Spinning out of the upcoming Justice League vs. Suicide Squad event this January, DC Comics has announced the full creative team for Justice League of America, one of two Rebirth books that were announced last Spring at WonderCon but without any creatives attached.
Over Labor Day weekend, the publisher unveiled rising star Steve Orlando (whose Supergirl is one of the fun highlights of the line, and returns to Midnighter with Midnighter and Apollo this week) as the writer for the new team-up. But at the point of that announcement, no artists were listed.
Yesterday, DC finally rolled out the full creative team, and joining Orlando will be Ivan Reis (who had been strangely absent from the initial roll-out of the relaunched line). One assumes Joe Prado, his longtime collaborator will also be on board, but as per the below press, he’s only listed on the cover art for a number of one-shots relating to the actual members of the team (some of them co-written by Jody Houser, whose Mother Panic is the final Young Animal comic to see release this year).
A pretty interesting line-up it is, by the way, but more on that in a second:
The JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA is back—just when we need it most!Foes of evil! Enemies of injustice! As it began in DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH, for the mighty heroes of the Justice League of America, all wrongdoing is a menace to be stamped out! Whether it comes from outer space, from the watery depths of the seven seas, or springs from the minds of men, the JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA is back—just when we need it most!In January 2017, kicking off JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA (hitting shelves twice monthly starting February 2017) are four DC Rebirth one-shots. They make four bold statements that form the foundation of a team that will bring justice to places that have given up on hope; places that thought heroism would never find them. The Justice League of America goes there! They explore the Microverse, the Hidden Cities, the worlds within worlds; they go to the other side of the map and explode forward with the new face of Heroism.This is a Justice League that looks like America, that proves Heroism can look like ANYTHING and ANYONE.From February 1960 to February 2017. The mission hasn’t changed. It’s just evolved.Who’s on the roster so far?THE ATOM. Meet Ryan Choi, prodigious theoretical physics student, hyper-allergic, and crippling social anxiety sufferer. But little does young Ryan know, his first day at Ivy University will begin an epic journey that will take the all-new Atom into the very heart of the DC Universe.VIXEN. She’s one of the country’s most successful businesswomen, an iconic fashion pioneer, a crusader for social justice, and an incredibly powerful member of the Justice League of America. But Mari McCabe life wasn’t always this way. Follow her path to becoming the heroic Vixen in this crucial special!THE RAY. Locked indoors, raised in the dark, and told his medical condition could be fatal to himself and anyone he meets, Ray Terrill is dangerous. A freak. Broken. Or is he…? Witness the amazing power of realizing your true self andstepping into the light in this moving DC Rebirth of a long lost hero for a new generation.KILLER FROST. What happens to a supervillain on their last day in Belle Reve Prison? Against all odds, Killer Frost is up for parole from the Suicide Squad, but you can bet Amanda Waller isn’t going to make it easy for Frost to take herplace on the new JLA.These four will be joined by more team members! DC isn’t done stocking the JLA roster. More heroic DC leaders, more of the characters you love, and maybe a few out-of-this-world surprises will follow these four to the pages of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA in February. Stay tuned!January 2017’s JLA: REBIRTH publishing schedule:JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE ATOM #1Written by STEVE ORLANDO*Artist to be revealed!Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLOOne shot • On sale JANUARY 432 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED TJUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: VIXEN #1Written by STEVE ORLANDO and JODY HOUSERArt by JAMAL CAMPBELLCover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLOOne shot • On sale JANUARY 1132 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED TJUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE RAY #1Written by STEVE ORLANDOArt by STEPHEN BYRNECover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLOOne shot • On sale JANUARY 1832 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED TJUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: KILLER FROST #1Written by STEVE ORLANDO and JODY HOUSERArt by MIRKA ANDOLFOCover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO and MARCELO MAIOLOOne shot • On sale JANUARY 1832 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T*More JLA information will be revealed on the “DC ALL ACCESS” panel at New York Comic Con on Thursday, October 6 from 1:45-2:45PMEastern time. Additionally, Steve Orlando, Jody Houser, Jamal Campbell, and Stephen Byrne will be at NYCC – please track them down! For all of the latest updates from New York Comic Con, download the new DC All Access mobile app for a complete list of panels and talent signings, behind the scenes coverage and in–depth interviews directly from DC’s web series, “DC All Access.” The app is available for free at the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA will debut in February 2017 following the JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD crossover and the January JLA: REBIRTH one shots on a twice monthly schedule, written by Steve Orlando (SUPERGIRL, MIDNIGHTER AND APOLLO) with art by Ivan Reis (DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH, THE MULTIVERSITY).
I think what I find to be especially neat here is that DC is taking a clash between their two big movie properties (Justice League and Suicide Squad) and producing a very CW-like team book out of its aftermath. Each of these team members has appeared on the CW or will (in The Ray’s case as part of CW Seed’s animated offerings). We’ll see if that trend continues as more team members are announced. But it’s a nicely diverse line-up and gives fans of the tv shows, especially Legends of Tomorrow, a good jumping-on point.
