DC Comics
Justice League of America #29
By Hervé St-Louis January 25, 2009 - 15:26
Publisher(s): DC Comics
Writer(s): Len Wein
Penciller(s): Chris Cross
Inker(s): Rob Stull, Chris Cross
Colourist(s): Peter Pantazis
Letterer(s): Sal Cipriano
Cover Artist(s): Ed Benes
$2.99 US
The old villain Starbreaker returns, explaining to an
unknown visitor his history with the Justice League. He explains how he came to
the planet Rann and wanted to consume it, only to be stopped by the League. He
then shares his story about confronting the Justice League on Earth. With
expert knowledge of the Justice League, will Starbreaker’s visitor be able to
avenge his new master?
I kept asking myself, how much of the old story from the
first volume of the Justice League was kept in the story told by Len Wein, a
writer that has worked on the Justice League of America, decades ago. Little
was seen with Adam Strange, so I assume that much of the story must have been
modified. I barely remember the story written and drawn by Dan Jurgens in the
1990s Justice League America series, so this story was a good introduction.
I will say that DC
Comics needs to make more of those comic books that explore their history and
reintroduce old characters before throwing them in the arena onto a generation
of readers that knows little about them.
Reading Len Wein as the writer for this issue, I feared that
we would read a narrative that has not evolved with time. Thankfully, Wein’s
writing has evolved and was suitable for this story. I did find that the cliché
remark of Earth being a backwater planet repeated one too many time – how many
science fiction writers have used this to show how Earth should not be a
threat?
Chriscross’ work was suitable for a story
involving the old Justice League. It was cartoony and with simple lines. Yet,
the storytelling was excellent and the dynamism of the page was second to
none. It was a fun story to read
visually.