Justice League 43 review and Spoilers

Rise and Fall seems to be an apt title for this issue of Justice League as just as things seem to come together they start to fall apart again. It was looking like membership was finally getting settled for this new team but it appears that James Robinson is now having to cope with what drove Dwayne McDuffie to distraction on the book that of members not be available. There are too many story lines that currently involving current League members going on elsewhere, leaving the reader to wonder whom exactly is on this team? Maybe this is the plan or maybe James Robinson is being forced to work around the Green Arrow tale that is unfolding in his book and Arsenal’s mini series but right now it is hard to tell from this issue. The only thing that seems for sure is that four members of our new League are definitely on board, who else is along for the ride remains to be seen.

This issue starts with a flashback told from Green Arrow’s perspective of how simple things used to be when the League’s biggest problem was a hairy pest called the Shaggy man. While this is a pleasant throwback for long time Justice League readers like myself, it is also an annoying reminder of how much current retroactive continuity is being laid on top of these stories from a simpler day. The mention of Bruce and Hal arguing with other is thrown in to jive with this generation’s writers' current worldview of League History. So according to writers such Geoff John and James Robinson, half the league secretly hated each other and we the readers never knew it. It seems that Hal never liked Bruce according to Cry for Justice. The Atom has made it know that though he and Green Arrow were colleagues they were never friends. It appears now that Green Arrow has crossed the line seeking revenge that Barry is free to admit he never liked Oliver either. What’s next? Dinah secretly hates Wonder Woman because she feels insecure and not as pretty around her? I always remember these guys liking each other and even palling around while off duty with wives and girlfriends. While I’m all for some conflict in some stories, I much prefer the “I am here to help attitude” of the bodiless Red Tornado which we will get in minute. Perhaps I am being biased as a long time reader, so I’ll get off my soapbox about this and back to this issue.

As Green Arrow desperately fights alone against three of these evil New Gods knockoffs that have been introduced who have invaded the satellite, the rest of our team comes into conflict with the remaining evil New Gods. As they fight we get a look into the mindset of some of our possible team members, Dick Grayson is chief among these and he is not happy. He sees a unit lacking teamwork and fears that Bruce Wayne his mentor would be ashamed that things have come to such an unorganized mess. While Dick is depressed, Donna seems to put her crisis of confidence of a few issues ago behind her and just wants some action and something to hit. She also realizes the New God who most closely resembles Big Barda is actually an Amazon and confronts her on this. Lack of teamwork and a cohesive unit allows these bad guys to get away.

At the satellite Green Arrow retreats from his pursuers to find the disassembled but still conscious Red Tornado’s head in the workshop, he tries to persuade the android to pretend he is still deactivated. Green Arrow reasons that there is no sense both of them having to parish. Red Tornado responds like a Justice Leaguer I know and love and not this new retroactive continuity one that is being forced on us where everyone hates each other. He questions how Oliver could think he would simply let him die. “We teammates.... and teammates help each other!” just as Cyborg promised to help Reddy last issue. Red Tornado actives his power via his rest of his disassembled body and repels the invaders with a gale force Tornado blast. Somebody get a memo to the rest of the original League members because their so-called Android is acting more human than all of them. The bad guys already having the missing part they are looking for from the satellite decide to leave rather than battle further with Reddy. Green Arrow admits he is injured but refuses to stay. When questioned by his friend Reddy why he is leaving he tells him because the League will try to stop him from getting at the Electrocutioner. The android asks him what he intends to do with the villain but Green Arrow tells him not to ask him so he won’t have to lie to him. Green Arrow thanks Tornado for saving his life and says he’ll never forget it but leaves his broken friend to tell the rest of the League what has happened.

As the main group of our new league tries to plot their next move, Barry appears and whisks Hal away on a lead to find Prometheus without the others. Donna questions whether this is the correct course of action but Dick reminders her that most of the group besides him and Black Canary are strangers to them so they naturally left them out. Speaking of being left out, Congorilla and Mikaal get an invite to tag along with the new Justice League from Donna that they jump at the chance to take, finally some heroes who want to be on this team. As the group returns to the satellite they find the carnage of Green Arrow’s battle and Red Tornado must give them the news of what happened. It appears in short order Green Arrow’s actions of taking Prometheus’s life become apparent and it seems to shatter this new team. Starfire is the first to leave giving Dick only a note as to why. We are to assume that she feels she can no longer work along side the new Batman without being personally involved with him. Only four members remain to track down more of Prometheus’ minions Dick Grayson, Donna Troy, Congorilla and Mikaal. As they battle to bring in the villains involved in Prometheus’ plot, we are given updates on the whereabouts of the rest of the potential new members. Hal is busy with the aftermath of the Black Lanterns. Canary has returned to Oracles’ side perhaps to comfort her in dealing with what her husband has done. Mon-el is involved with whatever is going down in War of the Supermen while Guardian tries to protect Metropolis. Cyborg is trying rebuilding Tornado and an arm for Roy and the Atom is helping Martin Stein for some reason the is unexplained. So who is actually on this team?

The answer comes in the final pages of the book as our remaining foursome fights and jells together as a team. Congorilla feels alive for the first time in quite awhile and wants a place in the Justice League. Mikaal has his doubts while fighting but resolves to become Starman again in the League. Donna senses a chance to step out of Wonder Woman’s shadow and sees a shot a new day for herself. While the new Batman Dick Grayson finally feels like he has a team to lead that would make Bruce proud. So we have four solid members, and I suppose that is a start but there seems to be trouble ahead for the JSA that will crossover with the League. And what exactly are these evil New Gods up to anyway and why do they need Blue jay as shown in the back up feature? I’m not quite sure since this issue asked more questions than it provided answers. However I am happy with the foursome who stayed, it just remains to be seen who will be back to join them and what kind of Justice League this will be?