Justice League #73
The Justice League and Justice League Dark put their all into defeating Xanadoth. Still, it may not be enough in Justice League #73, by writer Brian Michael Bendis, artists Szymon Kudranski and Emanuela Lupacchino, inkers Wade Van Grawbadger and Scott Hanna, and colors by Kudranski and HI-FI. This issue flits around pretty quickly but expertly builds up the threat of Xanadoth.
Zatanna and Madame Xanadu try to drive Xanadoth from Black Adam to no avail. Doctor Fate and the Demon show up to help, but Xanadath easily beats them, taking the Helmet of Fate and Xanadu when the League gets there. Back at headquarters, the two teams make a plan to get help from Nabu after Zatanna and Khalid tell them about how Xanadoth was defeated before. The JLD are able to bring the Lord of Order there, but he's not happy about it, notices Naomi, and takes her away. Meanwhile, Xanadoth has something she wants from Madame Xanadu, pertaining to the future.
This is a well-structured story. It starts out with a flashback and then drops readers into the action from last issue. For readers who read Bendis's Superman, the threat of Xanadoth is well known, but for those who didn't, seeing her run through Zatanna, Madame Xanadu, the Demon, and Doctor Fate will show them. The scene with the two Justice League's planning their next move is entertaining, and Bendis never bogs it down with his talking heads, even though there is definitely a lot of talking. It all serves the plot, which isn't something that can always be said of Bendis's dialogue.
In fact, it's a remarkably fast-paced story, which isn't something that can be said about a lot of Bendis stories, especially ones that are this heavy on dialogue. There's a flow to the issue that works very well. It travels from a flashback to a fight scene to exposition with some more flashbacks and then to the chapter's resolution, which sets up the next issue. Bendis's style on team books was rarely ever this direct, and it's a nice change of pace. On top of all that, it's just a plain good comic. Bendis even makes fun of himself when Constantine tells everyone to stop bantering while the JLD casts their spell.
Kudranski is amazing on the flashbacks. It's less than ten pages in the entire book, but they're the definite stand out. Each one is colored with blacks and vivid oranges and yellows, giving them a striking appearance that stands out from the rest of the art. Lupacchino's art is great, but one can tell when the inkers change over. It's not bad, but it is noticeable.
Justice League #73 is a well-paced middle chapter of a story. Bendis shines in stories where he can't meander along, and that's on full display in this issue. Kudranski and Lupacchino do a great job on the art, with Kudranski killing it. All in all, an entertaining issue.
