Justice League Adventures #22 Talkback (Spoilers)

[Clayface]

JUSTICE LEAGUE ADVENTURES #22

​

Written by Stuart Moore; art by John Delaney and Robin Riggs; cover by Kelsey Shannon

A menace from Green Lantern's past returns! The first time Green Lantern fought the alien race called the Shayol, they killed three of his fellow GL Corps members. Now they've arrived on Earth, and GL must decide how to deal with them — before Hawkgirl takes matters into her own hands!

Comments?

 

[John Delaney]

Hi Kats

I know I've been a little MIA on these boards lately what with all the work I've had to do lately but I'm very excited to read what you all think about this issue. I think Stuart Moore did an excellent job on this intelligent and thoughtful story and I really enjoyed drawing it! (I got to draw the Guardians!!!)
I love Justice League stories that deal with huge whole world threats and as soon as I read the script I knew I wanted to really open up the panels on all the space scenes. I hope you like it.
Also I know there is a few posters out there who are going to be pleased to see a certain villian show up on page 6 & 7.

Whatdayathink?
Cheers
John

 

[Spidey2099]

Judging from the cover, it looks like Hawkgirl's got everything under control.

[fear the mace]

 

[Bird Boy]

For those expecting a Hawkgirl story, you'll be greatly disappointed--the cover is one of the more mis-leading I've seen so far out of this series.

So what's it about then? About a race of hostile aliens that destroyed a planet, but is now all good n' stuff. I tell you, I know I've read this before--this title is saturated with it. I don't know why...but it is.

It's starting to feel like a comic aimed towards the kids now--I know, I know, it's a comic based on a cartoon--but even the cartoon isn't this dumbed down. It's like DC wants these moral stories done all the time--the reason behind this one? Don't judge a person on their past behaviors and give them a chance. I KNOW I've read this in JLA before...

And with the new comic layout, it really does feel like I'm reading a childrens comic. It might've entertained me a couple years ago, but now it's just redundant--for $2 each month, I'd like a little variety. If I wasn't a completist, I'd probably have dropped this title already...

Before I finish though--the art, as with most issues, was very well done. All on-model, sharp drawing...really really good. Wish I could say the same for the cover though...Hawkgirl's jaw/lips look very...odd.

Overall: * 1/2

-BB

 

[Brainiac]

Well, I posted this on the "This Week in Comics" thread, but here it is for those who don't visit it...

Justice League Adventures #22--Okay. I don't know why I pick up this comic, honestly. It wasn't as bad as the last issue, but it just felt so re-hashed and cliched that...well, it just wasn't that enjoyable. I enjoy reading spoilers about the show's second season more than reading a story in this book! Maybe it's because I got my hopes up with the Psycho-Pirate story, but either way, I really should drop this title...just a waste of money... D

While re-reading my comments, I do want to mention how great the art is...it's just too bad the story sucks. And where exactly was the "thrilling" Hawkgirl story? Oh...when she got pissed and muttered things under her breath to GL about him not being the "let me get my revenge" type of guy...

-Brainiac

 

[DisneyBoy]

Bummer. I'll pick it up, as always, but I want to point out just how much I really enjoyed the first four pages posted here. At least we get a flashback, unlike recent issues that just "introduce" another race only to get rid of them in 22 pages. John's art kicks butt! I just wish the writing on this series was more to people's liking.

Anyhoo, I'll pop back in once I've read the ish.

And what's with the new cover format!?!?! It's Ok, I suppose...but it flashes a tab bit too much "CARTOON NETWORK" for my likes...

 

[Spidey2099]

Originally Posted by DisneyBoy:

And what's with the new cover format!?!?! It's Ok, I suppose...but it flashes a tab bit too much "CARTOON NETWORK" for my likes...

D.U.M.P. = Desperate and Unneccessary Marketing Ploy.


I also enjoyed the first few pages, I haven't seen much of Delaney's work, but it looks very good every time I do.

For that matter, the writing was pretty good in the first pages as well.

 

[John Delaney]

I also enjoyed the first few pages, I haven't seen much of Delaney's work, but it looks very good every time I do.

For that matter, the writing was pretty good in the first pages as well.

Hi Kats

First off thanks so much for all the positive art comments, I really appreciate it. Second, although admitedly the story does cover some familiar ground I think we can all think of a time or two when we read one of our favorite books and a storyline develops that we feel we've seen before. Heck look at TV or the Movies for a never ending cycle of repeating the same plot device. For me, after reading comics for the better part of my life, I've encountered this situation on many occasions but what makes those stories and this one fresh for me is the creative teams individual take on the premise.
If you read the dialogue in the opening pages of this story and watch the way it translates to John Stewart's better understanding of himself later in the story it makes for some really compelling insight into this character.
SPOILER ALERT:


If you look at this as simply a story about misjudging the now good intentions of a formerly evil alien race, I feel you miss the more important story about forgiveness and sacrifice. John Stewart represents what most of us hope we could be in a similar situation, Hawkgirl represents what most of us are.
John lost three friends and comrades under his command not to mention the pain of one of them(a pacifist no less) actually dying in his arms. When contacted by the Guardians at first GL assumes he should put together a task force to protect his home planet but when he is told to instead welcome these beings he is able to holster his own desire for justice and vengence like a true hero should. How many of us could actually go and meet with the murderers of our friends?
Hawkgirl is much more like most of us in that she doesn't just trust them just because she is told to. She wants to believe they've changed but their actions dictate that they have not. Even after everything is resolved Hawkgirl like many of us is still suspicious and it's only through GL's example of forgiveness that she ia able to put aside her desire for vengence and accept the Shayol.


Justice League Adventures is in the unique position to give readers a chance to experience these characters in the different hands of a different creative combination each month. If one reads the stories from the perspective that each team brings it's own vision to this universe one can be thoroughly entertained by the interesting and different takes each team brings. Having worked with a different writer on each story I've done I can tell you that is the hook for me. I love noticing and taking in the subtlties and differences of each characters action and reaction in the hands of each different writer. I really enjoy the different acting, storytelling and body language that each different artist brings and one of my favorite things is taking in the variety of ink styles brought forth by the stellar inkers brought on each issue.
Just as Bruce Timm & Co. bring their vision of the DC Universe to each show they take on so too do the creators of Justice League Adventures.

That's my take anyway.

Cheers
John

 

[Bird Boy]

Hi Kats

First off thanks so much for all the positive art comments, I really appreciate it. Second, although admitedly the story does cover some familiar ground I think we can all think of a time or two when we read one of our favorite books and a storyline develops that we feel we've seen before. Heck look at TV or the Movies for a never ending cycle of repeating the same plot device. For me, after reading comics for the better part of my life, I've encountered this situation on many occasions but what makes those stories and this one fresh for me is the creative teams individual take on the premise.
If you read the dialogue in the opening pages of this story and watch the way it translates to John Stewart's better understanding of himself later in the story it makes for some really compelling insight into this character.
SPOILER ALERT:


If you look at this as simply a story about misjudging the now good intentions of a formerly evil alien race, I feel you miss the more important story about forgiveness and sacrifice. John Stewart represents what most of us hope we could be in a similar situation, Hawkgirl represents what most of us are.
John lost three friends and comrades under his command not to mention the pain of one of them(a pacifist no less) actually dying in his arms. When contacted by the Guardians at first GL assumes he should put together a task force to protect his home planet but when he is told to instead welcome these beings he is able to holster his own desire for justice and vengence like a true hero should. How many of us could actually go and meet with the murderers of our friends?
Hawkgirl is much more like most of us in that she doesn't just trust them just because she is told to. She wants to believe they've changed but their actions dictate that they have not. Even after everything is resolved Hawkgirl like many of us is still suspicious and it's only through GL's example of forgiveness that she ia able to put aside her desire for vengence and accept the Shayol.


Justice League Adventures is in the unique position to give readers a chance to experience these characters in the different hands of a different creative combination each month. If one reads the stories from the perspective that each team brings it's own vision to this universe one can be thoroughly entertained by the interesting and different takes each team brings. Having worked with a different writer on each story I've done I can tell you that is the hook for me. I love noticing and taking in the subtlties and differences of each characters action and reaction in the hands of each different writer. I really enjoy the different acting, storytelling and body language that each different artist brings and one of my favorite things is taking in the variety of ink styles brought forth by the stellar inkers brought on each issue.
Just as Bruce Timm & Co. bring their vision of the DC Universe to each show they take on so too do the creators of Justice League Adventures.

That's my take anyway.

Cheers
John

As I mentioned before (dunno if it was in this thread or in the one on the Comic Book Board), I LOVED the opening pages. I was all set that this was gonna be another issue to put in the "definitely gotta re-read" stack...but no. It was just the way it was executed.

The problem with comics is the 22 page format. We're see John's point of view, but Hawkgirl's is rather rushed, offering no more than 2-3 panels to explain why she's being so rash--yes, we know why she can be that harsh, but it was the way it all folded out--it just felt too rushed. I realize you can put so much in comic books cause of the limitations of 22 pages---which is another reason why I would like to see a story arc, spanning a couple issues. As is, they're all one shots that don't dwell on anything that happened in past issues--which may be why we're getting so many alien invasion stories.

I'm not saying I know how to write a comic..or draw it, or lay it out. I just know it can be done better than what they're doing. With seven league members, you can do so many stories with them, and yet we get these alien stories over and over again.

And was I the only one who was repulsed by those Garbage Pail Kids stickers? Talk about unnecessary..

-BB

 

[jm5150bc]

Sorry to join in in the negative camp, but in this case, I have to...

I certainly can't complain about the art, because we all know John Delaney's track record !! But the story...

I will say that I like how GL was willing to put personal feelings aside, his whole soldier speech, but I wouldn't say it revealed anything about him that we don't already know... he's a no-nonsense, military kinda guy, so once the Guardians told him his objective, he acted exactly as I would have expected him to. That's GL...

Hawgirl came off like a mindless idiot, in my opinion... We all know she's from a war-like planet, and yes, she does sometimes act before she thinks, but never to this extent. She loves to battle, obviously, but she just seemed, I don't know... bloodthirsty to me... way too overboard.

I definitely think we need a rest from alien stories... I understand that the whole concept of the Justic League requires the threat and the stakes to be high, but there's way too much "outer space" done in this title...

I guess I just have to say that this title is way too inconsistant for my taste... art-wise it's always good, especially when Min Ku or John Delany are on the case, but this book really suffers in the writing... big time. While there ceratinly have been a few gems, after 22 issues, I'm still waiting for this title to hit some kind of stride... I agree that most of the time it's way too... I hate to say "dumbed down" because I have no intention of offending younger readers, but I think you get my point. Those younger readers assumably also watch the show, and it's nowhere near as "simple" as the book usually is. I think that putting one creative team on this title for a while would help, but the writing is what really needs to be addressed, and honestly I'm surprised... some great writers have been involved. I personally would love to see Jason Hall or Dan Slott as the regular writer for a while and see where the direction goes...