Justice League of America: Sanctuary

June 1, 2009 | Trades

Justice League of America: Sanctuary
Alan Burnett, Dwayne McDuffie, Ed Benes
DC Comics
$22.99/$19.99 US (Hardcover)
*** 1/2 (out of five)

You don’t have to be up to speed on everything else that’s going on in the DC Universe to read and enjoy Justice League of America: Sanctuary — but it would probably help.

With roots set in the 2006 mega-crossover, Infinite Crisis, and branches reaching out into JLA: Salvation Run, The Flash: The Wild Wests and the recent Final Crisis, Sanctuary does have a lot to do with the big-time action in the DCU.

What else would you expect from a series that unites the world’s mightiest heroes?

The bulk of this fourth collection of the latest JLA monthly book ties directly into Salvation Run as super-crooks everywhere are running scared from the Suicide Squad, who have been charged with hunting the bad guys down and shipping them off to a penal planet light years away.

When 10 of the worst villains around — including heavyweights Dr. Polaris and The Key — break into the Hall of Justice seeking sanctuary, the JLA are forced to react as they go toe-to-toe with the Squad to try to track down the location of prisonworld — only find an even deadlier foe waiting for them.

The highlight of the book is a great stand-alone story starring The Flash and Wonder Woman, featuring dazzling art by Ethan Van Sciver, that clarifies the speedster’s place on the team now that he’s back from the dead — and a dad — and the final chapter serves as a prequel to Final Crisis that sees the DCU villains begin to unite once more as they plot the murder of a long-time leaguer.

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