About Heroes

Writer: Alan Burnett
Artists: Ed Benes, Sandra Hope, Mariah Benes, Ruy Jose

What the hell happened to Justice League of America?  It seemed like the book was finally moving quicker when McDuffie jumped on and told the Legion of Doom story, but then he backs off and lets fellow JLU alum Alan Burnett write a 3-part Salvation Run tie-in story that resolves nothing.  Let's be honest though.  No one really thought that the JLA was going to rescue the villains at the end of this issue, Salvation Run still has 3 issues left.  So, from the beginning, this storyline has been kind of silly.  We knew it wasn't going anywhere important, but we read it anyway.  This issue has the JLA fly to the planet where the villains were supposed to end up, only to find it empty.  Really?  We all knew this because over in Salvation Run Bane and Deadshot had already said that they were not on the right planet.  Luckily for the JLA Kanjar Ro (who?) was waiting for them to take thier powers.  You mean you spent two issues building up the JLA going to this planet, only to have them fight some lame villain?  At the very least we should've gotten a confrontation with Amanda Waller again, telling her how she's fucked up so badly.  Ugh.  Come on McDuffie, I praised you for making this book exciting to read again and then you leave it for 3 issues.  Please restore my faith in this book next month when you return with Ethan Van Sciver on art. 

Speaking of art, Ed Benes stinks this month.  I don't know if he was rushed, or if the three inkers on the book ruined the output, but a lot of his faces and figures this month do not stand up to the work he's previously turned out for JLA.  His wife Mariah Benes and Sandra Hope usually do his art justice, but here, combined with Ruy Jose who's pretty consistent with Dale Eaglesham over on Justice Society, the art falls apart.  This should be DC's must read book, but instead it falls to the wayside month in and month out to things like Batman, Action Comics, and Booster Gold.  C'mon! Booster Gold should never beat the JLA in terms of story no matter who's writing it.  I'm worried about this books' future, especially with James Robinson's redundantly titled Justice League on the way.  This book needs a kick in the pants.  D