Justice League Unlimited #12: Terrific Fun

Justice League Unlimited #12 – written by Mark Waid, with art by Dan Mora, colors by Tamra Bonvillain, and lettering by Ariana Maher – acts as a tie-in for DC K.O. while being just as ambitious as the main event. The setup is simple and straight to the point: while the heavy hitters are busy battling Darkseid, the remaining heroes scramble to evacuate the planet while dealing with lesser villains. On the Watchtower, the remaining members of the Justice League realize that the villains are acting as a distraction while something much larger is at play. This leads Mister Terrific to enlist the help of some displaced heroes: the late 1990s one-handed Aquaman, Power Girl, Guy Gardner in his Warrior phase, Superman-Blue, an ancestor of Hawkman, Tim Drake’s Batman, Alan Scott’s Green Lantern from Kingdom Come, Doctor Fate, and Owlwoman. Mark Waid balances this cast with remarkable control. Despite the chaotic nature of this team and the current state of the Universe, there’s a clear sense of purpose and unity. 

One highlight of the issue finds some of these characters grappling with the paradoxes of time and the haunting realizations that they are not where they should be. Visually, Dan Mora and Tamra Bonvillain once again outdo themselves. Mora’s pencils do every character justice, and Bonvillain’s colors breathe life into every panel. The duo, along with Ariana Maher’s lettering, captures the urgency and emotion found throughout this issue. Every page feels purposeful and packed with detail, reminding readers why this is one of the best-looking titles currently on shelves. The cover categorizes Justice League Unlimited as a DC K.O. tie-in, but with Waid’s writing backed by this creative team, this is shaping up to be a fantastic arc and a lot of fun.