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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!

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