Justice League #71
The League confronts the Royal Gang in Justice League #71, by writer Brian Michael Bendis, artist Phil Hester, inker Eric Gapstur, colorist Romulo Fajardo Jr., and letterer Josh Reed. In the backup, by writer Ram V, artist Sumit Kumar, colorist Romulo Fajardo Jr., and letterer Rob Leigh, Doctor Fate writes a letter to Kent Nelson about his visions. The main story is pretty good but the backup shines as bright as a diamond.
In the main story, the Justice League overcomes everything the Royal Flush Gang unleashed and finds out why they tried to take the Fortress of Solitude before taking them. Checkmate decides to let Daemon Rose into the group, and the Justice League thanks Green Arrow for all of the funding and how he’s been doing things but Black Adam and Hippolyta pledge to keep their eyes on him. He’s all for that, and they begin to plan their next steps. In the backup, Doctor Fate composes a letter to Kent Nelson about his visions and relationship with the JLD as he prepares for an event only he can see coming.
The main story is classic Bendis-style writing, in media res. Readers get three double-page splashes of the action before the issue starts. There’s a flashback to explain the Royal Flush Gang’s true motives, then back to the present for another quick action scene. Finish it off with a whole lot of talking. That sounds dismissive, but it’s actually not. This is a pretty good story all in all, even if it does seem a little all over the place.
The real jewel of this issue is the backup, though. This is Ram V.’s last Justice League Dark story, and he knocks it out of the park. V is an amazing talent, and this installment again shows why. He closes out all of his plotlines wonderfully, giving just enough closure to each one to end his plots but leaving them open for the future. He’s left a treasure trove for the next JLD writer. He’ll be missed, though, as few writers out there can match the way he writes. It’s on full display in this one, and it’s bittersweet. This chapter is so well written but knowing this is the last time that V will be writing the JLD is sad.
Hester and Gapstur are an amazing superhero art team. The three double-page spreads of the heroes of the Earth battling the threats released by the Royal Flush Gang opening up the dimensional portals in the Fortress are amazing. They make a reader wish the entire issue has been that fight. That’s how good they are. They’re such a great team, and it shows on every page. Speaking of great art, Kumar does some of his best work since he took over in this installment. Each page is dominated by a character portrait of each team member, and they all look phenomenal. Kumar puts his all into every page, and it’s a glory to behold. Fajardo Jr. colors both stories and does an amazing job as well. The art in this issue is downright breathtaking.
Justice League #71 is better than it’s going to get credit for. Bendis, Hester, and Gapstur do a great job with their story, V and Kumar masterfully take their bow, and Fajardo Jr. adroitly colors it all. Team books don’t get much better than this.