Review by Frank Plowright
With the team of Adam Beechen and Carlo Barberi responsible for all five stories, this tops the quality list of the five paperbacks collecting their Justice League Unlimited run.
The TV show vastly increased the Justice League roster, and Beechen maximises the possibilities by not only featuring less likely characters, but changing the mood and location from story to story. Stargirl finds Aquaman overbearing when visiting Atlantis to be confronted by a mystical monster, which is followed by the original Flash considered a fake by children and having to take on Mirror Master in the absence of his successor. That’s more or less a straight superhero story, and so, at first, is what follows, which tests the friendship between Steel and the Red Tornado amid the mystery of who’s controlling the latter. A trip to Limbo utilises the Justice League’s magicians and supernatural allies causing disagreement between the angel and the Demon, while Vibe’s return to his Detroit neighbourhood is a taut human drama requiring more than power to arrive at a solution.
That story typifies Beechen’s skill. Vibe is hardly anyone’s favourite obscurity, and his turning up in the background of animated scenes was a surprise. The easy route would be to ridicule him for a young audience, but Beechen instead writes what must be the best ever Vibe outing. Better still, there’s a part for others who’re hardly DC’s A-list.
Carlo Barberi has worked on numerous mainstream superhero titles, a long run on Deadpool being an example, but while always good, there’s a case to be made for his Justice League cartooning being his finest work. There needs to be clarity and simplicity for stories aimed at younger readers, but Barberi never puts a foot wrong with designs or storytelling. His superheroes resemble those of the TV show, but with even greater style and personality.
If you only want to sample one Justice League Unlimited collection make it this one. It doesn’t get better. The Ties That Bind follows, but as there’s no continuity the books can be read in any order.
