By: Andrew Fontana
Justice League of America #5 asks one question above all else: can the crazed alien mercenary and all around bad boy Lobo be redeemed. Issue 5 structures itself around this very question, as the arc’s title, “Heart of a Bastich”, implies. Unfortunately Steve Orlando fails to devote enough time to the main man himself.
Orlando’s grasp of the JLA is pretty sound at this point. His Lobo is sufficiently grumpy, his Batman gruff in all the right places. Part of this title’s draw is the mix of contrasting personalities, and Orlando delivers that in spades.
Where this issue disappoints, however, is the focus on Lobo. Orlando fails to explore what makes Lobo tick any further despite giving him top billing as the central character.
Penciler Andy MacDonald is well suited to portray all the action that is at hand this issue. The JLA is tasked with retaking a city from a group of citizens with a penchant for mythical weaponry; the ensuing action allows MacDonald to stretch his muscles. His art, while not quite being as sharp as reis’, is enough to establish continuity with the artwork.
Rating: 7.5
