Gemworld is invading Earth and the only ones who can stop it is a team that hasn’t existed in 15 years.
Young Justice 1
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils and Inks by Patrick Gleason
Colors by Alejandro Sanchez
When Peter David created YOUNG JUSTICE in the late-1990s, I was an instant fan. The interactions between Conner Kent, Tim Drake and Bart Allen – Superboy, Robin and Impulse – was so much fun, and the additions of Wonder Girl, Arrowette and the other members made for one of my favorite team books of all time.
The comics world hasn’t been the same since YOUNG JUSTICE ended in 2003, with the team moving on to Geoff Johns’ TEEN TITANS. But with the Brian Michael Bendis era at DC Comics now fully underway, the man has brought the team back, with a twist. It may not have all the same members, but Bendis’ first issue of YOUNG JUSTICE has a quality that brought me back to the days when the team was battling Old Justice or Fite and Madd.
The opening salvo of Bendis’ WONDER COMICS imprint brings Tim Drake back as Robin after he rode off into the sunset with Stephanie Brown and Superboy and Wonder Girl back from the void just a few months after Impulse made a surprise return in the Flash. Bendis has made a big deal about saying this book is in-continuity, and it raised a few questions in the lead-up to the reveal. But the opening pages gives it a little bit more clarity.
As the leaders of Gemworld prepare to invade Earth, it’s made clear that it’s because of the seven crises that Earth has gone through, which also affects other realms. Clearly, the changes that Gemworld is concerned about have also given us the opportunity for one of the greatest reunions in comics history.
Bendis sets the table here beautifully, slowly reuniting Robin, Wonder Girl and Impulse with the new members – Jinny Hex and Teen Lantern. And what about Conner Kent? That’s the last spot on the table, and the reveal is beautiful. I imagine Conner’s reunion with Tim and Cassie may take more than an issue to get to, but from the first issue, I can tell it’ll be worth the wait.
As much as I have been enjoying ACTION COMICS and SUPERMAN, along with the JINXWORLD properties, this is easily the greatest thing Bendis has done in his first year with DC Comics.