Swamp Thing destroyed. The Amazon is burning. Inferno is on the cusp of victory. Even with the lineup of heroes in play, the Justice League is reeling. Drastic times call for drastic measures. Mr. Terrific makes a last-ditch effort to extinguish the heat. Will it be enough to save the day?
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #4 by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain, and Ariana Maher challenges the heroes of the DCU like never before.
Let’s take a deeper dive into the dangerous fight!
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #4 by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain, and Ariana Maher (DC Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Few writers can balance the huge lineup and establish true danger like Waid. Everything about this issue feels tremendously huge. Seeing Mr. Terrific wavering in confidence speaks volumes. It takes a bold move to grasp for any chance of hope. Adding Tefé Holland into the story provides a true wild card. The result gives the story new life as time starts running out.
Even with Holland taking up ample page time, there’s enough cameos to keep the emergency sense apparent. The story does diverge from Inferno to a key moment. Batman tracking down Martian Manhunter gives the readers an emotional break. Seeing the two friends talk is a welcomed time. It leads back to the closing of the issue. Waid pulls out all the stops to end this round. The fallout is perfectly set up. With the last page, there’s a true sense of paranoia grabbing the league and it’s not letting go.
Mora and Bonvillain unload the struggle Mr. Terrific is dealing with. Seeing his stress in trying to gameplay makes a loud commentary. The action sequences of the League trying to save people is as vintage as it comes. Every image feels larger than life. In dealing with this deep of a roster, that has to be each page. Mora doesn’t miss with this aspect.
Manhunter’s diversion kicks off with a half page panel. The sequence leans into the long-standing friendship. Readers watch as Batman’s reassurance never waivers. This sparks hope for this side plot. It is a different feel than the Inferno portion. Pacing ushers the story up to a break-neck speed. The pages burst with intensity. Its’ conclusion is a bold full page image. Once at the closing page, readers watch as the uncertainty creeps in. Seeing how the League bounces back from this will be one to watch.
OVERALL GRADE: 9.2
Inferno’s reign pushes the League into the path of an unexpected ally. Waid’s blockbuster writing checks all the boxes. It is perfectly compliment by Mora and the art team. The saga of the Justice league couldn’t be in better hands.
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