With the Enchantress losing control of her powers and the Justice League taking a heavy beating, who but a band of mystical heroes would be better off in handling magic?
The Good
The first issue of any team book should first and foremost introduce the team and all the character's we'll be seeing. If you're not a fan of heavy hitting Justice League action (or even if you are) and you are looking to read a new and very different kind of team book then this might be what you're looking for. The execution of magic is often something difficult for comic writers to convey, but writer Peter Milligan seems to be doing a fine job with his execution based on the first issue of Justice League Dark which, for all intents and purposes, is strictly a team comprised of characters with magical and mystical properties. The really cool part? A lot of the characters that appear therein are Vertigo characters; like Madam Xanadu, for example.
What happens when the Justice League fails to stop Enchantress who is seemingly losing control? Bring in some people who can defeat her; or at the very least, get her under control. The first issue introduces us to a cast of characters we'll be seeing join the Justice League Dark team like Madam Xanadu, Deadman, John Constantine and Zatanna for example. Most of the narration is done by Madam Xanadu (who is able to see the future). It's a good introductory issue to Justice League dark.
The Bad
If you're new to this series and unfamiliar with these characters you may have a hard time understanding the events that take place in this book. I don't feel the writer really explains who these characters are and what their powers are -- at least not all of them. This doesn't mean the issue is bad, by any means, but it might mean that you will have to do a little bit of research before you dive in.
The Verdict
Solid art and good story. I like the fact that the team is given a unique purpose; Milligan answers why a Justice League Dark team is even necessary by depicting Superman's inability to get the situation (The Enchantress) under control. I really enjoyed Madam Xanadu's character in this issue, and it's cool to have the perspective of an all knowing character who can foresee future events as part of the story. Good start to a new book, although it might be hard for new readers who are unfamiliar with many of these characters to grasp the events.
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