Justice League #25 Review

Different world. Same fates.

Geoff Johns continues to flesh out the history of Earth 3's Batman, while setting up unlikely scenarios amid Manke's wonderful pencils.

I've always loved alternate back-stories and especially those which twist and contort the original origins. While this does very little to advance Forever Evil, it's a very sickeningly beautiful as Johns does what he does best - convert black to grey.

Yes, Owlman is a horrible person and he does sick things, but on a level you understand him even though you may never (and should not) agree with him.

SPOILERS FOLLOW....................................

We first glimpse the origins of Owlman. At the corner of a street, the Waynes are gunned down by a heartless killer. Thomas Wayne Jr?

Yes, Thomas Wayne Sr isn't actually a very good man himself nor is his wife. While this does feel like a retread of the Earth 3 Kents, the inclusion of Bruce makes it interesting. Apparently Bruce was in on the plan but backed out at the last. Sadly, Alfred made sure the plan was carried out with one extra casualty.

Control remains the overlaying theme of Owlman's story. Currently, he makes sure the Gotham mafia doesn't bow before Ultraman and instead, kills everyone (and renders a certain guy named Eel plastic, you know who I'm talking about!)but two. And when one panics and calls him Batman, Frank Bertenelli (whom people may remember as Huntress's or Helena Bertenelli's father) is the sole guy standing.

Back at the Syndicate lair, Owlman takes note of where Ultraman is, and then goes inside to meet Nightwing. In the flashback, we get the same trapeze deaths, but with a sinister twist - the Graysons dug their own grave.

Owlman convinces Nightwing to help him kill Ultraman so that this world survives, while Super-woman spies on them.

SPOILERS END...............................

A gruesome story, but a much needed one, it does suffer from retreading same beats from the last issue though it gives some interesting insight into Owlman's head.

While this story does little to advance Forever Evil, it does provide an interesting new dynamic.

So, I give it 8.0 out of 10

+Sinister twists to Owlman origins.
+Manke at the top of his game
+A new dynamic arrives

-Origin feels like a retread of last issue
-Little to advance Forever Evil