Massive Justice League Roster Takes on the Legion of Doom

Here is a brief list of things that happen JUST in this exclusive preview of Justice League #37 that are categorically, clinically bananapants.

– The Legion of Doom headquarters faces off with the Hall of Justice. Not metaphorically or anything. They actually fly and stare each other down. Please note, this is the first damn panel of the comic.

– Starro and Batman agree that the League is stupid like a fox. This is a much tighter paraphrase than you would expect.

– I lost like, 15 minutes of my day picking over these incredible splash pages from Jorge Jimenez trying to figure out who’s in there. I think I have everyone (and as a side note, it warms my heart to see the Terrifics in there, because that book has turned ridiculously good since Gene Luen Yang took over), but I’m still up in the air about the guy between Aqualad and Wildcat. I’m pretty sure it’s Ryan Choi, but it might also be an Atomic Knight, or it could be Orion from Justice League Odyssey.

– All the Starmen and Alan Scott hold hands with the League because you need feelings to defeat the Legion of Doom.

Justice League is stupid amounts of fun because the creators (especially writers Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV) are having stupid amounts of fun, and the finished product practically screams that fact at you. Jimenez and colorist Alejandro Sanchez are doing some of the best work in all of comics on this book, and the two splash pages are perfect examples of why. The story of the Justice/Doom War is one about hope battling cynicism, like everyone who sees The Purge movies as a dark parable versus everyone who sees The Purge movies as action thrillers. This shines through in the difference between the two spreads: the Legion of Doom page is PACKED with action: portals teleporting more soldiers in, lasers zapping past the camera, Legion HQ menacing in the background and different designs of White Martian-covered soldiers racing for the League.

Compare that to the League page. The splash is as busy and crowded as the Legion of Doom’s page, but every character is distinct, and expressing their powers beautifully. Damian has his sword, the Flashes are crackling with energy, Black Canary is screaming, Guy Gardner looks like a moron, Aqualad has his water swords. Also, not for nothing, but the composition of the page is incredible – the way Supergirl, Superman 1,000,000 and Shazam divide the page into thirds makes it subconsciously fun to look at, too. I’m not big on owning original art, but if I was ever independently wealthy, I’d buy this page right after I grabbed the Atomic Robo “the light is for ambiance” one.

Justice League has been frantic, manic fun from the start, and yet it’s somehow managed to keep building excitement and ridiculousness with every page. And here we are, almost at the end of the big story, and it’s still getting wilder.