Main writer Bryan Hitch takes over art duties this issue with the start of the “Endless” storyline. This is a Flash centric story that has Groundhog Day sensibilities. Time for some time travel fun!
Writer and Drawn by: Bryan Hitch
Publisher: DC Comics
So what’s it about? The official summary reads:
“ENDLESS” part one! The League find themselves trapped in a time loop after they are attacked by a man wielding a mysterious alien weapon. The result is one member dead, and many civilians obliterated!
Why does this book matter?
Justice League has been my go to for big and impossibly epic storytelling in an action packed package. Bryan Hitch has managed to wow me every story arc in part because he seems to be able to do what he wants without worrying about continuity. This issue is no different.
Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?
You bastard!
If you’re reading this issue and feel a sense of deja vu don’t worry. That’s part of it. Bryan Hitch opens the issue with Flash screaming over Jessica Cruz’s dead body as a terrible explosion has taken apart the city around them. In an effort to stop the perpetrator everything changes and Flash is seemingly back at a diner with Jessica only moments earlier. Hitch repeats that time hop over and over throughout the issue, but each time it’s earlier, each time Flash gathers more information. It’s a fun way to reverse time and it works pretty darn well. It may repeat the opening a few times, but not in an obnoxious way. Eventually the story leads to the Justice League’s inclusion and ultimately an answer to the villain’s ravings that open the book.
If you dig Hitch’s art you’re going to love this. It has all the staples of his work, from Flash awkwardly flying through the art from an explosion, or the multiple Flashes running to show his movement across a panel. There are some big, detailed panels that are double page spread worthy, though they only splash across a panel. As is customary for Hitch, there’s a lot of rubble, background characters, and detailed cityscapes throughout the issue.
A lovely couple.
It can’t be perfect can it?
Later in the issue, we get the full 411 on the technology being used and the lengthy dialogue makes the story drag. I’m not even sure how much of it we need, but the tech is cool nonetheless. At about this juncture, the Justice League show up and it’s unfortunate the team doesn’t get much time to discuss or say much. Flash enters, explains things, and they rush to do what he says. It makes their inclusion more cursory and frankly unneeded. I guess you gotta have them appear in a book called Justice League, but really this is Flash’s book.
Is It Good?
I’m all for trippy time travel stories and this one delivers one via some flashback storytelling. Hitch has a clever device on his hands here that combines Memento and Groundhog Day.
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