Broken Frontier

The members of the Justice League launch their all-out assault on the Legion of Doom. Can they win when their enemies know everything about them?

As this bi-monthly maxi-series heads for the home stretch writers Jim Krueger and Alex Ross continue to prove that they understand what makes all of these heroes tick. They understand what makes the Justice League a team and what makes each member a hero.

As the Legion of Doom gathers to gloat and celebrate their perceived victory, the Justice League chooses to make their strike. This is a delicate operation and each member must play their part...even those members who may not seem that powerful. The primary narrator here is Green Arrow as he and Black Canary embark on what may be a suicide mission to free the other heroes from Brainiac’s control. If they fail, this battle may well be lost....

With a cast of thousands to play with, Ross and Krueger do a masterful job of giving a number of even smaller players their moments to shine. The Doom Patrol have roles to play, as do the Metal Men and the Elongated Man. Each character is shown with his or her own strengths, even when they are facing impossible odds. In point of fact it is because these characters face impossible odds that we see their heroism. Some go into battle knowing they have no chance of winning but acting as a delaying tactic will buy others more time and for them it is worth the price they may pay. This is what makes them heroes. If there is one complaint about this issue it is that the creative team may have tried to pack in a little too much action. Some of the fight scenes become harried and jumbled; the panels a bit squished and therefore the action not always clear.

Doug Braithwaite provides lush, almost photo realistic pencil art that in turn is treated to Alex Ross’s distinctive paints. The result is figures that are as unique as the people we see around us every day. Both heroes and villains are brought to a human level even as their actions are beyond human. With Ross’s paints readers are treated to colors, textures, light and shadow that are also far more realistic than most of what is seen in comic books today. It is a rich and lush treat indeed.

Justice is a study in all the things that make superhero stories enjoyable to read. There are dastardly villains with an insidious and complex plan, the heroes have been knocked down but they’re not out yet. The chips are down, the world and all the lives on it are at stake...that’s when you find out what really makes or breaks a hero. If you enjoy an old school story packed with heroes and villains but told with a modern eye then Justice is what you seek.