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A League Of Its Own?

Back in the days when Grant Morrison wrote the JLA, he was subject to the whims and fancies of the ongoing DC titles. Such as an Electric Blue Superman.

jla-05-electric-supes

And he had to use the Kyle Rayner Green Lantern.

Green_Lantern_Kyle_Rayner_003Right now, Batman and Superman are both undergoing major changes in their own titles. Bruce Wayne is missing, no longer Batman while Commissioner Gordon has stepped up to replace him in a Robobatsuit. This is reflected in a number of titles, such as Batgirl, Batman/Superman, but not Justice League or Justice League Of America.

Batman41While Superman has had his identity outed to the world and is running around in a t-shirt and jeans. Again. And with a new solar flare power that diminishes his other abilities, in the Superman titles.

Action Comics (2011-) 042-024But not in the Justice League books.

Justice-League-42-Darkseid-War-2-Spoilers-Preview-3

Now Justice League Of America is so far out of regular continuity, and solely the product of Bryan Hitch's take on these characters,  that they should have probably called it All-Star Justice League Of America and been done with it.

Justice-League-42-Darkseid-War-2-Spoilers-6

But Justice League by Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok purports to be part of the DCU continuity. Indeed, it is vital to it, continuing the Darkseid War storyline that has been reflected across the Justice League. But here, Batman and Superman are their previous selves.

Does it matter? Ostensibly, no. DC Comics have stressed that continuity is no longer as much of a concern as it was before. But Geoff Johns has been keeping his continuity between his titles, and those of close colleagues, tight. It's just that he doesn't seem to acknowledge anyone else's changes right now.

And for those who read all the books, it's hard not to think that either Justice League happens before the Batman/Superman titles, in which case, it doesn't seem to have made much of an impact on the characters. Or it is set afterwards, in which case, the current Batman and Superman storylines don't seem to have made much of an impact either.

It's a tricky one for shared universe stories. But in this case, it seems a reflection of the internal islands at DC Comics where one book can affect another – or not. Depending on who you are….


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Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.
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