Posts: 1099 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Joined: 29.07.05
By Nathaniel Ruff (also known as Binker and Nate on many forums)
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #20
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art and Cover by Ethan Van Sciver
Edited by Eddie Berganza
PLOT:
The Flash has not been answering his JLA signal, so now he has to answer to Wonder Woman! But first they have to survive an attack by the Queen Bee and her new drones from the H.I.V.E in a story that only superstar artist Ethan Van Sciver (Green Lantern: Rebirth) could bring to life!
REVIEW:
This is it! I'm back with Justice League of America! Ever since Dwayne McDuffie started his run, I've been missing out on the book. But there were reasons: I missed the Wedding Special, thus me reading the Injustice Gang arc was shot down. And it was after #16 that I mainly heard negative comments over McDuffie's run. So that's why, since Brad Meltzer's departure, that I've been missing JLA. But the thing is, and this is for every book, people will always have things to say, both positive and negative. But in the end, there is always going to be a big difference between hearing about it than reading it for yourself. So despite the questioning, I really wanted to return to this series, and #20 felt like a good jumping-on point. I took a gamble, and with #20 becoming my first Dwayne McDuffie JLA issue, let's check it out for myself: Justice League of America #20!
For this issue, it means two things: again, my return to JLA, but it’s also a return to a character since I dropped his book: the Flash. I don't want to get into why I dropped it, so I just won't say anything. Flash is our main character in the book, with Wonder Woman as a supporting character (unless she would be considered a main character as well). The Justice League are not in this issue at all, even though Batman & Superman are referenced. For me at least, because I have missed out on the Flash book since the middle of the "Wild Wests" arc, this issue did provide a catch up on Wally's life since I dropped the book. In a way, with that in mind with the story and the comedy, it was more of a Flash issue than an issue of JLA. It by no means is a bad thing because, again, I missed out on Flash for a while, and I haven't picked up JLA since Meltzer left and Flash (Wally) was the then-newest member in the reformed League. Two birds: one stone.
Also, in terms of McDuffie's writing, I didn't seem to find anything wrong with it. Flash was written right, so was Wonder Woman. The story was very good, and everything was handled well. I didn't know if I was missing anything, or if this was the case of “bad McDuffie writing” I've been hearing to which now I would've had something to say about it. But no, even people before I made this review all agreed that this was very good. So maybe this is an example of McDuffie getting the free reign in storytelling he's wanting to do, because ever since he started all the issues were ties to something: the Green Arrow/Black Canary Wedding, Tangent: Superman's Reign, and Salvation Run. Although, we are going to get another tie-in next on the villains central to Final Crisis. But as of this review, that issue seems to be the only tie-in we'll get for a while. And with promises from DC on great JLA stories to come, we'll see.
Overall, my return to JLA, and my first experience with McDuffie's writing were all positive. It was doubled also to include a return, and catch-up, to Flash since I've been missing out on the character since I dropped the book in the middle of the "Wild Wests" arc. McDuffie handled the writing well, something I can now that I've read his work. Now with the two villains from Final Crisis in the next issue, I guess that will be some sort of experience to see how he writes the tie-ins he's been doing technically since he started his run.
RATING: Yay
Next Issue: Meet Libra and Human Flame, the villains from the upcoming Final Crisis!
You don't get it, boy... this isn't a mudhole... it's an operating table.
(crack!)
And I'm the surgeon.
- Batman - The Dark Knight Returns
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