Justice League #39 Review

Turn not your back on us.

Geoff Johns concludes the Amazo virus arc with some flawed execution, but with intriguing setups for the future.

Best is that he keeps each character with an unique voice, and he uses Diana in a good way – which is needed given he makes her centric to this issue.

The artwork though is excellent and a visual delight. Jason Fabok is able to hold up the book with his own weight, making even panels where the plot slows down into grand spectacles.

SPOILERS FOLLOW…………

We first hear from Wonder Woman’s perspective, who reminiscences how a plague in Athens decimated its people because the Gods had turned their backs on them.

But the Modern Gods aka the Justice League will not turn it’s back on the people. Diana aka Wonder Woman takes on the infected Leaguers alongside Lex Luthor and Superman – with the Amazo hive mind declaring that it cannot infect Diana or Clark, so they’re expendable.

In the middle of all this, Diana continues her reminiscences with what seems to be Johns’ pitch for a Wonder Woman story arc.

She buys Lex and Superman time to create an antidote using Superman’s antibodies, taking on the entire horde by herself. Thankfully, Captain Cold and Steve Trevor’s team arrive to assist her.

Noticing that Cold’s freeze ray is something Patient Zero is struggling to manifest, she alerts Superman who combines his freeze breath with Cold’s and stops the infected horde in its tracks.

With an antidote synthesized, Lex treats the Leaguers and despite fast-tracking of the cure – dozens of people are dead while some have started to develop meta-human abilities of their own.

Patient Zero aka Armen Ikarus (Icarus?) is still in an incurable state with the host mind long since dead. As Superman and Lex take opposing views on how to handle the entity, the infected body changes it’s face to the more known Amazo the Android look as it says Lex will be infected one day.

A repentant Neutron, who’s now terminal due to the virus progressing his cancer, also tells Luthor who put a hit on him, just as that person decides it’s time to take matters into their own hands.

Meanwhile, Flash has called in Hal Jordan to help Jessica Cruz get a grip on her abilities.

Captain Cold has been a welcome addition to the title, and he really plays the everyman in this battle – especially when he is rendered dazed by the fact that he’s fighting alongside Wonder Woman (apparently his sister Lisa Snart’s a fan!) and Superman.

I still don’t get how cold was suddenly the only thing Patient Zero wasn’t able to manipulate – Diana mentions Superman held back his cold breath so that it couldn’t be mimicked, and that felt like a forced precursor to give a solution like 'cold is his weakness!'

What I liked is that I’m intrigued by an organic Amazo (which makes more sense than an android one) and would like to see him take on the League again.

SPOILERS END…………..

Beautifully rendered by Fabok, this book is a visual delight. But the plot seems lacking and the final act seems tacked on without proper build-up.

There are intriguing concepts explored, especially Johns’ thoughts on Diana’s perspective of what the Justice League symbolizes. The banter is great as always, and the dialogue clicks.

So, I give it 7.5 out of 10.

+Great artwork 

+The Banter

+A well written Wonder Woman

-Tacked on ending

-Thin plot