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This is the best graphic novel ever. The art is amazing. I became an instant fan of Alex Ross. I even bought a copy for my Dad, who read comics as a child because I knew he would enjoy the "Golden age" feel of Ross' art work.
If you ever wondered what the Justice League would be like in 20 years. Then this is the book for you.
What can I say, this book is beautiful from beginning to end, every page is carefully painted to perfection. The color palate is amazing, the characters have weight behind them, and the story is fantastic, creative, and more importantly an arc that you don't see all too often done well. Pick it up, and soak in the visuals, enjoy the way the beautiful art helps to craft an unforgettable atmosphere. The story and artwork all work to create one of the best graphic novels I have ever read.
The story and artwork are fantastic as in the 'Justice' series. I do not like Superman being vulnerable to thunderclaps; doesn't he fly into nuclear explosions and whatnot without harm. I have therefore taken off a star, bringing the rating to 6 or 7 stars on a scale of five when compared to other storylines.
but they hardly utter a word. And on its face, it's a good story - war is about to break out between the generations of superhumans and everyone, super and regular, will suffer for it. Which brings me to my biggest gripe - Captain Marvel/Billy is the character that this whole story hinges on. Will the older generation of heroes like Superman and Wonder Woman abandon their morals to stop their children and grandchildren, who have little regard for human life. Several of the heroes I recognized (which didn't feel like many. I swear, I could not read that abbreviation without thinking "MILF" and wondering if that had not crossed Mark Waid's mind. But I felt like I was reading a "Who's Who" of DC heroes and villains, which became so dizzying that I couldn't keep characters straight and I really didn't care.
Anyways, these men seek to protect humanity, though for very different reasons. and Lex Luthor and his most unfortunately named organization, the Mankind Liberation Front, or MLF. And then there's Captain Marvel/Billy Batson, caught in the middle of it all.So yes, it's a good end-of-the-world story. Plus, I have a little trouble getting invested in a scene where the key word is Shazam.
I know that this was one of those epic comic storylines of the 90s. In the back of the compilation, there's a chart of 105 of the heroes/villains, and many of their names end with the numbers 2 or 3. Despite the plethora of characters, the focus is mainly on Superman, with supporting roles from Wonder Woman and Batman. go go Wesley Dodds) looked like they'd have interesting stories to tell and opinions to contribute. The artwork is incredible. But he gets so little attention for such a pivotal character. And on the other side, we have mortals like Batman (who is not aging well - but who ever expects Batman to age well). He is both mortal and superhuman.
But it just didn't appeal to me. That's probably the biggest selling point for this story. His mental state is less than whole, and he's the only person capable of matching Superman's powers. I guess it's just a sign of the times.
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