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Justice League: The New 52 Omnibus #1
Justice League: The New 52 Omnibus Vol. 1
Witness legendary duo Geoff Johns and Jim Lee on their all-new Justice League origin story! Collecting their entire run along with supplemental origin stories of the entire Justice League, this omnibus is a must have for any collector.
In a world where inexperienced superheroes operate under a cloud of suspicion from the public, loner vigilante Batman has stumbled upon a dark evil that threatens to destroy the earth as we know it. Now, faced with a threat far beyond anything he can handle on his own, the Dark Knight must trust an alien, a Scarlet Speedster, an accidental teenage hero, a space cop, an Amazon Princess and an undersea monarch. Will Superman, the Flash, Cyborg, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and Aquaman be able to put aside their differences and come together to save the world? Or will they destroy each other first?
Collects Justice League #0-22; Aquaman #14-16; Justice League Dark #22-23; DC Comics - The New 52 FCBD Special Edition #1; Justice League of America #6-7; Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #11; Constantine #5; Trinity of Sin: Pandora #1-3.
In a world where inexperienced superheroes operate under a cloud of suspicion from the public, loner vigilante Batman has stumbled upon a dark evil that threatens to destroy the earth as we know it. Now, faced with a threat far beyond anything he can handle on his own, the Dark Knight must trust an alien, a Scarlet Speedster, an accidental teenage hero, a space cop, an Amazon Princess and an undersea monarch. Will Superman, the Flash, Cyborg, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and Aquaman be able to put aside their differences and come together to save the world? Or will they destroy each other first?
Collects Justice League #0-22; Aquaman #14-16; Justice League Dark #22-23; DC Comics - The New 52 FCBD Special Edition #1; Justice League of America #6-7; Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #11; Constantine #5; Trinity of Sin: Pandora #1-3.
1248 pages, Hardcover
First published June 22, 2021
15 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Geoff Johns
2,716 books2,410 followersGeoff Johns originally hails from Detroit, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University, where he earned a degree in Media Arts and Film. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1990s in search of work within the film industry. Through perseverance, Geoff ended up as the assistant to Richard Donner, working on Conspiracy Theory and Lethal Weapon 4. During that time, he also began his comics career writing Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. and JSA (co-written with David S. Goyer) for DC Comics. He worked with Richard Donner for four years, leaving the company to pursue writing full-time.
His first comics assignments led to a critically acclaimed five-year run on the The Flash. Since then, he has quickly become one of the most popular and prolific comics writers today, working on such titles including a highly successful re-imagining of Green Lantern, Action Comics (co-written with Richard Donner), Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, Infinite Crisis and the experimental breakout hit series 52 for DC with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Geoff received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 thru 2005, 2007 and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 thru 2005. Geoff also developed BLADE: THE SERIES with David S. Goyer, as well as penned the acclaimed “Legion” episode of SMALLVILLE. He also served as staff writer for the fourth season of ROBOT CHICKEN.
Geoff recently became a New York Times Bestselling author with the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac with art by Gary Frank.
His first comics assignments led to a critically acclaimed five-year run on the The Flash. Since then, he has quickly become one of the most popular and prolific comics writers today, working on such titles including a highly successful re-imagining of Green Lantern, Action Comics (co-written with Richard Donner), Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, Infinite Crisis and the experimental breakout hit series 52 for DC with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Geoff received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 thru 2005, 2007 and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 thru 2005. Geoff also developed BLADE: THE SERIES with David S. Goyer, as well as penned the acclaimed “Legion” episode of SMALLVILLE. He also served as staff writer for the fourth season of ROBOT CHICKEN.
Geoff recently became a New York Times Bestselling author with the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac with art by Gary Frank.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 19, 2021
Never realized the Justice League were such dicks, especially to people without powers.
This reboot is much more in line with Snyder's view of DC where The Justice League are basically gods that affect the fate of mankind. Frankly these stories gave me a bigger appreciation for The Avengers who are just people trying to do the right thing.
Still, Jim Lee's art is fantastic and Geoff Johns is one of the better writters DC has who makes the story flow well enough to keep things interesting (though I can't say the same for the Trinity War issues not written by him).
This reboot is much more in line with Snyder's view of DC where The Justice League are basically gods that affect the fate of mankind. Frankly these stories gave me a bigger appreciation for The Avengers who are just people trying to do the right thing.
Still, Jim Lee's art is fantastic and Geoff Johns is one of the better writters DC has who makes the story flow well enough to keep things interesting (though I can't say the same for the Trinity War issues not written by him).
February 20, 2022
Justice League: the New 52 Omnibus Vol. 1
When DC decided to reboot their entire universe not everyone was happy, and not everything was good, i do love a couple ones and its great most of them get collected in omnibus format to check out as i only read a couple from the New 52. Dcs flagship title The Justice League got some of the biggest DC Names atached, Jim Lee and Geoff Johns together on a title, wow. Also Scott Wiliams on Lee's colors and Names like Tony S. Daniel and Ivan Reis, really some of the best of the best among artists. Its a shame Lee only does the first 13 issues, because his artwork is so damn good, the stories from Johns are pretty cool but not his best might i say. This is very similair to Snyders Justice League, because Johns was heavily evolved in the DCU and creating its stories, i watched the movie first and read the omnibus after, and its almost one on one the stories from the movies, it might be better to have it the other way around but i cant be the only one, another thing i did not get was the origin of Shazam, which i dig, but is alot of issues in this omnibus, and he only apears way after that 10 issue introduction, made no sense to me to be honest. Its not all bad, Geoff Johns always knows how to make a action packed story that reads easily and is most of the time lots of fun, and most artists make this one of the better looking DC omnis, all in all a fun omnibus.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.
When DC decided to reboot their entire universe not everyone was happy, and not everything was good, i do love a couple ones and its great most of them get collected in omnibus format to check out as i only read a couple from the New 52. Dcs flagship title The Justice League got some of the biggest DC Names atached, Jim Lee and Geoff Johns together on a title, wow. Also Scott Wiliams on Lee's colors and Names like Tony S. Daniel and Ivan Reis, really some of the best of the best among artists. Its a shame Lee only does the first 13 issues, because his artwork is so damn good, the stories from Johns are pretty cool but not his best might i say. This is very similair to Snyders Justice League, because Johns was heavily evolved in the DCU and creating its stories, i watched the movie first and read the omnibus after, and its almost one on one the stories from the movies, it might be better to have it the other way around but i cant be the only one, another thing i did not get was the origin of Shazam, which i dig, but is alot of issues in this omnibus, and he only apears way after that 10 issue introduction, made no sense to me to be honest. Its not all bad, Geoff Johns always knows how to make a action packed story that reads easily and is most of the time lots of fun, and most artists make this one of the better looking DC omnis, all in all a fun omnibus.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.
December 20, 2021
The best Justice League Omnibus you´ll ever read. Until Volume 2 comes out!
The New 52 Justice League written by Geoff Johns. illustrated by artists like: Jim Lee. Ivan reis. Tony Daniel and others have made a near perfect run of Justice League with both a strong beginning, middle and end.
We get to see the origins of how the team was formed within the first year of the New 52 era and the fast-forward five year sinto the future when they are a more weld-together team.
And if you are a wivid DC-reader and have not read these stories before. The ending of this Omnibus will have you wanting more!
The New 52 Justice League written by Geoff Johns. illustrated by artists like: Jim Lee. Ivan reis. Tony Daniel and others have made a near perfect run of Justice League with both a strong beginning, middle and end.
We get to see the origins of how the team was formed within the first year of the New 52 era and the fast-forward five year sinto the future when they are a more weld-together team.
And if you are a wivid DC-reader and have not read these stories before. The ending of this Omnibus will have you wanting more!
April 6, 2025
A very good jumping on point for the Justice League. The book starts strong with a small team with a roster EVERYONE knows, and the super fun origin event with Darkseid showing up. The middle portion was fun as well; I really liked all the Shazam one shots being told together as a single story. There is also some crossover with the Throne of Atlantis storyline that appears in the Aquaman omnibus, which I just previously read, meaning I was able to skip through some of it. I'd say the JLA stuff was a bit slower, but everything was wrapped up nicely in the end with the Trinity War event and the exciting cliffhanging conclusion of the introduction of the Crime Syndicate. For such a big book, it was surprisingly fun and quick to read through; on to Volume 2!
August 19, 2024
Geoff johns on the script and Jim Lee on pencils, two powerhouses at their peak. What more could you want?
December 25, 2024
I personally think this volume is a mixed bag. The art by Jim Lee can be choppy at times, while looking drop dead gorgeous in other panels. The inconsistency of his work is highlighted due to the rushed time he had with the book being a monthly release. The stories themselves are average, but still entertaining.
Throne of Atlantis is definitely the highlight of this volume, with great artwork and a fun storyline showcasing how dangerous Aquaman and Atlantis can be when pushed to their limits.
Trinity War and the JLA issues that precede it are also a mixed bag. The art by Finch can be inconsistent as well, and the plot line for the JLA story arc is pure set up for Trinity War, while being a poor story on its own merits. Trinity War itself is longer than it should be, and drags along until it comes to its stunning conclusion. The first issue, and the last are the stand outs for Trinity War, with the tie ins being borderline skippable.
Still a great intro to the Justice League for new readers, and was a solid reboot of the DC universe JL at the time. Though compared to runs that came before, and some stuff that comes after, this volume is just middle of the road.
Throne of Atlantis is definitely the highlight of this volume, with great artwork and a fun storyline showcasing how dangerous Aquaman and Atlantis can be when pushed to their limits.
Trinity War and the JLA issues that precede it are also a mixed bag. The art by Finch can be inconsistent as well, and the plot line for the JLA story arc is pure set up for Trinity War, while being a poor story on its own merits. Trinity War itself is longer than it should be, and drags along until it comes to its stunning conclusion. The first issue, and the last are the stand outs for Trinity War, with the tie ins being borderline skippable.
Still a great intro to the Justice League for new readers, and was a solid reboot of the DC universe JL at the time. Though compared to runs that came before, and some stuff that comes after, this volume is just middle of the road.
August 20, 2023
Whew, there's a lot to talk about with this omnibus! At around 1250 pages long, there's a lot to like about (the first half of) Geoff Johns' run on Justice League, but there's a lot that could be better, too. It's not a slam dunk like his runs on Green Lantern or The Flash, but it's enjoyable enough.
Things open with his origin story for the League - which, according Dan Didio in the foreword, was a big reason for this run happening at all. DC is really proud of this story, having printed it in every format they have, adapting it into an animated movie and the big live action flick, but I just thought it was okay. It has twice as many issues needed to resolve its plot, and Johns didn't have the best grasp of the characters' voices at this point. Also, the invasion of Darkseid and his Parademons wouldn't be followed up on for a long, LONG time after this.
Johns' writing of the characters gets better as the run goes on, but character development remains an issue throughout. I guess that isn't his fault - most of these characters were 'leased' from other writers, so Johns couldn't do anything major with them. The best characters in his run are Hal Jordan, Aquaman and Cyborg - the first two were being written by Johns in their books, and Cyborg didn't really have a major title of his own. I will defend the idea of pairing Supes and Wonder Woman, though - Diana can't replace Lois as Clark's OTL, but it was The New 52, a time for experimentation!
Oh yeah, if you're one of the people who hated The New 52, this really isn't the run for you! Justice League isn't just steeped in N52-ness, it was the book that set the tone and lore for that era of the DC Universe. Be prepared for characters to sport different costumes and act differently - Green Arrow in particular comes off as really whiny in his appearances.
Back to this omni - since Johns can't dive into the characters, this is naturally a plot driven comic. There are some cool storylines here: the second arc was pretty good, and the overarching storylines were interesting. The Cheetah two parter was lame, and the Throne of Atlantis crossover was definitely more of an Aquaman story than a JL one. I liked Shazam's origin story, and I'm glad that DC put all those backup stories all in one place to make it an easier reading experience! On the other hand, Johns' brief run on Justice League of America was pretty terrible.
That brings me to Trinity War, and I'm gonna call it divisive - most people hated it, but I liked it, dammit! Yeah, the plot was incoherent at times, and the reboots of The Phantom Stranger and The Question were very weird. I also thought Pandora's outsized importance in the DCU was pretty funny considering what happened to her a few years later. Overall, though, it was an intriguing event with cool lore, and it brought some long simmering conflicts to a head. I think it would've been a lot better if it was just limited to the main JL and JL Dark - not only did this JLA squad suck, they overcomplicated the story.
Just be warned, though, that the omni ends on a massive cliffhanger! Make plans to grab Vol 2 ASAP!
I've definitely gotta shout out the art in this entire book. The idea of the run was sold to readers on a pairing of Geoff Johns with Jim Lee, and that excited me too, but you really can't put Lee on a strict monthly schedule, can you? He manages the art on the first two arcs, and I honestly thought the grind made his artwork pretty weak. But he's replaced by artists like Ivan Reis, Doug Mahnke, and Johns' current partner in crime, Gary Frank, all of whom outdo Lee to give this book some killer pencils. Even Trinity War haters agree that it looks cool!
At his best, Geoff Johns has reinvented characters and mythologies to be cooler than they'd ever been, but his Justice League isn't that. All the same, it's a pretty accessible run with the team that has entertaining stories, and since it came in at the beginning of The New 52, there's no baggage to worry about. It's not the best stuff DC has published, but you can't really go wrong with it.
Things open with his origin story for the League - which, according Dan Didio in the foreword, was a big reason for this run happening at all. DC is really proud of this story, having printed it in every format they have, adapting it into an animated movie and the big live action flick, but I just thought it was okay. It has twice as many issues needed to resolve its plot, and Johns didn't have the best grasp of the characters' voices at this point. Also, the invasion of Darkseid and his Parademons wouldn't be followed up on for a long, LONG time after this.
Johns' writing of the characters gets better as the run goes on, but character development remains an issue throughout. I guess that isn't his fault - most of these characters were 'leased' from other writers, so Johns couldn't do anything major with them. The best characters in his run are Hal Jordan, Aquaman and Cyborg - the first two were being written by Johns in their books, and Cyborg didn't really have a major title of his own. I will defend the idea of pairing Supes and Wonder Woman, though - Diana can't replace Lois as Clark's OTL, but it was The New 52, a time for experimentation!
Oh yeah, if you're one of the people who hated The New 52, this really isn't the run for you! Justice League isn't just steeped in N52-ness, it was the book that set the tone and lore for that era of the DC Universe. Be prepared for characters to sport different costumes and act differently - Green Arrow in particular comes off as really whiny in his appearances.
Back to this omni - since Johns can't dive into the characters, this is naturally a plot driven comic. There are some cool storylines here: the second arc was pretty good, and the overarching storylines were interesting. The Cheetah two parter was lame, and the Throne of Atlantis crossover was definitely more of an Aquaman story than a JL one. I liked Shazam's origin story, and I'm glad that DC put all those backup stories all in one place to make it an easier reading experience! On the other hand, Johns' brief run on Justice League of America was pretty terrible.
That brings me to Trinity War, and I'm gonna call it divisive - most people hated it, but I liked it, dammit! Yeah, the plot was incoherent at times, and the reboots of The Phantom Stranger and The Question were very weird. I also thought Pandora's outsized importance in the DCU was pretty funny considering what happened to her a few years later. Overall, though, it was an intriguing event with cool lore, and it brought some long simmering conflicts to a head. I think it would've been a lot better if it was just limited to the main JL and JL Dark - not only did this JLA squad suck, they overcomplicated the story.
Just be warned, though, that the omni ends on a massive cliffhanger! Make plans to grab Vol 2 ASAP!
I've definitely gotta shout out the art in this entire book. The idea of the run was sold to readers on a pairing of Geoff Johns with Jim Lee, and that excited me too, but you really can't put Lee on a strict monthly schedule, can you? He manages the art on the first two arcs, and I honestly thought the grind made his artwork pretty weak. But he's replaced by artists like Ivan Reis, Doug Mahnke, and Johns' current partner in crime, Gary Frank, all of whom outdo Lee to give this book some killer pencils. Even Trinity War haters agree that it looks cool!
At his best, Geoff Johns has reinvented characters and mythologies to be cooler than they'd ever been, but his Justice League isn't that. All the same, it's a pretty accessible run with the team that has entertaining stories, and since it came in at the beginning of The New 52, there's no baggage to worry about. It's not the best stuff DC has published, but you can't really go wrong with it.
April 7, 2025
The new 52 era of DC is an odd time for me. I remember getting into comics around 2010-2011 starting with the tail end of Grant Morrison’s Batman and then leading into Scott Snyder’s court of owls story on the character. I also remember picking up a random trade paperback of the red lanterns series and loving it!
However, as I got more into the comics and broadened my horizons I realised the new 52 isn’t a very good era overall but I’d heard very good things about the Justice League run. As such, I was excited yet cautious to jump into this run and it’s safe to say I wasn’t disappointed.
Geoff Johns does a magnificent job of revitalising the Justice League by providing large scale stories and an all star team. Interestingly Cyborg replaces Martian Manhunter which is a change I was sceptical about but it works well in this book. The benefit of this being in the new 52 is that it allows the stories to feel nice and self contained in this universe as we know that it lasts five years before Rebirth kicks in. This means things that I’m personally not a fan of normally e.g Wonder Woman and Superman being a long term couple rather than Superman and Lois isn’t too bad as I know this isn’t a permanent change.
The stories in this feel like events in the best way possible. They utilise the team well and give each member nice moments throughout. Bar the final story in this book, I enjoyed all of them thoroughly with the two highlights being Origin and Throne of Atlantis.
Origin takes up the first 6 issues of the book and has the Justice League come together to fight Darkseid! This is a really fun and engaging book filled with a lot of action to get a new reader hooked and trust me it works really well!
Throne of Atlantis is a crossover with Aquaman (also written by Geoff Johns) and allows us to see a more serious and heroic side with him taking the charge against his brother and kingdom.
Now as mentioned above, the reason the book just avoids 5 stars is because of the final story arc - Trinity War. It’s not the worst comic known to man but it’s one that fell quite flat for me due to the amount of factors within the story and a lot of the explanations behind the events taking place. However, I must say this book does end on a spectacular cliffhanger and I can’t wait to start omnibus 2!
However, as I got more into the comics and broadened my horizons I realised the new 52 isn’t a very good era overall but I’d heard very good things about the Justice League run. As such, I was excited yet cautious to jump into this run and it’s safe to say I wasn’t disappointed.
Geoff Johns does a magnificent job of revitalising the Justice League by providing large scale stories and an all star team. Interestingly Cyborg replaces Martian Manhunter which is a change I was sceptical about but it works well in this book. The benefit of this being in the new 52 is that it allows the stories to feel nice and self contained in this universe as we know that it lasts five years before Rebirth kicks in. This means things that I’m personally not a fan of normally e.g Wonder Woman and Superman being a long term couple rather than Superman and Lois isn’t too bad as I know this isn’t a permanent change.
The stories in this feel like events in the best way possible. They utilise the team well and give each member nice moments throughout. Bar the final story in this book, I enjoyed all of them thoroughly with the two highlights being Origin and Throne of Atlantis.
Origin takes up the first 6 issues of the book and has the Justice League come together to fight Darkseid! This is a really fun and engaging book filled with a lot of action to get a new reader hooked and trust me it works really well!
Throne of Atlantis is a crossover with Aquaman (also written by Geoff Johns) and allows us to see a more serious and heroic side with him taking the charge against his brother and kingdom.
Now as mentioned above, the reason the book just avoids 5 stars is because of the final story arc - Trinity War. It’s not the worst comic known to man but it’s one that fell quite flat for me due to the amount of factors within the story and a lot of the explanations behind the events taking place. However, I must say this book does end on a spectacular cliffhanger and I can’t wait to start omnibus 2!
March 5, 2024
i have only read one other JL run and that's Morrison's JLA...so maybe my expectations are too high, but Johns' vision for a reimagined Justice League is just...so disappointing in its lack of ambition and scope, its decompressed storylines, and its inability to meaningfully distinguish the Justice League from say, the Avengers, the Authority, etc etc
you can see the larger pitfalls in the smaller decisions, like ditching Bruce Wayne's funding of the JLA to initially tie them in with government funding...finding a thread in the gradual erosion of that relationship and subterfuge via the "Justice League of America"...it mirrors more popular, earlier Marvel storylines and the way a superteam is portrayed in 2012's The Avengers, human, quippy, tied to the neoliberal order...
and i'm just fundamentally not interested in the League as responsive to the constraints of a more realistic world...in which we examine these implications...but that aside, this book is just not very good at examining those implications, of commiting to one thing or another, at meaningfully establishing these new versions of the heroes, at conveying chemistry between them or exploring who they are and what they're doing
the best thing to come out of this, honestly, is Zack Snyder's cinematic vision of the League, which does a much better job at taking the best aspects of this run (Cyborg and uhhh) and exploring those aspects more vividly, with more commitment to scale and in far less time...like, the events of twelve issues of this run fit snuggly into like 10 pages of Morrison's JLA and i cannot stand that
there's so little to take away from this run that i'm tempted to give it a lower rating, but at its worst i cannot say it's less than...serviceable...readable...i just personally demand a bit more from a flagship title, especially given its prominence in the world of the New 52 outside of this book, touching upon nearly every other title...i think by those standards it's a disposable mess
you can see the larger pitfalls in the smaller decisions, like ditching Bruce Wayne's funding of the JLA to initially tie them in with government funding...finding a thread in the gradual erosion of that relationship and subterfuge via the "Justice League of America"...it mirrors more popular, earlier Marvel storylines and the way a superteam is portrayed in 2012's The Avengers, human, quippy, tied to the neoliberal order...
and i'm just fundamentally not interested in the League as responsive to the constraints of a more realistic world...in which we examine these implications...but that aside, this book is just not very good at examining those implications, of commiting to one thing or another, at meaningfully establishing these new versions of the heroes, at conveying chemistry between them or exploring who they are and what they're doing
the best thing to come out of this, honestly, is Zack Snyder's cinematic vision of the League, which does a much better job at taking the best aspects of this run (Cyborg and uhhh) and exploring those aspects more vividly, with more commitment to scale and in far less time...like, the events of twelve issues of this run fit snuggly into like 10 pages of Morrison's JLA and i cannot stand that
there's so little to take away from this run that i'm tempted to give it a lower rating, but at its worst i cannot say it's less than...serviceable...readable...i just personally demand a bit more from a flagship title, especially given its prominence in the world of the New 52 outside of this book, touching upon nearly every other title...i think by those standards it's a disposable mess
November 18, 2024
Amazing book! It had a pretty good start featuring a new origin story for the league involving Darkseid. The book has Incredible artwork - particularly issues by Jim Lee. The story hooked me instantly. It is well written, with great dialogue between the heroes - good balance between humour and seriousness, and I found myself reading issue after issue - sometimes an entire story in one sitting.
Some great stories involving iconic villains (Cheetah and Ocean Master), members of the league making sacrifices to continue their mission, good dynamic and chemistry between Wonder Woman and Superman, and throughout the book there are cliffhangers and secrets that keep you guessing and hoping that it will lead to something worth waiting for.
One of my favourite stories was Shazam! and Gary Frank’s art is incredible (similar to that of his great work in Batman: Earth One) and reading it felt like watching a film. However, after this issue it begun to slightly dip (mid way through the book onwards), but it once again picks up in an interesting set of events that see Superman do something terrible and the league try to figure out why.
While there were quite a few issues about magical characters and others who I really didn’t care for, it was still drawn and written well enough to keep me reading. The final issue was epic and answered certain questions, but at the same time provided more questions that will no doubt be explored in the second omnibus.
Overall the artwork is amazing and consistent throughout, and the story kept me engaged and reading issue after issue. I would definitely recommend this omnibus or the Individual volumes to any superhero, comic or DC fan and I cannot wait to read the second omnibus soon! This book just about makes a 5 star rating for me due to its consistent amazing art and dialogue, but I am still hoping the next omnibus is even better.
Some great stories involving iconic villains (Cheetah and Ocean Master), members of the league making sacrifices to continue their mission, good dynamic and chemistry between Wonder Woman and Superman, and throughout the book there are cliffhangers and secrets that keep you guessing and hoping that it will lead to something worth waiting for.
One of my favourite stories was Shazam! and Gary Frank’s art is incredible (similar to that of his great work in Batman: Earth One) and reading it felt like watching a film. However, after this issue it begun to slightly dip (mid way through the book onwards), but it once again picks up in an interesting set of events that see Superman do something terrible and the league try to figure out why.
While there were quite a few issues about magical characters and others who I really didn’t care for, it was still drawn and written well enough to keep me reading. The final issue was epic and answered certain questions, but at the same time provided more questions that will no doubt be explored in the second omnibus.
Overall the artwork is amazing and consistent throughout, and the story kept me engaged and reading issue after issue. I would definitely recommend this omnibus or the Individual volumes to any superhero, comic or DC fan and I cannot wait to read the second omnibus soon! This book just about makes a 5 star rating for me due to its consistent amazing art and dialogue, but I am still hoping the next omnibus is even better.
January 10, 2025
What an incredible intro into the justice league. As someone who was never a DC guy this was a great place to start for some justice league stories and basic background on characters. Loved the beginning that showed the formation of the league, although I wish this run spent more time in those early days of figuring stuff out. Loved the addition of the JLA and the additional heroes as well. Jim Lee art was incredible. Some really good arcs throughout.
The weaker points here were minor but noticeable. I don’t love in any superhero team books when the problems are almost too out of this world to care about, I think that is more on the writing though than the plot idea itself. Trinity war for example was the least enjoyable part of this book except for the AMAZING reveal at the end. Loved how that all came together. Victor coming apart and the art there was incredible, atom being a double agent, the parallel universe versions of them I never expected. However leading up to that point, it was just sort of dull. All the magic and mysticism felt like a crutch thrown in there because they couldn’t think of anything else to create problems for this team that is other worldly. That’s why I love the more down to earth stuff, like Superman and wonder woman struggling to maintain relationships, or the politics of having a justice league operate out of America. These are the small questions I like to see play out in stories like this. When you throw in big mystical concepts without exploring it too much it all just feels like tooooo out of this world. You don’t get hooked on it.
Wasn’t interested in really picking up a second volume but after the ending I wanna know what happens. Will need to see if that is any good. Overall incredible first justice league read for me personally.
The weaker points here were minor but noticeable. I don’t love in any superhero team books when the problems are almost too out of this world to care about, I think that is more on the writing though than the plot idea itself. Trinity war for example was the least enjoyable part of this book except for the AMAZING reveal at the end. Loved how that all came together. Victor coming apart and the art there was incredible, atom being a double agent, the parallel universe versions of them I never expected. However leading up to that point, it was just sort of dull. All the magic and mysticism felt like a crutch thrown in there because they couldn’t think of anything else to create problems for this team that is other worldly. That’s why I love the more down to earth stuff, like Superman and wonder woman struggling to maintain relationships, or the politics of having a justice league operate out of America. These are the small questions I like to see play out in stories like this. When you throw in big mystical concepts without exploring it too much it all just feels like tooooo out of this world. You don’t get hooked on it.
Wasn’t interested in really picking up a second volume but after the ending I wanna know what happens. Will need to see if that is any good. Overall incredible first justice league read for me personally.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2024
Geoff Johns has one of the best track records in comics, and this run is a great example of why that’s the case. Running from JL Origin to Trinity War, Johns sets out on a well paced, extensively thought out, and constantly exciting journey with the leagues formation and its numerous successes in saving the world. He balances his characterizations well without having the title seem like it’s Batman & co, and that’s refreshing to say the least. Everyone’s well rounded, likable, and evolves in reaction to the plot’s events. The second arc (A Villains Journey) is somewhat slow and a minor step down from everything else collected here, but I’d still say it’s worth the read. Overall, you can see the passion from John and the variety of artists on board here (Ivan Reis, Jim Lee, etc.), and I greatly respect that it still shines throw ten years after these stories initially released. I’m glad to say that nostalgia plays no role in my enjoyment of this run, and I look forward to rereading the second half that’s collected in the next volume.
September 3, 2024
Wow ok, where do I start here? Geoff John is a great writer and I am very happy DC gave him the time and latitude to try his own version of these characters to better or worse results. This first half of his Justice League run is filled with really great art, it has a classic heroic feel with Jim Lee’s redesigns being very strong. I understand the new 52 not being for everyone, I have my issues with some of the decisions made for the relaunch but artistically I would classify this as a success. No, I do not like the new Superman design or really how Geoff portrays his relationships but having the JLA be an Amanda Waller counter team to the Justice League is AMAZING to read. The Shazam interlude in here is so well done, it works perfectly for the Omnibus. The cliffhanger? Oh boy. I remember being at Flashback comics seeing the villain take over on the shelves so I am excited. Very good and consistent run, looking forward to the second half.
May 18, 2023
One of my most re-read omni's on my shelf. I love this run so much. I read this with so much nostalgia. It still feels fresh to this day. One of my favorite runs on Justice League. Geoff brings a different approach to writing here to help hook new readers. You'll laugh, go through a lil emotion, and anticipate more from each issue. In this volume, yes you'll get some action, drama, etc, but you as a reader will have some room to breathe a lil bit. Cause what takes place in Vol 2, its nonstop haha. I'm glad that Geoff took chances on bringing in B & C list characters to this run and letting you get to know each of them including our main team on JL. Artists in here like Jim Lee, David Finch, Ivan Reis, just to name a few are AMAZING. So phenomenal in my humble opinion and this book will always have a special place in my heart.
June 8, 2023
Loved this! Finally something by Geoff Johns that I’ve actually throughly enjoyed. This has made me want to read the Aquaman omni because I enjoyed how Johns writes him. And Shazam, a character I have no interest in, was actually pretty cool and intriguing in this run.
Also, I know this run gets hate because Martian Manhunter was replaced by Cyborg but I genuinely enjoy Victor and his story. I’ve enjoyed Cyborg ever since the Teen Titans days so I’m a bit biased.
The art was fantastic but the “Trinity War” was a bit overload imo. I’m looking forward to reading volume 2 of this Omnibus set.
Also, I know this run gets hate because Martian Manhunter was replaced by Cyborg but I genuinely enjoy Victor and his story. I’ve enjoyed Cyborg ever since the Teen Titans days so I’m a bit biased.
The art was fantastic but the “Trinity War” was a bit overload imo. I’m looking forward to reading volume 2 of this Omnibus set.
January 2, 2024
This book is really tough to grade. The first 1/4 of this book. With just Johns and Lee, 6/5. I legit could not put it down. The story, the art, perfection. But after Lee leaves is where this turns. There is a section with only Shazam you could omit entirely, and then after that, is another dip. The last section of this, about a third of the way in, it just continues to get worse. By the end, I was happy the book was done.
If the beginning wasn't so strong, I would have marked this as 3 stars. But, the beginning was that good. I can see me reading the first section of this book many times over, that's how well done it is. It's a shame the later half is bad/forgettable.
If the beginning wasn't so strong, I would have marked this as 3 stars. But, the beginning was that good. I can see me reading the first section of this book many times over, that's how well done it is. It's a shame the later half is bad/forgettable.
October 10, 2024
An excellent jumping on point for anyone interested in the Justice League in comics. Geoff John’s has an accessible writing style with the ability to elevate lower level characters and well as write well the big names that form the Justice League. This also consists of a who’s who of artists led by Jim Lee, Gary Frank and Ivan Reis to name a few. I struggled between giving this 4 or 5 stars. Overall, I enjoyed this first half of his run but the Shazam story and the trinity of sin slow the momentum a bit for me. Looking forward to reading volume 2.
July 14, 2025
Really enjoyable read. Loved the build up to trinity war and the creation of the JLA, always love to see different factions of the Justice League. The JLA was an interesting way to put characters that’d be mostly considered “backup leaguers” on their own team. They did high key assassinate Wonder Woman’s character though and Geoff John’s must reeaaallly hate Steve Trevor, because this whole book was a humiliation ritual for him. Can’t wait to read volume 2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2021
Stating new 52 with a bang. This was great, page turning super hero teamup goodness.
I've consumed every incarnation of this (e.g. Warner Bros, Zack Snyder, DCAMU, DC comics [this one]) and this is the best of the bunch for quality, quantity, character interactions, and planting the seeds for follow-up (see Darkseid War)
I've consumed every incarnation of this (e.g. Warner Bros, Zack Snyder, DCAMU, DC comics [this one]) and this is the best of the bunch for quality, quantity, character interactions, and planting the seeds for follow-up (see Darkseid War)
August 7, 2021
With the exception of the incredibly shitty ‘Trinity War’, this book is pretty darn great. Everything else about it is some really solid work from some truly talented creatives……but again, ‘Trinity War’ sucks.
So close to five stars
So close to five stars
Read
January 1, 2023Geoff Johns’ New 52 Justice League is sort of a buffet of the DC Universe, with all the pros and cons that that implies. It’s a great tour of this fictional world and while the back half of this volume gets bogged down by the Trinity War of it all it was still a fun read.
April 8, 2023
Absolutely brilliant way to get into dc comics. Great character development and storytelling. The JLA chapters were pretty lackluster but were essential for the following story arcs. Can’t wait for part 2.
October 19, 2024
Hatred for the new 52 era is overblown. Characterization of Superman feels a bit off, but there’s tons of fun in here and a lot of interesting stuff too. Worth it just to watch Batman and Green Lantern and go back-and-forth at one another.
April 21, 2025
Aunque es difícil que todas las historias contenidas sean un hit, en suma, la Liga de la Justicia de Geoff Johns es un hit en su totalidad ...
Me quedo con esta liga de la justicia, con el como se conocieron y se formó...
Altamente recomendable.
Me quedo con esta liga de la justicia, con el como se conocieron y se formó...
Altamente recomendable.
April 3, 2022
Most of this book had great art and great writing. Trinity War at the end of the book was a lackluster story with equal art so I'm giving out 4 stars.
August 8, 2025
+ First arc, Shazam arcs are classic stories that were justifiably adapted into DCU movies
- Edgy tone can make the story uninteresting. JLA arc is boring, Trinity arc drags on forever
- Edgy tone can make the story uninteresting. JLA arc is boring, Trinity arc drags on forever
September 12, 2025
I find johns strength build of the foundation of character rather then laying it forever ever bangs though
October 10, 2025
2.5 the middle is the best part, beginning and end aren’t bad but new 52 route doesn’t feel like I can just jump right in
October 8, 2024
I think some of the poor characterisation of these characters and this world stem from here. Johns is writing inexperienced and youthful characters, besides Wonder Woman however she too feels out of character even when compared to Azzarelo/Chiang, so this is where they were five years ago. They shouldn't be acting in this same manner in all the number one issues where it is meant to be 'present day'.
The Jim Lee redesigns aren't great. I enjoy how Johns calls out Aquaman's design through Hal in issue 6for the superior Reis/Pelletier design.
Reis is a superstar and Pelletier is so underrated. Throne of Arlantis is the Sinestro Corps war for Aquaman. A great event.
This is a great book which gets bogged down at the Trinity War event. Too many issues where nothing happens, very stagnant but the pay off is huge!
The Jim Lee redesigns aren't great. I enjoy how Johns calls out Aquaman's design through Hal in issue 6for the superior Reis/Pelletier design.
Reis is a superstar and Pelletier is so underrated. Throne of Arlantis is the Sinestro Corps war for Aquaman. A great event.
This is a great book which gets bogged down at the Trinity War event. Too many issues where nothing happens, very stagnant but the pay off is huge!
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