JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #2

[ MY WIFE WAS A WITCH TOO ] 

It is easy to be scared and afraid. Whenever sorcery and mysticism are played. But please have to fear, Justice League Dark is here, just to drown out the screams being made. Now this jiggery-boo has been brought to you by Writer: Peter Milligan; Artist: Mikel Janin; and Publisher: DC Comics in November 2011.


So what's the story morning glory?

Now in this second part of ‘In the Dark’, in one way or another, some of the heroes of this ‘dark team’ get involved in the Enchantresses evil machinations.

Zatanna tries to protect herself from Enchantresses’ cruel leanings, by putting her body into suspended animation.

John Constatine gets himself drunk and beat up, so that he can cast a spell of indefinable intent – as of yet.

And, as for Deadman – well – after a rather intimate and emotional encounter with his girlfriend, Dawn (Dove) Granger, the human side of Enchantress, June Moon, goes to him for some help with the dilemma surrounding her duality – with mixed results.

Meanwhile, Madam Xanadu confronts the Enchantress head on – and gives her the names of ‘the others involved’.  

What is the most memorable sentence spoken in this issue?

Whilst possessing the body of June Moon, Deadman goes up to Dawn and says to her ‘I wanted to say... that I know how you feel. Asking you to sleep with another guy, even while I was possessing him, that was pretty weird. I never wanted to hurt you or anything. Dawn, you know I... love you’.

Now isn’t that something you hear everyday?

Was the story any good?

Damn right this story was good! However, it was not ‘just good’, it was goooooood-goooood (if you get my meaning). Honestly, I found this issue much more enjoyable than the previous one – as it told a strange yet intimate story between Deadman and Dawn, whilst integrating some of the other characters into the mix – except for Shade – plus the whole ‘Enchantress plot’ as well.

Moreover, I did like the way that each of the characters had a chance to give both exposition and character – class.

Milligan, I knew you would not disappoint me.

Was the art any good?

I do not have the words inside me to express how happy I am with artist, Mikel Janin. In many ways, his characters remind me of Kevin Maguires work, and his style and compositions are on the same par as George Perez too.

Also, colourist, Ulises Arreola – boom – depth and light my man, you kicked one home with your flair for dramatic staging.

What is the best thing about this issue?

Now this is very difficult to say – as I like the majority of this issue. Still, the scenes in which Dawn and Deadman interact with each other are just priceless – because they answer a question that, I have to confess, never thought of before – how does Deadman get his end away?

What is the worst thing about this issue?

OK, this one is difficult to answer too – but I have to say, I would have liked for the Shade to make an appearance in this issue, and I am unsure of what this DCnU Zattana is like also. 

If you could sum up this issue in a phrase or saying, what would that phrase or saying be?

To quote Austin Powers “Shag-a-delic-baby”.

If this issue were a movie, an object, or a piece of music, what would that be and why? 

Well, this comic book has given me the answer to this question already – Dawns favourite song by Joan Armatrading ‘Not in Love’ – it says it all.

What do you think would have made this issue better than it was?

As I mentioned before, I would have liked to have seem more of Zattana and Shade, but in addition to this, some more scope as a storyline would be nice – because at the moment, the ‘doom’ feels contained and looming.

Final thoughts...

This issue of ‘Justice League Dark’ was a very nice change of pace compared to some of the other new 52 titles. It has a more personal tone to it – the characters are not carbon copies of facsimiles of generic archetypes – and the plot, though restrained, does have a nice imposing quality too, almost menacing.

Marks out of 10? 9