Justice League #38 Review

Such a self-absorbed species………. 
           

Batman gets infected even as Lex Luthor attempts to escape the latest assassination attempt. But that’s not all he’s escaping – as his continues to hide knowledge of the virus.

Fabok is great here, but some paneling problems take a little shine off. And this story is starting to drag it’s feet.

SPOILERS FOLLOW…………..

Steve Trevor tries to ensure that the President and the White House staff remains underground so as to avoid the infection, but has no idea what is going to happen.

An infected Batman manages to take down Patient Zero using his meta-manifestation of sound wave generation (he’s also rendered blind, making him like a bat).

Just before he faints, Bruce warns Superman that Lex Luthor has other agendas for this virus that he’s not mentioning and that he’s hearing voices.

As Clark and Diana take them away to Luthor, we see multiple individuals calling out ‘Us’.

Captain Cold is able to save Luthor from Bullet and then freezes him, before Lex decides enough’s enough and starts interrogating Neutron.

Lena voices her concerns of Lex’s methods but is taken away by Cold. Superman arrives carrying an injured Batman, but there’s more bad news.

Apparently, Patient Zero’s blood is also useless. And when Lex reveals that he initially attacked Superman with the virus four years ago, Clark gets enraged realizing that Lex knew that his blood may have had the cure, but kept this secret.

 

 

As Lex starts arguing for full immunity, Batman and the rest of the infected get up in unison – revealing a type of hive-mind mentality as they berate Superman and co for thinking they are the dominant species.

There is a zombie vibe to this arc, which I wish Johns would have got to earlier. It feels a little tedious with Lex's deceit starting to grate - even issue we're treated to a new revelation that doesn't get any further than being a cliffhanger. I hope things speed up a little.

SPOILERS END……………..

Great artwork aside, the story drags on and there is a lack of cohesiveness for the plot.

It’s getting a little frustrating as Johns plays around with what we know about the virus and what Lex knows.

So, I give it 7.5 out of 10.

+Great artwork

+Luthor’s scheming

+The zombie-vibe works

-Plot is dragging its feet

-There are moments of visual inconsistency
-Feels like we're getting too many questions and no answers