Rating: ***

When the original concept of a Justice League book written by James Robinson first surfaced, I became very interested.  After a long delay, the series finally began last month.  It was originally supposed to be an on-going series, but it’s now a mini-series which lays the groundwork for when James Robinson takes over the current on-going Justice League book. To review this issue, I have to give a little background on the last one.  Hal Jordan is tired.  He’s tired of seeing his friends die at the hands of super-villains.  He’s tired of reacting to their criminal acts and wants to act before they do.  He wants to go on the offense and not stay on defense.  He wants justice!  The rest of the League think Hal is acting irrationally - all except Green Arrow.

Other heroes in the DC Universe share Hal’s desire for justice.  Heroes like the alien Starman Mikaal Tomas who sees his lover Tony die at the hands of super-villains; Congorilla who sees his gorilla friends and the hero Freedom Beast die at the hands of hunters.  Is there a connection?

We shift over to issue two where Green Lantern and Green Arrow are in Gotham City and they meet up with Jason Bard.  For those who are not aware of Jason Bard, he’s a private investigator who worked with Batman.  Bard hears that Green Lantern and Green Arrow are out looking for some super-villains.  He tells them that Prometheus and a bunch of other villains are in town waiting for instruction from someone.  Hal and Ollie leave Bard and go after the bad guys.

Ray Palmer the Atom is also in this story.  He meets up with Jay Garrick the Golden Age Flash at the Flash museum.  Some super-villains broke in and stole some technology from the Cosmic Treadmill.  They also killed Jay’s friends Winky. Blinky, and Noddy who worked as guards at the museum.

In the previous issue, a friend of Ray’s died and he’s investigating the murder.  The investigation led him to Prometheus and he heads off to Gotham alongside Freddy Freeman, Shazam.  They arrive in Gotham just as Hal and Ollie make work of Prometheus and the other villains.  As they all talk about what’s happening, one of the villains tries to sneak attack them only to be thwarted by none other than Super-Girl.  And we end there.

So this is a good series.  It’s not great, but it’s keeping my interest enough to want to see things through.  What also helps is the AMAZING artwork of Mauro Cascioli.  Great stuff.  I wish he was going to be the artist on Justice League of America when Robinson takes over in October, but that duty belongs to the great Mark Bagley.

I like the offensive approach that Hal is taking.  In the real world it would make sense.  You have all of these super-villains, many of whom are capable of doing some serious damage; it makes sense to go and get them before they hurt someone.  The line-up is definitely unique.  We’ve seen almost all the players so far.  I know Batwoman will be showing up soon.  So what’s going on in this story?  We really don’t know right now.  It seems to me after reading the first two issues I think this story probably would have worked better as a full-length graphic novel.  It almost seems that this is one long story that we are being forced to read in short bursts instead of a comic book mini-series where each issue tells its own story, but is also a part of a larger story.

I do recommend it though.  I like James Robinson and I love the JLA.  If you love both, then this one’s for you.  Later.