The Justice League Paradox

How can this portrayal of the NuJustice League as media darlings who get anything they want from the government be true?I mean, I should believe NuDC's FLAGSHIP title (#7), right? It's my lead into all the other books. The stone upon which the entire monument is built. And yet, if the Justice League can do no wrong, how can THESE things also be true?

In Aquaman, Arthur is married to a woman wanted for questioning.
In Superman, Metropolis isn't exactly standing united behind the Kryptonian.
In Flash, the Scarlet Speedster recently caused a devastating EMP that has even his secret identity's girlfriend questioning his value.
I guess it's up to Batman, Wonder Woman and Cyborg to raise the P.R. level on this team (did you just ask about Hal Jordan? you're kidding, right?).

It's like Geoff Johns isn't reading the JL members' own books, and that's fine. We can't force him. Maybe the editors could send him a synopsis or something. Oh wait, he's writing TWO of the JL members' own books. I guess that means Justice League isn't canon. AND THAT'S ALL RIGHT WITH ME!

Comments

SpaceBooger said…
The Justice League book, and Action Comics, takes place five years prior to the rest of the New DCU.
I take the reaction in the JL book as the "novelty" of the super heroes first appearing and the action,(or reactions) in the other books as more true to a current society that loves to pass the blame instead of accept it.
Siskoid said…
Only the first arc was 5 years ago. Issue 7 from which this panel was pulled starts with the caption "Present Day".
snell said…
Spacebooger...JL is now "present day," so those fawning reporters ARE current DC society.

Siskoid--don't forget the completely inconsitent reactions of Batman to the JLI...in their book he's praising and encouraging them, in JL he's demanding they be dismantled. Johns is approaching Bendis' level of not caring about what goes on in mother's books.

More troubling than the inconsistency is the that portrayal of a syncophantic press corps. Has Johns ever actually seen a Washington press conference? These guys were openly calling go abandon democracy, for heavens sake!
SpaceBooger said…
You are right (I just double checked too) I guess I was choosing to ignore that caption so that the book made more (if possible) sense continuity wise.
Anonymous said…
I have to say, I was optimistic about the new 52 initially, but overall it's been a step backward. My hope with reboots is they'll do what is done with each new cartoon relaunch: set a workable status quo where Arthur Jr hasn't been murdered, and go forth and tell good stories.

I will give a nod to Wonder Woman and the Flash for starting off fresh and telling a good story. And in general, the comics least affected by the reboot (Batman, Green Lantern) are doing fine simply by continuing to do well what they do well. But between Superman and his armor (because if anyone needs armor it's Superman), the Justice League, the Teen Titans, and both Blue Beetle and Superboy who really really didn't need to be knocked back to square one, it's been a bust.

Can we get just one Superboy Punch that fixes things right? Bring back the extended Flash family, put Superboy and the Blue Beetle back where they were before Flushpoint, and for God's sake Clark put on some underpants.
Siskoid said…
Another comment gobbled up by the system, what's up Blogger?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Justice League Paradox":

I have to say, I was optimistic about the new 52 initially, but overall it's been a step backward. My hope with reboots is they'll do what is done with each new cartoon relaunch: set a workable status quo where Arthur Jr hasn't been murdered, and go forth and tell good stories.

I will give a nod to Wonder Woman and the Flash for starting off fresh and telling a good story. And in general, the comics least affected by the reboot (Batman, Green Lantern) are doing fine simply by continuing to do well what they do well. But between Superman and his armor (because if anyone needs armor it's Superman), the Justice League, the Teen Titans, and both Blue Beetle and Superboy who really really didn't need to be knocked back to square one, it's been a bust.

Can we get just one Superboy Punch that fixes things right? Bring back the extended Flash family, put Superboy and the Blue Beetle back where they were before Flushpoint, and for God's sake Clark put on some underpants.
Siskoid said…
To which I answer that most of the really good series could have been launched in the old DCU no problem. Animal Man, Swamp Thing, Frankenstein, Demon Knights, all that stuff.

The only true reboots that are feel inspired are Action Comics and the Robotman feature in My Greatest Adventure. I do like Captain Atom and am in the minority, but it could have been done as an "evolution" of the character's powers.
Matthew Turnage said…
The most realistic take on the public's reaction to superheroes I've seen in the nuDCU so far was in Superman #7. I'd have to imagine in today's society, if you got a group of people together about anything, pretty much every one would have their own take.

Justice League may not be much longer for my pull list. I'm trying to hold out to #9 so I can at least read the start of the first present-day arc with Jim Lee, but I haven't seen much to inspire confidence in that book.
Siskoid said…
Present day starts with 7, but if you mean Jim Lee on the present day, then I guess it's 9.

For me, it's like watching a train wreck, but how long can you stand in front of a train wreck before running for cover?
mkhall said…
Although I can enjoy a good discussion of interlocking realities, in truth, I gave up on continuity a few years ago. I salivated anticipating the publication of every issue of Crisis (the real one), and still have binders full of the original Who's Who with annotations when the revised continuity started to go wobbly (almost immediately). But now, I just can't work up the energy to care.

Maybe part of it is because I simply can't afford to follow all the titles required to keep current on the state of the NuDCU. But mainly, I just find it more satisfying to read a solid self-contained story arc.

Besides, anything worthwhile -- and a lot that isn't -- will eventually be reprinted in trade paperbacks, without all the extraneous bits of continuity published in other titles. If DC doesn't think it matters in reprints, then why should I care now?
SallyP said…
Well, only seven issues into the new continuity, and already it makes less sense than the OLD continuity.

Way to go, DC!
Bill D. said…
Johns is writing two of the characters' books AND is Chief Creative Officer.

And don't forget his regular artist on JL is co-publisher.
Siskoid said…
In other words, ALL THE OTHER BOOKS ARE WRONG.
chiasaur11 said…
Wait.

Someone said "They're SUPER friends"?

I'm feeling an urge to kill. That panel may be the Anti-Life equation. And you're spreading it.

I hope you feel ashamed.
Siskoid said…
They say it more than once, across the last two issues.

What can I say. I am Darkseid's pawn. Always have been.