Formerly Known as the Justice League #1

DC Comics
Formerly Known as the Justice League #1
By Hervé St-Louis
June 6, 2003 - 10:02

DC Comics
Writer(s): Keith Giffen , J.M Dematteis
Penciller(s): Kevin Maguire
Inker(s): Joe Rubinstein

I have waited a long time for this comic book. I waited so much, that I wasn't even sure when it would come out. I wanted to read it so much that I stopped my work to go to the comic shop and buy it. I usually don't go to the comic shop for one comic book, but I made an exception here. It was worth it. Why oh why did Keith Giffen, J.M Dematteis, Kevin Maguire, Joe Rubinstein and Bob Lappan ever leave?

There's a few new faces within the creative team and in the former Justice Leaguers. Mary Marvel's replacing Captain Marvel. This is a good decision. However, the mainstays of the book are back. Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Elongated Man, Sue Dibny, Fire, Booster Gold, Captain Atom and L-Ron. I like how the first issue showed what was up with the former Leaguers. Somehow, how it all makes sense.

Of course, the other magic ingredient making this book, a success is the art work and the layout. We're back with Giffen's classic grid pages, although there is some clever use of the long strip panels. Maguire is back doing all the crazy faces and expressions. This time however, all the characters look different and their body language is stronger. I enjoyed this issue very much. Is a regular series close by?