Justice League Book Club Week 31: Celebrating 10 Years of The New 52 Justice League, Part 1: Geoff Johns and Jim Lee's Justice League

Vroom · September 2, 2021, 2:54am

Greetings @JusticeLeagueBookClub, and a Happy 10th Anniversary to The New 52!

Born in 2011, and debuting immediately after the conclusion of Flashpoint, The New 52 was DC’s biggest reinvention of the core DC Universe since the Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity.

With Flashpoint over, and the DC Universe having been reborn anew, some things in the new DCU were similar to what came before (namely, those pertaining to Green Lantern and Batman), while other things were incredibly different (namely, everything not GL or Bat-related, by and large).

To ring in the beginning of the 10th anniversary of The New 52, we’re starting with the book that the whole affair literally started with: Justice League! Pop on your party hats, grab a noisemaker and a glass of bubbly, for it’s time to party, New 52-style!

Read:

Justice League (2011-2016) #'s 1-12, the entire run of the series by master writer Geoff Johns and artist extraordinaire Jim Lee.

It should be noted that while the interiors of issues 7 and 8 were not illustrated by Jim Lee, he did provide the main covers for them, so they are generally considered part of his and Johns’ run.

Discuss:

Did you read anything from The New 52 as the Wave 1 titles debuted from August 31, 2011 through the entirety of September 2011?
What are your thoughts on The New 52 at this point of it’s existence (“this point” referring to when The New 52 debuted, but also to how you see it today)?
What is your favorite arc of these twelve issues?
In promotional imagery for Justice League and her solo title, Wonder Woman is seen wearing black pants (which was a look that was in line to what she was wearing in her Pre-New 52 solo title, in the story “The Odyssey”). As seen in the promotional image above, would you have preferred to see Diana in the black pants, or are you glad we got the blue shorts look for her?
Geoff Johns and Jim Lee are THE team-supreme of the Justice League franchise. That’s not a question, just a fact.
Anything else that comes to your anniversary-celebrating mind.

That’s our ringing in the big 1-0 mission, League! If you’re brand new to The New 52, you have found a perfect jumping-on point to all of it’s whirlwind, unbridled and FUN action and adventure.

If you’re a seasoned fan of The New 52, then this is a great time to reacquaint yourself with THE book of the whole affair. It’s been said before, but it bears repeating:

If you read only one ongoing series of The New 52, absolutely make it Justice League!

Enjoy the celebration and as always, have fun, League!

D4RK5TARZ · September 2, 2021, 9:57pm

I am adding this to my club reading list, which I am severely behind on. (JL/Suicide Squad, HoH to name a few)

The thing that brought me back to comics was Birds of Prey. Of course, after I hunted down and read all of the back issues of the volume right before New 52 and next thing I knew I had a lot more comics on my list than Birds of Prey. New 52 is what helped me enter the world of comics in a bigger scale. I remember reading Superman/Action Comics, Justice League, Batgirl, and yes, Birds of Prey. I also had Batman on my list along with Wonder Woman. Probably a lot more but some of those books have been sold over the years and I have no idea what I once had. Anyway, I really enjoyed New 52 and was excited every Wednesday to get my book. Justice League helped usher in a new era that had many hiccups along the way but the Justice League remained a solid read.

I believe I will read the Jim Lee Unwrapped JL book that I have on shelf for a time such as this.

Vroom · September 2, 2021, 10:25pm

Woohoo!

Join in the fun when you’re able. As always, there’s no rush.

Likewise! I still clearly remember the day when Flashpoint #5 and Justice League #1 came out (August 31st, 2011).

They were the only DC books I bought that particular Wednesday (as they were the only major releases of theirs for that week) and after I left the store with them, I sat in my car and read each book thoroughly.

Upon a tasty lunch at Long John Silver’s afterward, I reflected to myself “Self, Flashpoint was really good! Definitely one of my top three favorite events (which it remains, to this day). Justice League #1 on the other hand, oh baby. We are in for a thrill ride!”

To this day, I still find Johns and Lee’s JL to be a thrill ride. The whole series, really, but their work on it is a stand out.

Excellent choice! Between Hush, Justice League and Suicide Squad, the Jim Lee Unwrapped books are quite nice.

D4RK5TARZ · September 2, 2021, 11:22pm

What are the other top 2 events? I think Infinite Crisis is definitely up there up for me.

Vroom · September 2, 2021, 11:42pm

Currently, my top 3 events are:

Crisis on Infinite Earths
Flashpoint
Dark Nights: Metal

Infinite Crisis was a favorite of mine when it came out, but it’s since slipped off the list.

We may be featuring it in a future week of the JLBC, however. Don’t tell nobodies though, m’kay?

Vroom · September 7, 2021, 11:25am

I’m not one to usually answer my own questions, but being that I love this series and any opportunity to talk about it, why not?

-I read a lot of the Wave 1 New 52 titles as they debuted. By the end of September 2011, I was reading 45 of the 52 series in single issues, while saving the remaining 7 for trade reads.

-I was very intrigued by The New 52 while it was in its infancy. Of course, I’m always excited during the debut of New Schtuff™ because New Schtuff™ is typically pretty darn cool.

-There were two arcs during Johns and Lee’s tenure: the one that ran in #'s 1-6, which has no title and gained the “Origin” moniker upon its initial trade release in May of 2012, and The Villain’s Journey, which occurs in #'s 9-12.

Of these, I vastly prefer the debut arc. The Villain’s Journey is fine, but that stars the League as mostly accepted heroes. Their first team-up however, is a lot of fun because of how they acclimate to one another (sometimes successfully, other times less than successfully) while doing what they can to save the world from Darkseid and his minions.

Also, “Ice cream is wonderful.”

-I loved Diana’s look in The Odyssey, and when the New 52 promo art of her in similar pants debuted, I was all for it, as it kept that Odyssey aesthetic, but for a new DCU.

I like Diana’s final New 52 design (it’s my all-time favorite modern outfit of hers), but the promotional pants look (if you will) would still be cool to see at some point, be it in the comics or outside media.

-Yes, Johns and Lee are, in fact, THE Justice League team supreme.

In conclusion, I’d like to thank me for attending and, as Mike Nelson once said, “for flying Me Airlines.”

ajm08g · September 13, 2021, 2:18am

Well hello there Justice League Book Club Tally-Ho! And everyone else.

Ah, the Justice League’s New 52 books.

Good to step back into them and read a few more again.

Ah, this was a time when I was in a different part of my Sector doing things that unfortunately didn’t lend time to having fun reading like now…

Since I’ve only read a little in the New 52…

I’d have to say I like what I have read so far.

To be continued though as I continue reading all through our vast universe of books.

Ah, I would have to say that the first 6 are a step ahead 9-12, but the later I did find the story to be quite interesting.

Plus can’t go wrong with panels like these.

Panel Summary

What a meeting moment for GL and Superman…

Same with Flash seeing what Superman could do.

Ah the fighting spirit of Wonder Woman.

Thank you GL for being that bright light in the sky…

No more fish jokes for Aquaman.

Well done Flash redirecting the omega beams from Darkseid.

Way to go Wonder Woman!

Way to go Superman!

And what a first entrance that Darkseid made…

And… No more umbrella’s for Aquaman.

Silly GL… Batman has a file on you so you should be more careful…

Screenshot (566)

Screenshot (567)

Sure… Like Wonder Woman said Green Arrow… A valiant effort.

Woah! Look at the League taking on Martian Manhunter!

Nice teamwork Batman and Superman!

Thank you Superman for the shortcut.

Huh… With Wonder Woman’s look she kind of reminds me of Donna Troy… Maybe that’s a possible reason to have her look closer to past looks she has had?

As long as she keeps doing the things in other panels I saw like taking Darkseid’s eye it’s all good for me.

Agreed.

It was also funny seeing GL fight Wonder Woman…

Poor Hal though in wanting to be the scapegoat for the team so that it could continue on as he went more off world though.

Vroom · September 13, 2021, 2:24am

Howdy-hey, @ajm08g!

I look forward to reading your thoughts (dinner time now, with pizza the star attraction!). Also, I love your screenshots. Good stuff.

SN: 'Member when Weapons Master said “Kiss my ass.” to Wonder Woman (what was that, #10, or so)?

As Happy Gilmore said, “Now, that wasn’t very nice!”

Nobody talks like that to Diana! She’s a wonder and deserves the utmost in respect.

ajm08g · September 13, 2021, 2:29am

Oh, enjoy your dinner Vroom. Excellent choice.

Thank you.

Yup, I believe you are right that it was number 10 (or so as I think now more on it… It might have been in 9 ).

Good thing Wonder Woman was the “bad cop” when Flash… Well… Points for trying.

Yes!

Guess he didn’t realize what she had done to Darkseid…

And we never heard from Weapons Master again…

Probably because of the extended stay in a cell after that.

Vroom · September 13, 2021, 2:33am

Maybe Diana visited him at a later point and said “What was that you told me to do?”

Afterward, Weapons Master learned how to treat women with respect and then retired from the villain biz.

He now operates a cheese shop called “Cheese Master”, where Diana looks in on him from time to time, just to make sure he doesn’t regress.

“Mmmm. Cheese is wonderful!” she says as she samples WM’s cheese platter.

Vroom · September 13, 2021, 8:26am

Now for a more in-depth reply, @ajm08g.

When you’re in the mood for more New 52 schtuff, give Blackhawks, Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E and OMAC a read.

They’re all highly underrated books that are great fun from start to finish, and exhibit different, highly-entertaining corners of the DCU.

Agreed. 1-6 laid the foundation of the series quite well, while 9-12 were an interesting look at how the League was functioning in the wake of Darkseid’s attempted invasion.

To go from a reinterpreted classic villain like Darkseid to a (AFAIK) brand-new villain in David Graves was also nice, as it added variety to the mix.

We started with the familiar, then went entirely new, which is of much more interest to me than if the second arc had been a new take on another existing villain, like issues 1-6 were.

Tally-ho for new characters and ideas!

Regarding Diana, she did steal the show, didn’t she?

From stating the obvious (“Ice cream is wonderful.”), to kicking Parademon ass and sticking it to Darkseid, to The Kiss with Superman, I felt Wonder Woman got many of the best moments in the first 12 issues.

As for pants or no pants, I really did like the promotional design for Diana. If it had made it into the books, that would have been great.

However, and like I said before, Diana’s New 52 look is my favorite modern design of hers, so I’m fine with the dark blue shorts as well.

Going back to characters and their stand-out moments, Superman certainly had his hits.

I enjoyed how #1 ended on a high-note with him, while his way of stopping The Flash was fun.

When Batman got Superman out of his slumber on Apokolips and he took on the baddies? Oh. Yeah.

GL had his moments too, especially “Who the hell is Bruce Wayne?”

All in all, the first arc gave everyone many moments in the spotlight and went onto become one of my favorite introductory stories of the modern era.

I would happily point anyone new to comics, and with an interest in the Justice League, towards this series as it soars from start to finish in its first year.

Thanks for tuning in, @ajm08g! No spoilers, but I hope you’ll be in the mood for an International adventure this coming week.

ajm08g · September 13, 2021, 11:11pm

Yup.

Happy to tune in Vroom.

Begins to look for my luggage and proceeds to pack for the upcoming international adventure…

Vroom · September 13, 2021, 11:13pm

You might have to sit next to Booster Gold, FYI.

Meanwhile, I’ll be snagging a seat in First Class next to his sister.

ajm08g · September 13, 2021, 11:15pm

All right! I’ve always wanted to sit next to a Green Lantern!

Vroom · September 13, 2021, 11:16pm

If you call him that, he’ll steal your bag of peanuts when you’re sleeping.

Some guy named Guy told me that. However, I think this Guy is the guy that stole Booster’s peanuts when he was sleeping.

ajm08g · September 13, 2021, 11:19pm

Great Krypton!

Oh that Guy… I know from the trusty John Stewart not to ask for popcorn either.

Time to call in Wonder Woman from this week’s reading then to make sure all is well.

Vroom · September 13, 2021, 11:21pm

What if she’s busy eating ice cream?

Who, I ask you who, from the Super Seven would we call then?

ajm08g · September 13, 2021, 11:24pm

Oh this is true… I wouldn’t want to interrupt that.

I’ll go with… Flash!

Martian Manhunter would also be the secret option since J’onn had other plans of prepping the League, but they were not ready just yet.

Vroom · September 13, 2021, 11:25pm

Personally, I’d call in Pandora to assist. I mean, she was in Justice League #1, afterall.

Of course, she was in every New 52 Wave 1 #1, TBH.

Pandora is an underrated character that I’m quite fond of.

ajm08g · September 13, 2021, 11:28pm

Woah! That’s quite an accomplishment

Oh and the way… She shot Phantom Stranger… Yikes! Good thing he couldn’t be killed again.