The Good
FOREVER EVIL is over and things are definitely flying forward. From the cover and opening pages you can see we will get more on the new Power Ring. The Earth-3 version of Hal Jordan was shown to deal with the horror of his ring and his death has lead the ring in search of a new host (or puppet). What this means for the poor victim that is chosen remains to be seen. You know something bad is coming but you just can't look away. Geoff Johns definitely has our attention.
Of course the big thing happening is the confrontation between Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne. Lex showed up at Wayne Manor last issue with a bit of a bombshell. This conversation is something that needs to be seen and something that can't be easily overlooked.
Other developments for the League include Shazam (yeah yeah, we still think of him as Captain Marvel) and Captain Cold joining the team. This definitely isn't the Justice League we had before. It's great seeing these changes and the evolution of the book, even if you don't agree with some of them. There's also a final page that will make some readers very happy.
Who can complain about seeing Doug Mahnke art on a Geoff Johns book? I still associate Mahnke's art with the Green Lantern universe so it's really cool seeing him draw characters like Bruce Wayne and Alfred. Keith Champagne and Christian Alamy handle the ink duties and Rod Reis makes it all shine with his glorious colors.
The Bad
I have to say, I'm really not crazy about the Lex/Bruce development. I do love Lex as a brilliant obstacle for the heroes. In many ways, this makes perfect sense because of how things were laid out during FOREVER EVIL. Yes there is always a way to reverse things in comics, but this just feels like too big of a development. It's not a deal-breaker for me with this issue but I have a bad feeling about this.
The Verdict
The Justice League is seeing some big changes. Geoff Johns is taking seeds he planted during FOREVER EVIL and making this book evolve into the next level. With the developments of a new Power Ring, Lex Luthor, Captain Cold, and Shazam being on the team, plus Lex's latest discovery, the team is going to have to find time to deal with all that when they're not fighting the villains. Doug Mahnke's art and Rod Reis' colors make this intriguing story even better. I may not agree with one of the developments in particular but I can't deny being hooked to this book.