REVIEW: ‘Dark Crisis: Young Justice,’ Issue #1

Dark Crisis: Young Justice #1 is a tie-in comic published by DC, written by Meghan Fitzmartin, art by Laura Braga, colours by Luis Guerrero, and letters by Pat Brosseau. The sidekicks of the legendary Justice League try to come to terms with the death of all of their mentors, but something seeks to disrupt their reunion.

This is a plot set in a very heavy atmosphere, and that is represented perfectly by Fitzmartin. Starting at the funeral itself, the mood of the comic is bleak and dark. The emotions, or confusion around emotions, are prevalent from the beginning. The writer allows an appropriate amount of time for the gravity of the situation to come across, not rushing into the core plot of the story. This profound sadness is integral to the tone of the story, and it is not only believable but authentic. What happens after that is a surprise as Dark Crisis: Young Justice #1 takes some of the heroes and places them somewhere completely different. This part is a lot lighter and filled with humour, but is deeply confusing. This is an intentional move, with all of the characters also utterly bewildered. 

Whilst there is a severe tonal shift, there is still a tie to the present day and the current happenings in the Dark Crisis event is integral to this book. The fight acne at the end eases the pressure from the funeral and is full of chaotic energy.

The Young Justice team coming back together is one of the most important parts of this issue and it is not your average reunion. It is awkward by design, with the group struggling to interact with each other at first. They have been apart for a long time, some have died and returned, and their mentors have all been murdered. I found this exploration of the funeral and the aftermath to be more heartbreaking than either when their death happened or the ceremony in the first issue of Dark Crisis. It is dealt with with a more harsh and direct approach, and the emotional weight is extremely powerful. The comic features Wonder Girl as the narrating character, but all of the team has an important role in the issue. When the boys start bantering with each other by the end, I couldn’t help but grin. 

The art is fantastic. Braga’s style is perfect for this team, adding a classic look to the characters that left me reminiscing about the group’s old adventures. Capturing their youth is important for the soul of this issue, as it makes what they are going through hit so much harder. At the same time, they have grown and Braga has also illustrated that through immaculate details. It is fascinating to see how the funeral scene has been recreated from a separate book, but adjusted to view it from a different angle. The attention to detail even to the texture of the clothes is stunning, as it affects the creases and the folds depending on body position.

The colours are excellent, pouring incredibly rich shades on what is largely a team filled with brightness. It is particularly special inside that opening part, where there is so much variation in the lighting and shades around them. That aura that is present in the funeral isn’t there for the rest of the comic, as a stark white often surrounds the characters in the foreground. The lettering is very easy to read and placed superbly around the panels.

Dark Crisis: Young Justice #1 is an atmospheric masterpiece. The delicacy in which Fitzmartin adjusts the emotions the characters are feeling is phenomenal. The blending of dialogue and exquisite art gives the book a damaged soul, matching that of the young but traumatised figures inside. But there are some really fun aspects of the book as well, especially after the twist in the middle of the issue.

Dark Crisis: Young Justice #1 is available where comics are sold.