The world “odyssey” is one that comes with a very specific gravity. A term for a long, often wandering and eventful journey, it comes from the title of Homer’s epic poem telling the story of the mythical warrior Odysseus and his 10-year journey home from Troy, and while it’s been part of Justice League Odyssey‘s title for five previous issues, it’s this week’s sixth issue where the book finally lives up to the weighty word.
Justice League Odyssey has been following the journey of Cyborg, Starfire, Azrael, and Green Lantern Jessica Cruz on a weird and winding journey through the Ghost Sector. Each issue has revealed that the heroes — save for Jessica — are also gods of a sort, and, as such, have unwittingly been given roles in Darkseid’s mysterious plans for the nature of reality and the universe. Now, though, it appears that everything is in place for whatever terrifying force is coming.
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The idea of Darkseid being up to something massively catastrophic isn’t exactly new. However, the idea that, perhaps, there is something that is an even bigger threat than Darkseid offers fresh new territory. That is largely what Justice League Odyssey #6 focuses on, but it does so in a narrative style that gives the reader information that neither Darkseid nor the heroes have. While there are plenty of moments of action for all involved — Darkseid on Aeolon and the heroes on Tamaran — the real story this issue is the narration that bridges both halves of the story together even though the characters are worlds apart.
What really works here is the idea that the heroes have no idea what Darkseid is really up to while, at least at this point in the story, it looks like Darkseid is trying to do something “good”. It’s not random that Starfire, Cyborg, and Azrael are seen as gods in the Ghost Sector, and it feels like part of a larger plan. What also works very well here is that both Darkseid and the heroes have significant challenges that they face. Darkseid encounters dangerous obstacles as he works to prevent a final darkness while the heroes encounter something that might be even more fearsome: Starfire’s sister, Komand’r.
With all of that said, though, it’s also that narration that sort of makes the issue perhaps a little less interesting than it could be. While it does give readers a stronger sense of what’s going on — the story up until now hasn’t really had a strong core — it also almost gives readers too much information. Fortunately, Carmine Di Giandomenico’s art and Ivan Plascencia’s colors are vivid, stunning, and beautifully executed. What the issue lacks in movement on a grand scale, the art makes up for with lush, brilliant scenes of a dying world, a cosmos in peril, and the heroes themselves. Even Darkseid rises off the page with the art in this issue — including in the shocking cliffhanger that closes the issue.
Overall, Justice League Odyssey #6 is an intriguing turning point for the series, pulling together the disparate elements of the story until now while also leaving the reader wondering exactly what is happening and if there is any positive resolution coming for any of the characters in play. Helped along the way by stunning art and colors, the cosmic mystery unfolding on the issue’s pages invite fans to question the things they think they know about the universe, where it’s heading, and what it all means.
Published by DC Comics
On February 27, 2019
Written by Dan Abnett
Art by Carmine Di Giandomenico
Colors by Ivan Plascencia
Letters by Carmine Di Giandomenico and Ivan Plascencia
