NS: So the Justice League is gonna die for realsies, apparently

[lordultimus]

source: ew.com



30 years ago, DC Comics killed Superman. From this far-off vantage point, we know that the Man of Steel got better eventually. But after being beaten to death by the monster Doomsday in the pages of Superman #75, Clark Kent was gone from DC comics for almost a full calendar year. His absence felt real.

DC loves to homage anniversaries like this (such as when they published the 2005 crossover event Infinite Crisis timed to the 20th anniversary of Crisis on Infinite Earths) and they're saluting 30 years of "The Death of Superman" in style. Over on The CW, Superman & Lois is hinting at the imminent arrival of Doomsday. And in the pages of DC Comics, an even bigger threat is bearing down on the Justice League.

This time, more than one hero will die. The current Justice League comic will come to an end with issue #75 (recognize that number?), a story that will see DC's greatest superheroes killed in battle against an unstoppable enemy. Yes, really — the Justice League is going to die.

"It's very serious," writer Joshua Williamson tells EW. "It's an interesting opportunity to do this on the 30th anniversary of 'The Death of Superman,' which happened in Superman #75. We get to take Justice League #75 and do 'Death of the Justice League.' We want people to understand, this is serious and this is gonna have a major impact in the DCU moving forward."

Williamson continues, "I remember the experience of reading the build-up to 'The Death of Superman' and then waiting in the rain for my copy of issue #75. I think one reason that story was so powerful was that after the 'Funeral for a Friend' story, there were no Superman comics for three months. That's part of what led us to make the decision that this is the last issue of Justice League. But then three months later, there's still not gonna be a Justice League comic. It's gonna be a while, and that's gonna be a major part of what the DCU looks like after this story: There is no Justice League."

For most of the past year, Justice League has been written by Brian Michael Bendis. But Williamson, who penned last year's Infinite Frontier event and the follow-up series Justice League Incarnate, is swooping in to bring this iteration of the comic to an explosive end that will take the epic over-story he's been building into its next chapter.

"Ever since Infinite Frontier #0, we've been building to this story," Williamson says. "Last year was a lot of fun and games, but when this story starts, it's the beginning of the third act. We're going to see things get darkest before the dawn. The Justice League gets called in to fight this Dark Army that's been building on the edge of the multiverse. They go up against this Dark Army and they lose."

The DC superhero universe has changed a lot in recent years, with several new, younger, more diverse heroes and sidekicks taking up the good fight. But while a veteran like Nightwing has seen crises come and go, what effect will the destruction of the Justice League have on newer recruits like Wonder Girl Yara Flor or Green Lantern Jessica Cruz?

"We'll get to see what the ramifications are of losing the Justice League," Williamson says. "You'll get to see how the new heroes react, how some of the heroes that have been around for a while react, you'll see how people on the ground react to this idea of the Justice League dying, and then you'll get to see how all the villains react. What happens when they know the Justice League is gone?"

That's all for the future, though. In and of itself, Justice League #75 will focus on the apocalyptic battle between the Justice League and the Dark Army in a dead multiverse. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern (John Stewart), Martian Manhunter, Hawkgirl, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Zatanna will embark on this mission — and only one will return to tell the rest of the universe what has happened.

Though Williamson is writing the scenes, it falls to artist Rafa Sandoval to actually depict these beloved superheroes dying in battle.

"My first reaction when I read this script was, 'Wow! This is going to be huge!' Right after that, I started thinking, 'how do I approach drawing this?' " Sandoval tells EW. "There is a big battle with lots of characters and also a very critical and sad moment, so I thought of some movies that I could use as a reference for this book. The Lord of the Rings helped me plan shots and how I could show the battle, as well as how to transition from the battle to the most critical moment, the death of the Justice League. I escalate the action by going from distant shots to close-ups and then suddenly do the opposite to force the reader to stop and take in what is happening on the page. Drawing such a painful death for these characters after they fought so hard was tough. As an artist, though, drawing such epic and emotional moments was a big challenge, and I love these challenges!"

Justice League #75 hits comic stores on April 19.

Comments

[bradygirl_12]

So does that mean that a lot of titles are going to take a hiatus?

Sheesh, death in comics. What a shocker!

[lordultimus]

There's a theory that they're going to "Heroes Reborn" the JL, with each member getting their own pocket universe that can hold their own self-contained stories while the rest of the line goes over the world they left behind. (It already may have happened to Barry Allen.)

[onsokumaru]

That would be a very good thing and Marvel should do the same with the Old Guard.

[mastermahan]

But The Old Guard is published by Image. :p

[lucean]

I don't know, I was thinking about it that they've actually brought in a lot of characters to focus the main titles for a while, so I can see them just pushing the OG characters aside for a while. Thus they can spend some resources on those new characters while paving the way for the big ones to return.

The only exception is Batman as I don't know who would take over there if they did this, but who knows. Besides they did say one character is coming back.

[bruinsfan]

Well, looking at which Justice League character has a new movie coming out soon, I think I just might have a hunch who the survivor will be...

[owlbrigade1]

Is anybody fooled or fired up by events like this anymore? Because when I heard about it I rolled my eyes so hard I pulled a muscle.

[thanekos]

Joshua Williamson At DC, or: Trying To Sell A James Robinson Like He's A Geoff Johns

[bravest_spinja]

Yeah, this could be mildly interesting, but in no way feels like it would have the same impact of Death of Superman.

First of all, circa 1993, the tactic of comic book deaths was, if not unheard of, certainly under the radar. Nobody, never mind a character that had previously been killed off, had the profile of Superman.

Secondly I think the Justice League, as concept, is just plain more nebulous. Superman is Clark Kent, last survivor of Krypton, etc, since the 1930's. What's the Justice League? The Original seven? The original seven minus J'Onn plus Cyborg? A group of characters who always have an understudies or legacy waiting in the wings?

Also, things felt more "real" post-Crisis. Mileage can vary on whether having various alternate realities and less strict continuity makes comics better or worse, but multiple Earths definitely makes "earth-shattering" less of superlative.

[zachbeacon]

I hate to say it because it should be DC’s flagship book but I haven’t been a regular Justice League reader in years.

We’ve already a lot of potential replacements established for classic members so hopefully we can get a JL with some new blood like we did when the old JL “died” in Obsidian Age.

Sure, I could make the case that some of them should be spared (didn’t they just finally put Martian Manhunter back on the team where he belongs?) because they don’t deserve to be sacrificed for a sales gimmick. I know Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman won’t be gone long but they’ve also had plenty of time in the spotlight that Black Canary and Zatanna just don’t get very often.

And it goes without saying that they’re killing the wrong Green Lantern.

Speaking of legacies, isn’t this team supposed to have a Flash? He seemed conspicuously absent from the list. Please let it be Barry. I don’t think I can handle them killing Wally AGAIN. ..

Also, its really weird that this thing that’s meant to be a tribute to the Death of Superman would completely miss the point of Death of Superman. In the real world, I don’t think you could convince anyone but the most gullible that Superman and co are gone for good this time; stories like DoS have played that card too many times. In-universe however, Superman died on camera; his sacrifice was felt by the whole world. It’s downright bizarre that someone who thinks they’re doing a spiritual successor would have nearly everyone just vanish on a space mission. A lone survivor saying that the JL died in battle just doesn’t have the same emotional punch as watching it happen on TV.

[crabby_lioness]

Ever since DC started resetting the entire universe every other year I couldn't give a crap. I cared about characters because of their history, and now that's all gone. For the past 20?, 30? years we've just seen them take the skins of these heroes and stuff them with whatever personality they wanted and put them into whatever setting they wanted -- and then turn around two years later and do it all over again. Why am I supposed to care about these hollowed-out doll skins? It's macabre.

[nyadnar17]

I wish I could disagree with you. But with every reboot and crisis I care just a little less.....and like you said it feels like we have had one every year for the past two decades.

[lieut_kettch]

And they just only brought Diana back from the dead too.

[deh_tommy]

Wait, when did she die?

[scorntx]

She sacrificed herself to go to a higher realm of existence (or somesuch) at the end of Death Metal in order to fix the universe.

[deh_tommy]

I thought that series concluded with “screw it, continuity never mattered, go nuts” so she could come back without any questions? Kind of weird to kill her off when she just got a video game announced. Maybe they’re tying into Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League?

[lordultimus]

I mean, that edict never really did anything. Clark still revealed his identity in all the titles, Jon became Superman in all the titles, Naomi was still a Justice League member in all the titles, etc.

[cainofdreaming]

So, it's time for Obsidian Age to roll out from the idea mill again?

[zachbeacon]

Always happy to have Dick running a team.

[bruinsfan]

Anyone else remember when Blackest Night was supposed to be the end of cheap deaths and resurrections for the DC heroes? Of course that was what, at least 3 reboots ago?

[scorntx]

Wait, wasn't Blackest Night supposed to be the end of needless gorn and bleakness?

[lordultimus]

No, that was Infinite Crisis.

Or Final Crisis.

Or Doomsday Clock.

Or Dark Nights.

Or Death Metal.

Or - y'know, I'm reminded of Magneto's "There's always a speech and no one cares anymore" line.

[thezmage]

Honestly even a "I absolutely believe that this is real and will not be undone" joke feels pointless in this.

[donnblake]

I mean, they're specifically referencing the Death of Superman storyline, after which Superman notoriously stayed dead and was never brought back, so...

This pretty much sums up my thoughts

[stubbleupdate]

There isn't a story reason for this. This is just to get a sales bump, on the anniversary of a sales bump that worked.

God, I only read two DC books, and nonsense like this plays a large part in it