Written by Bill Willingham & Judd Winick
Art by Rick Leonardi; Karl Story; Dan Green; Steve Wands; & Alex Bleyaert
Cover Art by Stephane Roux & ‘Badass’
SUMMARY:
Published by DC Comics for November 2008, the opener of this four-part mini-series is entitled “The Green Endorsement.” The Doom Patrol’s Robotman partially thwarts a terrorist bombing attack on a presidential candidate’s campaign rally in Cincinnati, OH. Subsequent evidence collected by the Justice League indicates that the remaining candidates are being targeted by an unknown adversary for assassination. Superman & Batman divide a League task force for various assignments. Assigned to candidate Davis Brewster, Green Arrow’s heroics suggests to Batman that mind-controlled pawns connected to the candidates are expendable and hiding-in-plain-sight assassins.
Though the Justice League generally doesn’t discuss their political views (even Superman refuses to reveal his politics to his wife, Lois Lane), Green Arrow is swayed to publicly endorse an opportunistic Brewster. Green Lantern Hal Jordan, for one, is dismayed by his old friend’s dubious judgment. Others, like Lois Lane, sense a hot news story is imminent.
REVIEW:
The spot-on cover image is likely this comic’s best element. Deliberately timed to profit off 2008’s presidential election, its mass assassination conspiracy storyline is mildly intriguing. However, what isn’t so cool is DC’s dubious advertising of its characters’ political views. Though Superman and Green Lantern Hal Jordan refuse to be baited, do readers really need to know which political party Lois Lane votes for (as she so heavily hints)? Or Green Arrow? Or any of the other Justice Leaguers, for that matter? Writers Bill Willingham and Judd Winick take an unnecessary gamble with their less-than-subtle approach, as if the world doesn’t already endure a non-stop political barrage in the news media.
This concept would likely flow better as a Green Arrow solo storyline (with the JLA as guest stars), rather than making Decisions into a Justice League event. Further sabotaged by inconsistent artwork quality, DC Universe: Decisions # 1 is merely an okay single read.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
In the single-page “DC Nation” column, Senior Story Editor Ian Sattler hypes Kevin Smith’s Batman: Cacophony project. There is also a thumbnail cover reveal for Decisions # 2.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5 Stars
