Justice League #70
Scheduled to arrive in stores: December 28, 2021
Cover date: February 2022
“The Biggest Score Ever” – Part 2
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller: Phil Hester
Inker: Eric Gapstur
Cover: Yanick Paquet
Variant Cover: Alexander Lozano
Reviewed by: James Lantz
As the Justice League Dark battles things that go bump in the night, Leviathan has been revealed to have made a deal with the Royal Flush Gang to become Justice League level villains. To do this, they have stolen Superman’s Fortress. The plan is to use it for an even bigger heist and give it back. Ace of the Royal Flush Gang provides distraction while the rest of the group enter the Kryptonian stronghold. The Justice League sets out to locate it, but when they do, it may be too late. Dimensional doors have been opened.
Story – 5: It was good to see Superman seek advice from Black Adam in the beginning of the present day scenes. Adam’s counsel is very sound, and it shows how Bendis is a master of blending superhero action with brilliant character moments. The fight with Ace clearly provided the latter in a story that clearly takes place before Philip Kennedy Johnson took over on Action Comics. Bendis clearly wants to tie-up loose ends left in his past DC work, and he’s succeeded with his run on this series so far.
Art – 4: I mentioned some of my main problems with Phil Hester’s art being maybe slightly too cartoony for a main DC book. Had he done something based on an animated series, I’d be a bit less critical of his art. It does work well for this particular story arc. Yet, there are images where Superman and Black Adam look poorly rendered. Thus, the quality of the images suffers in this issue.Cover Art – 5: This somehow feels like a tribute to Jim Steranko’s classic work on Nick Fury without actually being what was once called a cover swipe. At least that’s how the comics history buff in me feels. Whether it was intended as a Steranko homage or not, the art is great on this cover.Variant Cover Art – 5: I want to see an art book of Alexander Lozano’s work and/or see all his Justice League variants put together in one image. His style is right up there with Gabrielle Dell’Otto and Alex Ross.
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