[World of Wonder] Justice League (2011-) #43-45, JL: The Darkseid War: Batman, Flash, Superman

What you bring up regarding Oa and the Guardians just made me realize that I don’t know of a Lantern Corps from another universe. Alan on his Earth isn’t tied to a Corps and you’re right that we see the Power Ring from the Crime Syndicate Earth be something different. If Lantern-like powers are sprouting in other universes, I would think the Guardians would at least want to keep an eye on them. Even if they only had scouts in neighboring parallel worlds to ensure anything happening there won’t pose a threat to their universe. Then again, after what the Guardians attempted to do with the Manhunters, I could see them not wanting to get involved. The CW just makes travel across Earths look so simple, but I don’t even really know of many (if any) ways for that to happen in comics.

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    What do you think about the new powers the League has?

They’re pretty awesome. I was loving how they each got a moniker and that their powers were varied in an interesting way that served their individual stories best. The one that I’m a little iffy on is Superman’s. His powers are pretty much the same, but if he were under the influence of Red Kryptonite or something. His look is also not my favorite. It looks like one of those negative color filters from the photo booth app on a Mac. From what I can tell Superman retained all of his regular powers.

Flash’s powers, I still have to read more, but they’re pretty straightforward so far. I found it kind of funny that the Black Racer was on skis. It’s like how the Silver Surfer is out doing cosmic things on a surfboard. I just don’t get it, but it’s funny and cuts a nice silhouette at times. I like that Flash’s new “power” added another character into the story. It gives someone for Flash to interact with. I wonder how that will differ from Shazam and all of the gods he hears.

Batman look cool, but mainly because I love this Metron’s design. I wish the Metron in Young Justice S3 looked more like this one. The glowing fingers are a nice touch. As for the powers that come from sitting atop the Mobius Chair, I am loving how Bruce is being affected by them. For me, it proves how necessary Bruce is to the whole of Batman. A Bruce that is just Bat, or mostly Bat, is not the best. There needs to be a balance. Bruce can’t be a façade/just a “mask”.

    Which Leaguer’s story thread are you the most interested in?

Diana’s story is still the one that draws me in the most. Her ties to all of the villain stories going on interest me. I’m loving the Themysciran assassin and the daughter of Darkseid. I am still wondering if there is more behind Grail being born on the same day as Diana. I also remember Grail (or someone) being cryptic about there being more to that night. If everyone is going to be getting god status, I would love for Wonder Woman’s God of War and godmode to come into play.

    Did you expect that death in issue #44?

I remember it being something I did not see coming the first time I read this story. The Darkseid War definitely happens because of Darkseid and is tied to Darkseid, but now what happens? Do Darkseid’s people just go back to Apokolips? Lex is lucky so many heavy hitters are off world while he’s taking part in whatever he’s up to.

    What did you think of the change in art in issue #45 by Francis Manapul?

I liked it. I just love the colors in issue #45. It felt very “New Gods” to me.

I’m also fond of this callback

In this one-shot, we see a Batman with absolute power, and absolute knowledge, using it to combat crime before it even starts. But perhaps the most impactful scene we see is Bruce confronting the murderer of his parents in prison. What did you think of how he handled Joe Chill? How do you think he would have handled him without the Mobius Chair?

I was actually unsure about what had happened at first. Had Batman told Joe Chill to forget and so Chill chose to keep quiet for his own safety? Had Batman erased Chill’s memory? I figure it was the latter once we get back to Bruce in the cave ravaged by the chair for having disobeyed it. Something I hadn’t really grasped when I first read this story was that the chair has some sentience. I mostly get that now because of Young Justice: Outsiders. Had Bruce confronted Chill without the chair, I don’t know how it would have gone down. Batman is about striking fear in villains, but he’s not really a tormentor from my experience reading/watching Batsy. Bruce could have pulled off the same threats pretty much with his money and influence.

As the Black Racer compels The Flash to take a life in order to tether their bond together, the Racer says The Flash was created by death, namely the death of his mother. Do you think that’s true?

I suppose it’s true of this Flash to an extent. The Flash persona didn’t exist until Barry gained his powers. That hero was then shaped by Barry’s experiences and his mother’s death was/is a big part of Barry’s life. Of course it influences who the Flash is, but it’s not the only thing that influences who the Flash is. I mean, before Johns added this part of Barry losing his mother to the Flash mythos, Flash existed without it. Flash was always going to happen. If we’re going to say death created Flash, then so did justice as he was driven to find justice for his father (assuming since I’m basing it off of the TV show sorry New 52 Flash I’ll read you eventually someday). He was also created by love as it’s the love he had for his mother that drives him to preserve life, not take it.

Under the influence of the solar rays of Apokolips, Superman shows a sense of apathy and anger over the fact that the world always seems to need his help. Was that the Apokoliptian energy corrupting him, or it simply releasing what was already there, hidden deep under the surface?

I saw it as a little bit of both. Wonder Woman chose to leave her world, Superman was a child when he left his world as it was the only option and he had no say in it. Batman chose to go get training to becoming Batman, Superman just so happened to land on a planet where he had all of these powers. It must be tough living with hearing whenever someone is in danger and knowing something bad is happening at all hours of the day all over the planet and he is capable of helping. To an extent he doesn’t have many choices but to be Superman. Even if he tried to, how could he truly unplug except by exiling himself. Those thoughts must cross his mind from time to time. Why can’t they help themselves? I mean, you have capable humans like Lex, but he’d much rather run after Superman. It must be tough having Lois and Jimmy always needing him and to an extent using him because they constantly put themselves in harms way knowing Superman will come. Even Perry, quick to print out a negative headline for a quick buck. I don’t think the Apokoliptan energy was corrupting him moreso that it just the power overwhelming him and going to his head.

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