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Mild Mannered Reviews - Justice League Unlimited

Justice League Unlimited #7

Scheduled to arrive in stores: March 2, 2005

Cover date: May 2005

Writer: Adam Beechen
Penciller: Ethen Beavers
Inker: Ethen Beavers

"Orphans"

Reviewed by: Adam Dechanel

Click to enlarge

Before we begin: I got excited at first - It was a Supergirl, Superman and Darkseid story.

It was going to be cool like the episodes of the show.

Boy was I EVER wrong!

This was like reading a train wreck from cover to cover... ok on with the review...

SYNOPSIS:

Kara is depressed lying on her bed. Cousin Superman is concerned and pays her a visit. Kara doesn't feel that Ma and Pa not being her birth parents, don't understand her difficulties being a superhero AND normal girl. Clark disagrees, after all they brought him up didn't they?

That was earlier in the day.

The story leaps to right now at the Source Wall. Darkseid and his forces are trying to breach it and the JLU forces are struggling to force the legions of villains backwards.

Martian Manhunter is leading the battle telepathically organising the forces to best aid combat.

Supergirl rescues Rocket Red and explains a little backstory.

Behind the Source Wall is the secret of where all life comes from. The wall protects that power with the bodies of villains that had tried to pass through.

Darkseid has created found the X Element - a power source that can do ANYTHING (OMG! Didn't Professor Utonium make this in Powerpuff Girls - lucky Darkseid didn't have sugar, spice and everything nice or we'd have real trouble!)

The villain has also constructed a giant laser cannon to pierce the Source Wall.

The back story is interrupted by Orion giving in to his rage.

J'onn orders Supergirl to aid the heavy hitters of the League in stopping Orion.

Darkseid is stood atop his laser cannon overseeing his plans fruition.

He is father to Orion and listens to his son's pleas but with barely a passing interest. Orion swears to stop the tyrant and to fulfil the prophecies of Darkseid's demise.

Darkseid is unimpressed.

Supergirl arrives and forces Orion back into the arms of his JLU comrades they resolve to plan a better offensive than rushing in headlong to battle.

They decide instead... to rush in headlong to battle.

The heavy hitters of the league rush to stop the Bubbles, Blossom and Buttercup, sorry I mean the X Element. The rest of the League hold back Darkseid's parademon army.

Lightray and Supergirl watch as Orion's hatred destroys the army single handed.

Lightray explains Orion is angry because Darkseid doesn't love him as a son.

Supergirl understands.

Meanwhile Superman leads a disheartened Zauriel, Captain Atom and Wonder Woman into his plan. The beam designed to disintegrate the Source Wall (strong enough to protect the secrets of the universe) is firing full force. Superman decides they should all jump into the beam and try to push it back towards the cannon...

They do, it works for a few seconds and then... they fall succumbing to the laser's energy.

To boost moral to the 'weak' leaguers, J'onn informs them that the strongest leaguers have fallen. Orion is angrier than before and rushes to destroy his father. Supergirl is in hot pursuit.

Orion vows to fulfil the prophecy and defeat his father.

Darkseid informs his son that the prophecy is to happen on Apokolips not at the Source and pummels his child with explosive Omega beams.

Supergirl takes offense at a family at war and enters the fray.

She strikes Darkseid down and avoiding the powerful Omega beams smashes the warlord into his laser cannon.

The X Element and the cannon vapourize.

Darkseid and his parademons disappear in a Boom Tube bound for Apokolips.

Threatening a terrible revenge on Supergirl for her interference.

The League are both surprised, envious and proud of the Teen of Steel.

Supergirl, Orion and Superman however are focussed more on the topic of family.

Thus Supergirl learns to appreciate her family, biological or not.

Story - 1: Watch the show the stories are just like this book. Almost like a real episode!

Um ok that's not true at all... Plot holes like swiss cheese.

Art - 1: Watch the show it looks just like this book. Almost like a real episode!

Um ok that's not true at all... It's a case of almost but not quite right.

Cover Art - 1: I am a comic book writer and artist myself and understand that everyone has a style. That's fine in any other book - NOT this one.

It isn't bad, in fact that all look stylistically fun, its just the cover doesn't suit the title.

A NOTE ON JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED TO DC & CARTOON NETWORK.

Lets cut to the chase.

The writing is below average - someone read back issues of the past Batman and Superman titles this is what you should be writing.

The artwork along with the writing is valiantly attempted but struggles to follow the shows atmosphere.

The covers - What is going on with these they ARE NOT bad but they just don't gel with the book. If I didn't have to review it I wouldn't be buying this title I'd be laughing at it.

Is anyone actually checking over this title before it goes to print?

Take a look at the show this is supposed to COMPLIMENT.

The 'animated' books HAVE to stick as close to character models as much as possible - if they don't its just not 'animated' book. At least the previous incarnations of the animated books and currently The Batman attempted to give the same look and writing that the show offers. (With the exception of the joke that was Adventures in the DC Universe.)

If anything its MORE important for these books to look and feel like an extension of the show because of the link to the series. I know this may be hard to keep going but if you can't, sad as it may sound - kill the title off. Or alternatively keep churning this stuff out if KILLING the show is the aim.

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