Skip to main content

Graveyard of Gods: A step forward for Aquaman and the JL

Art by Francis Manapul

While giant crossover events like Avengers: Endgame are few and far-between on the big screen, they can always be found within the pages of comic books. The second volume of Scott Snyder's ongoing Justice League run is a great example of large-scale, epic superhero fun, and is another crucial stepping towards DC's Year of the Villain event. 

The League's conflict with the Legion of Doom in the previous book is continued here, but with an Aquaman-focused twist that brings brand-new elements to DC Universe lore. In Graveyard of Gods, Lex Luthor's nefarious actions result in the awakening of a group of ancient ocean deities that have a bone to pick with Atlantis and plan to submerge the entire planet with their immense abilities. 

Is anybody fluent in ancient Atlantean?

Just a flick through the book will have anybody agreeing that there's some serious talent behind it, as a team of celebrated artists deliver each scene in their own unique way. Batman: Rebirth artist Mikel Janin guides us through Luthor's plan by showing us his thought process with intricate facial expressions, while rising star Jorge Jimenez' vibrant and fun artwork shows how our heroes make themselves at home in their new headquarters. We also get flashbacks with art by No Justice's Francis Manapul, trippy sequences from the acclaimed Frazer Irving and explosive action from Howard Porter of JLA fame.

As mentioned in the review of volume one, it's clear Scott Snyder and co-writer James Tynion IV have been taking notes from Morrison's JLA, as the story beats are all the same. Graveyard of Gods is an enjoyable and satisfying read, but if Snyder really wants to leave a mark on the JL, he needs to figure out his own narrative structure. He certainly has the potential, as the currently-ongoing Last Knight on Earth miniseries (that ties into the themes and concepts set by his Justice League run) is some seriously incredible storytelling.

Despite appearing on the book's cover, the Batman Who Laughs is only in the first chapter

Even though it's the second volume, Graveyard of Gods still manages to work as a standalone experience with a clear beginning, middle and end. There are some really clever and memorable scenes here and there, such as seeing the heroes don pirate-style uniforms to fight mutant sea creatures - Superman with an eye-patch is one of the coolest things we've seen across his comics all year. 

DC had perfect timing to release a great Aquaman-focused story hot off the heels of the massively-successful film - this book has interesting consequences for the character that will spill into the next book and be felt across the wider DCU, giving him the importance he deserves but often hasn't received. 

Rating: 8/10

Graveyard of Gods is the second volume of the ongoing Justice League series. There are currently three on the shelves so far, which you can find in all good bookstores and on Comixology. Keep checking Paperback in Action for a review of the third book: Hawkworld!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Crazy, epic and tragic: Reviewing Grant Morrison's Batman

"Batman always comes back, bigger and better, shiny and new. Batman never dies. It never ends. It probably never will." But if there ever was an ultimate Batman story, this would be it. Grant Morrison's legendary Batman saga ties all facets of the beloved Caped Crusader into a single tale, producing a piece of modern-day mythology that will define Gotham's protector for generations. Morrison's Batman tale ran for seven years in total, but its many nods to Gotham's past and hints towards its future make it feel like a comprehensive record of the Wayne legacy. When writing this epic, Morrison declared that all prior Batman stories did indeed happen, with his run being the focal point of them all. The adventure begins in Batman and Son , which throws us straight into the madness with a scene of a trigger-happy Batman attempting to kill the Joker, only to be stopped by...Batman? This introduces us to a central theme of the series: the bat used as a s...
Post a Comment
Read more

A thank-you to Steve Ditko

The late Steve Ditko was best known for creating Spider-Man with Stan Lee, and arguably shaped the entire world of superheroes when he did. While Clark Kent was the common man, Peter Parker was the common boy, making him a character that generations of new fans could connect with. Ditko's artwork was dynamic and fun, attracting more and more readers who previously wouldn't have given comics a second glance. His work lives on through new creators, and its influence can be felt in films based on his characters, such as the recent Spider-Man: Homecoming . Steve Ditko is also strongly associated with Charlton Comics - he created Captain Atom, the Question and Ted Kord, the second Blue Beetle. These heroes served as the inspiration for the characters of Alan Moore's  Watchmen , which showed the world that comics can be taken just as seriously as films and television. Ditko had no direct involvement with Watchmen , but it is another example of just how far his influence ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Are Kryptonians stronger than Saiyans?

Art by Brett Booth and Bruno Furlani One of Superman's greatest opponents is one he will never actually meet: Dragon Ball protagonist Son Goku. The outcome of this dream match-up has been hotly debated by fans of both manga and Western comics, with no concrete answer being universally agreed upon. In fact, the argument is so divisive that it is now banned from most comic book forums. Despite being a big fan of both characters, I've never been able to confidently bet on one hero over the other - until now. Perhaps the main reason why the debate continues to this day is that, by nature, each character keeps displaying new feats that could tip the scales. This is because of their alien physiology - Superman is Kryptonian and Goku is Saiyan, meaning they each have powers that put them at the very top of their respective fictional universes. Thus, the only way to truly end this mighty clash is not to focus solely on these heroes, but to look at the differences between each ex...
Post a Comment
Read more