Broken Frontier

At the time of the series debut back in October 2005, Justice was billed as a way to bring Alex Ross’ work to the masses as a lower price point (as opposed to the prestige and oversized formats he usually works in).  Using the Super Friends cartoon as a basis, Ross and co-writer Jim Krueger presented a bi-monthly view of DC’s most iconic characters, including the Justice League of America and the Legion of Doom.  With the series having concluded recently, there were some characters in particular that Krueger and Ross presented in a truly impressive and iconic fashion.

These are the twelve that Kruger and Ross truly did Justice with;

Martian Manhunter – Traditionally never able to successfully step into a starring role, J’onn J’onzz shines in Justice , as the tale plays to his strength as a supporting character.  Irrevocably tied to the history of the Justice League, Krueger and Ross don’t try and force the Manhunter from Mars to be a character he isn’t.  After 50 years of Martian Manhunter adventures, it can be easy to forget just how magical the power of shape shifting could be.  His first significant appearance in Justice #3 not only imaginatively demonstrates the usefulness of his shape shifting abilities (becoming a dolphin to search for the missing Aquaman), but ties this power to his alien way of thinking (the idea that Martians respect natural law and embrace the ability to adapt).  Even when using his powers in a more traditional manner (disguising himself as Captain Cold to infiltrate the Legion of Doom headquarters), the scope of Martian Manhunter’s power becomes known.  J’onn so completely disguises himself, that even a powerful telepath such as Gorilla Grodd cannot pierce the disguise.  Krueger and Ross also draw in Manhunter’s role as the “heart” of the Justice League, as well as his detective roots, allowing the alien hero to own the hunt for Aquaman.  Visually, Ross does an adequate job on the character, making Martian Manhunter look as powerful and heroic as a green man wearing suspenders and shorts possibly can.

Toyman – A product of the Golden Age of comics, the Toyman has long been a challenging character for modern comic storyteller to use effectively.  Borrowing from both the traditional Winslow Schott version, as well as the 1970’s successor, Justice’s Toyman becomes a physical and intellectual threat.  Although revealed a near invalid thanks to Brainiac’s manipulations, Schott maintains a physical presence using a jester/marionette robot.  Through his confrontations with Hawkman, Hawkgirl and later, Superman, this is one of the rare occasions where the Toyman truly can stand shoulder to shoulder with some of DC’s greatest villains.

Parasite – One of the simplest revisions for Justice, the Parasite finally captures that elusive “something” that keeps him from being an “A-list” villain.  Borrowing from some of the Modern Age renderings, Ross’ redesign of an emancipated creature without facial features is an eerie sight to behold, connecting his hunger for power and ability to absorb others into his image.  Striking a balance between the dumb Rudy Jones Parasite and the Torval Freeman version, this Parasite may not be an intellectual giant, but possesses a ruthlessness previously unseen (for example, tearing the kryptonite heart from Metallo in an effort to at last kill Superman).

Green Lantern – Hal Jordan nearly didn’t make the list, because, quite frankly, he gets pretty darn whiny while he’s trapped inside his ring.  That being said, the idea of having the power ring change him into electronic impulses so that he wouldn’t die when the ring ran out of power was a very clever solution to a near impossible conundrum.  The two points that tipped the scales for Hal came late in the series, however.  His final showdown with Sinestro, featured a clever twist, and one that was hidden in plain sight, none-the-less.  To avoid his ring’s vulnerability to Sinestro’s yellow power ring, Jordan donned yet another yellow ring and filtered it through blue kryptonite in order to psych out his rival (in addition to the added bonus of blue kryptonite being able to keep Bizarro at bay).  After both Hal and Sinestro’s rings run out of energy, Hal shows the pure strength of his willpower, besting his rival in a brutal fistfight.

Black Manta – No thanks to Super Friends, Black Manta is a character that is tough to take seriously.  In Justice, Manta quickly sheds his foolish history, as the first of Luthor’s “Legion of Doom.”  Completely buying into the apocalyptic dream that the Legion is striving to prevent, Manta becomes all the more dangerous as he sees his right to rule as the only way to save humanity.  With this bizarre mix of nobility and arrogance, Manta gains an inner strength and serves as a worthy counterpart to an equally powerful Aquaman.

Lex Luthor – Although his modus operandi in the current DC continuity is a little muddy, Justice strikes a nice balance between the Pre-Crisis mad scientist Luthor and the manipulative schemer/tycoon of the Modern Age.  Thriving on the technology based gadgets of his earlier incarnation, this Luthor is a true evil genius in his absolute belief that he is the only man fit to lead humanity into the future.  The Legion of Doom’s announcement to the world, especially Luthor’s reference to the criminal inactivity of the superheroes contrasts beautifully with his unbridled arrogance.  Although his trench coat garb is not visually interesting (but more consistent with his current incarnation), Ross’ subtle tweaking of Luthor’s later costume design actually makes the notorious “purple jumpsuit” look cool. 

Batman – I almost feel guilty including Batman on this list, because, frankly, he appears so often monthly, that it’s almost a guarantee that somebody’s going to get his character right.  Honestly, Krueger and Ross pinpoint him, once again, striking the right balance between the classic Super Friend Batman and the more modern “crazy jerk” Batman.  Prior to the revelation that he is under the control of Brainiac’s “Mr. Mind” worms, Batman is an arrogant SOB – but magnificently so.  His reaction to Superman bringing Captain Marvel to the Batcave, as well as his covert efforts to take down the Man of Steel, brings the character across as utterly emotionless.  Similarly, his interrogation of Captain Cold (all the while under the influence of Wonder Woman’s lasso of truth) show just how he can strike fear and terror into the hearts of the superstitious and cowardly criminal element.  The most enjoyable moments come when Batman actually lets his façade down. His musings into the nature of Superman’s crime fighting activities are uniquely insightful and during the final confrontation, his rage at having been manipulated into betraying his friends brings a touch of class back to the Dark Knight. 

Wonder Woman – Given the challenges the Wonder Woman character has faced since leaving the capable hands of Greg Rucka, it was nice to see the Amazonian Princess done justice here.  Although some of the contradictory elements of the warrior princess’ role are only explored briefly, it was nice to see Ross and Krueger acknowledge Wonder Woman’s role as an ambassador of peace (she even tries to talk down Cheetah, as opposed to immediately retaliating).  Her use of the magic lasso to counteract Brainiac’s mind control over Batman was an ingenious solution to a complicated challenge, and her courage in the face of her fatal wounding was inspiring.

Green Arrow – Our man Ollie redefined what it was to be a DC hero, bringing a liberal air to the traditionally conservative DCU.  Although his political leanings aren’t the focus in Justice , the emerald bowman steps to the forefront with a very distinct voice and clever tactics.  He only really comes to the prominence during the final battle with the Legion of Doom, using Metal Man decoys to allow himself and Black Canary to slip away covertly.  His internal monologue where he explains why he doesn’t say “I love you” to Dinah offers great insight to the character, making him all the more endearing.  His most shining moment comes when confronting the brainwashed heroes, using a green-glowing “kryptonite” arrow on Supergirl, only to reveal the emerald glow came from a Green Lantern ring he was delivering to John Stewart.

Aquaman – It almost seems likely that Ross and Krueger came into this project with the intention of restoring some dignity to Aquaman.  The perpetual butt of jokes from the Super Friends series, the King of the Seven Seas takes centre stage in Justice .  Although he is taken off the board early in the series, the writers quickly establish Aquaman’s maturity and sense of responsibility as a father and King of the Oceans.  Even during his captivity, Justice shows Aquaman in a new light, as the unconscious hero causes all sea life in the area to gather nearby, pinpointing him for his allies in the League.  Moving into the confrontation with the Legion of Doom, Aquaman serves as a rallying point for the heroes, regal and powerful.  In his final duel with Black Manta, Aquaman uses psychology to win, physically losing the fight, but winning the battle by swaying Manta’s followers.

Zatanna – The mystical wonder gets several opportunities to step into the spotlight in the final half of the Justice series.  With Green Lantern presumably lost outside of known space, it is Zatanna who uses her magical abilities to contact the Phantom Stranger (who in turn locates Hal Jordan and returns him to the battle).  Once the Legion of Doom is defeated, Zatanna is the one hero capable of pursuing the mastermind of the plot, Brainiac.  Using her spell casting abilities, Zatanna and Superman are able to follow Brainiac as he jumps from body to body, crossing the globe and finally into outer space, where the mage nearly meets a heroic end. 

Captain Marvel – Captain Marvel taking a spotlight role in an Alex Ross comic?  Unheard of!  Seriously though, the Big Red Cheese arrives with style, not only rescuing Superman from his greatest enemies, but also with some clever strategy (snatching Metallo’s kryptonite to use against the Parasite, who had absorbed Superman’s powers…and weaknesses).  As far as his powers, Krueger and Ross find some interesting ways to bring out Cap’s specialized abilities, using his godly powers to defy the rules of physics (talking in space) and develop plans (using the Wisdom of Solomon to determine a way to free Superman from Mr. Mind’s control, or how to rescue the Flash).  Using both his godly perception and the clarity of vision that can only come from a child, Captain Marvel is the only of the assembled heroes who has the insight to see just how severe Wonder Woman’s wounds are.  One final scene that bears mentioning is during the rematch with Parasite.  The sight of Captain Marvel crushing kryptonite is inspiring, reminding readers once again, that there are some things that make him an even greater power than Superman.