High Rez Reviews 2 | Justice League #1

Today, Caine returns with another High Rez Review - this one of the new Justice League!

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LAST ISSUE.....
It all started on May 31st...
"On Wednesday, August 31st, DC Comics will launch a historic renumbering of the entire DC Universe line of comic books with 52 first issues, including the release of JUSTICE LEAGUE by NEW YORK TIMES bestselling writer and DC Entertainment Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns and bestselling artist and DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee. The publication of JUSTICE LEAGUE issue 1 will launch day-and-date digital publishing for all these ongoing titles, making DC Comics the first of the two major American publishers to release all of its superhero comic book titles digitally the same day as in print."

HIGH RES APP PREVIEW...
Today I'll be reviewing a comic purchased on my iPad from the DC Comics digital comic store: The Justice League.  As a rule these High Res Reviews will be spoiler free unless we give you lots of warning of the contrary.

 DC's Digital Comic store is laid out similarly over the web as well as on the iPad (so if you don't have an iPad the app portion of the review should still apply to web users/ readers).  At 2:00 p.m. eastern time I was able to launch the app and see the comics available on August 31st.  Before then there was a general weekly preview digital comic that was offered for free.  DC's Comixology powered app works just fine.  The comic was selected, paid for and downloaded very quickly over wifi with no glitches or crashes.

There is a problem, in this blogger's opinion, with DC's standard website however.  Simply put there is no link to download the comic from their browse comic page.  Now, you can access all of DC Comic's digital comics through read.dccomics.com but what happens if you don't know it or can't remember it?  If there was a link on the page below it wouldn't matter...

HIGH RES COMIC REVIEW...
The JUSTICE LEAGUE has always been DC Comic's greatest heroes come together to take on those threats too large for any of them to handle on their own.  The new JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 is no different, accept it that it is.  Confused?  Don't be.  You see Super Heroes are brand new to the DCU now.  They've only been around for about a year and all of them (by them I mean the JLU) seem to have sprung up nearly all at once around the U.S.  None of them really know each other and nearly all of them feel that the others may not even be real.

The book opens on the Gotham City roof tops with this "Batman" character being chased by the GCPD in riot gear, swat attack helicopters, and sniper rifles.  They don't seem to be assisting him, nor do they care that he's trying to save the city.  As the chase continues we are introduced to Batman for the first time only to have him literally bump right into the Green Lantern who's come to assist this mythical man who seems to dress up like a bat.

 We are introduced to the very arrogant Green Lantern (and I happen to think his updated personality is an improvement) for the first time and once they escape the police and continue chasing the threat to the city there is conversation of an alien who's rumored to exist over in Metropolis.  Where, as it would happen, is the very place they need to go.

You see?  It's all new, not only to us the fans/readers but to the characters inside the DCnU as well. 

The art by Jim Lee, Scott Williams, Alex Sinclair and the rest of the team possess a particular "gritty-tech" feel to it.  If you liked the way HUSH looked visually then you are all set.  Like all comics the art (and the writing) won't be liked by all fans but DC has their "Brightest" on this book so I'm betting they think this is the preferred look of the DCnU.

The art did not get in the way of the story, which flowed nicely and built to a climax at the end of the first issue as we were successfully re-introduced to three of the future members of the JLU,  teased by the namedrop of a major villain in the DCnU, and given a good dose of the way this new reality feels.  There were pleasant surprises, fun moments, and happy reunions that any major DC fan isn't going to want to miss. 

PAPER COMIC DEATHWATCH NOTE...
I went ahead and got my hands on the printed paper copy of the same comic and look what they are placing inside?  QR Codes.  :)

Well that about does it for this round of HIGH RES REVIEWS.  What do you think?  Are you a tablet owner?  Are you reading comics on it?  If so are you buying comics on it?  Thoughts on the 3.99 price point?  We'd love to hear from you about this review, and about digital comics in general.  Feel free to leave any comments you may have.

~Caine