By Mark Rodriguez
So with the Rebirth reboot or streamlining, or whatever DC is doing when they got rid of the New 52, comes another first issue of the Justice League. As far as I can tell the new lineup is Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the John Stewart Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl, Aquaman, Cyborg and Martian Manhunter. Let's see what adventure awaits them.
"The Totality Part 1' opens with a strange meteor made of light headed towards the Earth across millions of years as several heroes throughout history observe it helplessly, until it has finally arrived today. Present day shows the Hall of Justice, with certain parts open to the public like some sort of museum, showcasing the costumes of all the various DC heroes, past and present.
Meanwhile the Justice League is all over the world fighting off several neanderthals in different factions. Batman and Green Arrow fight the ones underground. Flash and Placticman take out ones in the Arctic. Wonder Woman and Swamp Thing watch over the Equator as they fight spell casting neanderthals. Aquaman fights with the ones underwater. Hawkgirl and Hawkman fight off the ones in the skies. Superman and Cyborg also help in the fight. Everyone is connected telepathically thanks to Martial Manhunter that watches over them, all by doing their best Batman impression, much to the annoyance of Bruce. They agree that Vandal Savage is most likely behind all this.
The Justice League beat back all of the savages until they retreat. As the heroes win the battle, Martian Manhunter notices something that disturbs him. Superman and Cyborg notice that the Earth's surface is breaking apart. Manhunter tells everyone to keep their thoughts still so he can concentrate on this.
Batman notices that the neanderthals' plans weren't to polarize the Earth, but instead they turned the moon into a cyclotron that's attracting the planet's surface towards it. Manhunter turns into a dragon and asks Batman if the bombs he set on the moon long ago still work. Batman tries to hide it but admits they're there. The moon explodes as Vandal Savage watches. His men ask him if he brought them to failure, but Savage says this was part of his plan. He will use the others as his new Injustice Gang. Lex Luthor suddenly appears and says he will fail, because he chose justice.
Vandal Savage tells Lex that he's the one being the hero lately. Lex blasts him with a gun and says he is a hero and he knows that he's been hiding the darkest secret of the universe from everyone on the planet. Lex says he came to save Savage.
Martian Manhunter has visions of the final days on Mars as he lost his family. He wakes up due to Superman calling out to him and tells him that Swamp Thing is binding the planet again. Batman says the threat is over underground and Aquaman will help Animal Man and Vixen get the superfauna to repair the ocean's currents. Martian Hunter says the threat is NOT over and quickly summons Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Hawkwoman Cyborg, and Aquaman to a meeting in their minds.
While Manhunter was at the moon, he detected that Vandal Savage's true plan was to get the moon to pull the Earth out of orbit and out of the way. He explains that during their recent battle with the Dark Multiverse, the Source Wall was broken and the Totality witch contains the wall's energy came to life and is headed to the Earth in three minutes. Cyborg reads that it has a very advanced mathematical code and it's heading to Earth with a strong sense of purpose. Batman says there's a legend on New Genesis saying that a messenger will come through with the code to evolve the universe.
Vandal Savage is locked in place due to Luthor's energy blast and his mean say they will fight for Luthor as his Injustice Gang. Luthor rejects their offer and sends them falling through a trap door.
Batman says they have a possible contingency, which is John Stewart armed with a miniaturized omniversal wormhole encased in tenth metal that should destroy the Totality. Wonder Woman and Flash have doubts because the multiverse is dying and this could possibly be the key to saving them.
Luthor mocks Savage saying that he knew all along about the source wall and what was inside it. He says Savage gathered a gang, when what he needed was a Legion. Enter the Legion of Doom 2018, composed of The Joker, Siniestro, Gorilla Grodd, Black Manta and Cheetah. It turns out that Savage's base was actually Luthor's base. He has a monster in the basement and futuristic weapons in the attic.
Luthor holds the thing that can kill the immortal Vandal Savage. Savage warns that the secret he is trying to learn is too terrible.
The Justice League continue to discuss whether or not destroying the Totality will be a good thing or a horrible thing. Manhunter, as their chairman, discusses how the Justice League should inspire people to be better. Wonder Woman tells him to call the vote.
As they talk, Luthor beats Vandal to death.
As Manhunter says he votes for justice, he is cut off, sensing a scream older than any human. He sees visions of the dangers to come and he suddenly finds himself all alone in the omniverse, all his friends burned to dust. He quickly summons the meeting again and finds himself all alone. He can only watch the Totality arrive and hope that there is goodness inside and ignore the dangers he senses. Luthor and the rest of the Legion of Doom anxious await for the Totality to arrive as it finally hits the planet.
My Opinions
Another major universal threat hits the planet and the Justice League has to do something. I liked the opening callbacks to the costumes of heroes past and the other heroes making fun of Batman's voice, which thanks to Christian Bale is so much fun to imitate. I'd imagine that's the voice they were going for. I liked the little cameos of the others like Plasticman and Green Arrow and kinda hope they make occasional appearances during this series, but damn, Swamp Thing has the ability to pull the planet together??
I kinda wish the story showcased some more fighting between the neanderthals and the League, but it seems they pressed for pages as the comic also featured a few pages of a preview to the new Teen Titans book. That's why all the heavy explanation about the source wall and the Totality was crammed into these thin panels as they really tried to cram as many as they could per page. Some of those pages could have been used to spread those panels out more, and of course, some more action in the beginning. I just know if there was an animated version there would be a kick ass fight scene we're out on here. It's just handled so matter of fact here.
Of course we also have the Legion of Doom, though I do think it's time that Cyborg finally gets some sort of rival or nemesis. At first I'd say Cyborg must have fought tons of bad guys when he was the Titans they they could have grabbed someone there and make him his new nemesis for the Legion of Doom... BUT I do remember that the New 52 had made Cyborg a member of the Justice League since day one, and they're really been pushing that fact a lot in the animated movies and the live action movie. It must confused kids to still see Cyborg with the Teen Titans in that other cartoon. Come to think of it... Hawkwoman doesn't have some sort of nemesis either. Or Martian Mahunter. C'mon guys, step it up here.
I do like how they even kept their classic hideout from the Super Friends cartoon. That thing was iconic. Almost as iconic as the Technodrome. It's actually funny when you think about it. The Technodrome looks like the Death Star and the Legion of Doom's HQ looks like Darth Vader's helmet. It's about time they made their canon appearance in the comics. I do know there is a separate Legion of Doom comic which I assume is a mini series (?), but I'll see how that coincides with this story. Not a fan of Joker's shaving of his sides, but I guess that's the new look he's going for nowadays.
So with the Rebirth reboot or streamlining, or whatever DC is doing when they got rid of the New 52, comes another first issue of the Justice League. As far as I can tell the new lineup is Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the John Stewart Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl, Aquaman, Cyborg and Martian Manhunter. Let's see what adventure awaits them.
"The Totality Part 1' opens with a strange meteor made of light headed towards the Earth across millions of years as several heroes throughout history observe it helplessly, until it has finally arrived today. Present day shows the Hall of Justice, with certain parts open to the public like some sort of museum, showcasing the costumes of all the various DC heroes, past and present.
Meanwhile the Justice League is all over the world fighting off several neanderthals in different factions. Batman and Green Arrow fight the ones underground. Flash and Placticman take out ones in the Arctic. Wonder Woman and Swamp Thing watch over the Equator as they fight spell casting neanderthals. Aquaman fights with the ones underwater. Hawkgirl and Hawkman fight off the ones in the skies. Superman and Cyborg also help in the fight. Everyone is connected telepathically thanks to Martial Manhunter that watches over them, all by doing their best Batman impression, much to the annoyance of Bruce. They agree that Vandal Savage is most likely behind all this.
The Justice League beat back all of the savages until they retreat. As the heroes win the battle, Martian Manhunter notices something that disturbs him. Superman and Cyborg notice that the Earth's surface is breaking apart. Manhunter tells everyone to keep their thoughts still so he can concentrate on this.
Batman notices that the neanderthals' plans weren't to polarize the Earth, but instead they turned the moon into a cyclotron that's attracting the planet's surface towards it. Manhunter turns into a dragon and asks Batman if the bombs he set on the moon long ago still work. Batman tries to hide it but admits they're there. The moon explodes as Vandal Savage watches. His men ask him if he brought them to failure, but Savage says this was part of his plan. He will use the others as his new Injustice Gang. Lex Luthor suddenly appears and says he will fail, because he chose justice.
Vandal Savage tells Lex that he's the one being the hero lately. Lex blasts him with a gun and says he is a hero and he knows that he's been hiding the darkest secret of the universe from everyone on the planet. Lex says he came to save Savage.
Martian Manhunter has visions of the final days on Mars as he lost his family. He wakes up due to Superman calling out to him and tells him that Swamp Thing is binding the planet again. Batman says the threat is over underground and Aquaman will help Animal Man and Vixen get the superfauna to repair the ocean's currents. Martian Hunter says the threat is NOT over and quickly summons Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Hawkwoman Cyborg, and Aquaman to a meeting in their minds.
While Manhunter was at the moon, he detected that Vandal Savage's true plan was to get the moon to pull the Earth out of orbit and out of the way. He explains that during their recent battle with the Dark Multiverse, the Source Wall was broken and the Totality witch contains the wall's energy came to life and is headed to the Earth in three minutes. Cyborg reads that it has a very advanced mathematical code and it's heading to Earth with a strong sense of purpose. Batman says there's a legend on New Genesis saying that a messenger will come through with the code to evolve the universe.
Vandal Savage is locked in place due to Luthor's energy blast and his mean say they will fight for Luthor as his Injustice Gang. Luthor rejects their offer and sends them falling through a trap door.
Batman says they have a possible contingency, which is John Stewart armed with a miniaturized omniversal wormhole encased in tenth metal that should destroy the Totality. Wonder Woman and Flash have doubts because the multiverse is dying and this could possibly be the key to saving them.
Luthor mocks Savage saying that he knew all along about the source wall and what was inside it. He says Savage gathered a gang, when what he needed was a Legion. Enter the Legion of Doom 2018, composed of The Joker, Siniestro, Gorilla Grodd, Black Manta and Cheetah. It turns out that Savage's base was actually Luthor's base. He has a monster in the basement and futuristic weapons in the attic.
 |
| I still wonder why Joker wasn't in the original Legion of Doom and they settled for Scarecrow and Riddler instead? |
The Justice League continue to discuss whether or not destroying the Totality will be a good thing or a horrible thing. Manhunter, as their chairman, discusses how the Justice League should inspire people to be better. Wonder Woman tells him to call the vote.
As they talk, Luthor beats Vandal to death.
As Manhunter says he votes for justice, he is cut off, sensing a scream older than any human. He sees visions of the dangers to come and he suddenly finds himself all alone in the omniverse, all his friends burned to dust. He quickly summons the meeting again and finds himself all alone. He can only watch the Totality arrive and hope that there is goodness inside and ignore the dangers he senses. Luthor and the rest of the Legion of Doom anxious await for the Totality to arrive as it finally hits the planet.
My Opinions
Another major universal threat hits the planet and the Justice League has to do something. I liked the opening callbacks to the costumes of heroes past and the other heroes making fun of Batman's voice, which thanks to Christian Bale is so much fun to imitate. I'd imagine that's the voice they were going for. I liked the little cameos of the others like Plasticman and Green Arrow and kinda hope they make occasional appearances during this series, but damn, Swamp Thing has the ability to pull the planet together??
I kinda wish the story showcased some more fighting between the neanderthals and the League, but it seems they pressed for pages as the comic also featured a few pages of a preview to the new Teen Titans book. That's why all the heavy explanation about the source wall and the Totality was crammed into these thin panels as they really tried to cram as many as they could per page. Some of those pages could have been used to spread those panels out more, and of course, some more action in the beginning. I just know if there was an animated version there would be a kick ass fight scene we're out on here. It's just handled so matter of fact here.
Of course we also have the Legion of Doom, though I do think it's time that Cyborg finally gets some sort of rival or nemesis. At first I'd say Cyborg must have fought tons of bad guys when he was the Titans they they could have grabbed someone there and make him his new nemesis for the Legion of Doom... BUT I do remember that the New 52 had made Cyborg a member of the Justice League since day one, and they're really been pushing that fact a lot in the animated movies and the live action movie. It must confused kids to still see Cyborg with the Teen Titans in that other cartoon. Come to think of it... Hawkwoman doesn't have some sort of nemesis either. Or Martian Mahunter. C'mon guys, step it up here.
I do like how they even kept their classic hideout from the Super Friends cartoon. That thing was iconic. Almost as iconic as the Technodrome. It's actually funny when you think about it. The Technodrome looks like the Death Star and the Legion of Doom's HQ looks like Darth Vader's helmet. It's about time they made their canon appearance in the comics. I do know there is a separate Legion of Doom comic which I assume is a mini series (?), but I'll see how that coincides with this story. Not a fan of Joker's shaving of his sides, but I guess that's the new look he's going for nowadays.
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| Meanwhile at the Legion of Doom |
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