Justice League Of America: Rebirth #1 Review

This review contains minor spoilers.

As good as Justice League vs. Suicide Squad was, I wonder what the point of another Justice League team is. It’s not like another superhero team is bad news, but do we need another one with Batman? Everywhere you turn, it’s Batman, Batman, Batman! He’s like Ben Affleck in the early 2000s: suffering from a bad case of overexposure. Nonetheless, Justice League of America: Rebirth #1 is here, whether we want it or not, so let’s check it out.

Since the events of Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #6 and Justice League of America: Killer Frost Rebirth #1, we’ve known that Killer Frost’s set to be part of the new JLA team. This issue follows her and Batman as they enlist the remaining members: Black Canary, Lobo, the Atom, the Ray, and Vixen. Naturally, there’s reluctance from some of them and tempers flare-up, but ultimately everyone comes together for an epic pose on the last page.

While 32 pages may sound like too short a space for all the above to happen, Steve Orlando does a good job of giving everyone a spot in the sun. You never feel like someone’s shoehorned in for the sake of it; instead, every member is valuable in their own way. Make no mistake, the dominant ones and troublemakers are fairly obvious; however, you can already foresee the personalities that will keep the team together. In an ensemble series, this is an extremely difficult balance to achieve – but Orlando has done so from the onset.

In many ways, this issue reminds me of the Justice League Comic-Con trailer from last year – bar The White Stripes. There’s levity, a teensy-weensy bit of action and drama, and a heavy Batman presence. We also don’t find out who’s the main villain, only why the team’s formed, and that’s not a bad thing. After all, there’s still a place in the world for standalone issues that tell a complete story.

In the art department, Ivan Reis brings his magical touch to this issue, with his recognized and often imitated style. There’s something distinctly classic about his approach, but it still contains a fresh, modern stroke. This makes all the difference in a larger-than-life book, such as this one, which requires an extraordinary artist to supersize it. In Joe Prado, Marcelo Maiolo and Oclair Albert, he’s found a gifted art team to complement his talents. Yes, Prado and Reis are working together again; get excited.

So, is Justice League of America really necessary? I’m not sure. Batman does seem stuffed here to shift more copies. Also, with so many team books in the DC (and the WildStorm reboot) line, this does feel excessive. That said, there’s an interesting dynamic here, and having Killer Frost, Lobo and Black Canary on the same team can only lead to fireworks. Moreover, it’s possible that Batman will eventually step aside and take on a more Zordon-esque role, where he keeps the JLA in check from a distance. Orlando knows how to pen absorbing, unique stories, so I’m putting faith in him to do right by this series.