JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #11

[ GIVE ME A COUPON ] 

I want to see what's in the Black Room. Come on, before I pop a wild mushroom! I'm sure I can take it. It must be better than Dorset. As that place is just all doom and gloom. Well, that's what these guys told be anyway. Writer: Jeff Lemire; Artist: Mikel Janin; and Publisher: DC Comics in August 2012. Though it could have been Dundee instead?

So what’s the STORY morning glory?

When I was a kid I used to eat a lot of sting. OK, I know that this does sound like a rather strange thing to do. But to make it sound even stranger, when the string came out at 'the other end', it used to make my bum hurt. Just like this third part of 'The Black Room' in fact.  (Sniff-Sniff. Can you smell eggs?)

• You see, have you ever noticed that whenever the 'Justice League Dark' tries to do something, there is always something else getting in there way.
• For example; John Constantine cannot defeat the evil Felix Faust, unless Steve Trevor allows him to enter the Black Room and retrieve the 'Book of Magic'.
• However, if John manages to accomplish this task, he, in turn, will be corrupted by the book, unless Madam Xanadu can coax Timothy Hunter out of retirement to stop him.

See what I mean?

BOOOOM!

Huh? What was that? To be continued just as soon as I figure out what's going on. There's a traitor in our midst!

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

Now not to give anything away, but one of the zingers in this story is when one of the characters says -- ironically -- 'I gave it all away'. It just punches home the overall helpless tone of this tale.

Although, I do have a sneaking suspicion who this character gave 'it' too -- FF?

What was the BEST thing about this issue?

The Harry Potter of the DC Universe is finally back! YES!

Wait a minute! Lets me say that again! Ahem.

The character that preceded Harry Potter by over twelve years is back! YES. That's better. It is great to see Timothy Hunter back in the books anyway, and I hope that this series uses him more than just a cameo appearance. 

What was the WORST thing about this issue?

As much as I am getting used to Jeff Lemire's writing style, here and there I find that his plots do get a mite convoluted in the execution. Not structurally mind you. Oh no! But rather in pace -- too much happening at the same time, or visa-versa.

What was the most CREATIVE thing about this issue?

STORY: Whilst reading this yarn, I did spot a slight creative flaw in it -- why doesn't Madam Xanadu phone John Constantine and explain to him about 'the Book of Magic' corrupting his soul?

Well, for a very innovative plot-line, I did find it impeded by a rather simple solution.

ART: Since Jeff took over this book I've also noticed a slight change in Mikel Janin's style of artwork. Nothing major-major mind you. Just that his characters are a tad more wooden now, and that his 'special effects' are a bit more blaze.

Sorry if I have offended you Mister Janin (As I know you pop in from time to time).

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

BLACK ORCHID: Doesn't Lucy Pargeter from Farm-soap, Emmerdale, look a lot like a horny vixen who'd rather kick you in the nuts, than kiss you on the cheek?  

TIMOTHY HUNTER: Believe it or not, actor, Danny Miller, once played Lucy's gay son in farm-soap, Emmerdale, plus he is very good at magic as well. When he gets the chance of course. 

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

Do You Want To See What's In The Black Room? Same Here. I Never Got The Chance.

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

With hand on my heart I wanted to compare this comic book to the horror flick 'Hellraiser 2' (review coming soon), but that would be a bit too easy for me, huh? So instead, because of the cursed tone to this tale, let me compare it to the relentless Samuel Lego Jackson flick 'Lakeview Terrace'.

Trust me, it matches in vibe -- not content.

FINAL thoughts...

The title of this story is called 'The Black Room', right? Nigh on every character in this tale has referred to this room so far, right? So how come when John went into this noir-like chamber, we hardly got to see what was in it?

Strange that, huh? This location has been built up so much in this story-line, that it has come as a surprise to me that the 'pay off' never really 'paid off'.

OK, maybe I am jumping the gun a bit with this remark. If so, my bad. If not, my good. Let's see, shall we? 

MARKS out of 10? 8.3