TITLE: Justice League #52
AUTHOR: Dan Jurgens
PENCILLER: Tom Grummett. Cover by Paul Pelletier.
PUBLISBER: DC Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASED: June 22, 2016

***WARNING: Spoilers lay ahead.***

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy

For such a smart man, Lex Luthor makes a pretty big mistake in the design of his Superman armor. It’s a pretty obvious one. If you’re looking for it, it’s right there on the cover…

Lex Luthor and the world at large are still reeling from the death of Superman. Having just returned from Apokolips after the events of Darkseid War, Luthor is prepared to assume a new role as Metropolis’ new Man of Steel. The question is, why? Why would Luthor want to assume the role once occupied by his nemesis?

This move for Luthor makes sense to me. He’s always wanted to be revered as a savior the way Superman is. So it’s believable that he would try to step in and take Superman’s place, even wearing the same emblem and cape. And of course, Luthor has a much darker approach to things. His attempt at reasoning with a gunman is to give him a choice between paralysis and death.

But one of the elements that makes Lex so intriguing is the sense of nobility that’s mixed with the narcissism and greed. As he should, Dan Jurgens brings that to the forefront here. We see Lex does indeed love his currently comatose sister Lena, and he wants to prove to her that he can be a good man. Hearing him speak of himself in that regard, and watching him reinvent himself in Superman’s image is surreal in the best possible way.

Tom Grummett, no stranger to Superman books, turns in a commendable performance here. His style is a fascinating mix or characters with an animated look, conveying emotions that feel very real. He’s a very good “acting” artist, in that sense. His Luthor looks like something you’d expect to see in a superhero comic. But his expressions aren’t dynamic or cartoony. The Lex we see here, regardless of the scenario he’s in, is stoic and reserved. It’s exactly the way he should be. It’s a really interesting balance Grummett has been able to do it at least as far back as his work on Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying. That’s right, folks. Tom Grummett helped create Tim Drake.

Now, let’s get to that armor he’s wearing. I don’t know who designed this thing, but it’s got a big logic flaw: There’s no headpiece. Luther stops a mugging in this issue, and gets shot at in the process. The bullets bounce off the armor, of course. But if the muggers had simply aimed a bit higher and SHOT HIM IN THE HEAD all their problems would have been solved. This flaw in logic not only makes the muggers look incredibly stupid, but it makes Luthor look stupid for not thinking of it. It’s not limited to this issue, either. In Action Comics #958 (also written by Jurgens), there’s a moment where Doomsday, the gigantic indestructible monster that killed Superman, grabs Luthor by his head. This is in the middle of a battle! Luther’s head could, and should, have been crushed like a grape.

Here’s an idea: Why not get him a retractable, clear helmet like Buzz Lightyear had? You know, with that “whoosh thing.” I’m only half joking. It’s better than getting your head crushed by Doomsday.

This volume of Justice League meets its end here. Though it obviously doesn’t so much serve to send the series off, as it does set up the events unfolding in Action Comics. That’s fair enough. It’s not like the League is disbanding, or we’re getting a new roster or anything. And if you are indeed reading Action Comics, you’ll want to pick this up.

Image 1 from insidepulse.com. Image 2 from batman-news.com. 

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