Justice League #2- The New 52

And so with the promise of a fray between Batman and Superman, I dive in and read on to Issue #2. By the cover alone, I was already rewarded with the promise of a great read. Plus seeing Bruce and Clark go at it like there’s no tomorrow with Hal by the sidelines trying to keep Superman at bay with green chains was just great.

The second issue opens with criminal lab guy, Barry Allen, trying to divert attention of his boss to a case that for him was more important but higher ups want him to unravel the identity of the Flash. Good luck there.

The battle continues in Metropolis with Batman trying every trick in the book, or in this case, his belt, in the hopes that it stops Superman. But to no avail as we all know the only thing that will take Superman down. But if case, you are a new reader and you don’t know, heck, I am not telling. But don’t fret either as our heroes don’t know it as well. Just your luck as you’re not the only one in the dark.

Now, it was only with the intervention of Flash did the battle stop for Batman to get a word in and convince our Man of Steel that he and Hal are not in league with the monsters that equally attacked different parts of Metropolis. They came to the city in the hopes of finding more about these things because they are “alien”. So since Superman is one, he’d know them too. Now this if viewed negatively, this may sound racist to some and would go along with the concept that every chinky-eyed Asian would know every chinky-eyed Asian that passes by and they’d shake hands and sing some common national anthem. But I digress so allow me to get back to the topic.

The intel session continues with Batman showing Supes the box that he had with him in an abandoned printing press plant. As it is, the caped Kryptonian doesn’t have a base of operations and all of this talk is operating on the level of trust that they can extract from one another. Hal for his part, carries on with his cocky I-Can-Do-This attitude and suggests to Flash that they ditch “Black and Blue” because Batman is a pain in the ass and Superman doesn’t know shit about the box they brought in. How’s that for cooperation? 

Hal and Barry Allen's bond and banter carries off well into the new 52 and I'm glad they retained that. Much of the superheroes on this timeline had to hide themselves from the law and are considered a threat by the law. Needless to say, most of them go to great lengths to keep their identities secret. Until, Hal slips. LOL! (again)

The intel continues with each hero finding things about what they can do and Flash is surprised that Superman can see into things to which he pointedly asks Batman what he can do. And you know Bruce will have a retort to that by saying that he can “Keep us all on point.” LOL! Nice one Bats!

Apart from trust, lack on info is another element that keeps our heroes going and learning what they can from each other and the box that seems to elude any further discovery. Of course, they pretty soon learn that the box activates itself and “Pings” again and brings in more of those metallic creatures in that eerily chants, “For Darkseid”. Like the innate detective that he is Batman’s fears of having another box out there in the city is not far from the truth, as one was certainly being studied in Detroit within StarLabs by scientist Dr. Stone who currently was trying to have a decent and rational conversation with his son Victor when the box blew up and caught Victor in its wake. 

Here the issue ends with the image of a burning high school kid who earlier had simple wishes that his father come to his football game and share in his success.


Clearly that’s not going to happen as Victor will soon find out after this that his life is now not his own and that we will be meeting another super human in Issue #3 named, Wonder Woman. 

You know her right?