ironed out entirely to start with.
The artwork's not bad, although Stejpan Sejic doesn't get to hang around quite as much as I'd have liked. Carmine Di Giandomenico is a good fit though, while Phillipe Briones does his best to keep up with the pair of them.
Not a bad start, but definitely not reaching its potential just yet. I can confirm however that the current volume (which is about halfway through) is a vast improvement, so it's definitely worth sticking with it for now.
March 6, 2019
Decent start to DC's new cosmic book (and WAY better than Marvel's similar Asgardians of the Galaxy title). Just a few notes on this one:
I like Darkseid's new look.
I thought Azrael was super religious? He's running around like "I finally get my own worshippers, haha!". I don't know a ton about him, but this seems a little out of character from the little bit that I have read about him.
I like Darkseid's new look.
I thought Azrael was super religious? He's running around like "I finally get my own worshippers, haha!". I don't know a ton about him, but this seems a little out of character from the little bit that I have read about him.
May 7, 2019
By far the worse of the new JL titles.
World: The art is not good, I love Sejic and he killed in Aquaman but the first two issues looked rushed, the line work was less detailed and the backgrounds looked simple and basic. The facial expressions were still there but Starfire’s hair is a perfect example of the lack of detail in the art and it’s not Sejic quality at all. The rest of the issues are just as bad they are bland and scratchy, with the last issue taking the cake. I know I don’t like the Williamson Flash art and this is that and wow is it every muddled and scratchy. The world building here is really suspect and takes a lot of logic leaps “because comics” and “because the writer wanted it” moments for this story to work. I don’t really know how to express it without spoilers but Grant Morrison already laid out very clearly where New Genesis and Apokolips existed outside of the DC Multiverse in “Multiversity” and that how there is only ONE even in the 52 DC universes, it’s canon, it’s established, it’s clearly known and talked about in DC books and most recently Dark Nights Metal also acknowledged it but now why is Williamson doing this entire premise with Darkseid that is completely different but also completely pointless? The problem with the world building is that this major fact is the anchor in which this entire book exists and it’s already wrong. Then there is the fact of the internal logic of how the Lost Sector works and how these new worlds works and the way time is portrayed in this new world and how it all works with the these ‘Old Gods’ that the book talks of. It’s all timey wimey bull that if written well would make internal logical sense, but it’s not here it is just a collection of half baked ideas that makes no sense at all and the world therefore is really just not created properly.
Story: If the premise and the world itself does not make any sense how can the story make sense? Add to that the drive for the characters (which I’ll get to below) is spotty at best and you have a really poorly written book that barely makes any sense at all. The idea of a group entering the lost sector makes sense, it’s not difficult to imagine that JL sending a group into it to make sure it’s okay, same with the GL Corps, that makes sense but nope Williamson says that they are not allowed to enter and that only 1 sentry was set up outside the sector by the GL Corps...why?????? When they do enter, big surprise, the way they get in, the idea of what they do there and the Old Gods and the Darkseid stuff, all of it makes no sense. How does time work in there? Why are they worshiping these ‘Old Gods’ what does it tie together? It’s preposterous when you read the book, and it makes no sense that argh I don’t even want to talk about it. The dialog is bad, the world building is bad, the writing and pacing is bad, the premise is idiotic. This could have been a very straightforward adventure, action adventure space opera tale in a new and undiscovered sector, that would have been fun, but no...this book wants to be something more and grander and bigger than it should be without even doing the homework to set up this sector in the first place. I’ve said that Williamson is a bad writer and this is another example of it.
Characters: Wow these characters don’t sound and act like themselves at all. I have had issue with Williamson in his writing for the Flash books and saying that those characters are off and not written correctly and this is the case here. Bringing this group of characters together was really spotty and iffy logically but let’s get past that and just listen to what words come out of their mouths and also the choices that they make in these 5 issues and you will want to rip the book apart. Cyborg is not like that, he’s not that dumb. John Paul Valley is not like that, he’s not that dumb. Jessica is not like that, she’s not that dumb. Kori is not like that she’s not that dumb. They are also not completely opposite of what they are as characters in all other books except this one.
I hate this series, it’s poorly written, it’s not thought out properly, the world building is lazy and the character work is atrocious. Williamson is the new Lobdell of the DC (where Lobdell was racist and sexist...Williamson is just a lazy writer).
Onward to the next book!
*read individual issues*
World: The art is not good, I love Sejic and he killed in Aquaman but the first two issues looked rushed, the line work was less detailed and the backgrounds looked simple and basic. The facial expressions were still there but Starfire’s hair is a perfect example of the lack of detail in the art and it’s not Sejic quality at all. The rest of the issues are just as bad they are bland and scratchy, with the last issue taking the cake. I know I don’t like the Williamson Flash art and this is that and wow is it every muddled and scratchy. The world building here is really suspect and takes a lot of logic leaps “because comics” and “because the writer wanted it” moments for this story to work. I don’t really know how to express it without spoilers but Grant Morrison already laid out very clearly where New Genesis and Apokolips existed outside of the DC Multiverse in “Multiversity” and that how there is only ONE even in the 52 DC universes, it’s canon, it’s established, it’s clearly known and talked about in DC books and most recently Dark Nights Metal also acknowledged it but now why is Williamson doing this entire premise with Darkseid that is completely different but also completely pointless? The problem with the world building is that this major fact is the anchor in which this entire book exists and it’s already wrong. Then there is the fact of the internal logic of how the Lost Sector works and how these new worlds works and the way time is portrayed in this new world and how it all works with the these ‘Old Gods’ that the book talks of. It’s all timey wimey bull that if written well would make internal logical sense, but it’s not here it is just a collection of half baked ideas that makes no sense at all and the world therefore is really just not created properly.
Story: If the premise and the world itself does not make any sense how can the story make sense? Add to that the drive for the characters (which I’ll get to below) is spotty at best and you have a really poorly written book that barely makes any sense at all. The idea of a group entering the lost sector makes sense, it’s not difficult to imagine that JL sending a group into it to make sure it’s okay, same with the GL Corps, that makes sense but nope Williamson says that they are not allowed to enter and that only 1 sentry was set up outside the sector by the GL Corps...why?????? When they do enter, big surprise, the way they get in, the idea of what they do there and the Old Gods and the Darkseid stuff, all of it makes no sense. How does time work in there? Why are they worshiping these ‘Old Gods’ what does it tie together? It’s preposterous when you read the book, and it makes no sense that argh I don’t even want to talk about it. The dialog is bad, the world building is bad, the writing and pacing is bad, the premise is idiotic. This could have been a very straightforward adventure, action adventure space opera tale in a new and undiscovered sector, that would have been fun, but no...this book wants to be something more and grander and bigger than it should be without even doing the homework to set up this sector in the first place. I’ve said that Williamson is a bad writer and this is another example of it.
Characters: Wow these characters don’t sound and act like themselves at all. I have had issue with Williamson in his writing for the Flash books and saying that those characters are off and not written correctly and this is the case here. Bringing this group of characters together was really spotty and iffy logically but let’s get past that and just listen to what words come out of their mouths and also the choices that they make in these 5 issues and you will want to rip the book apart. Cyborg is not like that, he’s not that dumb. John Paul Valley is not like that, he’s not that dumb. Jessica is not like that, she’s not that dumb. Kori is not like that she’s not that dumb. They are also not completely opposite of what they are as characters in all other books except this one.
I hate this series, it’s poorly written, it’s not thought out properly, the world building is lazy and the character work is atrocious. Williamson is the new Lobdell of the DC (where Lobdell was racist and sexist...Williamson is just a lazy writer).
Onward to the next book!
*read individual issues*
May 28, 2019
Great premise: The Justice League: No Justice series released a bunch of Ghost Worlds, and now some members of the Justice League need to explore them, out of guilt, loyalty, or desire to find home.
Great setting: A whole sector of worlds previously lost to the galaxy.
Great mystery: why were these precise worlds taken by the Coluans?
And, from there, it pretty much falls apart. The Justice League is made up of C-grade heroes: Azrael, Cyborg, Starfire, and Green Lantern #6 (Jessica Bey). And they don't really get much characterization.
The worlds get even less detail than a one-note Star Wars planet.
Darkseid, who was a big draw for this series as the fifth member, pretty much fades away.
And then after five issues of pointless meandering we get a kinda dumb answer to our big mystery.
The whole lots-of-Justice-Leagues idea was always a bit iffy, but this was worse than anticipated.
Great setting: A whole sector of worlds previously lost to the galaxy.
Great mystery: why were these precise worlds taken by the Coluans?
And, from there, it pretty much falls apart. The Justice League is made up of C-grade heroes: Azrael, Cyborg, Starfire, and Green Lantern #6 (Jessica Bey). And they don't really get much characterization.
The worlds get even less detail than a one-note Star Wars planet.
Darkseid, who was a big draw for this series as the fifth member, pretty much fades away.
And then after five issues of pointless meandering we get a kinda dumb answer to our big mystery.
The whole lots-of-Justice-Leagues idea was always a bit iffy, but this was worse than anticipated.
January 22, 2023
Not bad for a cast of C list characters. This team handles the cosmic adventures in the newly created Ghost Sector of the universe. Apparently three of the team are worshipped as gods on different worlds. Darkseid is presiding over most of their quest - fir good or evil is not known.
July 26, 2019
Justice League Odyssey was better than I expected. It is made up of Cyborg, some random female GL named Jess, Azrael (yeah the guy from Batman's Knightfall era) and Starfire are wandering around a place called the "Ghost Sector". So apparently these JLs unleashed a bunch of trouble when they stole Brainiac's ship and released his mini-worlds. Now the various planets seem to worship the JL's as gods.
On top of this nonsense, we have Darkseid, sporting a new look, running around trying to help save the end of the universe (sounds like Thanos). Of course, this is not his reasoning but I will not spoil it. While this sounds very convoluted and not very good, the strange setting for the story and the odd chemistry between the members of this JL made this an interesting story. Also Darkseid's machinations made for some interesting reading as well. By no means is this some magnum opus, but relative to much of the dreck that is out there in the comic market this was a good read.
I must point out that the artwork for the first three issues is quite good. Credit to Stjepan Sejic for a nice smooth art style, it works very well for the colors to make a very attractive art style. Sadly they went away from Mr. Sejic and the artists for the final issues were not quite as good (though not terrible either) and that is a shame.
So an interesting story, set in an odd setting, with a weird group dynamics going on all add up to a good three star JL story. I think most JL fans will enjoy this.
On top of this nonsense, we have Darkseid, sporting a new look, running around trying to help save the end of the universe (sounds like Thanos). Of course, this is not his reasoning but I will not spoil it. While this sounds very convoluted and not very good, the strange setting for the story and the odd chemistry between the members of this JL made this an interesting story. Also Darkseid's machinations made for some interesting reading as well. By no means is this some magnum opus, but relative to much of the dreck that is out there in the comic market this was a good read.
I must point out that the artwork for the first three issues is quite good. Credit to Stjepan Sejic for a nice smooth art style, it works very well for the colors to make a very attractive art style. Sadly they went away from Mr. Sejic and the artists for the final issues were not quite as good (though not terrible either) and that is a shame.
So an interesting story, set in an odd setting, with a weird group dynamics going on all add up to a good three star JL story. I think most JL fans will enjoy this.
September 5, 2019
4
I enjoyed this spin-off from the central Justice League series. Joshua Williamson has been a name that I came across with the excellent Nail-biter series from Image Comics, check it out. He tends to not hold back with the violence and story beats. I enjoyed the artwork and the story was unfolding with a kicker conclusion. I had seen this had mixed reviews here, but I actually liked it and can't wait for volume 2.
Why the 4?
Interesting concepts and a plotline that has room to grow. The introduction of a core villain was an interesting idea and one that delivers towards the end of the volume. The characters were a fun idea, they aren't your normal everyday characters so a volume that has them right in the front line was a great idea. Joshua Williamson has delivered a solid introduction and there is room to grow.
I enjoyed this spin-off from the central Justice League series. Joshua Williamson has been a name that I came across with the excellent Nail-biter series from Image Comics, check it out. He tends to not hold back with the violence and story beats. I enjoyed the artwork and the story was unfolding with a kicker conclusion. I had seen this had mixed reviews here, but I actually liked it and can't wait for volume 2.
Why the 4?
Interesting concepts and a plotline that has room to grow. The introduction of a core villain was an interesting idea and one that delivers towards the end of the volume. The characters were a fun idea, they aren't your normal everyday characters so a volume that has them right in the front line was a great idea. Joshua Williamson has delivered a solid introduction and there is room to grow.
January 25, 2021
I feel like a lot of the reviews for this book are... cynical. i loved this book. bummed the artist changed after issue 2 but i love a good space story and starfire is one of my absolute favorite characters. i like how it's following up on justice league no justice (which honestly wasn't a bad event. like come on people we had to deal with futures end in the new 52 and Trinity war and forever evil were forgettable).
i just wish the ending wasn't that much of a cliffhanger but it's comics.
i just wish the ending wasn't that much of a cliffhanger but it's comics.
April 17, 2019
Basic Plot: An odd conglomeration of JLA members heads into the Ghost Sector to find the source of a strange voice.
This is an odd conglomeration of heroes, and they don't really gel together terribly well. They all have separate agendas, and Azrael is just obnoxious. Cyborg and Starfire work decently well, but Jessica Cruz just feels tacked on. The concept is good- Darkseid looking to bring back Apokolips, and using people to do so, but the execution isn't really coming together fully for me. The art is really quite good- vivid and detailed.
This is an odd conglomeration of heroes, and they don't really gel together terribly well. They all have separate agendas, and Azrael is just obnoxious. Cyborg and Starfire work decently well, but Jessica Cruz just feels tacked on. The concept is good- Darkseid looking to bring back Apokolips, and using people to do so, but the execution isn't really coming together fully for me. The art is really quite good- vivid and detailed.
August 2, 2019
3.5 Stars.
Following the destruction of Colu in "Justice League: No Justice", all of the planets that had been shrunk down and collected there were able to come back, albeit in a very tight cluster. The Guardians of Oa have named this "The Ghost Sector", and always have one Green Lantern protecting it. At the beginning of this Volume, it happens to be Jessica Cruz's turn. One day on patrol, one of Brainiac's ships (the one that was being kept in the Hall of Justice) enters Ghost Sector space and Jess must go to bring it down. Imagine her surprise when she finds Cyborg, Starfire, and Azrael on board, all coming to the sector in response to a "guiding voice". Unfortunately, that "voice" is coming from Darkseid. He tells them that the worlds of the Ghost Sector should have never been released due to the power that comes from them and their worship of the "Old Gods": The Goddess, The Machine, and The Angel.
Darkseid's plan is for them to claim their rightful place in the Ghost Sector:
The Goddess - Starfire, brought to find her home planet of Tamaran
The Machine - Cyborg, brought because of his close connection with Darkseid from Mother Boxes
The Angel - Azrael, brought because of his desperation to find purpose after his time with Batman
The rogue element in the equation is Jessica, and Darkseid isn't happy about it.
They eventually find a reason that he didn't share with them: the Multiverse Key. It seems to be a control to not only our universe, but to many in the multiverse. Regardless of what it exactly does, we are shown that it is a very powerful artifact.
They each get the opportunity to meet their followers. In a temple, Starfire (seeing a hug statue of herself) has one of "her priests" sacrifice himself to pass on his knowledge to her. When they escape that world and go to another (based on the recommendation of a "holy man", who was actually Darkseid in disguise), Cyborg gets a taste of his followers too. Huge statues and many Coluans who are trying to become cyborgs in their own right. Azrael has the most dangerous of the followers: Rapture, a trained assassin who is trying to murder them.
Part of Darkseid's plan is revealed: giving ownership of Tamaran to Blackfire (Starfire's sister), he is able to find the "Other Box", an artifact that looks like a bio-organic version of a Mother Box. The artifacts he's accumulating in the Ghost Sector are going to enable him to make New Apokolips.
The whole Volume has a lot to it and is difficult for me to process completely. I like the dynamic of the team, but I wonder if this title is going to have ramifications for other titles or for continuity. Will this unfortunately become one of Darkseid's failed schemes? I'm beginning to feel like Darkseid is becoming DC's version of Marvel's 90's Apocalypse. In the 1990's, every time something huge was happening, it was Apocalypse's fault. Darkseid is becoming overused, at least in my opinion.
I will continue with this title, but I hope we get to see a stronger level of impact and chaos for the characters. Recommend, but with slight hesitation.
Following the destruction of Colu in "Justice League: No Justice", all of the planets that had been shrunk down and collected there were able to come back, albeit in a very tight cluster. The Guardians of Oa have named this "The Ghost Sector", and always have one Green Lantern protecting it. At the beginning of this Volume, it happens to be Jessica Cruz's turn. One day on patrol, one of Brainiac's ships (the one that was being kept in the Hall of Justice) enters Ghost Sector space and Jess must go to bring it down. Imagine her surprise when she finds Cyborg, Starfire, and Azrael on board, all coming to the sector in response to a "guiding voice". Unfortunately, that "voice" is coming from Darkseid. He tells them that the worlds of the Ghost Sector should have never been released due to the power that comes from them and their worship of the "Old Gods": The Goddess, The Machine, and The Angel.
Darkseid's plan is for them to claim their rightful place in the Ghost Sector:
The Goddess - Starfire, brought to find her home planet of Tamaran
The Machine - Cyborg, brought because of his close connection with Darkseid from Mother Boxes
The Angel - Azrael, brought because of his desperation to find purpose after his time with Batman
The rogue element in the equation is Jessica, and Darkseid isn't happy about it.
They eventually find a reason that he didn't share with them: the Multiverse Key. It seems to be a control to not only our universe, but to many in the multiverse. Regardless of what it exactly does, we are shown that it is a very powerful artifact.
They each get the opportunity to meet their followers. In a temple, Starfire (seeing a hug statue of herself) has one of "her priests" sacrifice himself to pass on his knowledge to her. When they escape that world and go to another (based on the recommendation of a "holy man", who was actually Darkseid in disguise), Cyborg gets a taste of his followers too. Huge statues and many Coluans who are trying to become cyborgs in their own right. Azrael has the most dangerous of the followers: Rapture, a trained assassin who is trying to murder them.
Part of Darkseid's plan is revealed: giving ownership of Tamaran to Blackfire (Starfire's sister), he is able to find the "Other Box", an artifact that looks like a bio-organic version of a Mother Box. The artifacts he's accumulating in the Ghost Sector are going to enable him to make New Apokolips.
The whole Volume has a lot to it and is difficult for me to process completely. I like the dynamic of the team, but I wonder if this title is going to have ramifications for other titles or for continuity. Will this unfortunately become one of Darkseid's failed schemes? I'm beginning to feel like Darkseid is becoming DC's version of Marvel's 90's Apocalypse. In the 1990's, every time something huge was happening, it was Apocalypse's fault. Darkseid is becoming overused, at least in my opinion.
I will continue with this title, but I hope we get to see a stronger level of impact and chaos for the characters. Recommend, but with slight hesitation.
May 4, 2020
I've been collecting DC at about 7 TPB per month for 3 or 4 years now... so maybe 250 books, though I haven't reviewed nearly all the books I read.
Most of my collecting has been between the 90s til Rebirth, I own very few books of the present DC Universe run. I have read some of Metal books and I know that something big is coming, another major event or reboot.
G5 is getting thrown around a lot and people believe a major shake down is coming and will alter the status of major heroes. A new timeline. New Generation.
Lately I've been wanting to collect more female lead books, Power Girl, Supergirl, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Huntress, Starfire...
I'd already read Justice League Vol 1 The Totality... which heavily hinted at Nth Metal and its effect on the Multiverse--
So after doing some digging I ordered Justice League Dark Vol 1 The Age of Magic -- Specifically because I wanted Wonder Woman at her best, and I was not disappointed, JL Dark was 5 star awesome. This book focused on magical implications towards the state of the universe and WW direct role.
Jessica Cruz was a character I wanted to read, being a fan of the Green Lantern Corps in general, I thought a cool female character would be good, her debut in Green Lanterns Rage Planet wasn't so strong but I'd already ordered JL Odyssey Vol 1 Ghost Sector so I was looking for redemption.
Interestingly even though I didn't plan it these books are categorized in a Reading Order very much how I read them.
Reading Order
New Justice Begins!
Justice League: No Justice
Following the events of Dark Nights: Metal (READ), the Justice League lineup of comics rebranded with new core rosters under the “New Justice” umbrella. The “No Justice” mini kicked things off, and leads to three core titles: Justice League, Justice League Dark, and Justice League Odyssey.
Justice League Vol. 1: The Totality (READ)
Justice League Vol. 2: Graveyard of Gods
Justice League Odyssey Vol. 1: The Ghost (READ)
Justice League Dark Vol. 1: The Last Age of Magic (READ)
Justice League/Aquaman: Drowned Earth
Wonder Woman & the Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour (READING SOON)
Justice League Vol. 3: Hawkworld
For me personally I will continue to follow the Justice League story arc, making Graveyard Gods, and Hawkworld soon to be collect.
But by far the Justice League Dark story arc is where I'm gonna focus my attetion. This book was masterfully written, Detective Chimp, Wonder Woman, and Constantine especially standing out. So The Witching Hour is for sure next on my list.
So what of JL Odyssey... the book as is may only really merit 3 stars but I gave it 4 because sometimes arcs take a bit to get going. The idea of certain characters being Gods of these bottled planets just wasn't executed quite right but I felt the last issue did feel like it sorta redeemed the kind of boring first 4 issues, but then the epilogue sort of made me not want to continue this story. It's a shame Starfire is also drawn hyper conservatively. I'm all for variety so why can't the traditionally more sexualized heroines retain their looks... any case Starfire in any incarnations of art can't save a kindof lame story idea.
If you want a strong female lead DC comic, go with Justice League Dark.
Most of my collecting has been between the 90s til Rebirth, I own very few books of the present DC Universe run. I have read some of Metal books and I know that something big is coming, another major event or reboot.
G5 is getting thrown around a lot and people believe a major shake down is coming and will alter the status of major heroes. A new timeline. New Generation.
Lately I've been wanting to collect more female lead books, Power Girl, Supergirl, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Huntress, Starfire...
I'd already read Justice League Vol 1 The Totality... which heavily hinted at Nth Metal and its effect on the Multiverse--
So after doing some digging I ordered Justice League Dark Vol 1 The Age of Magic -- Specifically because I wanted Wonder Woman at her best, and I was not disappointed, JL Dark was 5 star awesome. This book focused on magical implications towards the state of the universe and WW direct role.
Jessica Cruz was a character I wanted to read, being a fan of the Green Lantern Corps in general, I thought a cool female character would be good, her debut in Green Lanterns Rage Planet wasn't so strong but I'd already ordered JL Odyssey Vol 1 Ghost Sector so I was looking for redemption.
Interestingly even though I didn't plan it these books are categorized in a Reading Order very much how I read them.
Reading Order
New Justice Begins!
Justice League: No Justice
Following the events of Dark Nights: Metal (READ), the Justice League lineup of comics rebranded with new core rosters under the “New Justice” umbrella. The “No Justice” mini kicked things off, and leads to three core titles: Justice League, Justice League Dark, and Justice League Odyssey.
Justice League Vol. 1: The Totality (READ)
Justice League Vol. 2: Graveyard of Gods
Justice League Odyssey Vol. 1: The Ghost (READ)
Justice League Dark Vol. 1: The Last Age of Magic (READ)
Justice League/Aquaman: Drowned Earth
Wonder Woman & the Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour (READING SOON)
Justice League Vol. 3: Hawkworld
For me personally I will continue to follow the Justice League story arc, making Graveyard Gods, and Hawkworld soon to be collect.
But by far the Justice League Dark story arc is where I'm gonna focus my attetion. This book was masterfully written, Detective Chimp, Wonder Woman, and Constantine especially standing out. So The Witching Hour is for sure next on my list.
So what of JL Odyssey... the book as is may only really merit 3 stars but I gave it 4 because sometimes arcs take a bit to get going. The idea of certain characters being Gods of these bottled planets just wasn't executed quite right but I felt the last issue did feel like it sorta redeemed the kind of boring first 4 issues, but then the epilogue sort of made me not want to continue this story. It's a shame Starfire is also drawn hyper conservatively. I'm all for variety so why can't the traditionally more sexualized heroines retain their looks... any case Starfire in any incarnations of art can't save a kindof lame story idea.
If you want a strong female lead DC comic, go with Justice League Dark.
February 25, 2024
3.5! Joshua Williamson wrote a fantastic start here giving us a Justice League tackling outer-space in godly and mythic proportions with strong art throughout to boot. I enjoy the concept of both a space-focused Justice League and how its executed where they The cast is handled fairly well though some seem focused on a bit less like Azrael (who is written surprisingly floofy and dorky for a character I've assumed was edgier) although that looks like it'll be fixed soon.
Art-wise we get three different main artists. Sejic does issue 1 and 2. His style is slick and feels hi-def. He takes advantage of digital art to create a nice rendering style and his use of digital art for the backgrounds or others details is amazing! Some bits are done without pencils or inks but just done in color from the get-go especially for the amazing background work and pictures of planets. Its got nice tricks to look super detailed even if certain bits aren't. That's not bad. That's great and shows their skill at leading your eye and not needing to render everything for a complete detailed drawing. Issues 3 and 4 are Briones who has a more classical rendering style with lots of thin-lined cross hatching. Issue 5 was handled by Giandomenico who is like a mix of the two with a bit more Briones in how characters are drawn but with the cool digital art for backgrounds or big objects like Sejic.
Art-wise we get three different main artists. Sejic does issue 1 and 2. His style is slick and feels hi-def. He takes advantage of digital art to create a nice rendering style and his use of digital art for the backgrounds or others details is amazing! Some bits are done without pencils or inks but just done in color from the get-go especially for the amazing background work and pictures of planets. Its got nice tricks to look super detailed even if certain bits aren't. That's not bad. That's great and shows their skill at leading your eye and not needing to render everything for a complete detailed drawing. Issues 3 and 4 are Briones who has a more classical rendering style with lots of thin-lined cross hatching. Issue 5 was handled by Giandomenico who is like a mix of the two with a bit more Briones in how characters are drawn but with the cool digital art for backgrounds or big objects like Sejic.
June 30, 2020
While I don't think Williamson's Flash is the cream of the crop, I am enjoying it, so I decided to give this a shot. What a disappointment.
The impetus for Cyborg heading into space is ridiculous and that's a perfect representation of everything in this volume: boiler plate superhero story elements are thrown at the characters, who then respond in ridiculous ways in order to move the plot along. The dialogue is cliche, story elements pulled from countless others (heroes are forced into an arena where they have to fight to survive, for example), and once the true plot is revealed..."duh". Gee, didn't see that coming.
Maybe good for young adults who haven't read a lot of comics, but otherwise there isn't much depth to it.
The impetus for Cyborg heading into space is ridiculous and that's a perfect representation of everything in this volume: boiler plate superhero story elements are thrown at the characters, who then respond in ridiculous ways in order to move the plot along. The dialogue is cliche, story elements pulled from countless others (heroes are forced into an arena where they have to fight to survive, for example), and once the true plot is revealed..."duh". Gee, didn't see that coming.
Maybe good for young adults who haven't read a lot of comics, but otherwise there isn't much depth to it.
August 9, 2020
Tinha medo de começar pelo nome joshua willianson que n curti nada a fase do flash mas como vi que os próximos volumes serão feitos pelo dan abnet decidi ingressar e ir a diante a arte esta muito boa no início e no final cai um pouco pq entra a arte do flash que não curto mas vamos ver o próximo volume pq eu amo a lanterna jessica e ela foi um grande ponto para eu pegar essa edição. No final o saldo foi positivo a história lembra uma vibe guardiões no sentido de ser uma odisseia no espaço e muito boa com a presença de darkside.
Um ponto é que não conhecia o personagem azrael que curti bastante e to com vontade de ler a queda do morcego oque me incentivou mais aindaa, bem vamos nessa rumo ao volumes dois (falta comprar ahaha)
Um ponto é que não conhecia o personagem azrael que curti bastante e to com vontade de ler a queda do morcego oque me incentivou mais aindaa, bem vamos nessa rumo ao volumes dois (falta comprar ahaha)
September 3, 2023
Has anyone written a good Darkseid story since 2008? Is it even still possible? The tiger force at the heart of all things shows up here to manipulate a motley selection of DC heroes into doing something or other that will let him rebuild Apokolips. He has white on black speech bubbles to show he’s a heavy guy - nothing else about him suggests it.
Marvel and DC have been doing these “a bunch of random characters in a team” books since the 1970s; more fool me for imagining this might be one of the handful of good ones - even the fairly attractive art is soon weighed down by an overload of digital and colouring effects. Absolute junk.
Marvel and DC have been doing these “a bunch of random characters in a team” books since the 1970s; more fool me for imagining this might be one of the handful of good ones - even the fairly attractive art is soon weighed down by an overload of digital and colouring effects. Absolute junk.
May 26, 2019
I've become a Williamson fanboy so a bit biased with this. The art changing styles was annoying.
October 28, 2020
The main attraction is reading a story involving "lesser" characters..Cyborg , Starfire , Azrael and Jessica Cruz.
The story ..so far..not so much
The story ..so far..not so much
December 5, 2019
Remember the Bottle City of Kandor?
Long time Superman fans, including those of us who have gone back and read the Silver Age Supeman know about this shrunken city that was stolen from Krypton by Brainiac. While this made sense in the Silver Age, the idea of Brainiac shrinking the city didn't always make sense, and writers since the first appearance of Kandor in 1958 have been trying to explain away why Brainiac would want to do this.
As I stated in my recent review of Justice League: No Justice , I actually have been reading this saga backwards. My attraction to this book was because of the inclusion of Darkseid, who is one of my favorite DC villains. What you learn very early on here is that a Justice League team of Cyborg, Starfire (both Teen Titans mainstays), Azrael (gotta have some Bat-stuff) and a Green Lantern named Jessica Cruz that I was previously not familiar with (she doesn't appear in the Geoff Johns Green Lantern I have been binge-reading of late.) The "Ghost Sector" referenced in the title of this volume is a collection of planets that had been shrunk by Brainiac's race the Coluans (now explaining where he got the Kandor idea) that were restored during the events of No Justice. There is a secret about why the Coluans shrunk these planets in particular and Darkseid seems to know it and he wants to lend his aid to the obviously skeptical "Justice League" in the process.
Justice League Odyssey is one of three Justice League related titles spun out of the No Justice mini-series, with No Justice co-writer Joshua Williamson taking the reigns on this series, which promises to be a cosmic epic along the lines of something like The Infinity Gauntlet. Like with No Justice, Williamson is not even breaking new ground with these characters in this situation, as this sort of tenuous Darkseid-Justice League alliance is at the core of Jim Starlin's Cosmic Odyssey. Both series seem hell bent on referencing Homer's epic, perhaps to set expectations for readers. However, it seems like DC is going to give Williamson a long leash here if the book is successful (issue #15 just got published, but Dan Abnett, who has written cosmic fare in the pages of Legion of Super-Heroes and Guardians of the Galaxy, took over the book with the issue following the last one in this collection) and I think this is the preferred way to treat an "Odyssey." While Starlin's Cosmic Odyssey was printed in a four issue prestige format with no ads (which was honestly odd for the times) an "Odyssey" can feel rushed when limited to 128 pages (especially for those of us who have read the actual Odyssey!)
With this in mind, while I found this book enjoyable, it spends most of its time setting up the premise of the book, which is effectively to explain why this is a Justice League book. I'm not sure that the book succeeds in that, but there is the seed of something interesting here, and given that Darkseid is going to be a constant presence (and the fact that Abnett took over for the issues that appear in the next collection), I'm willing to give this book another shot now that we're past all of the expository stuff.
Long time Superman fans, including those of us who have gone back and read the Silver Age Supeman know about this shrunken city that was stolen from Krypton by Brainiac. While this made sense in the Silver Age, the idea of Brainiac shrinking the city didn't always make sense, and writers since the first appearance of Kandor in 1958 have been trying to explain away why Brainiac would want to do this.
As I stated in my recent review of Justice League: No Justice , I actually have been reading this saga backwards. My attraction to this book was because of the inclusion of Darkseid, who is one of my favorite DC villains. What you learn very early on here is that a Justice League team of Cyborg, Starfire (both Teen Titans mainstays), Azrael (gotta have some Bat-stuff) and a Green Lantern named Jessica Cruz that I was previously not familiar with (she doesn't appear in the Geoff Johns Green Lantern I have been binge-reading of late.) The "Ghost Sector" referenced in the title of this volume is a collection of planets that had been shrunk by Brainiac's race the Coluans (now explaining where he got the Kandor idea) that were restored during the events of No Justice. There is a secret about why the Coluans shrunk these planets in particular and Darkseid seems to know it and he wants to lend his aid to the obviously skeptical "Justice League" in the process.
Justice League Odyssey is one of three Justice League related titles spun out of the No Justice mini-series, with No Justice co-writer Joshua Williamson taking the reigns on this series, which promises to be a cosmic epic along the lines of something like The Infinity Gauntlet. Like with No Justice, Williamson is not even breaking new ground with these characters in this situation, as this sort of tenuous Darkseid-Justice League alliance is at the core of Jim Starlin's Cosmic Odyssey. Both series seem hell bent on referencing Homer's epic, perhaps to set expectations for readers. However, it seems like DC is going to give Williamson a long leash here if the book is successful (issue #15 just got published, but Dan Abnett, who has written cosmic fare in the pages of Legion of Super-Heroes and Guardians of the Galaxy, took over the book with the issue following the last one in this collection) and I think this is the preferred way to treat an "Odyssey." While Starlin's Cosmic Odyssey was printed in a four issue prestige format with no ads (which was honestly odd for the times) an "Odyssey" can feel rushed when limited to 128 pages (especially for those of us who have read the actual Odyssey!)
With this in mind, while I found this book enjoyable, it spends most of its time setting up the premise of the book, which is effectively to explain why this is a Justice League book. I'm not sure that the book succeeds in that, but there is the seed of something interesting here, and given that Darkseid is going to be a constant presence (and the fact that Abnett took over for the issues that appear in the next collection), I'm willing to give this book another shot now that we're past all of the expository stuff.
April 22, 2020
This book was quite frankly a hot mess that leaves the reader very confused and ends on a cliffhanger. Furthermore, I find it rather deceptive to call this a Justice League book when only 40% of the main characters are actually in the Justice League. I also did not like that they change artists between chapters in this graphic novel. Overall, this book was just very sloppily done.
August 11, 2019
I was super excited when this story was announced, mainly just because I was happy to see my girl Jessica Cruz headlining another series. I read the first two issues when they originally came out and was genuinely excited to see how the story progressed, though I ended up waiting to finish it as a collected edition. Overall, I thought it was a decent story. It's an interesting mix of characters that all have different goals and thus interact in intriguing ways, and the basic premise seems solid. The writing itself felt a bit rushed, with each issue being rather short and not as developed as I would have hoped. The art was solid enough, although it did change frequently, with there being at least three different artists with different styles in these first six issues. Overall, not my favorite storyline, but I am curious enough to continue with it and see where it goes.
October 2, 2020
*I’ve read A LOT and not reviewed in a long time, so to catch up: Three sentence reviews!*
Gonna be real... "No Justice" didn't make much sense, and the fallout from it makes even less sense. I've read some graphic novels that take place after ALL of that dust has cleared, and I like those better. This one... eh... the characters are okay, but the entire plot just seems rather convoluted.
Gonna be real... "No Justice" didn't make much sense, and the fallout from it makes even less sense. I've read some graphic novels that take place after ALL of that dust has cleared, and I like those better. This one... eh... the characters are okay, but the entire plot just seems rather convoluted.
January 30, 2020
A dull and unconvincing story, starring characters who spout really, really bad one liners, and a particularly bad showing from an artist I normally really like. This just doesn't work.
April 19, 2021
An interesting cast is not enough to overcome this oddly plotted concept.
June 24, 2019
Justice League Odyssey gets off to a much stronger start than its troubled launch might have suggested with The Ghost Sector.
At the conclusion of No Justice, a collection of planets that had been miniaturized and hidden on the destroyed planet Colu were restored to normal size and pushed into a tight cluster, dubbed “The Ghost Sector.” Green Lantern Jessica Cruz guards the quarantined sector and follows when the heroes Cyborg, Starfire and Azrael go barreling through the radiation zone surrounding the sector. The trio had been lured from Earth by an irresistible impulse that leads the heroes to the reborn Darkseid. He insists he wants to save the endangered multiverse, but proves elusive. The heroes make a rather startling discovery about their connection to the Ghost Sector and get enmeshed in local planetary skirmishes. Darkseid manipulates them from the shadows as the heroes discover the secret reason these planets had been locked away.
The launch of Justice League Odyssey had been delayed by several months when editorial issues dictated that the creative team scrap a significant amount of already-completed material and start over. That could give potential readers pause, but with The Ghost Sector, writer Joshua Williamson makes the most of an oddball “Justice League in Space” concept to produce an appealing first arc. The book benefits from the friction of its random cast, a non-intuitive mix that winds up working better than it has any right to. This series provides a more natural leadership role for Cyborg and, in a nod to pre-New 52 history, acknowledges his long-time friendship with Starfire, who’s matured into a warrior in touch with her compassion. Out-of-his-element Azrael provides an agreeable X-factor, while Jessica Cruz has developed into a solid, steadying rock for this misfit non-team. Williamson devises a clever connection to the Sector that jolts the heroes, while deploying Darkseid as an operatic manipulator whose shadow looms over the quartet of heroes, even as his motivations emerge only slowly. This is a nice example of taking an unlikely group of characters and mixing them in a way that makes them a compelling whole. With new concepts and threats in the mix, Williamson is doing enough to keep the proceedings worth watching, with some potentially significant impacts for other books.
One aspect of the delayed launch that has a significant impact is on the artists involved. Stjepan Sejic had been lined up for the entire first arc, but following the re-start was able to complete only two issues (providing his own inks and colors) before having to depart. And while this may not be peak Sejic, he’s always an interesting artist and sets the right visual tone for the book, getting the mix of horror-tinged sci-fi and space opera just right. His character work is expressive, even if the cast is prone to dramatic posing, and his design ideas are imaginative and mine Williamson’s plot for some fun visual riffs. Philippe Briones, working with colorist Jeremy Cox, plies a similar aesthetic on the next two issues, though not quite with the flair of Sejic. Carmine Di Giandomenico rounds out the arc, leaning more into the sci-fi aspects, which gives colorist Ivan Plascencia the opportunity to expand the issue’s palate beyond the darker, more muted colors of the earlier installments. The artwork is all interesting, but given the necessity of bringing in pinch hitters after Sejic’s departure, readers can’t help but wonder what the long-term look of the series will be.
Even with some bumps and a few questions about its visual direction, The Ghost Sector establishes Justice League Odyssey as an agreeably odd book whose development bears watching.
At the conclusion of No Justice, a collection of planets that had been miniaturized and hidden on the destroyed planet Colu were restored to normal size and pushed into a tight cluster, dubbed “The Ghost Sector.” Green Lantern Jessica Cruz guards the quarantined sector and follows when the heroes Cyborg, Starfire and Azrael go barreling through the radiation zone surrounding the sector. The trio had been lured from Earth by an irresistible impulse that leads the heroes to the reborn Darkseid. He insists he wants to save the endangered multiverse, but proves elusive. The heroes make a rather startling discovery about their connection to the Ghost Sector and get enmeshed in local planetary skirmishes. Darkseid manipulates them from the shadows as the heroes discover the secret reason these planets had been locked away.
The launch of Justice League Odyssey had been delayed by several months when editorial issues dictated that the creative team scrap a significant amount of already-completed material and start over. That could give potential readers pause, but with The Ghost Sector, writer Joshua Williamson makes the most of an oddball “Justice League in Space” concept to produce an appealing first arc. The book benefits from the friction of its random cast, a non-intuitive mix that winds up working better than it has any right to. This series provides a more natural leadership role for Cyborg and, in a nod to pre-New 52 history, acknowledges his long-time friendship with Starfire, who’s matured into a warrior in touch with her compassion. Out-of-his-element Azrael provides an agreeable X-factor, while Jessica Cruz has developed into a solid, steadying rock for this misfit non-team. Williamson devises a clever connection to the Sector that jolts the heroes, while deploying Darkseid as an operatic manipulator whose shadow looms over the quartet of heroes, even as his motivations emerge only slowly. This is a nice example of taking an unlikely group of characters and mixing them in a way that makes them a compelling whole. With new concepts and threats in the mix, Williamson is doing enough to keep the proceedings worth watching, with some potentially significant impacts for other books.
One aspect of the delayed launch that has a significant impact is on the artists involved. Stjepan Sejic had been lined up for the entire first arc, but following the re-start was able to complete only two issues (providing his own inks and colors) before having to depart. And while this may not be peak Sejic, he’s always an interesting artist and sets the right visual tone for the book, getting the mix of horror-tinged sci-fi and space opera just right. His character work is expressive, even if the cast is prone to dramatic posing, and his design ideas are imaginative and mine Williamson’s plot for some fun visual riffs. Philippe Briones, working with colorist Jeremy Cox, plies a similar aesthetic on the next two issues, though not quite with the flair of Sejic. Carmine Di Giandomenico rounds out the arc, leaning more into the sci-fi aspects, which gives colorist Ivan Plascencia the opportunity to expand the issue’s palate beyond the darker, more muted colors of the earlier installments. The artwork is all interesting, but given the necessity of bringing in pinch hitters after Sejic’s departure, readers can’t help but wonder what the long-term look of the series will be.
Even with some bumps and a few questions about its visual direction, The Ghost Sector establishes Justice League Odyssey as an agreeably odd book whose development bears watching.
March 17, 2022
Following on from the cosmic event (detailed in Justice League: No Justice) of the re-introduction of several worlds that had been miniaturized by Brainiac, which have been returned to the universe and dubbed the 'Ghost Sector'. Justice League members (Cyborg, Starfire, and Azrael) respond to a mental summoning that the multiverse is in peril (along with Green Lantern Jessica Cruz) and the message seems to come from...Darkseid?!
If all that sounds convoluted, then you have a good idea of what to expect. Typical of many DC galactic events the story is so bogged down with extraneous information that the core story is somewhat lost, requiring extensive back story knowledge to really appreciate what is transpiring. Josh Williamson delivers a reasonable story but adds far too much focus on the internal fractures of the four JL members, with the worlds the visit more as background filler. Without really getting to know more about them, or why they were captured by Brainiac it's hard to really care about their fates, or indeed Starfire, Cyborg and Azrael's messiah worship on them. Add to that the inconsistent characters of the main cast (Cyborg and Starfire's shared history is barely used, Azrael seems crowbarred in as a Batman stand-in and Jessica is literally tacked on at the beginning). Ironically it is Darkseid that is the most interesting character, but only features on the periphery of the story, more-or-less bookending the narrative.
The saving grace of the book is Stjepan Sejic's artwork, but unfortunately he only works on the cover artwork and first two issues before it is taken over by Briones and Di Gindomenico, who while capable artists lack the flair and beauty of Sejic's visuals.
If all that sounds convoluted, then you have a good idea of what to expect. Typical of many DC galactic events the story is so bogged down with extraneous information that the core story is somewhat lost, requiring extensive back story knowledge to really appreciate what is transpiring. Josh Williamson delivers a reasonable story but adds far too much focus on the internal fractures of the four JL members, with the worlds the visit more as background filler. Without really getting to know more about them, or why they were captured by Brainiac it's hard to really care about their fates, or indeed Starfire, Cyborg and Azrael's messiah worship on them. Add to that the inconsistent characters of the main cast (Cyborg and Starfire's shared history is barely used, Azrael seems crowbarred in as a Batman stand-in and Jessica is literally tacked on at the beginning). Ironically it is Darkseid that is the most interesting character, but only features on the periphery of the story, more-or-less bookending the narrative.
The saving grace of the book is Stjepan Sejic's artwork, but unfortunately he only works on the cover artwork and first two issues before it is taken over by Briones and Di Gindomenico, who while capable artists lack the flair and beauty of Sejic's visuals.
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