Well, well, well. I don’t know if Justice League International was more successful than many within DC originally thought it was going to be, but when a best-selling title is rewarded with another monthly comic, you’re in business. Of course, the whole business structure of comic books had been changing since the start of the eighties, as Marv Wolfman and George Perez’s New Teen Titans was provided with a spin-off title known as Teen Titans Spotlight. However, Justice League Europe was different. Writers Keith Giffen and DeMatteis had brilliantly and radically changed the Justice League into a worldwide force which received United Nations-backing. With so many other heroes to play around with and explore, they all simply couldn’t fit into one title. It was important that all of them received, at one point or another, their own time centre-stage. Effectively, Justice League Europe is not so much a spin-off, but another title for mainstream Justice League adventures. As the title splits into two, how do the writers balance both titles at once?
Justice League International (vol 1) 22-25 was published from January to April 1989 and were the last to be titled that before its transition to Justice League America with issue 26. The title’s third Annual was released in July 1989. Meanwhile, Justice League Europe was launched monthly starting from April to July 1989 for its first four issues. All of these stories were written by Keith Giffen and J.M DeMatteis, with art usually by
Kevin Maguire (International) or Bart Sears (Europe). I’ve read these stories in their original issues.
Little Murders/Gross Injustice – Written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis with art by Kevin Maguire and Joe Rubinstein
Remember when Justice League International (vol 1) 9 and 10 were forced to cross over with Millennium, that nonsensical and ultra-science fiction story about the Manhunters. Well, Justice League International (vol 1) 22 and 23 are similarly thrown into another wide-spanning event. However, this one is different. Invasion was undoubtedly the largest event to occur in most DC titles in 1989 as Earth was invaded by numerous different alien races and humanity was witness to the Gene Bomb, a device which gave (or removed in some cases) superpowers to ordinary members of the public. Although this story may be enjoyable in its own right, fortunately Giffen and DeMatteis have learnt from Millennium as any true or meaningful link to the main story is limited. While most of the Justice League are off fighting the alien invaders, Oberon and Booster Gold are left to defend the embassy. Neither of them is really happy about their luck, especially Booster. However, Giffen and DeMatteis introduce a threat which appears titanic for these two characters. Breaking into the Justice League’s Australian Embassy, some alien invaders send a race known as the Imskian to defeat the heroes. When they confront Oberon, they are literally as small as action figures, but as dangerous as any other alien invader. Well, they would be if their technology wasn’t shrunk down to a pee-size as well. Much of the issue is Oberon running around the embassy while Booster Gold and Maxwell Lord ignore him, seeing no threat. It all comes to an end when Oberon locks the little critters in a cupboard, and they are unable to get out. Compared to the Millennium crossovers, this issue is refreshing and funny, but I guess it’s obligatory that we have to read some events which do directly link to Invasion. Without getting too much into the events of Invasion, the other half of Justice League International (vol 1) 22 features the rest of the league taking out some alien crafts and rescuing Wonder Woman’s friend Etta Candy from danger. Overall, the first half kicks the hell out of the second half in almost every way, but I guess the intergalactic space-fighting scenes of Invasion were always going to feature the Justice League.
Fortunately, Justice League International (vol 1) 23 carries on the comedic elements from Oberon’s half of the previous issue. Trapped on an island in the South Pacific, the Justice League investigate an alien spaceship which has crashed to Earth. In his usual deplorable self, Guy Gardner decides to move the ship with his powers, but he ignores Mister Miracle’s plea for a stress test. Therefore, Guy picks up the ship only for it to break into several piece. Much swearing ensues. Meanwhile, on another nearby island, there is another crashed ship. However, there is life on board. And evil life at that. Enter the Injustice League. As their heroic rivals lose their Superman, they themselves lose their Lex Luthor. The membership frankly sucks; the team consists of Major Disaster, his technician friend Bruce, the manic-depressive Multi-Man, Clue Master, Big Sir, and the fantastic Clock King. Yeah, it’s not exactly great. However, Giffen and DeMatteis work the same magic here as they did on the JLI team. They make these characters real. They all have their own unique perspectives and characters that make it entertaining, but also slightly sad. These guys want to be first-class supervillains, but they just aren’t and the way they delude themselves is part of what makes the Injustice League great. Anyway, the villains are trying to steal a Thanagarian battleship, but to little success. Both the teams are stranded on their islands for most of the issue, until Guy Gardner spots the Injustice League and, predictably, a fight ensues. The villains try to escape in the Thanagarian ship, but that plan fails when a Guy-shaped hole is smashed through its surface. However, Martian Manhunter manages to save the ship and the villains on board, and they are arrested by the military. I’m sure we’ll see the Injustice League again. But just as disaster appears to end for the Justice League, the Gene-Bomb explodes. This is really the only link to Invasion throughout this whole issue, but I guess it works in hooking the reader to the main series. Regardless, Giffen and DeMatteis handle these two-crossovers very well. It may get slightly intergalactic at times, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t have any of the traditional JLI humour and character which makes the title great. Oberon’s story feels like a nice break from the mainstream action, while the first appearance of the new Injustice League is hugely memorable and entertaining.
I believe these two issues could be the last interior work for Kevin Maguire on his two-year stint for JLI. As ever, his comedic yet heroic style is terrific and makes the stories here even more memorable than ever. Some scenes here really do just stick in your head, especially some of those featuring the Injustice League. Like Giffen and DeMatteis, Maguire captures all of the characters flawlessly as his style will always be associated with Justice League International and rightly so. Rubinstein’s inks are also pretty good as well.
Story: 8/10
Art: 8/10
The Road Less Travelled/Across a Crowded Room --- Written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis with art by Ty Templeton, Giffen, and Joe Rubinstein
To celebrate the second anniversary of Justice League International (seriously they’ll celebrate any anniversary, won’t they?), Giffen and DeMatteis write a double-size issue which is really two stories in one. The Road Less Travelled is up first and it ties up some loose ends from JLI’s first storyline that ran during its first year. In his suite, Maxwell Lord, infected by the Gene Bomb during Invasion, remembers the computer that ruled over him earlier in the run. Although he destroyed it in Justice League International (vol 1) 12, he decides that it is high time to investigate the computer which started the whole thing. To understand this issue fully, you really have had to read every issue up until this point, but especially that twelfth issue. That computer basically took control of Maxwell so it could harness the power of the Justice League and use them for world dominion. He heads into the caves and locates the computer, demanding answers about whether it has links to the Gene Bomb. However, Maxwell is denied answers as the computer explodes and seals him deep in the cave. It appears that Maxwell Lord is left for dead. But, maybe through the Gene Bomb’s effects on Maxwell’s mind, he somehow connects telepathically with Blue Beetle and calls for help. The story ends with Blue Beetle and Ice arriving to rescue Maxwell Lord. This first half is good because it not only brings some closure to Maxwell’s past, but it also hints at an interesting future. Could Maxwell Lord become a superhero? Or a supervillain? Although The Road Less Travelled doesn’t really supply anything new and is, mostly, a fairly unimportant story, it does raise some fascinating questions.
Strangely, the second half of Justice League International (vol 1) 24 focuses on the theme most prevalent in the run’s second year. That, of course, is the notion that the league must go international. Across a Crowded Room that words cannot do any justice to. The first page just sums it up, with over twenty heroes in one room all talking like it’s a family reunion. What makes this story interesting is that this is clearly the prelude and set up to the two titles which Justice League International will split into. Heroes from both the American branch and what will become the European branch are present. The latter includes heroes such as Metamorpho, Animal Man, the Flash, Power Girl, and some others. Giffen and DeMatteis use this story to introduce us to the characters, but it isn’t done in any plain way. As ever, everyone has their own distinctive personalities, and the event is characteristically hectic and unorganised. How very JLI. The writers provide some great dialogue here as tensions rise between characters, especially Blue Beetle and Hawkman. However, Giffen and DeMatteis throw some action into the mix and provide one of the funniest scenes in JLI history. Remember those tiny alien invaders from Justice League International (vol 1) 22? Well, they have finally managed to break through the door of the store cupboard… only to find virtually every first-class superhero in one room. Guy Gardner begins the punch-up. In the end, the tiny villains are defeated when they (continued)
head into a teleporter and are scattered into atoms, while the issue ends beginning Justice League Europe. Overall, Justice League International (vol 1) 24 is a nice celebration of the first two years of the new Justice League. Like all good celebrations however, it looks forward to the future and serves a purpose. In both the Maxwell Lord story and the international league story, it looks back at the themes of the previous two years as Giffen and DeMatteis deploy their usual great tactics to make this issue a funny, but also serious, celebration.
From here, Ty Templeton becomes the main artist of Justice League International (or America as it soon becomes) and while his art makes it less recognisable than Maguire, his cartoony style is effective. It looks very smooth and is very appealing for the jovial scenes often depicted in this story. I’m not too sure if that style will be as successful with the darker scenes which will undoubtedly appear later in the title, but we will have to wait for that. Giffen’s own artwork too is cartoony, but since he has much more creative control of the story as its writer, his tone and layouts are hugely effective. As ever, Rubinstein is a solid inker for both of these artists.
Story: 9/10
Art: 8/10
Bonus Book: Hostage --- Written by David Levin with art by Dean Haspiel
It’s a bit strange to find a Bonus Book story in an issue which is already double length, but what the heck. The more the merrier! Starring Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, everything seems to be going fine until Maxwell Lord is suddenly taken hostage. His terrorist kidnappers want the JLI’s secrets, and it’s down to the two clumsy heroes to rescue their boss. In the end, Booster and Beetle aren’t the saviours they wish to be, as Maxwell basically convinces some of the terrorists to work for him as he will pay them more than their leader. In the end, it’s Maxwell’s business ingenuity (and craftiness) that win the day. Overall, Hostage is somewhat entertaining as its clear that Davie Levin understands the world of Giffen and DeMatteis, but this story certainly would only work at its best as a short story as it does here. Any longer and the gimmick and great ending would be less than satisfying.
That all said, certainly the worst part of Hostage has to be the artwork by Dean Haspiel. Now, I’m all for new talent emerging and getting their work out there, but this guy just can’t draw. Everything looks cartoony, but not in any attractive way. The dimensions are all wrong, the finishes are too basic, and often the human beings look more like deformed aliens. In short, this looks like the work of an eight-year-old…
Story: 8.5/10
Art: 2/10
Repossessions --- Written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis with art by Ty Templeton, Mike McKone, and Joe Rubinstein
As the final story before Justice League International becomes Justice League America, issue 25 supplies a very different kind of story. While most of the previous stories have been jovial, this is very different. While the rest of the league is left to clean up the Justice League Embassy after the events of the previous issue, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle are given a special assignment. They are ordered by a research lab professor to rescue a vampire known as Caitiff, who is known for spending his time in sewers and feeding on human blood. The lab treats this creature like a specimen, a test subject, and it’s down to these two comedic heroes to bring Caitiff back. Caitiff actually first appeared in Action Comics 577, coming into contact with Superman. However, making Blue Beetle and Booster Gold the main focus here is genius. They are clearly not cut out for this kind of horrible work, but they’ve got to do it and they have to prove themselves. Giffen and DeMatteis create an unbelievably claustrophobic and grim atmosphere in the sewers as Booster and Beetle scan for Caitiff. They find the vampire’s lair, filled only with blood, bones, and skulls of the drained dead. Suddenly, Caitiff lunges from the darkness as the heroes attempt to restrain the vampire. Caitiff is an interesting villain for the obvious fact that he isn’t really one. He may be a blood-sucking vampire, but he begs not to be taken back to the laboratory and he wishes only to be alone. The rest of his family and people have been dissected and killed by scientists, and Giffen and DeMatteis end this tale grimly as the creature throws itself to its impaled death. In the end, the heroes have learnt a lesson. They decide not to recover Caitiff’s body; they decide to go home. You can tell that this is certainly more of a J.M. DeMatteis plot as its use of vampire and dark prospects is different from Giffen’s usual writing. It manages to be very different from other JLI issues. It’s scary, horrible, chilling, but also deeply emotional and tragic. It becomes clear that Booster and Beetle are being used by scientists to recover a creature which has been tortured to near-death. It’s ending only makes the message more effective. While JLI works at its best when it is funny and entertaining, it is balanced out by dark tales such as this one perfectly.
Repossessions would have been the ideal instance for Ty Templeton is exemplify his grimmer and more dramatic artistic skills. Unfortunately, it’s left for Mike McKone to pencil much of this story. However, McKone’s art is hugely chilling, and his depiction of Caitiff is scary. He captures the grim and creepy tone of the story excellently and Joe Rubinstein’s inks add the necessary shadowing and dark lighting that a creepy tale as this one deserves. Overall, it may be a shame that Templeton doesn’t do the art, but McKone adds the essential drama which this story needs.
Story: 10/10
Art: 9.5/10
How Ya Gonna Keep ‘Em Down on the Farm After They’ve Seen Paree/Somebody Up There Hates Us/Another Fine Mess/Bialya Burning --- Written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis, with art by Bart Sears, Giffen, and Pablo Marcos
So, Justice League International (vol 1) 24 sets up Justice League Europe as a new full
title for our heroes. Like I said earlier, thank God that JLE is not a mere spin-off, but a fully-fledged comic that cannot be missed out of any essential JLI reading order. Justice League Europe 1-4 is a the first full story and it does well to introduce us to the main characters with an interesting plot.
While Justice League (vol 1) 1 begun with high hopes that were quickly dashed, Justice League Europe 1 begins hopelessly. Captain Atom is put in charge of this new league, based in Paris, and he is basically confused by everything. Even with Catherine Cobert as the league’s liaison, Captain Atom is full of worries about how he will lead this new team. Over the course of the first issue, the members arrive, with Metamorpho, the Flash, Animal Man, Rocket Red, Power Girl, and Elongated Man (with his wife Sue Dibny) all present to witness Captain Atom’s lack of leadership skills. Giffen and DeMatteis build up a good storyline here as no member of the team approves of Captain Atom. The Europe team is just as dysfunctional as the America team, but here you get the feeling that Captain Atom can be a leader and it’s interesting to see this league’s relationship form. However, as you’d expect, things quickly go wrong for JLE. All of a sudden, an ex-Nazi dies outside of their Embassy, who whispers “braces” as his last word seconds before Wonder Woman finally arrives. With one of DC’s biggest heroes hinted at being a killer, things get even worse when a French mob attack the Embassy and the JLE heroes are forced to fight for their own survival. But suddenly, the mob stop their attacks and freak out at the JLE for attacking them. So, a murder and people under a trance. Giffen and DeMatteis create a great mystery as the new team becomes hated in their own country. It takes some time to get used to the characters, especially if you’re used to the memorable team in the other title, but overall, it’s a strong start.
With the JLE already on the rocks, Justice League Europe 2 features the new league fully operational as they begin their investigation to the dead Nazi and any mysterious Meta-Human activity. This issue is very reminiscent of an old Justice League of America story, as the heroes split into groups to investigate Nazi cultists with superpowers. In three groups (Captain Atom and Animal Man, Power Girl and Rocket Red, Metamorpho and Elongated Man and the Flash), they each face off against these superpowered begins, but when defeated they simply lapse into a coma, further incriminating the JLE. It’s a fairly quick read when you get what’s going on, but as ever, Giffen and DeMatteis write some brilliant moments and all the characters are given moments to shine. For instance, the secretive nature of Metamorpho is extremely interesting, and the relationship between Animal Man and Rocket Red is very humorous. The only real event of significance in JLE 2 has to be the rather predictable ending. The man behind the team’s woes is Jack-O-Lantern! While it isn’t much of a shock, any potential that it might have had is lessened by the fact that we know that he is simply a pawn used by Queen Bee. Still, a good ending though.
The Global Guardians have always been an interesting part of the JLI story since Giffen and DeMatteis launched the title. This idea of a legitimate international team legalised by the UN was an interesting idea and it was one which could be played around with, especially after the JLI takes their place. Jack-O-Lantern may be a pretty dull villain, but his and Queen Bee’s plot to discredit the JLE is a great idea for an opener. As the heroes are now aware of the old Global Guardian getting up to his old tricks, they get into contact with Ice. This is a slightly unexplored aspect of the whole run really. Both Ice and Fire were members of the old Global Guardians, but they rarely come into contact with their old buddies and there isn’t really a genuine moment where they attempt to convert Jack-O-Lantern back to their side. Ice is only shown in this whole story once, and while I get the fact that the writers want to give the new league as much attention as possible, having Fire and Ice involved may not have been a bad idea. Also, I get that the Global Guardians want their big return, but why do they have to trash the JLE. It’s blindingly obvious from this story that the Europeans much prefer the Global Guardians to the American Justice League, so surely, they can just take their place by force with democratic support. I guess then there would be no mystery. Justice League Europe 3 is a pretty standard issue, but it gets better towards the end as the JLE break into the Global Guardians base, which has now been converted into a museum. However, Jack-O-Lantern plays his tricks again and manages to control the public to attack the leaguers. And in a final attempt (continued)
to destroy the JLE, Jack-O-Lantern destroys the Global Guardians base. This would have been a good cliff-hanger, but the final page reveals that the heroes survived, and we’re instead left with a very angry Captain Atom.
Justice League Europe 4 begins by focusing on Queen Bee, a villain who has taken control of Bialya and the Global Guardians. Her reasoning for helping Jack-O-Lantern is never really explained, especially after the previous story she featured in when she came to a truce with the JLI (Justice League International (vol 1) 16-17). I think it would have been better if Jack-O-Lantern was acting on his own in secret. Either way, this finale is a simple confrontation that, honestly, doesn’t do that much justice to the previous three mysterious and action-packed issues. Sure, Giffen and DeMatteis may add their usual wit and character, but this conclusion is a simple break-in-and-kill plot. However, things are shaken up when Queen Bee herself is revealed to be a pawn, as she is working with a Dominator. These were the main aliens from the Invasion miniseries, and it is a moment which really should shift the direction of the story. However, I think it was introduced a bit too late and the idea was never given any idea to breathe. The Dominator is basically messing around with Owlwoman, another Global Guardian, and the Gene Bomb’s effects on her. But before all of that can mean anything significant, the JLE arrive and thwart Jack-O-Lantern and the Dominator’s plan. However, this story ends in exactly the same way as the previous tale featuring Queen Bee. Once again, the league just come to another agreement with her, which is a shame because it is just a reused idea. After the events of this story and the amount of sabotage, it feels like an unsatisfying conclusion. As for the Dominator, you needn’t worry about him as Queen Bee kills him because she no longer has any use for him. The tables turn, which is a nice touch. Overall, I’m amazed that Giffen and DeMatteis managed to shove in as much personality and tension between characters as they did. This is very plot-heavy, and I have to say that the first three issues are perfect. I just think that the conclusion could have been handled better, but at least the stakes remained high. In short, it may get overcomplicated towards the end, but much of it is a joy to read and it is difficult to do justice to Giffen and DeMatteis’s masterful dialogue.
Up until this point, Justice League International has always had good solid artists. Kevin Maguire and Ty Templeton both exude a style which is classic and hugely memorable. For Justice League Europe, Bart Sears is the chosen penciller and, honestly, it is pretty lame. The layouts may be dramatic, but they are often strange, while the finishes are extremely flat. The art has this scratchy style which really isn’t suited for a title like Justice League Europe, which is usually lit brightly and rarely a gothic title. Pablo Marcos does his best to clean up some of the mess and, to his credit, he doesn’t do a bad job. However, it really doesn’t help when the foundations are just about passable.
Story: 8/10
Art: 5.5/10
Around the World with the Justice League --- Written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis, with art by Mike McKone, Pablo Marcos, and Bruce D. Patterson
This review has already gone on long enough, but it is important to include Justice League International (vol 1) Annual 3. Although annuals no longer were stories of
significance and only really existed for sales reasons, this one is interesting as it unites the fully formed Justice League Europe with Justice League America. Okay, they already did that in Justice League International (vol 1) 24, but it’s a good idea for an annual. If you’re looking a story full of laughs, you’ve come to the right place. On an island in the South Pacific named Kooey Kooey Kooey, the natives grow scared of the Cold War threat and want to avoid nuclear annihilation. Therefore, they decide to offer their island to the Justice League International. And that is where the plot of this story ends. Seriously, most of the issue is the Justice League America team and the Justice League Europe team going on a world tour and getting up to all sorts of trouble. It all ends when Maxwell Lord accepts the native’s offer, and Kooey Kooey Kooey is theirs! This island will come into play a bit later on, but this annual isn’t really essential to read. As I said, there is some great humour here, but it isn’t worth going into it in detail. In fact, the cover just tells the story for you really. It’s good fun, but it seriously lacks a strong plot. Oh yeah, there is also a back-up which isn’t really much to do with the JLI. It’s Batman helping Martian Manhunter in a detective story. It’s a nice addition, written by Giffen and DeMatteis with art by Tim Gula, but it is more suited to Detective Comics and doesn’t involve the JLI at all. It’s a strong solo Martian Manhunter tale.
Mike McKone’s pencils worked excellently in Justice League International (vol 1) 25; he captured the grimness and chilling plot of that story. Since this annual features very little art of that mood, McKone’s art is fairly standard. Strangely, it often lacks detail and comes across as quite simple, which isn’t terrible, but certainly odd. That said, you can certainly see the inking difference between Bruce D. Patterson and Pablo Marcos, the former of which adds a far darker and more atmospheric appearance, particularly during the cave scenes with the natives. Overall, though, it’s nothing to write home about.
Story: 7/10
Art: 6.5/10
VERDICT
Overall, Justice League International: Around the World is a large selection of stories, but Giffen and DeMatteis do well to split the title into two. The two Invasion crossovers are surprisingly enjoyable, while the second anniversary double-sized Justice League International (vol 1) 24 is also very good. The tale featuring Caitiff is a flawless break from the happy action, while Justice League Europe 1-4 sets up the new title nicely. The annual may be a bit of a throwaway item, but it’s a nice addition. With that, another chapter in the Giffen and DeMatteis run concludes. The Justice League, whether good or bad, is home in two titles…
Stories: 8.5/10
Art: 6.5/10
Next Week: Starman by Steve Ditko (Adventure Comics 467-478). Written by Paul Levitz with art by Steve Ditko and Romeo Tanghal.
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