The New Gods #7 // Review
ICE is NOT equipped to deal with the sudden appearance of a whole bunch of people from off-world. Thankfully, the Justice League IS. Earth’s greatest heroes are going to be able to handle the sudden iflux of immigrants with humane compassion. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t going to be some issue in dealing with the logistics of the situation...particularly as it is the case that the U.S. government IS taking an interest in The New Gods #7. Writer Ram V continues an exploration of Jack Kirby’s superhuman ensemble with the aid of artist Evan Cagle and colorist Francesco Segala.
War has broken-out on New Genesis. There are a lot of people who have been displaced to Earth in the process. Clark knows a little something about being displaced onto Earth because of a crisis on another planet. He’s going to be able to help out, but he’s going to run into the Department of Extranormal Operations. The Justice League is granted permission by the government to work alone with the refugees of New Genesis...IF they house them in their own jurisdiction: the orbital watchtower satellite. Otherwise, they’re under the jurisdiction of the U.S. government and subject to its laws...
What Ram V is working with is topical and it’s...obvious. That doesn’t make it any less emotionally affecting. The JLA are pitted against the U.S. government as they deal with an influx of new refugees. Decisions are made. Tensions increase. The political drama IS deeply engaging. New Gods is a big, ensemble series and so there’s a lot more going on...particularly with Metron, who is going to know a bit more than anyone else because...he’s Metron. And then there’s the small matter of a few refugees who have snuck-in to the Earth outside the rest of the group. What are they hiding from?
Cagle delicately renders tensions between the JLA, the DEO and the refugees from New Genesis. When aggression breaks-out, there is a powerful impact felt across the page. Cagle’s big victory here, though, lies in placing everything in the right perspective on the page. Ram V is working with a rather large ensemble. Fitting it all onto the page in a way that feels like anything other than a big mess of clashing aesthetics is a huge accomplishment. Kirby could manage that sort of thing because he had designed just about every character involved in the series. Cagle doesn’t have that luxury. As a result, the clever combination of all the different elements is quite impressive. Segala grants a great deal of atmosphere onto the page without blowing-out the visuals with garish brightness. It’s a dark tone that Ram V is bringing across so there are dark visuals.
Ram V hasn’t been perfect with his execution of the series in the half-year leading-in to this issue. Some issues are better than others. This is one of the good ones. It’s been interesting seeing him move through the motions with an old ensemble, but it’s enjoyable seeing them work on the page.
