Comic Book Quick Reviews: Justice League of America, Saga, Happy, Nova and Green Arrow

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1

SYNOPSIS: The march toward TRINITY WAR begins with part one of “WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS”!

• Green Lantern! Green Arrow! Catwoman! Katana! Vibe! Hawkman! Stargirl! They aren’t the world’s greatest super heroes—they’re the most dangerous! But why does a team like the JLA need to exist? What is their ultimate mission? And who is pulling the strings?

• Plus: Find out why Martian Manhunter is the most dangerous of them all. Period.

REVIEW: Apparently, there is a need for another Justice League full of second tier members who are actually more interesting than their story-exhausted A-listers. Amanda Waller enlists Steve Trevor to helm this group of heroes and she explains their significance one by one in the first issue. It's basically a team set-up issue you'be seen before but Geoff Johns dialogue is brisk and feisty and while not a big David Finch fan his art is more than acceptable. A good start for the series and still a better team book than the dismal Marvel travesty, Thunderbolts. 

SAGA #10

SYNOPSIS: Marko and Alana's long-lost babysitter Izabel finally returns to the fold, but at what cost?

REVIEW: One of the best titles from 2012 continues where it left off with a beautifully written and illustrated issue #10. Marko and Alana are still on the run with Marko's parents in tow and bounty hunters hot on their tail. Izabel returns to great effect and is one of the many enjoyable characters in this or any book. This sci-fi adventure is a fantastic ride like an epic movie in a graphic novel form. The world it inhabits is all it's own with great action but really it's the heart of it's characters that make this one of the surest bets in comic books. 

HAPPY #4

SYNOPSIS: Christmas is here and the bad men are about to open their presents! It's showdown time but can Nick Sax save the day without Happy to help him - or will he screw this up like everything else? You must not miss the blood-drenched conclusion of our heartwarming Yuletide classic!

REVIEW: The gritty conclusion of the limited series by Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson doesn't disappoint. The hapless and battered Nick Sax gets a last chance at redemption searching for a kidnapped child with the help of Happy, his blue imaginary donkey, in a bloody twisty ending. 

NOVA #1

SYNOPSIS: The Human Rocket returns! You’ve followed him through the history making (and changing!) AvX and now the mystery of the all-new Nova are revealed in this breathtaking new ongoing by the best-selling, award winning team of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness (RED HULK, Avengers X-Sanction). Sam Alexander is a kid bound by the gravity of a small town and a father whose ridiculous, drunken fairy tales about a “Nova Corps” were just another heavy burden in a life full of them. But luckily for Sam Alexander…soon gravity won’t even matter. And those troubles? It’s like they’re 

a billion miles away.

REVIEW: A very amiable beginning. Sam reminds me of Peter Parker as a bullied school kid but also living down the fancy space stories of his blue collar dad. Soon Sam realizes there's more to his old man's tales than he realized and the stage is set for him to take flight. Loeb and McGuinness do a great job of making this such a likable book it's hard to critique it too closely after one issue. The next issues should really determine it's worth but so far it's a cleanly executed story that makes you want to see what's next in Sam's adventure. 

GREEN ARROW #17

SYNOPSIS: Welcome the new team of writer JEFF LEMIRE and artist ANDREA SORRENTINO! As Ollie struggles to come to terms with the loss of his fortune, his company and his heritage, he discovers a shocking truth about his father that ties to his time stranded on an island before he became Green Arrow. Plus: Green Arrow battles the deadly archer known as Komodo!

REVIEW: The new team of Lemire and Sorrentino inject some fast paced action and dialogue. It all goes by in a blur but does build excitement leading to future issues. This arc deserves some attention. Even if  Ollie does come across a little whiny at times.