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A review by haunted_air
Justice League Dark Vol. 1: The Last Age of Magic by James Tynion IV
4.0
I'm so glad there's an ongoing JLD book. Magical stuff + superheroes is something I'm always here for. And it's written by one of my favourite comic book authors.
While this is volume 1, [b:Wonder Woman & Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour|40996676|Wonder Woman & Justice League Dark The Witching Hour|James Tynion IV|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552443796l/40996676._SY75_.jpg|63965544] comes between issues #3 and #5, so it's worth reading alongside this one. I know it's annoying when an event comic/crossover interrupts a series. Sometimes all you want to do is pick up a trade and read it in peace without feeling confused because you didn't read that other thing or keep up with that other series. BUT The Witching Hour is a completed 6 issue story by the same author so, arguably, it's just more JLD.
Adding Wonder Woman as team leader is a great idea, she is a magical/mystical character by her own right and fits right in with all the magic, while also bringing her Justice League experience to the table. (And as a big name character, helps with interest in the series. At least in the minds of the DC higher ups, I assume, but of course that doesn't mean they decided to have her set up the team. Anyway, it's a much better idea than showing Batman everywhere, including in places where he doesn't belong like the Justice League Dark animated movie.) My favourite depictions of Diana are the ones where she's being written as a person without the writers forgetting she's isn't human and basically a god (no matter the origin story about her parentage). This is pretty much what we get here and it makes sense because they're dealing with powerful supernatural entities.
Also, it's amazing to see Zatanna in an ongoing series, it was about time. I love her new outfit, it's a nice balance between casual and showy, and it does away with the impracticality of her running around in her stage costume while being more magical than her initial New 52 look. The blue coat is unexpected but looks neat and the fishnet gloves are a nice touch. I still don't love the bangs, but whatever.
Originally, I wasn't keen on the rest of the team because no Constantine or Deadman, or any other New 52 era JLD members aside from Zatanna. Man-Bat and Detective Chimp are random choices, but this is the series for that and they're more interesting than they seem at a fist glance. Plus, there are fun cameos by magical DC characters and settings and This series promises magic and it delivers.
The "something wrong with magic" main plot is not the most original, but again, what is genre fiction without some tropes. It's done well enough and the future storylines seem promising.
While this is volume 1, [b:Wonder Woman & Justice League Dark: The Witching Hour|40996676|Wonder Woman & Justice League Dark The Witching Hour|James Tynion IV|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552443796l/40996676._SY75_.jpg|63965544] comes between issues #3 and #5, so it's worth reading alongside this one. I know it's annoying when an event comic/crossover interrupts a series. Sometimes all you want to do is pick up a trade and read it in peace without feeling confused because you didn't read that other thing or keep up with that other series. BUT The Witching Hour is a completed 6 issue story by the same author so, arguably, it's just more JLD.
Adding Wonder Woman as team leader is a great idea, she is a magical/mystical character by her own right and fits right in with all the magic, while also bringing her Justice League experience to the table. (And as a big name character, helps with interest in the series. At least in the minds of the DC higher ups, I assume, but of course that doesn't mean they decided to have her set up the team. Anyway, it's a much better idea than showing Batman everywhere, including in places where he doesn't belong like the Justice League Dark animated movie.) My favourite depictions of Diana are the ones where she's being written as a person without the writers forgetting she's isn't human and basically a god (no matter the origin story about her parentage). This is pretty much what we get here and it makes sense because they're dealing with powerful supernatural entities.
Also, it's amazing to see Zatanna in an ongoing series, it was about time. I love her new outfit, it's a nice balance between casual and showy, and it does away with the impracticality of her running around in her stage costume while being more magical than her initial New 52 look. The blue coat is unexpected but looks neat and the fishnet gloves are a nice touch. I still don't love the bangs, but whatever.
Originally, I wasn't keen on the rest of the team because no Constantine or Deadman, or any other New 52 era JLD members aside from Zatanna. Man-Bat and Detective Chimp are random choices, but this is the series for that and they're more interesting than they seem at a fist glance. Plus, there are fun cameos by magical DC characters and settings and
Spoiler
the lack of Constantine is solved because he shows up. The Doctor Fate stuff is also intriguing and I loved how by issue 2 we're already going to the Tower of Fate because why not.The "something wrong with magic" main plot is not the most original, but again, what is genre fiction without some tropes. It's done well enough and the future storylines seem promising.