Justice League International, Vol. 1 [Paperback]

Keith Giffen (Author), J.M. Dematteis (Author), Kevin MaGuire (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 10, 2009

In the late 1980s, writers Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis redefined the Justice League of America with these unique, humorous tales, collected for the first time since their original comic-book publication.

With Batman, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold and other quirky heroes of the DC Universe, the team battles the colony of spaceships known only as the Cluster, then must track their missing comrade, Mister Miracle to the dread planet Apokolips. And when our heroes arrive back on Earth, they must contend with the new Queen Bee and the return of Lobo.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (March 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401217397
• ISBN-13: 978-1401217396
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 0.4 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #354,313 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best version of the Justice League, ever, September 3, 2009

By 

Thomas Veil "thomas_veil" (Cleveland, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Justice League International, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

I grew up with the Silver Age version of the Justice League: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Aquaman, etc. As I recall, they were good stories. But in the light of what was to come, they were also somewhat straightforward and uninspired.

Enter Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis, two writers destined to shake up not only the Justice League, but the nature of comic books in general. In an era when comics were going for "grim-and-gritty", they decided to opt for jokes and slapstick.

Giffen and DeMatteis didn't have access to Superman, Wonder Woman and Flash. Those characters were undergoing editorial renovation. Their solution? Populate the League with second-rank heroes, those guys nobody seemed to really love, like Black Canary, Blue Beetle, Mister Miracle and (later) Captain Atom, Power Girl and others. Giffen and DeMatteis not only rescued these characters from their fates as perpetual walk-on players...they actually endowed each of them with recognizable personalities. They took a bunch of backup heroes and breathed life into them.

This is the story of how that League came together, from its formation to the day it became officially sanctioned by the UN as an international peacekeeping force. It starts at the first meeting which, with Guy Gardner there, turns into a brawl, and follows it through as the enigmatic millionaire Maxwell Lord maneuvers and manipulates the League into a position of power. (What's his hidden agenda? Ah, that's for Vol. 2.)

Fans of serious stories needn't fear. There are plenty of legitimate challenges to the League here, from the Grey Man to a group of superheroes from another dimension who want to rid Earth of all its nuclear weapons. But the action is leavened with verbal gags and physical humor, the highlight of which -- hell, it's probably a highlight of the entire Justice League series! -- is a long-brewing fight between the no-nonsense Batman and the obnoxious Guy Gardner. I won't give it away, but let's just say that the fight leaves sideline observer Blue Beetle in a state of hysterical laughter, and you may have the same reaction as well.

If you avoid comics because of the constant fight scenes and the pretentious dialogue ("Kneel before the power that is [insert villain's third-person reference to himself here]!") then you will greatly appreciate the realism, humanity, quirkiness and plain old fun that Giffen and DeMatteis bring to their version of the greatest superhero team of all time, the Justice League.

(Note: the Amazon product description for this book appears to be incorrect, and describes Volume 3, not this volume.)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly Good!!, November 21, 2009

By 

R. Lehmann "Rich" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Justice League International, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

The quirky humor and fast pacing really pay off. For those old enough to remember it's like a mini time capsule of the year 1987 in many ways. Giffen and Dematteis somehow took a bunch of heroes no one cares about (minus batman) and some typically bland 80's art style and made a REALLY enjoyable comic. And that's even before Booster Gold shows up who is always entertaining. This volume includes the first 7 issues (Justice League #1-6 & Justice League International #7). If you can pick up a cheap copy, do so you will not regret it. This one is staying on my shelf.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Faaaaantastic!, May 24, 2011

By 

RL - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Justice League International, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

This is the book that really nails what the whole run was about. A funny book leavened with just enough drama and action to keep it lively, this is the book I can read cover to cover. Highest recommendation.