Justice League Rebirth #1 –
DC Comics
Written by Bryan Hitch
Inks by Daniel Henriques
Scott Hanna
Colors by Alex Sinclair
Letters by Richard Starkings
& Comicraft
Covers by Tony S. Daniel
Tomeu Morey
There are so many things to love about what DC Comics has been doing with Rebirth. From sending characters back to their roots, to creating different dynamics for classic characters, the storytelling has been top notch. The differences are certainly palpable as we dive into the Rebirth of the Justice League. Let’s see how the team comes together early on. (Some spoilers may be ahead if you have not been reading some other DC Rebirth titles. Please be advised.)
One thing I liked right from the beginning is that we did not see a complete reformation of the Justice League. Instead we see the League faced with an incredible foe that is threatening a large number of civilians. The undercurrent of this story is Superman, and if you have been reading the main Superman run, echo some of the family dynamic struggles going on in those issues. Superman is not yet a member of the League and, other than the foe itself, seems to be the main focus of this initial issue. I don’t want to spoil the inner plot points of the story, other than to say that something is coming and it is very clear this will demand the attention of more than just a single hero.
The feel of the team dynamic is good, but I did feel there were a couple of missteps. I feel that there really should have been more of a focus on the death of “their Superman” from the team. That was part of this issue, but I think Hitch missed the opportunity to explore the raw emotion of the loss as a focal point. I feel like this would have made the issue more powerful and give this new Superman a different viewpoint. I also didn’t get that wow factor that I got from many of the other Rebirth titles. Maybe I am unfairly judging Hitch, but the singular titles have been so strong on their own that I was expecting a Justice League book to elevate that even more. The imagery in this book was excellent. The spotlight of each League member was done very well and there were a couple of panels that really gave you that iconic feel. I certainly enjoyed this book, I just hope it reaches the level that was set by it’s predecessors.
RATING: PICK UP