Justice League 2022 Annual #1
Scheduled to arrive in stores: February 6, 2022
Cover date: March 2022
“The Return”
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller: Sanford Greene
Inker: Sanford Greene
Cover: Sanford Greene
Variant Cover: Alex Maleev
Reviewed by: James Lantz
OMAC has found Hawkgirl encased in gold in his dystopian future. The One Man Army Corp crashes the party to welcome the recently resurrected Wonder Woman back to the Justice League. Meanwhile temporal events are occurring everywhere. Someone known as the Lord of Time is the key to it all. Various versions of him from different chronological points have appeared to numerous League members. It is unclear if he is a hero or villain even after Hawkgirl returns from OMAC’s world armed by the Lord of Time to defeat his past self. Yet, when that past self mentions the Gold Lantern, the Justice League has more questions than answers when the Lord of Time disappears.
Story – 5: Okay, my initial confusion of events after reading Justice League vs. The Legion of Super-Heroes #1 has been cleared up somewhat. That doesn’t excuse the lateness as it should have been out before that comic. BUT I do like that this is connected to that. I am wondering how Wonder Woman was resurrected as I haven’t read the events leading to that. Yet, that doesn’t impede my enjoyment of this issue. This was an entertaining annual in spite of the missed opportunity for some Doctor Who jokes.
Art – 5: The art, especially some backgrounds, looks rough in places, but that roughness works surprisingly well for this annual. I wasn’t expecting it to work at first glance.
Cover Art – 5: Okay, aside from a one panel cameo, Kal-El does not appear in this issue. His appearance on this cover isn’t much of a nitpick for me as it was in Justice League vs. The Legion of Super-Heroes #1‘s cover, but it still feels like false advertising to me. That said, this image is like the interior art. I really didn’t think I’d like it as much as I do.
Variant Cover Art – 5: Maleev shows his strength with dark characters like Batman in this beautifully drawn cover.
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Great Great Annual.