Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE #29

JUSTICE LEAGUE #29
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Doug Mahnke
Published by DC Comics
Release Date: April 16, 2014

JUSTL_Cv29_52a9df438368b0.16090613METAL MEN IN DA HOUSE! Geoff Johns brings a lot of energy, and even some fun, into Justice League with this Forever Evil installment focusing on Cyborg’s showdown with The Grid.

Justice League has been focusing on Cyborg for awhile now, and the addition of the Metal Men really makes it feel like a team book again. The Forever Evil event has been nothing but darkness, but the Metal Men bring a new and exciting element to the equation. Not only are they extremely powerful and able to potentially help turn the tide somewhat, but through their naiveté and eagerness to help the world they are wildly entertaining. They lighten a story that had the potential to be an extremely dark Cyborg saga and provide great comic relief without making the issue campy. Johns has immediately created new fan favourite characters, and their presence in this issue actually made me like Cyborg more. In contrast to the examination of Stargirl in JLA, this Cyborg storyline in Justice League has felt like it is building toward a strong conclusion and in this issue readers finally get it. This is a worthwhile tie-in to Forever Evil, and the events inside this comic do have bearing on the outcome of the event. Johns has built Cyborg into an A-List character and I can’t wait to see more Metal Men in the DCU in the future. Forever Evil is coming to a close in the next couple months and readers who have been seeking a point where it feels like the tide is finally turning will get what they are looking for in Justice League #29. Readers who haven’t been interested in the Cyborg storyline won’t find an immense amount in this comic that will be up their alley, but there are some nice tidbits of information that flesh out some parts of the primary Forever Evil storyline. Johns brings hope into the darkness that is the DCU and proves, once again, that he is a master at taking unknown or B-list/C-list characters and making them steal the show. He’s done it time and time again, and now Cyborg is a character to reckon with.

Doug Mahnke provides the pencils for this tale, and he does an excellent job giving The Metal Men a unique personality. Each member is easily recognizable and their demeanor suits the metal they are forged from very well. By Mahnke’s hand, Cyborg truly is a force to be reckoned with and he looks like the A-list character Johns has been building him to be. Mahnke’s work has been steady and solid through Trinity War and into Forever Evil, and this issue is no exception. He works very well with Johns, the two creators are in obvious sync, and he handles large casts well. He conveys the youthful exuberance of the Metal Men well, and really nails the strength of character Cyborg possesses in the latter half of the issue. This is comic that is very easy on the eyes, featuring some engaging layouts and very strong pacing to go along with the crisp, sharp lines. Mahnke’s detail level is high, as is the quality of each page and his work is befitting the status of a title such as Justice League.

Justice League #29 brings this title back to being a team book, even if it isn’t the team you may have been looking for. This issue provides some strong momentum for the Forever Evil event, and solidifies Cyborg as a top flight character in the DC Universe. It is a fantastic look at the dynamic Metal Men and features strong art from start to finish. Anyone paying attention to Forever Evil should definitely be picking this book up, and anyone who may have strayed from Justice League during the event, now is the time to dive back in…you’ll be happy you did.

The Verdict: 8.5/10

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