Justice League Dark: Rebirth Omnibus

The first Justice League Dark Omnibus, which collects the entirety of the original New 52 Era series, was a real blast to read. I bought that book largely on a whim, which I could honestly say of a lot of DC books since I am admittedly more of a Marvel Comics reader. Its thanks to the Justice League Dark animated film from 2017 that I ever heard of the team at all and then chose to seek out their comic book roots. That first series ended somewhat definitively, and a lot has happened in the DC Universe in the intervening years. The previously referenced New 52, DC's hard reboot of their entire mainline universe which was born out of Flashpoint (2011), had been replaced by a new publishing initiative in 2016 titled Rebirth which among other things brought back much of the continuity that the previous relaunch had discarded. This series is actually from pretty late on into the Rebirth Era. Its set in the wake of Dark Nights: Metal (2017) and the Justice League: No Justice (2018) miniseries which launched three new Justice League series after it, those being Justice League, Justice League Odyssey, and this book, Justice League Dark. It was James Tynion IV, the writer of Detective Comics at the beginning of the Rebirth initiative, who was given the opportunity to write a new JLD for this new era. Tynion, who is known in large part for his creator owned horror comics, brings that experience over to this title. He keeps a couple, technically, original members of the team then adds a handful of odd but interesting choices to his roster, most notably the Amazonian Warrior Wonder Woman. With her returns the backwards magic weilding Zatanna from the original series, the elemental guardian of the Green, Swamp Thing, the immortal and sentient Detective Chimp, and the mad scientist/mutant half-animal and former Batman villain, Man-Bat as the core group with appearances by a myriad of other magic and magic related characters ranging from Doctor Fate to Etrigan the Demon. While there were times while I was reading this book that I felt there was little connection between it and the previous one, it is an incredible ride. Tynion completely re-establishes the rules of magic in the DC Universe, the major characters at play, and focuses them against a cosmic horror that threatens to destroy everything. He takes previously established events and fits them into the story he wants to tell, tweaking continuity slightly without completely ignoring it. This is a rather ambitious story and it in many ways works. All these characters shine through the writing. Wonder Woman stands as inspiration against insurmountable odds, Zatanna is integral to the overarching narrative, Detective Chimp while not able to face threats of such magnitude head on is as much a vital part of the group as the others, who also serve the story well in their own right. I especially enjoy the portrayal of John Constantine, the Hellblazer, who while not technically a member this time around might as well be for how important a part he plays in everything. It's the portrayal of magic however that makes everything in the book work. In this magic is symbolism, that's where it's power comes from, and it's that principle that gets played with a lot throughout and what drives the various plots. Tynion wouldn't get to complete his run though, being offered the chance to write for the much bigger main Batman title, a little over halfway through his run. Instead Ram V came onboard and worked with Tynion on a handful of issues before taking it over on his own. V has also done some interesting creator owned works and he does a serviceable job wrapping up what his predecessor started. I'm not sure how his version compares to what Tynion originally had planned but I was satisfied with the direction he took, especially with bringing all the plot points that had been set up together at once. Unfortunately the series would end shortly after that but V wasn't done with the team just yet. While writer Brian Michael Bendis took over the main Justice League (2018) book which began after No Justice, V was given backup stories in those same issues, further continuing the adventures of the JLD. Before we get to that in this collection though, included also is the Endless Winter crossover event by Andy Lanning and Ron Marz. It is a rudimentary but serviceable event overall. It very much sticks to surface level with its character work and conflicts. It would be a good starting place for new readers at the very least which is not for nothing when it comes to densely established story universes like this one. I can't say it has much to do with Justice League Dark other than utilizing the last issue of the series to move its plot forward but it may as well have been included. Once that's done and we finally get to those short backup stories it's in them that Ram V really hits his stride, bringing back one of the oldest bastions of magic in the DC Universe (or any fictionial world set on the present day Earth really) after a long absence in order to unleash an apocalyptic event upon the planet. Not only does he expand the team and create consequences from actions taken in the main series, he positions Bobo as the heart of the book and given everything he goes through with both writers it makes a lot of sense. This run too is sadly cut short just as it starts getting really good. V is given the Justice League Dark 2021 Annual issue to wrap up most of his plot lines with an assist by writer Dan Watters but it isn't everything and we're left without any real resolution for the time being. Bendis then takes over the team's story in the main pages of the Justice League series but before getting to that there's also an arc from the Jeremy Adams Flash run which he started on in 2021. It's a fun team-up taking place across a fantasy landscape and against one of the magical big bads of DC. Adams brings a lot of heart to the story between the Wally West Flash and his kids but the JLD kind of end up being glorified extras in it. Then back to Bendis, I'm usually a fan, but here his writing is a bit flat. It reads as trying too hard while most characters sound indistinguishable from each other and no one sounds like their established selves. I like what he's trying to do with his story but it ends up being flat and underwhelming. That is not the note the book ends on though. The last things collected in the omnibus are the two backup stories from the Future State: Justice League (2021) miniseries starring the future JLD. Future State is complicated to talk about but it ended up as an event, questionably, detailing the not too distant future of the DC Universe. These final backup stories are where V comes closest to completing the events he set in motion. While true, they are set in a possible future and not in the mainline DCU, it is an enjoyable last hurrah for the writer. Every character gets a nice, if still open ended, sendoff and its just a better place to end things. Now a vast number of artists worked on the comics collected herein, far too many to highlight every one of them. The work ranges from solid to not very good but there are some artists who did their absolute best which I would like to acknowledge. First is Alvaro Martínez Bueno, who was the main artist for the Tynion portions of the collection. Simply put he is an absolutely phenomenal artist. His work exudes so much energy and emotion its hard not to love. It does bother me how many double page spreads he ended up using as it personally made it difficult to read. That however may have been at the writers direction. Next are both Xermanico and Sumit Kumar who one after the other did the backups for Ram V. I've loved Xermanico's work in other books before like Flashpoint Beyond (2022) and Green Lantern (2023), and Kumar does excellent as well though I'm not too familiar with his work. Then last I'd highlight the Future State parts by Marcio Takara. I can't really express why I enjoyed his work, it's just a really simple but brilliant balance to the story. Beyond the stories themselves also included in the back of the book are some prose pages detailing exactly how Tynion perceives magic in the DCU, a number of sketches from the design process, and some sort of outlines for the series from both Tynion and V respectively. The omnibus itself is also very sturdy and I love the way this volume's spine matches the previous Justice League Dark Omnibus on the shelf. I highly recommend this book. In my experience the stories told just off the beaten path are often the most rewarding and this is a great example of that. 5/5

i had already read justice league dark prior to receiving this but after reading this omnibus, i realized i skipped a couple of stories that were connected. it's a really good omnibus and would suggest it.

Whether this is your first Justice League read or you’ve been with it for a while. This is a awesome read great art great story it’s a must have in your library..

I really enjoyed the first 2/3rds of the storyline better than the last third. Book arrived in excellent condition. I have been stuck in the hospital and this arrived at the perfect time. Great read and artwork Recommended!

Perfect

The majority of this book reads as one continuous story, one arc rolling right off the back of another, with seemingly no respite for the heroes, creating a rather breathless read. The stories themselves are all great. If you like the magic users, or at least the lesser known or loved characters in the DC universe, this book is worth your time.

Story and art are good. 1st time trying dc so can't compare to other/ previous titles. Only issue is that the binding is upside down - obviously a production error. Can just turn the dust jacket over to conceal this, but for people who want it perfect, then just be mindful

The book is amazing and highlights each member of the Justice Leauge Dark team. The emphasis on darker dc characters with a shade of grey in their operations is the highlight of this book. Given that Amazon initially and long back started with selling and delivering books online, i would have guessed they will be more respectful towards the books. Alas, packaging is always slack on the books, with no box fillers to protect most of my book purchases from them.

Want to know the exact moment DC Comics stopped playing safe and let pure, unadulterated cosmic horror hijack the superhero genre? I’m talking elite-tier supernatural horror. This weekend I am deep in the trenches of the Justice League Dark: Rebirth Omnibus, and let’s be real—this book absolutely clears. When the Source Wall shattered, the magical balance of the DCU went completely off the rails. While the main League was busy handling mainstream threats, Wonder Woman stepped up to assemble an absolute powerhouse occult strike team. James Tynion IV and Ram V did not just cook here; they served a 1,440-page masterpiece that completely redefined the dark corners of DC. It is a total level-up from what we got back in the New 52 era. This absolute unit is mandatory shelf material The introduction of the Upside Down Man is a masterclass in psychological horror. Genuinely one of the creepiest, most unsettling concepts in modern DC history. No notes. Álvaro Martínez Bueno’s art is a whole vibe. The layouts are fluid, shifting, and boundary-pushing—making the magic look ancient, unpredictable, and incredibly dangerous. They fixed John. Instead of forcing him into a mainstream superhero team-leader mold like the New 52 did, this run taps straight back into his gritty, cynical, peak Hellblazer roots. He is operating from the margins as a brilliant, untrustworthy wild card, and it hits different. This is a zero-filler collection. You get the entire core run alongside the full Witching Hour and Witching War crossovers without the headache of hunting down separate trades.🧠 People always treat Justice League Dark like a minor, niche spin-off team. The reality? This isn't a superhero book at all—it's a massive, dark fantasy horror epic disguised in capes. Wonder Woman isn't leading with brute strength here; she's completely out of her depth, forcing her to rely on psychological strategy and raw survival instinct. It completely flips her traditional leadership dynamic on its head. 📢 Listen up: You don't even need to be a DC fan to love this book. If you are obsessed with dark fantasy world-building, horror movies, or dark supernatural manga like Berserk or Chainsaw Man, this run is tailor-made for you. It is a massive flex for any shelf. This is all

Väldigt bra story och grymt bra tecknad. Väl värd att läsa.

Unfortunately the book came damaged. Still looking forward to reading it