Book Review: Justice League Dark vol #1 (New 52)

Book: Justice League Dark volume #1: In The Dark (issues #1-6) by Peter Milligan with illustrations by Mikel Janin and colors by Ulises Arreola

Edition: Read the single issues

Rating: 1 star

Review:

I know I use the word generic a lot in some of my reviews for some of the new 52 books but it's one of the best words that I can think of that describes those books so perfectly.

These six issues were no exception to the rule, it's as generic as it gets. The first five issues had a group of magical beings (Zatanna, Constantine, Deadman, Shade the Changing Man, Mindwarp and Madame Xanadu) joining forces to stop Enchantress, a witch who is out of control because her inner spirit June Moon had been removed. The sixth issue had the team trying to figure out why they were having nightmares.

Everything about this was so generic. The story was not interesting and it felt choppy and disjointed. It felt like everything had happened off panel somewhere and the reader was getting a recap of the story. There was no real explanation to what was really going on in the story. All the characters just seem to be doing nothing but arguing instead of the writer telling a compelling story. I want to know what's going on, not seeing Madame Xanadu go get drugs or Deadman being a sleazy jerk to Dawn.

This felt like a way to push all the magical DC and Vertigo characters into a magical themed series. Why does everything feel so haphazard and last minute? None of the characters except Constantine had much of a personality and he was a jerk. In fact it felt like it was a Constantine book with guest appearances by the other characters. All the members of this "team" are unlikeable and uninteresting. The new 52 take on these characters is poorly constructed.

This was a disappointing and mediocre read and to top it off it ends with a crossover with I,Vampire. Why have a crossover so early in the series? Why not give the series the much needed time to actually develop a story and the characters before you start sending readers to another series. The best thing I found about these six issues was the artwork and color by Mikel Janin and Ulises Arreola.


I have two questions after reading this:

- Why was Zatanna depowered? None of her spells really worked and she was easily knocked about. I also didn't like her new costume. The Zatanna series by Paul Dini was one of my favorites and when I found out it was being canceled for the new 52, I was a little disappointed to say the least. But when I heard that Zatanna was going to be included in this new series Justice League Dark, I was really looking forward to reading this. But this is not Zatanna, it's just a character who just happens to have her name that's it.

-  Why was Dawn Granger (Dove) and Deadman completely different from the versions that appeared in the Hawk & Dove series? That's the thing about the new 52 nothing really seems cohesive.