A comiXologist recommends:
Convergence: Crime Syndicate #1
by: Dane Cypel
The Crime Syndicate is more interesting than the Justice League. This sentiment may draw some criticism, but ever since Morrison and Quitely’s JLA Earth 2, the stories of Ultraman, Owlman, Superwoman, Power Ring and Johnny Quick have always interested me more. Recently they returned in the Forever Evil event, and now they are back once again, but in a different, more Silver Age, form.
Convergence: Crime Syndicate #1 takes the classic team- the one from Justice League of America, Volume 1, Number 29, from 1964. In more than one instance, this story is a throwback to the character’s original form, which shows more so in the art than the actual story. It channels the Crime Syndicate seen in Crisis on Infinite Earths - even though they are technically not the same characters from JLA Earth 2, they are just as fun to read.
Convergence, like Marvel’s upcoming Secret Wars, takes characters from different universes and pits them against one and other in epic combat. In Crime Syndicate, the CSA face the Justice League and The Rogue Hunters. The League within is from DC One Million - future variants of the core JLA heroes. The Hunters, on the other hand, are a group similar to the Silver Age Flash’s Rogues Gallery- featuring a female Captain Boomerang, Captain Cold, The Top, Weather Wizard and Mirror Master. I never expected for these three groups to ever share a title, but Convergence allows these types of eccentric mash-ups to occur.
Convergence: Crime Syndicate #1 is a part of a larger whole and it shows. As it stands currently, more needs to be seen though it has my attention. I want to see how Owlman takes on Batman, or if Power Ring will outsmart Aquaman. On top of that, the Crime Syndicate is an evil Justice League- how is that NOT interesting? Try this out, because, at the very least it will be entertaining.
[Check out Convergence: Crime Syndicate on comiXology]
Dane Cypel is a digital editor at comiXology and freelance illustrator based in Manhattan.
