Comic Review: Justice League #4 (DC Comics)

Bryan Hitch’s The Extinction Machines arc of the DC rebirth Justice League series continues with guest illustrator Jesus Merino.

The story carries on where the last issue left off with the 4 giant Creatures known as the Kindred uniting with vague intent as the Purge are threatening the entire earth. Meanwhile, the Justice League are splintered doing their best to fend off all the other threats from the Purge and attempting to assess and deal with the threat. Cyborg gets attacked by a wave of the Purge who try to repurpose Cyborg to their cause.  Elsewhere Aquaman is in Atlantis dealing with the evacuation of his fellow Atlantians, and Superman is at the Core of the earth attempting to stop them, Wonder Woman is interacting with the Kindred trying to find answers as to whether they are behind the events that are happening and how to overthrow them. The Kindred begins to unite in unison and chime to the crystals that Aquaman has in his hands. Aquaman  hears the call of the Crystals that he’s been holding for the past few issues, and believes that it could save the world from destruction. The rookie Green Lanterns Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz do their best to fend off the Purge but find out why the Purge were trying to rewire Cyborg and the issue ends with a cliffhanger. This issue, I have to admit, I had to Reread a few times.  I was trying to connect whether the Kindred are bad guys like the Purge or not. Obviously, that’s something we’ll most likely find out in the next issue.      

In all honesty, this issue was not as strong as his stuff on the soon to be ending Justice League of America comic series that he is writing and drawing. In a way, this story has an old school feel that reminds me of Grant Morrison’s 90s Justice League stuff were the League was facing off against intergalactic threats. It’s not a bad issue, but it’s an issue where I’m already waiting to see the answers as to whether or not the Kindred and The Purge are possibly on the same side or not. But I guess that’s due to this issue being more focused on the League having a down hill moment. Hopefully Hitch can spice up the story a bit more and execute this arc strong. It’s not Geoff Johns, and it isn’t supposed to be because it’s Bryan Hitch.

What I can say is that the visuals in the book although illustrated by Jesus Merino feels like it was laid out by Hitch. Which is kinda cool whether it was laid out or not by hitch because Merino does a good job at showing the scope of the threat. I like the panel on page 17 where Superman is dealing with the Blinding heat of the core of the earth, it really feels like the weight of the world, physically really is on superman’s shoulders. Merino does a fine job as a sub for Tony Daniel who was drawing the previous 3 issues. Hopefully we get to see the story really amp up and go somewhere that’ll be rollercoaster ride. Because it’s Justice League, they deal with threats that vary on a variety of levels, so readers expect to be astounded because it’s the Justice League. I have no doubt Hitch will deliver despite this being a bit slow issue. The colors by Tomei Romey serve their purpose but Romey’s colors on page 17 where Superman is at the core does a good job at making it feel really bright and stressfully hot. None the less, it’s an okay issue in this arc, hopefully the next issue really picks up the pace.