Justice League #19: I Still Can’t Pronounce His Name

I feel like Barry Allen…trying my darndest to pronounce Mr. Mx…the friggin’ Imp’s name…  It’s so bad I don’t even want to type it because I have to look up the spelling every single time.

This really is such a fun issue.  Maybe not necessarily jaw dropping, but definitely good to read.  And as the start to a new arc, I have no doubt that my jaw will drop in the next issue or so.  Snyder and Tynion seem to be good at that.

Jiminez’s art is in top form here.  Even the first scene with Superman just left me in wonder as he flew over his city.  It’s just beautiful.  The city attacking itself was so imaginative (seriously, the top of the Daily Planet turning into a monstrous mouth was reminiscent of a particularly fun story from the 90’s).  The Imp’s breaking of the 4^th wall through the panels was great to watch.  The colors pop out at you, creating a perfect imagery.  I mean, really.  Everything about the art work, from the penciling, to the inking, to the colors, blends together as well as one could possibly expect on a comic.

But it’s the little moments that really give this issue its heart.  Even as Superman is rushing to meet the League, he stops to save a little boy’s dog (which again goes to Jiminez’s art where he can fit that in so perfectly).  Superman’s jabs at Batman (he even tells Batman “Say it with me, ‘I’m Batman’” which had me imagining Superman saying that in a poor impersonation of Christian Bale) is a great nod to their friendship and the respect they have for one another.

And of course, there’s a suggestion that just as Mr. Whateverhisname is watches over Superman, there’s another Imp who watches over Batman.

But as great as this issue is, I can’t help but think there’s one particular exchange between Batman and Superman that really leaves its mark.  Batman comments how everything is changing and Superman’s response is to point out how the League is unchanging.  And yet, I would imagine that this will be their major challenge.  The League will have to push itself as it’s never done before.

And I sure am looking forward to it.