Review: Justice League International

Team: Justice League

Title: Just League International

My favourite Justice League line up.

Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis, with art by Kevin Maguire.

Giffen and DeMatteis were previously known for deadly serious stories, mostly on Legion of Superheroes.

They were selected to cowrite along with Maguire as artist. (Giffen was also an artist, and would do some set-ups)

And most importantly...they couldn't use ANY famous names. Like...the editors FINALLY let them have JUST Batman.

So they were given a smorgasbord of characters to work with:

Booster Gold.

Blue Beetle.

Vixen.

Martian Manhunter.

Green Lantern (Guy Gardner).

Mister Miracle.

Dr. Fate.

Elongated Man.

Black Canary.

Shazam.

Vibe.

As you can see, it was a lineup of mundane, forgettable, and unknown characters, OK'd by the DC editorial staff precisely BECAUSE no one cared.

It was a heroic version of Suicide Squad.

And lo and behold...it worked. Like REALLY worked. The art of Kevin Maguire was bringing in fans. So was the irreverent writing of DeMatteis and Giffen.

They could literally do anything they wanted, precisely BECAUSE DC didn't care. They didn't care who lived or died. They didn't care who the team killed. It was supposed to be a death note.

Instead, it took off.

People loved Guy Gardner get taken out by Batman in one punch to the face.

They loved Blue Beetle and Booster Gold start a friendship that wouldn't have been possible in a "big" title.

Where every other JL title before that had been rigidly serious, JLI had a fun, irreverent feel, and the readers glommed onto it.

So...if you're ever looking for another DC title with the feeling of older Suicide Squad or Guardians Of The Galaxy, Justice League International is the title for you.