JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #9

[ DARK BARGAINS ] 

What type of a name is Felix? It's not like he's a Genus Helix. First he's not a snail. Second he's not Christian Bale. And third he is just crap at performing complicated card tricks. Just like these guys in fact! Writer: Jeff Lemire; Artist: Mike Janin; and Publisher: DC Comics in April 2012. Just never play poker with any of them. OK? You have been warned.

So what’s the STORY morning glory?

Have you every seen a waterfall flowing backwards before? It you have, then you must know what it feels like for this magical based justice team in part one of, 'The Black Room'.

• You see, at the bequest of Justice League liaison, Steve Trevor, John Constantine is persuaded to get 'the band back together again', so they can all do the perform the following mission. 
• (1) Fly over to the Amazon Jungle. (2) Save a secret agent called Doctor Mist. And (3) Figure out how his captor, Felix Faust, has suddenly become so powerful.
• Granted, this is not an easy thing for John to accomplish really. Especially since the Shade and Mindwarp have disappeared, plus Madam Xanadu doesn't want anything to do with this task
• However, two new additions to this mystical unit, Andrew Bennett and Black Orchid, sure makes up for this slight pit-fall, one that is both arduous and a pain in the ass to accomplish.

What is the most memorable SENTENCE OR CONVERSATION spoken in this issue?

Now to be perfectly honest with you, quite a lot of the dialogue on offer in this story was right up my alley. But for me, the stand out in this issue, was the swagger in John's diction when he said to Felix...

'Well, Felix, I heard you gone native... built yourself a nice little army down here and were planning something nasty. So, I thought I'd come on down and join the party. Course' on second thought. I don't look good in a dress, so I don't think that I'd fit in'.

Though this could be because I am a bit of a cheeky b*stard like John.

What was the BEST thing about this issue?

Out of all the things I liked in this narrative based adventure, I suppose the best thing for me was the 'unanswered questions' posed. For example: What is this 'Black Room' like? Is Felix's power source in any way linked to what Stormwatch are looking for? Wasn't Black Orchid once in the Suicide Squad, and does this imply that there is an association with this group and the Justice League?

Intriguing questions, huh?  

What was the WORST thing about this issue?

I suppose the one thing that did come over a mite too strong in this yarn, was the exposition heavy scene where Steve Trevor laid the ground work for this tale. OK, so maybe this is just something that needed to be said during Jeff's first stab at this title. Nonetheless, it did slow down the pace a tad too much for my liking.

What was the most CREATIVE thing about this issue?

STORY: I would say that the most creative thing about this story would be how the novelized techniques helped convey this tale, and wasn't that jarring within the overall narrative. I also found that the transitions between the past tale and the present tale worked in relative harmony as well, and did not appear as jarring as other's I have read.  

ART: I loved Mikel Janin's rendition of Andrew Bennett because he now looks like an amalgamation of Marvel's 'Wonderman and' the Preachers 'Cassidy'. Also, Steve Trevor's menacing glare to John's 'Amazon boy-toy' jibe spoke a thousand words. All of them rude, ha! 

If you had to CAST TWO CHARACTERS in this comic book, who would they be and why?

FELIX: OK, I know that this may sound strange, but I always thought of one person whenever I saw Felix Faust in a comic book. Barry Manilow. I think that this is due to the fact that this good smelling singer has a power over people which feel's like cheese. 

DOCTOR MIST: So far this Nubian mage seems like a well to do type of a guy, who is just unlucky with his associations in life. Just like brooding actor, Terrance Howard, in fact.

If this issue had a MOVIE TAG LINE, what would it be?

If You Go Down To The Wood Today You Best Bring With You A... BANG-BANG-BANG! Hocus-Pocus?

If this issue were a MOVIE, an OBJECT, or a piece of MUSIC, what would that be and why? 

There was a song running through my mind whilst reading this story. Not the most relevant song I have ever heard, granted. But one that does mirror the tone of this issue very well. 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' by the Token.

Nice, huh?

FINAL thoughts...

Overall this wasn't a bad start for Jeff Lemire on this series. He has a similar tone to previous writer, Peter Milligan. He has begun to stamp his own mark on this title. Plus I thought that his words and Mikel's pictures work very well to some degree.

Listen, this yarn wasn't an all out blast of a read by any stretch of the imagination. But what it was, was a nice and pleasant trot towards the starting line. Please continue the motion.

MARKS out of 10? 8.5