Justice

Buried in the frenzied action of DC's latest all-star extravaganza is an interesting question: the members of the Justice League of America may be sworn to do good, but what good have they done for the suffering masses of humanity? At the beginning of this collected maxi-series, while the DC heroes are defeated or on the run, it's their enemies who are doing good works. Captain Cold brings a mountain of ice to the African desert; the Toyman creates perfect prosthetic limbs for the maimed, etc. All this is part of an evil plot by Luthor and Brainiac that will take the efforts of all available heroes to thwart. Ross's virtuoso painted art is as impeccable as ever, even if penciler Braithwaite's layout is crowded by the need to squeeze in the huge cast-both the Elongated Man and Plastic Man, for instance. Meanwhile, Krueger's script juggles characters and comics lore nimbly to answer that underlying question: by showing how they depend on each other, members of the Justice League offer hope to the rest of us. It adds up to an especially satisfying epic. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

You have never seen an epic more beautifully crafted than this one, both visually and structurally. Ross is a familiar name in the comics world for his breathtaking artwork on comic book covers in series such as Marvels and Kingdom Come. The current volume, which collects the 12-issue limited series released between 2005 and 2007, offers nearly 400 pages, each showcasing Ross's more realistic artistic vision of the DC universe. But the book will be enjoyed for more than its art; Ross and Krueger's story-in which a team of supervillains united by Lex Luthor attempts to destroy the heroic Justice League of America, ostensibly to prevent an apocalypse-is expertly paced, taking the reader through the methodical defeat of the heroes as well as their triumphant return. Verdict This is one of the best-written and best-drawn stories of the past five years. Each of Ross's exquisite panels can be appreciated like a fine painting. The epic, tightly woven story populated by a vivid cast of heroes and villains will appeal to even the most casual comics fans.ÅThis will stand as one of the definitive interpretations of the DC universe.-Ryan Claringbole, Chesapeake P.L., VA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.