Justice League of America #4 Review

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #4

by Geoff Johns, Matt Kindt, Brett Booth and Andres Guinaldo

OH MY GOD. THE INVISIBLE JET.

JLA #4 really heats things up. Now, Johns' story is the sole reason I picked up this book, and it does not disappoint. Johns fills this issue to the brim with references to the larger DCU, and I must admit, I had fun picking each one out. From ARTHUR LIGHT's cameo, to Copperhead, it's like a Marvel movie! Johns does nail the characters, but they all lack a certain charm that makes the characters in a book like Saga so memorable. Also, Johns leaves us with one hell of a cliffhanger, that readers can't seem to shut up about.

Now, I picked this up for Johns's story alone. Brett Booth's art does NOT work for JLA, and he makes me miss David Finch's art. Booth would be more suited to the regular JL series. Booth's energetic and high-energy style which uses bright colors does not fit the darker and grittier tone Johns is going for. There are also some perplexing facial expressions, and Professor Ivo doesn't even look ugly. He just looks dumb. Also, Jim Lee syndrome (every character has the same facial structure.)

Matt Kindt and Andres Guinaldo's Martian Manhunter backup is a fun extra ten-page distraction with some well-done writing and art, but it's ultimately not the epic and definitive Manhunter story the first two chapters promised us.

While JLA #4 boasts one of Johns' better scripts in the New 52, Brett Booth's weak art holds this book back, and the backup story leans back a bit in quality as well. Story-wise this was a great issue, but overall, this is the series's weakest issue. I will continue to pick this up, but only in because Johns's story is so good.

STORY: 4.5/5

+ Great character writing, though they lack charm and likability

+ Shocking ending

+ Great little call-outs to the larger DCU

+ Fun

ART: 1.5/5

+ Vibrant and energetic

- Vibrant and energetic

- Does not suit the tone of the story

- Almost EVERY character has the same facial expression and structure

BACKUP: 3/5

+ Good effort from both story and art

- Surprisingly forgettable, considering how good the first two chapters were

VERDICT: 3/5