Justice League Unlimited #15: Light My Fire

Justice League Unlimited #15, written by Mark Waid, with art by Dan Mora, colors by Tamra Bonvillain, and lettering by Ariana Maher, zeroes in on Mr. Terrific and the Terrific Ten while throwing the world, and the heroes, headfirst into chaos. Waid’s focus on Mr. Terrific with this series, and arc specifically, has been a nice change of pace when it comes to Justice League books, and gives the story its emotional core. Waid, as always, balances character-focused work with emotional tension, letting the stakes rise naturally without losing the epic sense of scale of this story. Dan Mora’s art bookends the sequences in Hell, drawn by the incredibly talented Sean Izaakse. Both artists bring a gritty, urgent energy. Both artists enhance the momentum and danger rather than a sense of the visuals competing for attention.

Tamra Bonvillain’s coloring is the backbone of the issue, using bold contrasts and vivid palettes to heighten the visuals on every page. Bonvillain is easily one of the best colorists working today, and has been such a welcome throughline for this series. Along with the coloring, Ariana Maher’s lettering is a strong anchor that keeps the story coherent even at its most chaotic. With Terrific and his team separated from the rest of the world, the difference in art styles is extremely effective. Mora’s clean lines with Bonvillain’s colors are a staple for this series, and Izaakse brings a horror element to this issue that readers know Mora could knock out of the park, and it makes both of the artists’ sections that much better.