Justice League: Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, Scott Williams, Jonathan Glapion, Alex Sinclair, Gabe Eltaeb, Patrick Brosseau, Bryan Hitch, Paul Mounts

Shazam!: Geoff Johns, Gary Frank, Brad Anderson, Nick J. Napolitano

Graves’ attack has left out team down for the count. It’s weird, didn’t last ish show them all decrepit and sunken-in when Graves attacked them? Well, if they were, that’s all gone now (I swear I remember seeing that). But they are living through their worst memories. This feels overplayed, I feel like I just read this somewhere, in another book. I can’t place it, but I know I didn’t think of it as original when I first read this issue.

Graves goes to visit Steve Trevor’s sister, Tracy, and promises that her brother will help him “save the Earth” from relying on false gods, or something. Apparently this is all about the Asura, which is one of four “unhappy births” that punished souls go through instead of being judged to live in heaven or hell after death. I don’t know why, but I’m not totally on-board with this. 

The Asura, and the place where Graves went to when he was dying, are in the place where souls wait, imprisoned, for judgement. The Asura, I guess, are very wrathful and vindictive for some reason. I guess they feel slighted for not having a chance to be judged? And why is Graves’ family being punished? Are they? Or are they just waiting their turn to be judged and so are trapped in the Asura’s place? See…I’m not sure what the motivations are here, and how Graves’ family plays into this…other than the fact that they died.

I’m also really confused as to how using Trevor is going to help Graves take over the world. Is it going to be his spirit? Is Trevor going to be reborn as an Asura? Is that what Graves’ current form is? An Asura? I’m so lost on this.

So all this hubbub over Steve’s disappearance has the League suddenly fighting each other over how to deal with it. Wonder Woman wants to bring the fight to Graves - not surprising - and kill him to save Steve. Batman, being Batman, wants to do it the League way, the hero way: no killing. Lantern wants her to trust them and to work as a team. Well, they all start fighting. Great. More in-fighting. Ugh, I’m so done with this crap.

Somehow - and I honestly don’t understand how, because it doesn’t seem like it’d be a part of his powerset - Graves is broadcasting the League fighting each other all over the world, on any kind of device that can stream or broadcast. …That’s truly confusing, because this guy doesn’t display the know-how or even the supernatural powers to do that.

Aquaman ends up being the voice of reason, and the team finds a way to the Valley of Souls, where the entrance to the Asura place is. There, they all start meeting with the ghostly forms of their lost loved ones. Interestingly, Cyborg sees himself. That’s gonna throw a wrench into his systems, I’m sure. 

The Shazam! issue in the back is pretty good. It looks like we’re FINALLY getting somewhere. Though, lately in the New 52, the wait to see the hero has been worth it (see Swamp Thing). This ish starts with the coming of Black Adam - so excited - and he’s as badass as ever. I like his redesign, though I honestly think he looked better without a cape. But still. Awesome. Gary Frank does a great job. Meanwhile, Billy and Freddie try to get revenge on those boys from that rich family whose name I can’t remember, and boards a train…that leads him to the Wizard’s place. WOO!

Justice League #11, the verdict: I’m really excited to see what happens next…but, honestly, the Shazam! story is more interesting to me. I’m glad they’ll be focusing on him in the upcoming Zero Issue. Right now, Justice League is just focusing way too much on the in-fighting. I can only imagine it’s there to set up some kind of, “Oh, remember how spunky we were back then, when we’d hit each other at the drop of a hat?” and then they all chortle together. I simply don’t read comics to watch Wonder Woman high-kick Superman in the face. Sorry, but that’s not interesting to me. Well…it IS…but not when comics right now are so over-saturated with in-fighting as it is.

(Photo Source: DC Wikia)