The story starts four years in the past, a sickly David Graves, last seen at the end of the first story arc taking interest in the press conference announcing the Justice League, and who appears to be quite an author on myths and legends.
He is told there is no hope for his failing body by his doctor, and that the Justice League can not help him. He then fatally shoots the doctor as he exclaims that his journey has just begun.
We jump to present day, where Steve Trevor is being hounded by press about his relationship with Wonder Woman coming to an end while on his way home. Bruce Wayne, haunted by the Flashpoint Universe’s Thomas Wayne’s letter and past memories, is off to go to a mission as a villain known as The Key is loose in Arkham and texts Clark Kent to help him out. Superman also brings Cyborg along for the ride as the three battle it out. Interspersed through this are brief flashbacks to both Clark’s and Vic’s childhoods.
Jumping to Trevor, whom is reeling from news reports gets visited by this villain that Graves has become, and then we jump to Flash and Green Lantern who are playing “Good Cop/Bad Cop” on Weapons Master after what must have been a hell of a fight in Iron Heights prison. Because the interrogation is not going so well, they call in Wonder Woman whom helps get the truth out of Weapons Master. We also see brief glimpses of Hal and Barry being handled by cops, and looking on as cops handle a perp respectively, as well as a scene of Wonder Woman and Trevor apparently getting signals crossed.
Both scenes end side by side with the villains telling the heroes that Graves wanted to know how to hurt all of them. We then see Graves interrogating Trevor for information on getting into the satellite.
Not sure what to say about this one. The art seems a bit off, and 9 issues in and it still appears Johns is writing more one dimensional caricatures than the fully developed characters one can see in the character’s own titles. It still makes for decent popcorn entertainment, but at the end of the day the writing of this title is still lacking the depth that the supposed flagship of the New 52 demands.
Granted it probably has been used quite often as a trope, but something seems a bit “haven’t we just seen this recently” where someone’s health issues get blamed on super heroes. Well in one case Superman takes that knowledge and goes for a country crossing walkabout, and in this case the Justice League gains a major super villain. Also, no discernible reason was made for the flashbacks. One can assume they were what the heroes were thinking about at the time, but why, and why those in particular?
In all, this is a just good enough issue.
Justice League #9:
Reviewed by Steve J. Rogers
