Justice (DC Comics)

Infobox comic book title
title = Justice


caption = "Justice #1" (2005), Cover by Alex Ross
schedule = Bimonthly
limited = y
publisher = DC Comics
date = August 2005– June 2007
issues = 12
Superhero= y
main_char_team = Justice League of America, Legion of Doom,
creators = Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, Doug Braithwaite
TPB = Volume 1
ISBN = 1401209696
TPB1 = Volume 2
ISBN1 = 1401212069
TPB2 = Volume 3
ISBN2 = 1401214673
subcat = DC Comics
sort = PAGENAME

"Justice" was a twelve-issue American comic book limited series published bi-monthly by DC Comics from August 2005 through June 2007. The title is written by Alex Ross and Jim Krueger, with art by Ross and Doug Braithwaite.

The story involves the superhero team, the Justice League of America, confronting the supervillain team known as the Legion of Doom led by enemies Lex Luthor and Brainiac, after every supervillain is motivated by a shared dream that seems to be a vision of the planet's destruction which they intend to avoid.

Just like his other works such as Marvels and Kingdom Come; Alex Ross brings photorealism in his artwork, and exploration of the superhero mythos in the story.

tory

Issue 1

Bombs descend towards the ground in cities across the world. Superman tries but is too late to save anyone, The Flash is too slow to do the same thing, J'onn J'onzz is dead, and Green Lantern falls. A panicking crowd runs from a burning city toward the ocean. With dead sea creatures floating around him, Aquaman warns them that they will find no protection there. Superman looks down upon the world as it explodes. Then... the villains wake up, it's a dream, but one they all have been having. Aquaman senses something wrong in the sea and heads off to find a black sphere. Attacked by Black Manta, he is brought inside the sphere where Lex Luthor welcomes him.

Issue 2

The Riddler and his henchmen hack into Batman's network inside Wayne Tower when Batman arrives. Escaping, Batman uses his Batmobile to confront Riddler in a club, ironically called "The Batcave". He captures the Riddler in a cemetery, who is taken back to his cell in Arkham Asylum. Captain Marvel and Superman look for Aquaman from above orbit, as Flash finds out that Captain Cold went to the desert and gave the people the sea made from his freeze gun just as Poison Ivy uses her plants to create food for a city. Later, Aquaman is strapped to a table, about to be part of experiments conducted by Brainiac.

Issue 3

J'onn tracks Aquaman though the ocean into the black sphere. Inside, he finds a deserted city, and is attacked psychically with flames surrounding him, thanks to Gorilla Grodd, until he escapes. Inside Arkham Asylum, Luthor appears and gets Riddler out, and ignores The Joker's request to do the same for him. Elsewhere, Toyman creates prosthetic limbs for people in need. The news reports all over the world on the villains helping the world's problems. In the Justice League Satellite, Red Tornado is attacked by someone who was teleported secretly and the android tears himself to pieces. After now having the secrets the satellite held, knowing the identities of all the Leaguers, Luthor, Black Manta, the Riddler, and Poison Ivy use a holographic projection to announce their statement to the world.

Issue 4

Giant images of the villains address the world: they announce that they will help the world in ways that the League did nothing. Watching, Bizarro attacks Clark Kent as he is sitting in his apartment, Hal Jordan becomes Green Lantern just as Sinestro uses a boom tube to send him away, Green Arrow and Black Canary are ambushed by Clayface and Scarecrow, Cheetah attacks Wonder Woman during a conference held by the Amazon, Hawkman and Hawkgirl are attacked by a giant Toyman robot, Giganta shoots Ray Palmer with a sniper rifle, and Barry Allen can't slow himself down thanks to Captain Cold giving him something in his food. As the League is being defeated, Superman is attacked by Solomon Grundy, Metallo, Bizarro, and Parasite as he screams for help.

Issue 5

The Elongated Man realizes the League is missing, just as Luthor is informed by Brainiac that he has his black spheres ready. Superman is at the mercy of his rogues until he is saved by Captain Marvel. Wonder Woman kicks Cheetah out, but she is badly scarred, Green Arrow and Black Canary save one another, and Hawkman and Hawkgirl struggle out of Toyman's assault. Green Lantern is deep in space, running out of power. Inside the Batcave, Superman and Marvel arrive to find out where the League is until Superman, still weakened from the attack, punches Batman, who was holding Kryptonite. Worms are controlling Batman and his butler, Alfred. Superman is infected as well and Marvel needs to throw Superman into the sun to get rid of them. At the coast, Luthor watches as the black spheres become huge sphere cities.

Issue 6

In the hospital, after Jean Loring leaves, Ray is attacked by Giganta disguised as a nurse until he shrinks to punch her in the eye and she tumbles out the window. Hal finds out he will die in seven hours without any recharge in his ring and vanishes inside the ring to an artificial city. Luthor tells Grodd to send the apocalyptic dream to Black Adam as a lot of people welcome themselves inside the new sphere cities with Joker, disguised as a priest, about to enter one of them. Marvel throws Superman into the sun, and moments later, he comes out freed from the worms. Wonder Woman heads inside the Batcave to see Ivy has taken over, with Batman attacking Wonder Woman. With help from her lasso, Wonder Woman frees Batman from Ivy's control and she is quickly defeated. Hawkman and Hawkgirl find Toyman's warehouse and learn it is being used to build Brainiacs. Later, the Metal Men, the Doom Patrol and Zatanna find Red Tornado's head, learning where Aquaman is.

Issue 7

Just as J'onn and Zatanna find Aquaman to take him back to the Doom Patrol to heal, Grodd uses the worms on the superheroes' sidekicks and kidnaps their friends too. Hawkman and Hawkgirl plant a bomb and they escape before it explodes. Finding the Flash, Captain Marvel speeds up to him and shouts out "SHAZAM!" for the lightning to strike him and send him flying before Superman catches him. All the heroes who survived their ordeals meet up at the Fortress of Solitude just as Aqualad, under the worms' control, kidnaps Aquaman's son from Mera and gives him to Black Manta.

Issue 8

As Superman sees that Brainiac is behind this from the sphered cities, Flash grabs Captain Cold and takes him back to the Fortress where Batman threatens him for answers. Batman later reports back to the League on the dream the villains had where the world ends because of their trust with the superheroes. There, Aquaman appears with the Doom Patrol, Zatanna, and J'onn, wondering why they are all hiding in the Fortress, and mentions going to kill Brainiac. Marvel asks about Wonder Woman's wounds, and she replies that Cheetah's claws were poisoned and it's reverting her back to clay. The Phantom Stranger appears with Hal with his Lantern, after a recharge back at full power, Green Lantern comes out of the trap and into the Fortress. Monitoring, Red Tornado finds out that everyone they care about has been taken by the villains.

Issue 9

As a bigger plan is being formulated, a strike force heads to Grodd's lair. Captain Marvel is drawn away by Black Adam, threatening Mary Marvel; until it is learned she and Captain Marvel Jr. are under control by the worms and attack him. Mary turns back into her human self and falls, with Adam and Jr. preventing Marvel from saving her. Marvel breaks free and saves his sister as she transforms back to Mary Marvel and Brainiac brings Marvel to his control as Grodd escapes. In Gotham, Bruce Wayne takes Clark Kent to Leslie Thompkins' orphanage to investigate the "healings", only to discover that Brainiac is making them into some form of organic machine. Marvel and Superman fight at the Fortress with Green Lantern cleansing Marvel of the worms. With all the heroes back, the Metal Men are used to create new battle armors for the League to wear for the fight and take off. But Luthor arrives to take Captain Cold back.

Issue 10

As the villains celebrate, the superheroes burst in and attack. Below, Green Arrow and Black Canary proceed down the tunnels. While Batman takes down Riddler, and Aquaman stabs Parasite before taking down Black Manta, Clayface confronts Green Arrow and Black Canary, but Elongated Man appears and takes him on. As the heroes continue to win, the villains run to teleport to their own cities as The Atom succeeds in taking down Luthor's forcefield. Green Arrow and Black Canary reach their destination and find the captured heroes. Ollie shoots what he says is a Kryptonite arrow at the possessed Supergirl, but she dodges and the arrow strikes John Stewart. Everyone is shocked, until John stands up, wearing the Green Lantern ring that Ollie just delivered to him.

Issue 11

As Brainiac flees, the League fight the remaining villains. Parasite tries to kill Superman, but is surprised to find Captain Marvel masquerading as Superman instead. Green Lantern uses Blue Kryptonite to take Bizarro down and Captain Marvel takes Black Adam down as well. John Stewart wipes Brainiac's nanotechs from the air, erases the knowledge of the League's identities, and removes Brainiac's control in one move. Hal attacks Sinestro, and as they both lose power, Hal continues with a fist fight, taking him down. The other heroes stand victorious, until Brainiac gets in control of nuclear weapons around the world and Aquaman chases Brainiac for he has his son. The heroes are then confronted by Scarecrow, who uses his fear gas among the people there and watches as they begin to kill each other.

Issue 12

Superman tears through Toyman's army, and finds that Toyman has become part of his machines. With Scarecrow's fear subdued, Batman and J'onn have Luthor and Grodd under control. Scarecrow runs into the sewers, only to find Joker attacking him. Aquaman pursues Black Manta while Superman goes after Brainiac. Wonder Woman fights Cheetah, showing her how much her body has deteriorated from the poison, and takes her down. Aquaman finally finds Black Manta and defeats him, saving his son. Superman and Zatanna arrive at Brainiac's location, a tiny ship in space. Superman freezes the ship and takes Zatanna back to Earth before she dies from the vacuum of space. J'onn links Luthor's brain to Grodd's and uses him to redirect and stop the missiles. In space, Hal is greeted by the Green Lantern Corps as they help dispose the missiles. The fight is over. On Themyscira, Diana's mother prays to the gods and Wonder Woman's old body fades and a new body is made from clay, restoring her.

In conclusion, Batman reflects on the changes they've made to the world, and feels that someday the world really will be made into a better place. In the 30th century, the Legion of Super-Heroes watch through time as Clark Kent heads back into the Daily Planet.

Continuity

Many aspects and key differences from this series draw upon the Silver Age of comic books, and in turn, like Kingdom Come, place the storyline outside of DC Universe continuity. Unlike other "imaginary" stories that fall outside of continuity, "Justice" does not bear the Elseworlds label. Fans have speculated about the possibility of it being an indirect prequel to Kingdom Come, one of Ross' old works. However, there seems to be no relation other than they are both imaginary tales and they are both from the same artist.

Justice League roster

*Aquaman
*Atom
*Batman
*Black Canary
*Captain Marvel
*Elongated Man
*The Flash
*Green Arrow
*Green Lantern
*Hawkman
*Hawkgirl
*Martian Manhunter
*Metamorpho
*Plastic Man
*Red Tornado
*Superman
*Wonder Woman
*Zatanna

The Doom Patrol and Doc Magnus and his Metal Men act as their allies.

Other DC super-heroes that lend their hand include the Teen Titans, Supergirl, Batgirl, the Marvel Family and the Phantom Stranger.

Notes:
*Plastic Man and Captain Marvel are never official members of the Justice League during the Silver Age of comics and are acknowledged as "reserve" members in the limited series.
*The Legion of Super-Heroes are featured in a 2-page splash during a Batman discourse on his hopefulness for the future at the conclusion of the story.
*The Teen Titans' line-up comprises Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Speedy, and Wonder Girl.
*Jack Ryder (The Creeper) and Vic Sage (The Question) have cameo appearances, but only as civilian news reporters.

Legion of Doom roster

*Bizarro #1
*Black Adam
*Black Manta
*Brainiac
*Captain Cold
*Cheetah
*Clayface
*Giganta
*Gorilla Grodd
*Lex Luthor
*Metallo
*Parasite
*Poison Ivy
*The Riddler
*Scarecrow
*Sinestro
*Solomon Grundy
*Toyman

The Joker, Two-Face, and Doctor Sivana appear as well, but they are not part of the Legion. Professor Zoom and Mister Mind are mentioned, but do not appear at all.

Collected editions

The series has been collected into three hardcover volumes:

*Volume 1 (collects #1-4, hardcover, 160 page, ISBN 1401209696, DC Comics)
*Volume 2 (collects #5-8, hardcover, 160 page, ISBN 1401212069, DC Comics)
*Volume 3 (collects #9-12, hardcover, 160 page, ISBN 1401214673, October 2007, DC Comics)

External links

* [http://classic.newsarama.com/dcnew/Justice/Ross_Justice01.htm On Justice: Alex Ross Talks Justice I] , Newsarama, part one.
* [http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Justice/Ross_Justice02.htm On Justice: Alex Ross Talks Justice II] , Newsarama, part two.
* [http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/toyfare/004382903.cfm "Incoming: Alex Ross’ Justice"] On the latest series of figures based on the series (Superman and Aquaman in their attack suits, as well as Gorilla Grodd and Green Lantern John Stewart).
* [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article3083517.ece Justice (Volumes 1-3) by Jim Krueger, Alex Ross, Doug Braithwaite] , "The Times", December 21, 2007