Darkseid has activated Sepulkore and there is nothing that the Justice League Odyssey can do to stop it. Minor spoilers for Justice League Odyssey #12 follow.
Justice League Odyssey finally hit its stride in its twelfth issue. There has been so much wasted potential with this series up until this point that it felt like it was never going to achieve its potential. Now, with its first year under its belt, Justice League Odyssey has finally managed to live up to that potential. This issue represents a complete change in the status quo of the series in an absolutely crazy way and it does so extremely well. This issue is the burst that the series has been needing.
First off, the use of Darkseid as the Point-of-View character in this issue is absolutely perfect for the tone that it sets. This a dark, cosmic, slightly Lovecraftian issue that paves the way for this tone to be the new standard for the series. Darkseid has won, so why else wouldn’t we be reading this issue through his eyes and mind. This also lends to the slight horror overtones that are present in this issue because, let’s be honest, Darkseid often feels like a horror villain. He’s an unstoppable monster that will destroy anything in his path. He’s terrifying and this issue reflects that.
That’s not to say that this issue doesn’t have any hope though. That comes from Jessica Cruz, who has quickly earned her place among the pantheon of great DC Comics characters. Darkseid even recognizes how amazing she is in this issue. She shines in this issue and any Jessica Cruz fan will be happy to see it. There are a couple of moments regarding her that will be some of her standout moments for years to come.
As for Cyborg, Starfire, and Azrael, the things that happen to them in this issue will change the course of those characters for a while. Not saying too much, but it really feels like these characters won’t be the same for a couple of years.
Just like the writing, Will Conrad’s art has begun to live up to the cosmic madness that the story entails. His art in this issue is crazy and very reminiscent of Jack Kirby in its scale, but obviously, has a darker edge than Kirby’s. This is a good thing as it fits the story being told in excellent ways and provides the manic insanity that this issue needs. Plus, his redesign of Darkseid is absolutely amazing. It combines original Kirby elements with more modern stylings that are astounding.
His pacing is a bit off at points though. Certain things that happen occur way too quickly and probably could have been better by one more panel. This is a fast-moving issue, but there were points where it was moving too quickly for its own good.