Yeah, I know it’s been a while since I read a comic book, but I’ve been so caught up in life, but also I’ve been way too caught up in the hype behind ‘Black Adam’ and how the hierarchy of the DC Universe is about to change. That being said, I was surprised to hear that Keanu Reeves was returning for the sequel of ‘Constantine’. I’ve never seen his version, but I’m sure I’d love it. Remembering Constantine had left me wanting to return to the Justice League Dark series!
‘The Death Of Magic’ is a novel of two stories. Following the end of ‘The Books Of Magic’ we see Zatanna and young Tim Hunter transported to an alternate dimension. Constantine, Deadman, Madame Xanadu, Black Orchid and Frankenstein set about to get their friends back. They unwillingly partner with Steve Trevor and A.R.G.U.S. to devise a plan. However, something goes wrong, and they are transported to this alternate dimension. The only problem is, they’ve ended up in a place where their powers are either rendered useless or malfunctioning, eg Constantine finds himself only able, to tell the truth, Xanadu begins to look her age, etc. To add further misery, the group are attacked by a man named Vikal who harkens from the land of Epoch, a place that despises magic. The heroes must unite with Tim and Zatanna to stand any chance of survival. The second story sees The House of Mystery being stolen from Constantine. He enlists the help of Swamp Thing to locate the house, and since Swamp Thing has a connection to anything connected to plant life, he can sense the wood that makes up the house. But an enemy lies within who is able to overpower Swamp Thing. It seems this stranger has a very close link to one of the heroes, but just which one? Can the Justice League Dark band together as a team and face these multiple threats, or will their stark differences be their undoing?
The Justice League Dark are an odd team for me. Not only because they’re odd characters but because there are moments where it feels like some of them really belong on a team, but others don’t. The two stories themselves were standard, good ideas that let different members shine but again, nothing that caught my attention. That being said, and I’m not sure if it’s my bias kicking in, but the few issues that had the Flash help the team out were the best ones, probably because it shows how the Justice League Dark can fit into the wider DC Universe!
When it comes to the artwork, perhaps my opinion is going to be controversial. Mikel Janin is an extremely talented artist, there is no doubt about that, however, I just don’t like the way he draws certain characters. Almost every male character looks like a potato. I’m sorry Mikel if you ever read this. Overall, this wasn’t a bad novel in the series, but not as good as its predecessor!
Favourite Panel:
No Flash, don’t say that, man! It’s super depressing! Haha!
Favourite Character:
Whereas I do love Boston aka Deadman generally in this series, Frankenstein steps up in a big way!
Rating:
Story Arc: ★★★
Character Development: ★★★
Artwork: ★★½
Enjoyability: ★★★
Re-readability: ★★½
Level: Advanced