Justice League: Cry for Justice #5

Note: While striking, the cover does not accurately represent this comic.
Wow. James Robinson sure is out for blood in this thing. I'm still amazed that the artist I loved back in the 90s is so quick to kill and maim these days. He had the proclivity to do this type of thing back in the Starman days, back when he killed his version of the Justice League Europe, but with his modern work the killing is a lot more constant. I'd say we're getting about a death an issue. The deaths aren't major or important characters, but Robinson is awfully quick to take these folks off the table. I wonder how he'd feel if someone had Hope O'Dare get atomized by Eclipso to show how important and kewl their new story was?

This issue has the many sub-teams of heroes finally meeting on the JLA satellite to discuss their efforts in finding Prometheus. Animal Man, Congorilla, Mikaal, and some Titans show up there, as do Hal, Ollie, Supergirl and Captain Marvel Jr. Black Canary and her loser league have been chilling out on the satellite all this time, waiting for the others to come home so they could yell at them. At least that's what it feels like. Black Canary wastes no time in dressing down Ollie with the others standing around... it's like watching Mom and Dad fight! It's a weird scene, and I can't help but worry that Robinson is leading up to killing off BC.

It's interesting, because Robinson clearly has researched these characters, he knows about the Justice League of Aliens, he knows about the Forgotten Heroes, so he knows his stuff. But it seems he prefers to kill off these hidden parts of the DCU rather than use them. This issue's death is Endless Winter, who I believe was introduced in a JSA Classified story. Her death is pretty boring though, just a small cranial explosion. The gore-winner for the issue is Arsenal/Red Arrow/Speedy stumbling around with his right arm ripped off. Hey kids, comics! It looks like CM JR is bad, or possessed, or something, since he's taken out Congorilla and Flash at the close of the issue. If that's right, that will be 3 characters mangled beyond re-use this issue, tying the record held in the premiere issue. Heck, at least Mikaal and Congorilla have decided to just arrest Prometheus, maybe some heroes will remember not to kill their opponents.

Mauro Cascioli draws pretty people. He certainly uses every opportunity to draw Starfire, Donna Troy, or Supergirl showing off their goods. His guys are built too, but I can't help but think he digs drawing these ladies more. There are some very odd storytelling choices in this. Endless Winter's capture is oddly presented, and what is up with that insert shot of Guardian when Ollie makes his speech about avenging Red Arrow? This book is still a mess. I'm reading it more to keep up with the destruction of the DCU more than any desire to see what the characters are actually doing.

Average