Going back to the unlikely “buddy cop” tandem of Green Lantern and Batman, they arrive in Metropolis. As Batman chastises Jordan for flying them off in a bright and glowing jet with all the subtlety of a megaphone to the ear, Jordan tracks down the mysterious “Superman” to a demolition zone. Batman advises caution as Superman appears to be in battle, but Green Lantern simply encases Bruce in a cell, confident and cocksure that he can deal with Superman… right before a red-blue-blur knocks the living daylights out of him despite his protective force field. With Green Lantern taking a quick nap, Batman is left to confront the most powerful being on the planet who doesn’t seem too happy to see them, shooting the Dark Knight with the remark “So… what can you do?” and ending the story with the must unsubtle next issue blurb: “BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN.

Although it is practically a given that there would be a throwdown between Superman and Batman at some point, ending the first issue of Justice League to lead into it is a wise move. Old readers never get tired of this trope while it entices the new readers with a not-so-subtle “hey, wanna see something cool? Buy the next issue!” message. It’s a cliché, but it works!

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Johns is in a very difficult position: he has the job of introducing the new DC Universe to both old and new audiences and he’s been given the best toys to play with to accomplish that. To say that expectations run high is an understatement. Whatever his accomplishments, he would still be judged by the previous runs that became the benchmarks of the previous Justice Leagues: the early years by Gardner Fox which established the mythos; the down-to-earth sentiments in Gerry Conway’s run; the Giffen and DeMatteis years of slapstick and tongue-in-cheek humor; the wide-screen epics of the Grant Morrison –era, and everything in-between and after. It is too early to tell how well Johns achieves his own mark, but it is a good start. There is solid characterization between the interplay of Batman and Green Lantern and the story feels fresh enough for fans, old and new alike. There are some points that could have been done better (particularly the Vic Stone segments) but it is still a great read well worth the admission price. But is that enough for the hard-core fan who feels betrayed with the new status quo?