Following their victory over Nick Necro in JLD Annual #1, the sorcerers are desperate to find out what happened to Zatanna and Timothy Hunter, who vanished after the battle. Steve Trevor and his forces arrive to take Felix Faust and Doctor Mist into custody. Also on the scene is Dr. John Peril, the government’s Paranormal Science expert, who hopes to decipher the Books of Magic and locate the missing heroes. Meanwhile, the three newest members, Amaya (of the House of Amethyst), Black Orchid and Frankenstein decide to investigate the House of Mystery. Huge mistake! The trio find themselves lost and assaulted by one horror after another in the constantly changing abode. Ultimately, Black Orchid winds up making a startling discover… as does the reader, when she finds Constantine’s secret office. Outside, Constantine is visited by two significant figures.
It’s a smart move to showcase the newer figures in this issue, to familiarize readers with characters with whom they may not be familiar. We even discover some new facts about the enigmatic Black Orchid. The various supernatural creatures they encounter aren’t particularly innovative, but they work well enough.
The art by Graham Nolan and Victor Drujiniu is extremely pretty, but I’m not sure if that’s a good thing here. It’s a tad too clean for a borderline horror comic. It’s hard to criticize art for being too attractive! It’s really nice, but I think maybe something sketchier or grittier may have served the story a bit better.
But otherwise, a very entertaining issue!
JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #14
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Graham Nolan and Victor Drujiniu
Cover by Ryan Sook
