REVIEW: ‘Justice League: Last Ride,’ Issue #6

Justice League: Last Ride #6 is published by DC Comics. The issue is written by Chip Zdarsky, with Miguel Mendonça as the artist. The colors are by Enrica Angiolini and the letterer is Andworld Design.

The Justice League ended. A gigantic war with Apokolips left heroes dead and their souls shattered. In order to destroy Darkseid’s world, Martian Manhunter sacrificed himself. As for Darkseid, Hal Jordan vaporized him with the Green Lantern power battery. The League was shattered and disbanded. Years later, Hal brought them back for one last assignment. Lobo has been captured and is awaiting trial, but needs protection from a galaxy of vendettas. Batman and the League took Lobo to the now-dead Apokolips. But an army of villains has descended on the planet too. Deep in the core of the planet, Batman finds something else: a cloned body of Darkseid.

Still fighting Brainiac and an army of Manhunters, Superman is beginning to lose ground. John Stewart and Wonder Woman have returned to the ground, but even they may not be enough to keep Lobo or themselves alive. Batman is trying to reactivate the planet and its defense systems with Green Lantern. Bruce has theorized for a while that there has been an overseer this whole time, bringing the League back to Apokolips. That becomes clear here. The fate of the League may leave them relying on the being that put them in danger in the first place…

The incredibly fast and intense pace of the series is somehow increased even further in this issue. The reader has been able to follow this madness all the way through, the chaos having a structure that prevents real confusion. In a surprising move, Zdarsky unleashes a heart-stopping revelation early in Justice League: Last Ride #6. This leaves the audience and heroes in a state of shock as the entire direction of the comic is shifted on its axis. The scale of this alternate reality story is ramped up every issue. And whilst that is a defining surprise in the first pages of the book, it is nowhere close to the only one. No one is safe, and with a new threat and a seemingly endless horde of dangerous foes, there is no telling what can happen.

The Justice League are teste to their absolute limits in this series. They have faced planet-destroying beasts and genocidal gods before. But in Last Ride, they come up against just so much. There are two villains in these pages that have the potential to wipe out the League on their own, and yet they are among an army. Both of these beings, including Brainiac, have been given upgrades by Zdarsky to be even more powerful than their normal selves.

As for the heroes themselves, they are showing signs of regrouping, which is always a sign for hope. Batman being a defacto leader as they strive to defeat evil will forever be exhilarating. Seeing the communication between the team, as well as their brilliant powers in such extreme fashion is incredible. But so much has happened in the past that not all the members get along. The twist in the beginning of the issue makes the heart drop at the potential fate of a beloved character. But there are countless instances where another hero could meet a brutal end. This anxiety has never been so prevalent. And with Martian Manhunter and Aquaman’s deaths already shown in this series before, there is the potential for any of them to be next. 

Mendonça’s art continues to be jaw-dropping in its brilliance. The artist again beautifully captures the sheer scale of the event. There is so much happening on every page. Cameos of figures and heroes battling villains, with intricate details covering an expansive landscape. Apokolips is explored on the inside and the outside. Every character design is magnificent, the small line weights allowing for so much of their costume and expressions to be revealed. There are vicious grins and despairing screams and various other emotions etched across the characters’ faces.

The coloring is stunning. Something important to note is how much the shade of the backgrounds changes to determine the mood of a scene. The most prevalent example is when Batman realizes just how much danger he and his allies are in. As his expression changes, three panels alter from green into red. This transition is beautifully illustrative and is crucial in a huge book at changing the tone of the comic in a subtle method. Even in a darkly comic, the vibrant colors of the costumes is still varied and gorgeous. In a similar vein,  the method by which superpowers are shown is eloquent in a comic full of chaos.

The lettering is again excellent. With so many characters and conversations and sound effects, Andworld Design always ensures that the word balloons are easy to follow, and it is clear to see who is speaking.

Justice League: Last Ride #6 is a mind-blowing issue. Many alternate-future series depict what happens on the darkest day in a team’s history. But this series takes a brilliant detour, showing what happens to a group after that darkest days. Seeing this team we love so much suffering, and now start working together again in this issue results in powerful reactions from the readers. This issue is a non-stop battle, but an epic story is unfolding at the same time. Zdarsky has no qualms about making creative decisions as if all of the restraints came off after J’onn died. Small moments of beauty exist in a book on an enormous scale.

Justice League: Last Ride #6 is available where comics are sold.