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NYCC 2016: “Justice League of America” Artist, Four Members, Announced

By | October 3rd, 2016
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“Justice League of America” was initially announced – along with “Super Sons” and “Earth 2” – as ‘Rebirth’ titles that we still have not seen. We recently found out that Steve Orlando (“Supergirl,” “Midnighter and Apollo”) would be penning the book, and that it would debut in February. Well, ahead of New York Comic Con, DC has finalized a few more details, and shared some exciting news about the book.

The description that DC released of the book adds a lot of intrigue, and got my superheroic juices flowing:

Foes of evil! Enemies of injustice! As it began in DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH, for the mighty heroes of the Justice League of America, all wrongdoing is a menace to be stamped out! Whether it comes from outer space, from the watery depths of the seven seas, or springs from the minds of men, the JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA is back—just when we need it most!

In January 2017, kicking off JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA (hitting shelves twice monthly starting February 2017) are four DC Rebirth one-shots. They make four bold statements that form the foundation of a team that will bring justice to places that have given up on hope; places that thought heroism would never find them. The Justice League of America goes there! They explore the Microverse, the Hidden Cities, the worlds within worlds; they go to the other side of the map and explode forward with the new face of Heroism.

This is a Justice League that looks like America, that proves Heroism can look like ANYTHING and ANYONE.

From February 1960 to February 2017. The mission hasn’t changed. It’s just evolved.

On the visual side of things, Ivan Reis will be the (initial) artist on the twice-monthly book. Best known for “Blackest Night,” “Green Lantern” and “Aquaman” with Geoff Johns, Reis brings a bombast and event-level feel to the book, and his pairing with Orlando is an interesting, if not immediately logical one. Orlando represents one of the freshest voices in the DCU; Reis represents a different generation of DC talent, and is known for his association with DC’s (now) Chief Creative Officer. Perhaps this is seen, a bit, like the passing of the baton from one generation to the next. He is a name that helps sell books, and probably doesn’t come cheap, meaning that DC is throwing some serious money and muscle behind this book.

DC also announced (via a quartet of websites not named for one of their big event books) the first four members of the roster, and they are all happen to have a presence on DC’s television slate, in one way or another: The Atom (Ryan Choi), The Ray (Ray Terrill), Vixen, and Killer Frost (Caitlin Snow). Each member will have a one-shot in January dedicated to catching the reader up on their story, with covers by Reis. The creative teams for all the books (aside from the unannounced Atom artist) can be found below.

As mentioned above, this is a very CW-heavy team thus far. Caitlin Snow/Killer Frost is a regular on The Flash, where we have seen both the heroic Caitlin and the evil Killer Frost of Earth-2. Rehabilitating her villainous character, and keeping her more in line with the television version seems like a very ‘Rebirth’ move, but also one that I welcome. There is very little to the comics version of the character (apologies to huge fans of her ‘Villains Month’ issue), so there’s plenty of room to grow.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: KILLER FROST #1
Written by STEVE ORLANDO and JODY HOUSER
Art by MIRKA ANDOLFO
Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLO

One shot • On sale JANUARY 18
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

KILLER FROST. What happens to a supervillain on their last day in Belle Reve Prison? Against all odds, Killer Frost is up for parole from the Suicide Squad, but you can bet Amanda Waller isn’t going to make it easy for Frost to take her place on the new JLA.

Ryan Choi, last seen in the “DC Universe Rebirth” special, is not the Atom from Legends of Tomorrow (that’s Ray Palmer, duh), but he is the Asian-American version of the character that had a very well-received book, written by Gail Simone, and who was killed by Deathstroke’s Titans as part of “Brightest Day.” It was a weird time for DC. Choi has long represented a missed opportunity for DC, and it was great to see him pop up in the ‘Rebirth’ special, and his presence will be a boon to the team.

Continued below

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE ATOM #1
Written by STEVE ORLANDO
*Artist to be revealed!
Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLO

One shot • On sale JANUARY 4
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

THE ATOM. Meet Ryan Choi, prodigious theoretical physics student, hyper-allergic, and crippling social anxiety sufferer. But little does young Ryan know, his first day at Ivy University will begin an epic journey that will take the all-new Atom into the very heart of the DC Universe.

Vixen, a longstanding JLA member, is probably the least surprising member of the team. She has her own animated CW Seed series, and appeared last year on the CW. A different version of the character (an ancestor with her totem, we can presume) will also appear on Legends of Tomorrow this season, making her a logical member of the team.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: VIXEN #1
Written by STEVE ORLANDO and JODY HOUSER
Art by JAMAL CAMPBELL
Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLO

One shot • On sale JANUARY 11
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

VIXEN. She’s one of the country’s most successful businesswomen, an iconic fashion pioneer, a crusader for social justice, and an incredibly powerful member of the Justice League of America. But Mari McCabe life wasn’t always this way. Follow her path to becoming the heroic Vixen in this crucial special!

Promo art by Jamal Campbell

The Ray is the most interesting member of the team here, for a few reasons. First of all, a new CW Seed series was announced starring the character, along with revealing that, on the show, he would be openly gay. This appears to be also the plan for the comic, which is a wonderful step towards representation in mainstream superhero comics. What is interesting, however, is that Ray Terrill is the ‘classic’ version of the character, not the New 52 version, Lucien Gates, who was a Korean-American adoptee introduced in a miniseries by Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, and Jamal Igle. While I doubt many were clamoring for his return, nearly five years after his introduction to the New 52, it is odd that DC wouldn’t acknowledge the other Ray. Maybe they will, who knows?

The CW series, titled Freedom Fighters: The Ray made it seem like more of Uncle Sam’s team would be making their way to the small screen. It appears that is not the case on the comics side.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE RAY #1
Written by STEVE ORLANDO
Art by STEPHEN BYRNE
Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLO

One shot • On sale JANUARY 18
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

THE RAY. Locked indoors, raised in the dark, and told his medical condition could be fatal to himself and anyone he meets, Ray Terrill is dangerous. A freak. Broken. Or is he…? Witness the amazing power of realizing your true self and
stepping into the light in this moving DC Rebirth of a long lost hero for a new generation.

Promo art by Stephen Byrne

Whether or not the rest of the team will be revealed this week or not, when it is, you can find the news here.


Brian Salvatore

Brian Salvatore is an editor, podcaster, reviewer, writer at large, and general task master at Multiversity. When not writing, he can be found playing music, hanging out with his kids, or playing music with his kids. He also has a dog named Lola, a rowboat, and once met Jimmy Carter. Feel free to email him about good beer, the New York Mets, or the best way to make Chicken Parmagiana (add a thin slice of prosciutto under the cheese).

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