Justice League #8

Why? What does he have to offer over the current all-star line-up? A strong liberal opinion and a hatred for internet celebrities?

The Super Friends don't want any new members for their club. It's Congress that would like them to expand their roster with a mole. I mean a plant. I mean a respected member of the community.

I just glanced through the current titles of the New 52 to find someone other than Green Arrow that could join the Justice League and it's slim pickings. A bunch of vigilante types. Some aliens. A few non-heroes. And some other Batpeople.

The issue begins just as the Justice League is taking down Amazo in Seattle. So like last issue, the battle with the bad guy doesn't actually need to be shown because, you know, it's the Justice League with all the heavy hitters (and Aquaman). Which only goes to show that Green Arrow would be superfluous. Except I have a feeling that this story will show why he would make a good member and he'll offer something that the others can't currently do (maybe Batman will be in the bathroom), like shooting a Boxing Glove Arrow that isn't in the shape of a bat.

It's time for Numbers Fun with the Justice League! How did they come up with the odds of 1 in 1000? Flash states the more people Cyborg takes with him, the higher the strain. This would seem to indicate a lesser chance for a malfunction given less people in the Boom, dropping to zero percent chance when just Cyborg travels. So I'd guess that 1 in 1000 indicates the odds when Booming seven people. But they've only accidentally Boomed to Apokolips twice. Which means they don't have a good amount of data to have determined that the odds are 1 out of 1000. If they determined 1 out of every 1000 jumps is a malfunction based on the 2nd time they ended up on Apokolips, let's say it was exactly that. 2000 Booms; 2 trips to Apokolips. But now it's been 3056 Booms; 2 trips to Apokolips. So now the odds are 1 in every 1528 Booms! Besides, they aren't technically overdue. If the odds truly are 1 in 1000, every trip has those odds regardless of past precedent.

While the Justice League worries about ending up on Apokolips and Amazo continues to regenerate, Green Arrow busts in on the scene all wide-eyed wonder and excited to meet some real super stars! But the popular kids don't want the fat nerd hanging around. Green Arrow claims he helped bring down Amazo but the Justice League isn't buying it.

I admit it. I laughed.

Green Arrow actually wants to be recruited and makes his pitch to the team telling them all about his dozens of different arrows he can fire! DOZENS! Batman has his own secretive Bat-reasons for not wanting any new members. And Aquaman must have had a run-in with him over in an Aquaman comic I've yet to read since he seems to dislike him quite a bit. And Green Lantern shares my assessment.

More of the New 52 need more of that kind of exchange. The Justice League has made me laugh twice now. That's a pretty impressive feat!

The Justice League ditches Green Arrow. The arrogant jerks and Green Arrow's attitude in this scene have done more for Green Arrow in the New 52 than Green Arrow's own comic. I liked him here over everything else in the New DCU he's been in.

One week later, the Justice League are battling a whole slew of Talons aboard an ARGUS plane leaving Gotham. Batman is dealing with Talons of his own so he's only talking to the team over the phone. Probably over a hands-free device. Probably a Bat-hands-free device! The Justice League have busted into the ARGUS plane mid-flight to stop the undead Talons.

As they're battling, Green Arrow's arrows start flying! He intercepted their message and got on the plane before it took off. Once again, the cool kids tell him he isn't wanted and leave him in the middle of nowhere after the fight is over.

Green Arrow tries one more time and they just brush him off. But this time he's intercepted by Steve Trevor who makes Green Arrow a deal. He can use his social conscience to help out another team dealing with the political and corporate world. Sounds like he might be offering him a place on Justice League International.

Back on the Justice League Satellite, the team consider the possibility of enlisting new members at some point. But Batman is adamant against it because of the last time they brought a new member on board the satellite.

So Martian Manhunter was a part of the League at some point. He probably infiltrated it on behalf of Stormwatch to keep an eye on the new upstarts on the block.

That explains Batman's mistrust of others. The current seven member team has proven themselves trustworthy and they're powerful enough to take on nearly any problem. So who needs the added stress of a new member who can turn on you at any moment? Especially one like Martian Manhunter who is practically more powerful than the Justice League itself.

The Shazam back-up story has Billy moving in to his new home with his five other new brothers and sisters. These are the kids that made up the Marvel Family in Flashpoint. So it looks like Shazam will be the whole group of them and maybe Billy Batson will continue to be Captain Marvel and not Shazam like I was hoping. Or maybe they'll all just continue to go by their normal names even when Shazammed out.

In the story, Billy is still a dick but you get to see him at least feel a bit sorry for making one of his new sisters cry. And Mary is in total control. And the others are the others. Still no sign of Magic Lightning or Gods.

Justice League Issue #8 Rating: +2 Ranking. I'm really starting to like a number of things about this comic. So far the only real fight showcased was against Darkseid and that lasted way too many issues. But since then, Johns has been concentrating on the other things that go into being a member of the Justice League and less on the battles. I like that style (and I know it won't last. Another big fight crisis will be up soon) since this team really can take down nearly any threat with no problem; there's no need to show every punch. And I like the humor. Humor that is actual humor and not throw away lines of repartee when fighting. It's looking to me like the Darkseid story will probably end up being the weakest point of the book!