Justice League #30, published by DC Comics, is written by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV, illustrated by Jorge Jimenez, colored by Alejandro Sanchez, and lettered by Tom Napolitano. This issue begins the “Justice/Doom War” storyline as Lex Luthor, remade into an Apex Predator by the dark goddess Perpetua, gathers the Legion of Doom to enact his grand plan.
Get BWT in your inbox!
Get BWT in your inbox!
He intends to restore the universe to its original, predatory state. Elsewhere, the members of the Justice League deputize every hero they can and plan to travel through time to find the cosmic force known as the Totality so they can stand a chance against Luthor. While Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman travel to the future, Green Lantern and the Flash go to the past. Both teams eventually find themselves face to face with long lost heroes from DC’s history.
This story arc is the culmination of everything Snyder and Tynion have been building up to during their run on Justice League, and they hit the ground running. The opening pages highlight just how much of a menace Luthor has become to the heroes and villains assembling on both sides. Readers will feel the true scale of this story arc. As with previous issues, this story arc feels very reminiscent of the Justice League Unlimited animated series.
Snyder and Tynion also continue to bring new depths to Lex Luthor. Gone is the man obsessed with killing Superman, and in his place stands an inhuman being willing to rip apart the universe to prove that humanity was meant to be evil. The greatest strength of this title is that we spend just as much time with the villains as the heroes. This helps stoke the fires of anticipation for future issues and provides a well-rounded look at Luthor and his compatriots in the Legion.
On the art side of things, Jimenez and Sanchez deliver astounding artwork. Perhaps the best sequences Jimenez draws are the aforementioned scenes where the League and Legion recruit additional members. Both scenes are bursting with heroes and villains from across the DC Universe and Jimenez’s anime-styled artwork will make you feel like you’re watching a long-lost episode of Justice League Unlimited.
Sanchez brings both of these scenes to life with his colors. The Hall of Justice is awash in sunlight while the Hall of Doom is shrouded in a hellish red sunset. The former invokes hope, the latter dread; a perfect contrast. Artist Francis Manupal illustrates the last page, which is sure to have longtime DC fans rejoicing.
Justice League #30 masterfully brings several plot threads together while giving equal focus to both heroes and villains. It is also stunningly illustrated by one of the best artists in DC’s roster. Given how the issue ends, I am more than eager to see the events of the Justice/Doom War and what effect it might have on the larger DC Universe.
Justice League #30 is available wherever comics are sold.
Justice League #30
TL;DR
Justice League #30 masterfully brings several plot threads together while giving equal focus to both heroes and villains.
