The final issue of Cry For Justice was a difficult choice to buy.
The last issue had been decent, but hampered by replacement artist Scott Clark (who is talented, but unused to doing painted artwork). Later, as a result of C4J's chronic lateness, James Robinson's regular Justice League book lapped it and actually revealed the majority of the details of C4J's mysterious ending. Having been burned by Geoff Johns' two Flash mini-series in a similar way, I was hesitant to drop three dollars for something I once again felt I'd already read.
But writing, like most things in life, is not about the destination so much as the 'getting there'.
And I am pleased to say that James Robinson's finale was the best book I read this week.
In order to have the issue released in a somewhat timely fashion it was painted by three artists. Regular artist Mauro Cascioli is supplemented by last issues' fill-in Scott Clark and newcomer Ibraim Roberson. The difference between this issue and the last is that the art here does not feel rushed and actually manages to blend well enough to be pleasing to the eye. While it would have been preferable to have Cascioli's beautiful paints throughout the old issue, this was a better alternative than a 4 month wait.
Despite having revealed the ending already, James Robinson pulls a fast one on his audience. In Justice League of America #42, we see The Shade assisting Green Arrow in some shady (sorry!) business. Cry for Justice #7 shows us exactly what Green Arrow was planning. Expect to be shocked.
Make no mistake, this book will have a profound effect on the DC Universe and the Justice League in ways that most mini-series fail to deliver. Of the mini's released in the last year, only Blackest Night stands to have a bigger effect.
Cry for Justice, in the end, was not a tale of heroes vs villains. It was a story about people. Some good. Some unbearably evil.
In the last 6 months, Americans have seen multiple acts of terrorism. The villain here is almost reflective of the people involved in these acts. Prometheus, the "anti-Batman" is not a Lex Luthor or a Joker character. He is a reminder that the most frightening villains do not kill for money or power or even as a result of mental instability. Some men are simply evil. Prometheus sets the world ablaze just so he can watch it burn. Even within this fictional world, the cost of Prometheus' vision is devastating and all too human.
In 2004, writer Brad Meltzer took the Justice League down darker roads than they'd ever visited before. Identity Crisis saw the rape and murder of Sue Dibny, the Elongated Man's Wife and an honorary Leaguer in her own right. In the end, the JLA's reputation was tarnished. James Robinson's Cry For Justice will rob the League of whatever innocence they have left.
I fully expect him to rebuild the League with the help of Mark Bagley in the next few months.
Cry for Justice #7 in in stores now.
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