There aren’t many titles out there that could grab attention as well as Justice League #75‘s does by advertising the “Death of the Justice League.” Not just Superman, not just Batman, but the death of the entire Justice League organization, the impenetrable, unbeatable group comprised of nearly every well-known DC hero. The downside of that inevitable hype is that it leaves large shoes to fill, and while Justice League #75
does an excellent job of filling those out, it’s perhaps half a size too big for its own good.
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The Justice League by design is a tricky group to grapple with not just in fights but also in digestible content. Giving each hero their “spotlight” is near impossible with a group this large and is made even more challenging when you have the big three—Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman—guaranteed their time. The multiversal element at the center of “Death of the Justice League” does this obstacle no favors, but Justice League #75 does well by largely relegating those three to grouped-up panels while also employing some nifty foreshadowing at the same time.
Though Justice League may struggle with allotting screentime to individuals given the expectation is that everyone is represented, it handles the opposite well by nailing its bigger moments. That’s where Rafa Sandoval’s artwork shines, too, through grandiose scenes of battle you can stare at for as long as it’d take you to read the whole issue while still finding something new to appreciate. These fights are as close as we get to the A- and B-tier heroes being showcased one or two at a time, and any page depicting those scuffles appropriately conveys their chaotic nature.
Talks of “The Great Darkness” and “The Bleed” do feel a bit clichéd and vague at times, but they’re catalysts for the big aforementioned rumbles, so it’s easy enough to accept those while looking ahead to the big payoff: the death of the Justice League itself. That’s a morbid way of looking at this Justice League installment, but with that omen plastered on the acetate cover like an old movie’s title card, that’s what we’re here for, right?
Ironically, this conclusion is where some Justice League members do get their time in the spotlight. The Spectre’s appearance is a decisive one and is the first time the weight of this threat facing the Justice League is truly felt. Though the shadowy versions of the Justice League’s most familiar enemies were a bit underwhelming by design, they too did their best to dish out grand losses where applicable. Of course, it’d take many more pages and panels than we have here to kill off each member individually, so an all-in-one assault seemed like the inevitable option even if it ended up being a bit underwhelming in the overall choreography of the battle.
Perhaps what comes next will help manage the vastness of the Justice League. With the superhero group’s major players dead, we’ve no choice but to focus on those back home, those deemed not quite important enough to be called into the final fight. “Death of the Justice League” may not have been able to solve all its sizing dilemmas on its own, but it makes up for any shortcomings more than enough with its larger-than-life depictions of the heroes and their brawls.
Published by DC Comics
On April 26, 2022
Written by Joshua Williamson
Art by Rafa Sandoval
Colors by Matt Herms
Letters by Josh Reed
Cover by Daniel Sampere and Alejandro Sanchez
