Comics this week

Justice League #18- “The Grid” opens up the Justice League to new members as the team have try-outs. This was a pretty engaging issue as various superheroes were invited up to the Watchtower but I also think it was pretty pointless. I mean some of these heroes had just stopped an invasion from Atlantis, now they had to have a try-out? Still the issue was saved by a few excellent character moments as well as good work work from artist Jesus Saiz. Another plus is the Shazam backup which was slightly longer than usual. This was a good thing as the backup here was one of the best in quite some time. I hadn't been all that impressed with the Shazam story thus far but maybe the story just need more pages to work. There was no backup last issue and maybe that's why the story was longer this issue. If that's the case, then I suggest DC keeps this new arrangement of the backup once every 2 issues.

Justice League of America #2- The team of the JLA comes together for the first time in a strange and comedic meeting. I must say the meeting was truly funny with Vibe and Hawkman providing the main laughs. We also get to see the characters' roles on the team; Vibe is the wide-eyed rookie, Stargirl as the public face of the team, Hawkman is the tough guy; and for the most part, everything's good. Personally, I rather writer Geoff Johns forget the anti-JL angle of the team and focus on the Secret Society. The argument between Amanda Waller and Steve Trevor was ponderous and overly long, but the worse thing about it was that nothing new was established. The two were merely stately their position like they did in #1. Even with these minor problems, I see promise with the story of JLA and with the art of artist David Finch, this series may have some staying power.

Green Lantern: The New Guardians #18- Nothing I haven't read before. That's my view after reading #18. This issue has the First Lantern torturing the various lanterns of the New Guardians and failing with most of them. This has to be the fourth or fifth issue where this happens and...I'm just no longer interested. I don't know if it's deliberate but writer Tony Bedard put together a pretty funny issue here with the First Lantern's reaction with Larfleeze being the funniest of the lot. Still, I just can't seen to get into the crossover. The title may be "Wrath of the First Lantern" but thus far I found the First Lantern to be anything but angry. He seems more bored and curious than anything else and "The Curiosity of the First Lantern" is not a good idea for a good crossover.