Countdown to Justice League: 8 Comics to Read Before the Movie
EIGHT days to go!! Justice League the movie couldn't come any sooner! So for the meantime, here's a list of comicbooks that can help you understand or anticipate the storyline for the movie. There are a lot of great Justice League comics and story arcs, but those listed below are what we think are relevant to the movie.
8. Brave and the Bold #28
Writer: Gardner Fox
Artist: Mike Sekowsky
With marketing taglines like #Unite, #JoinTheLeague, and #ALLin, the formation of the League is something to be expected. And what better way to start the list with the first appearance/formation of the Justice League (of America). A raw copy of this book (non-slabbed) is worth $800-$1,600 depending on its condition. A slabbed copy, on the other hand, can go as high as $18,000. If you want to read this book, you can purchase reprinted copies such as The Millennium Edition: The Brave and the Bold #28, DC Silver Age Classics: The Brave and the Bold #28, Showcase Presents: Justice League vol.1, and Justice League of America Archive vol.1.
7. JLA: Pain of the Gods
Writer: Chuck Austen
Artist: Ron Garney
(Collects JLA #101 - 106)
In 1997, Grant Morrison debuted "JLA" title in comics. It would, later on, be considered as one of the most successful titles in DC Comics history. Morrison's superb story-telling coupled with iconic characters brought prestige to the best hero-team ever.
Pain of the Gods is sort of a flashback stories of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, and The Flash. The books starts of with Superman trying to save people from a burning building. However, his heroic efforts has caused the death of a newbie hero. Superman took the death of the hero to heart. His agony has caused each member of the League to Recollect their darkest hour. The story was highly criticized for its decompressed story-telling but we think it is still relevant considering that it humanized each member of the Justice League.
6. JLA: Rock of Ages
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Howard Porter
(Collects JLA #10 - 15)
JLA: Rock of Ages is one of the best Justice League stories ever written. Grant Morrison delivered a story where Flash, Kyle Rayner, and Aquaman traveled to Earth of a future time where Darkseid rules supreme. These heroes try to form a Justice League in order to find a way to return back home and to prevent the thing that caused Darkseid to reign supreme. It is a race through time to prevent the inevitable doom of Earth. Rock of Ages is a fast paced story filled with a lot of action. Considering that this is a story written by Grant Morrison, its better read a couple of times and together with the other stories written by him.
5. JLA: Divided We Fall
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Bryan Hitch, Mike S. Miller
(Collects JLA #50 - 54)
Divided We Fall comes after JLA: Tower of Babel--the story where Batman hid from the League his protocols in case any members go rogue. Superman confronts Batman about the betrayal the League felt against the Dark Knight. The events from Tower of Babel has caused the eviction of Batman from the team. The files kept by Batman lead the members of the League to become paranoid and dysfunctional. While they work on their separate ways, the League has to deal with Dr. Destiny and Queen of Fables. Its a good story that solidifies the narrative that the heroes are unstoppable working together as opposed to operating on their own.
4. Cosmic Odyssey
Writer: Jim Starlin
Artist: Mike Mignola
(Collects Cosmic Odyssey #1 - 4)
The moment Warner Bros. announced that Steppenwolf is the main villain for Justice League, fans already knew Darseid would soon follow. We might not get Darkseid in this movie, but the presence of Steppenwolf paves the way for the debut of Darkseid in the big screen. Darkseid's existence in the DC Cinematic Universe also entails the existence of the High Father and the New Gods.
The best introductory story for Darkseid, the New Gods, and the Anti-Life Energy is Starlin and Mignola's Cosmic Odyssey. Considering that Steppenwolf invades Earth to reclaim the lost three other motherboxes, we might see the anti-life equation in the movie.
3. Earth 2: The Gathering (New 52)
Writer: James Robinson
Artist: Nicola Scott
(Collects Earth 2 #1 - 6)
Steppenwolf invaded Earth with a swarm of Parademons and was successful in killing Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman. In the absence of heroes, Jay Garrick and Alan Scott, The Flash and Green Lantern of Earth 2, respectively, would form a new Justice League to defeat the forces of Steppenwolf and rid the Earth of parademons. While Earth 2 is not comicbook canon per se, Steppenwolf's look in the movie was primarily based in this comicook.
2. The Death and Return of Superman
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artists: Brent Breeding
The Death and Return of Superman perfectly bridges Batman v Superman and the Justice League. The World needs Superman. Thats the narrative behind the three trailers released for Justice League. We know Superman is going to return. However, we're still in the dark in terms of how they plan to bring the Man of Steel back. Despite the big secret, all we can do now is to read this graphic novel and wait for the movie to show.
Zack Snyder has been faithful to the comicbooks, or at least towards the important elements of comic book stories. I wouldn't be surprised if they used certain elements from this graphic novel in the movie.
1. Justice League: Origin (New 52)
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Jim Lee
Geoff Johns and Jim Lee created one of the best Justice League story when DC rebooted their comicbook line in 2011. Origin narrates the story of how Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Arrow, Aquaman, and Cyborg band together against a common threat--the invasion of Darkseid with his parademons. Considering that Origin tells the greatest coming together of different heroes who've only met for the very first time, it wouldn't be a surprise if the movie primarily got elements of the book and presented it in the big screen. Plus, in this comicbook, Batman goes to Apokolips to save Superman. That concept plays around what Warner Bros is marketing at the moment--that the world needs Superman and that Batman has taken the task to form a team to fill the void that the Man of Steel left.
Justice League comes to theaters on November 16, 2017. Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes-Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash-it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
Paolo Ollero, 28, working law student, a comicbook enthusiast and a Batman historian, is one of the co-founder of The Dark Knight Philippines -- the premier Batman group in the country. He also contributes reviews and write-ups in Geekend Gladiator and Flipgeeks.
