More Universe-Shattering Secrets Revealed In Justice League #16

Justice League #16 reveals the concluding chapter in the team’s most recent conflict, and one again there’s secrets to be spilt and shared. Secrets, however, that would suggest that the Justice League could well get the upper hand – finally – against a savage, broken universe. Although, something tells me they’ve still got a long way to go before they even think about saving the whole damn lot of us.

Obviously, I won’t spoil it with any of the big secrets, but it does give us a reason for two Hawkgirls running around in the DCU, as well as a few other choice tidbits that could well affect one particular leaguer’s perspective going forward.

Its a neat and tidy tying up of a few loose ends that this arc has thrown up, but it also throws some light upon the strange symbol we’ve been seeing lately. A symbol directly linked to the Source Wall and what once lay behind it. We get a quick history lesson in what came before it all and the mentions of a creation-level deity, Perpetua, who’s original vision for the universe was one of darkness and danger. We learn that her story was censored by the Maltusians (who would later evolve into the Guardians of the Universe) until it was all but vanquished from every corner of the universe, until now. Yet another secret the Guardians have kept from everyone. Surely they must be running out of these universe-threatening secret that they keep on revealing every few years or so by now?

Once again Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV pull off an epic conclusion in many ways, while still building momentum towards their final goal and the big bad universal crisis coming our way any time now. Stephen Segovia has proven that he more than an adequate stand in for the likes of Jim Cheung (although, as with the other installments in this saga, he does contribute the Starman focused pages here once again – all four of them!) and in some ways, I felt Cheung closing this saga was a torch Segovia should have rightly carried. But, structurally, I get it. It’s just a personal thought on the artist who did most of the heavy lifting on this one. Can’t wait to see him on The Terrifics now, though, after his stint on this flagship title.

The DC Universe may be a dangerous place to be at the moment, but this book is an ideal canvas upon which to re-introduce old friends such as 1980’s Starman, as well as the big concepts that will rumble across all the DC books at one point or another this year. It’s an important, prominent book and one that has all the best of  DC – past and present- rolled into one. You can’t be sure who’ll turn up next. and that’s just one part of the excitement contained in this book every fortnight.

Justice League #16 is available now from DC Comics.