Justice League Unlimited #15 – Mark Waid, Writer; Dan Mora, Sean Izaakse, Artists; Tamra Bonvillain, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: As DC KO marches on towards its epic conclusion, this tie-in does a great job of covering the chaos on Earth. This issue introduces a new player in the battle for Earth – Air Wave, who has finally made his way back from the mission that got lost in time. As the battle shifts from fighting villains to taking the fight to Neron and keeping him from collecting souls en masse, the heroes deputize a new Costa Rican team of heroes alongside Air Wave and Kid Flash to make their way to Neron’s temple. One of the best things about Mark Waid on a title is that the man has an encyclopedia of DC knowledge that few mortal men can match, and now he has the entire DCU to play with. This issue feels particularly action-packed, but it’s also got enough time for some great character moments – and of course, it has one of the DCU’s best villains to play with, in the sadistic demon Neron.
This twisted deal-maker was created by Waid thirty years ago in the event Underworld Unleashed, and this comic feels like a proper sequel to that. While Neron does get the chance to torment Ace West, his machinations are mostly confined to the underworld, where Mister Terrific and his band of time-displaced heroes continue their march through Hell. The numbers keep on dwindling one by one, with one hero making a final sacrifice to get them through a frozen wasteland and another falling prey to a trap and being turned into a monster. Another finally succumbs to his deepest fears, and the final level of hell contains twisted horrors that tear some to shreds. It ultimately comes down to Michael Holt alone to face off with Neron and try to cut a deal, but the demon king has one last surprise up his sleeve. This is probably the best issue of this storyline so far, with some great horror vibes.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
