Novels
+ Justice League novels for adults (2002-03)
Published by Pocket Books. All mass market paperbacks ($6.99) except for The Exterminators.
These were six adult prose paperback novels which bore cover artwork by Alex Ross. Although each focuses on a core character, all JLA members appear in all books.
This tale is told mostly from Wonder Woman's perspective. I enjoyed the parts involving Diana the most. In my opnion, she is fascinating enough character to carry the story on her own. Upon a return visit to Themyscira, Wonder Woman's mother, Hippolyta, bids her to visit their oracle. The oracle gives her a confusing prediction that leads Diana to wonder about the existence of a male band of "Amazons." It's true, the island occupies roughly the same space as Themyscira, but in another dimension. We learn that it was created by Ares. After a powerful red orb fell from space into the ocean, Ares took it from Poseidon then created this dimension to keep it "safe." While Diana is home, she is alerted to the disappearance of a married couple, Ana and Henry Lindstadt, who while diving, happened upon the orb, and were transported to the other dimension. Diana is also swept away by a great waterspout. She finds an island inhabited by surprisingly docile men. But when Henry discovers the orb, the men are transformed into hulking monsters and capture Diana with her own lasso. Her male JLA colleagues also come under the orb's spell. After freeing them, Diana faces Ares himself, who in the end takes the orb to a new secret location. Diana deduces that Ares is also powerless to fight the orb's possessive power. |
This novel was well written, but left me skipping ahead at times. The pacing was off. Or maybe I read it too long after the Morrison JLA's heyday. I'm also annoyed, as always, by the ubiquitousness of Alex Ross' artwork. The cover depicts Hal Jordan but the Green Lantern in this story is Kyle Rayner. The story involves the clean-up of a case from the earliest days of the Justice League. Back then, the new JLA encountered a race of aliens it didn't understand. After defeating them, the aliens were destroyed—all except one whose head was kept on ice by the British intelligence. Ten years later, scores of people from Britain are turning into metahumans. Soon, however, they transform further, into armor plated aliens. These aliens are called Burrowers and match the JLA's strength levels. What's more, they learn from every encounter and adapt. The Atom ultimately discovers that the original aliens were not the same as this new threat, but instead were exterminators sent after them. Atom engineers clones of the exterminators and unleashes them on the burrowers. The League in turn barely manages to keep the exterminators themselves in check. Only two infected people are spared the transformation, including Ian Partington, who befriends Kyle and Wally. |
|
|
|
|
2. Wonder Woman: Mythos by
Carol Lay. 320 pages. January 31, 2003.
6. JLA:
Exterminators by Christopher Golden.
hardcover, 352 pages. July 2004
1. Batman: The Stone King by Alan
Grant. 304 pages. March 2002.
3. Green Lantern: Hero's Quest by
Dennis O'Neil. 400 pages. March 2003.
4. The Flash: Stop Motion by
Mark Schultz. 320 pages March 1, 2004.
5. Superman: The Never-Ending Battle by Roger Stern. 384 pages.
June 1, 2005.Justice League novels for teens (2002-03)
Published by Bantam Books (Paperbacks, $4.99)
 1. Secret Origins by Michael Teitelbaum. 176 pages. August 6, 2002. Also released on Audio CD (Abridged). An adaptation to the premier episode of the cartoon. |
 2.
In Darkest Night by Michael Jan Friedman. 144 pages. August 6, 2002. Also released on Audio CD (Abridged). Featuring Green Lantern; an adaptation of the same episode of the cartoon. |
 3.
Wings of War by Michael Jan Friedman. 128 pages. November 12, 2002. Also released on Audio CD (Abridged). Featuring Batman and Hawkgirl. |
 4.
The Gauntlet by Louise Simonson. 160 pages. November 12, 2002. Also released on Audio CD (Abridged). Featuring Wonder Woman against the arch-villain Darkseid. |
 5.
Red Justiceby Michael Teitelbaum. 176 pages. March 2003. Also released on Audio CD (Abridged). Featuring the Flash. |
 6.
Wild at Heartby Louise Simonson. 160 pages. March 2003. Also released on Audio CD (Abridged). Featuring Superman against Mongul. |
 7. No Man is an Island by Alan Grant. 118 pages. July 2003. Featuring Hakwgirl. |
 8. A Golden Opportunityby Michael Teitelbaum. 128 pages. September 9, 2003. Featuring Superman. |
 9.
A League of His Ownby Michael Teitelbaum, Jan Friedman. 128 pages. November 11, 2003. Featuring the Martian Manhunter |
 10. Speed Trap by Michael Teitelbaum. 128 pages. November 11, 2003. Featuring the Flash. |
