JLA: Classified # 35
DC COMICS
WRITER: Dan Slott, Dan Jurgens
ARTISTS: Dan Jurgens
COVER: Dan Jurgens, Kevin Nowlan

The Red King, a new supervillain is going through various alternate realities, trying to find the one in which he succeeds in defeating the Justice League and conquering the Earth. In previous issues, he tried to con the world and then tried to blackmail it. In this issue, the King goes for sheer, brute force, smashing the Earth with meteors and then engaging the JLA directly. It is a brutal story which focuses entirely on the battle between the bad guy and the League. The heroes put up a good fight, even turning the tide briefly but the outcome is never in doubt. Even after years of comic book carnage, it is shocking to see the world's premier super-group defeated so decisively, even if it is in an alternate universe. This gives this issue more of a heft than other recent JLA stories. The art has the typical Jurgens sharpness and clarity and even looks more fluid and emotional than usual. The only drawback is the attempt at poignancy in depicting one of the Red King's loyal stooges who sees his reality being torn to bits. It just doesn't work. Barring this aspect, I'd give the story a generous five out of five stars.