Justice League Unlimited #10: I’ll Be Your Mirror

Justice League Unlimited #10 – written by Mark Waid, drawn by Dan Mora, colored by Tamra Bonvillain, and lettered by Ariana Maher– is still dealing with the aftermath of the We Are Yesterday crossover, and the stakes have never been higher. The issue is packed cover to cover with a sense of urgency that seems impossible to maintain, but thanks to Waid’s writing, the issue is expertly paced. Among the long list of things Waid does well, balancing a large cast of characters has been a standout in this series. Reforming the Justice League is no simple task, especially now that the League is bigger than ever. Readers will jump around with various smaller groups of heroes as they try to put out fires, some literally. Before things really heat up, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman appear early in the issue, which establishes the tension captured in the rest of the issue. Whether it is Mister Terrific confronting a parademon being held prisoner or members of the League trying to save Doomsday, it feels like there are so many moving pieces that the creative team makes fit seamlessly.

With a script that moves this fast, visualizing everything is no easy task, unless you’re Dan Mora and Tamra Bonvillain. The combination of Mora’s cinematic-like pencils and Bonvillain’s vibrant coloring brings the tension to life. This current arc is absolutely packed with so many different iconic characters, and Mora continues to capture the epic scale while balancing nuanced detail and emotion. On top of that, Bonvillain’s colors heighten both the urgency and emotional stakes while delivering some of the most gorgeous visuals on shelves right now. Something to also note is the lettering by Ariana Maher, who seems to be in sync with both Waid and the artists. If any nuance is lost in the art, the lettering certainly captures it.