Monday, December 18, 2023

Book Review: Justice League Dark Vol. 1 by P. Milligan et al.

Justice League Dark Volume 1: In the Dark written by Paul Milligan and art by Mikel Janin

Magical villain The Enchantress has gone berserk and her powers are causing chaos all over the world, including the slaying of a woman named June Moone. Well, a lot of copies of her are being killed and attacked. Justice League members Superman, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg track Enchantress to her isolated cabin but are unable to defeat her. Tarot-card-reading Madame Xanadu narrates the story as she tries to pull together a bunch of C-list heroes (John Constantine, Zatanna, Deadman, Shade the Changing Man, and Mindwarp) to fix the situation. Xanadu can see the future, though of course it is hazy and fluctuates. She sees disaster unless these individualistic, broken heroes can come together to end The Enchantress's madness.

The story gives time to each character as the overall problem unfolds. All of them are broken people with difficulties in their past and their present lives. They are in especially bad shape, with maybe too much detail shown, and have a hard time working together. The chaos is also a bit darker and more unpleasant than standard comic-book fare. The idea of bringing the magic-wielding heroes together is interesting but the execution here is quite grim and they don't gel as a team. The next issue promises vampires, so I may give it a try with my expectations lowered.

Mildly recommended--this is not for the pre-teen crowd.

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