REVIEW: Justice League: Last Ride #5

Justice League: Last Ride #5 is here and like I’ve said before, I’ve really been enjoying this series. I love the way that writer, Chip Zdarsky has drip fed us information and that’s what has kept me so intrigued.

But before we get into the issue itself, let’s take a look at the covers. The standard cover is by Darick Robertson and Diego Rodriguez and it is full of action. It’s great to see Superman and The Flash working together to take down the villains. Both heroes look terrific and vibrant as they display their unique powers and it’s safe to say that Robertson has really captured their postures and powers perfectly.

The variant cover is by Dike Ruan and I adore it. It has a real anime feel to it, and I feel that it really does these two heroes justice (no pun intended). I adore the neon colour palette too, it really gives this cover a modern feel to it and the way that Wonder Woman’s sword and shield glisten is just gorgeous. I would absolutely love to see Ruan’s take on the other members of the Justice League after seeing this piece.

Justice League: Last Ride #5 is an action packed issue that really starts with a bang as Superman and The Flash learn who and what is coming for them. I love the sense of teamwork involved in this sequence, despite their differences and of course their fall out, this is a confident team that know their own strengths perfectly.

This issue is split into two halves once again, the present and the past, like I said before I really love this layout, it clearly shows the flashbacks to the reader, whilst not confusing or feeling like overkill. Writer Chip Zdarsky clearly knows how to tell a complex story like this as he seems to revisit this format quite regularly in the series.

Once again Zdarsky expertly drip feeds us information and clearly nows how to intrigue a reader. There is so much going on in this issue that it can be sometimes hard to remember snippets of information that we have already learned, but Zdarsky pieces it together fantastically. That really allows this issue to feel like an absolute blockbuster, with action on each and every page, not to mention the fact that we finally learn of some these villains’ motives and it isn’t what they or we as the reader expect.

We then slip into the past and we learn of Superman’s reaction to Martian Manhunters death and it is clear that he is angry. Usually I wouldn’t expect either Superman or Batman to behave in this way, but it’s clear what Manhunter means to him and the rest of The League. I have to say Wonder Woman’s portrayal is perfect as she expertly defuses the situation so that they can save more lives rather than waste time.

Green lantern takes on Darkseid and attempts to get through to him but of course that fails and it’s here that we really see the failures of this mission. To me it really feels like there are two completely different stories going on at once, this could easily be split into to series or perhaps volumes. In parts it can sometimes be hard to piece some of the information together to see how it influences the mission at hand for the Justice League now, but with that said I am still very much enjoying getting to know the ins and outs of The Leagues previous mission.

The artwork is by Miguel Mendonça, with colours by Enrica Angiolini and it is fantastic and perfectly showcases the action. You can literally feel each and every blow that The Justice League both take and receive in colossal fashion. It’s incredibly vibrant and really shows these characters in excellent light. The atmospheres are expertly executed and like I said with so much going on at once, this art team really know how to truly break things down so that we don’t miss a thing.

Since this series I have been following Miguel Mendonça and I am really looking forward to seeing where his artwork takes him next. I adore his art style and character portrayals and look forward to seeing him take on Superman in the near future.

Justice League: Last Ride #5 is an extremely fast paced and action packed continuation which drip feeds us more information as to the motives of the villains that The League find themselves facing. There is so much going on in this issue, I really can’t wait to see the final pieces come together in the upcoming issues.

Haven’t picked up Justice League: Last Ride #5 yet? You can get the standard cover by Darick Robertson and Diego Rodriguez here (UK), or here (US).

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