Justice League: Odyssey #17
Artist: Will Conrad
Color Artist: Rain Beredo
Letterer: AndWorld Design
Review by Carl Bryan
Justice League Odyssey – where the outer limits of space are explored and defended by the Justice League. Self described by the characters as the lesser members of the JLA (not everyone can be the Trinity of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman after all), but this menagerie of heroes is just as important as the core member of the JLA. Justice League Odyssey #17 goes a long way to prove this.
Jessica Cruz… sigh!
Best fresh Green Lantern ever. Well… 2014 fresh, but not everyone wants a Hal Jordan or a John Stewart. Jessica has trained and persevered to take a strong leadership role in this division of the JL. Will Conrad draws her really well, and his take on a new and “improved” Cyborg is pretty fresh too!
Speaking of Cyborg… taken over by the New Gods and now against his team-mates? Ping Ping is the new phrase and his human side is losing to this new programming.
Orion’s battle ready too, and I really love the virtual appearance of his battle armor. The lovely art in this issues presents an awesome transformation as he engages in battle while arming himself with his tools!
Xotar the blowhard
Has there been a villain that could just shut up and do the deed of killing the hero? The long drawn out monologues are almost a formula for failure, but writer Dan Abnett uses them to deliver a really tongue in cheek effect, or he’s bought into the formula and perfected it.
A side bar with Aria Hax, Koriand’r and Dex-Starr
Team comic books always are like an episode of Modern Family in that you get to dump the puzzle pieces out on the table and arrange the team in any order you wish. The “comic” banter between these three as they endeavor to defeat perimeter guards en-route to meeting Epoch, now an enemy to the Justice League, provides another side bar story that may not be so side bar.
Conclusion
I’m to the party a bit late. As Justice League Odyssey #17 is the first issue I’ve read of this series. I’m compelled to get a back story of how this team was forged, but again, I’m a big fan of Jessica Cruz, so any way you cut it, I’m in. Justice League comics don’tt have to be so Trinity laden and the folks at DC have re-imagined a team where other heroes can be a part of the Major League on the outskirts! Hooray for Gamma – everyone loves the cavalry!
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment
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