Note: we’re doing all our DC reviews in separate posts starting this week. To find the reviews of all the other issues from November 15 and previous weeks, check our index.
Justice League #33 – Joshua Williamson, Writer; Tyler Kirkham, Mikel Janin, Artists; Arif Prianto, Jeromy Cox, Colorists
Ratings:
Ray – 8/10
Corrina: A Glimmer of Hope
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS RESIDE IN THESE REVIEWS.
Ray: Josh Williamson jumps back on board for the final chapter of Bats Out of Hell, and this issue turns out to be rather Cyborg-centric, picking up on some elements from both Geoff Johns’ work on the character in Justice League and John Semper’s mythology-building in Cyborg’s own title. As it opens, the Batman Who Laughs has captured most of the Justice League thanks to the elaborate deathtraps he forced Cyborg to build. But Cyborg is resisting the Murder Machine’s programming and has built up just enough of a resistance to begin fighting back. The art is split this issue, but it works – Tyler Kirkham’s art on the main segments is grim, gritty, and menacing, while Mikel Janin’s art on the segments inside Cyborg’s mind has a glossy, technological feel to it.
Cyborg winds up traveling inside his own head, communing with his Mother Box – which offers him the power to fight back against the Dark Nights, but only by turning himself over to it and essentially erasing Victor Stone. This would essentially kill him, but a mystery voice calls out to Cyborg, pulling him back from the brink and allowing him to let Mother Box in just enough so that he maintains some control – but still benefits from greatly increased control over his technology. This leads to a big, widescreen final showdown as the League finally fights back, and Cyborg frees Raven from her prison where she was forced to use her empathic powers against her allies. Cyborg/Raven bonding makes me happy – could we finally be seeing the return of Cyborg’s Teen Titan years into continuity? This crossover was never groundbreaking, but every issue was fun, action-packed, and did the characters it spotlighted justice.
Corrina: I didn’t hate it. Considering how little enjoyment I’ve received from reading this crossover, that’s is praise because there are things I liked about this installment. One, the focus on Cyborg, and his choosing to be himself. I’m always a sucker for a hero who overcomes a temptation to become his best self and this fit the bill. Second, this is the first Metal comic where it isn’t all horrible things happening all the time. It’s not that I ever need a win but constant losing, over and over and over, is dull. Our heroes winning is good. Doing something unpredictable with the plotting is better.
But it’s still part of Metal. So there’s that.
Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
