MISC. MANGA, *Batman And The Justice League

With Marvel movies doing well over in Japan, DC Comics decided to do its first manga modeled after the current DC Universe. There have been a trio of genuine manga about Batman, but this is introduces the rest of the JLA to manga readers. Shiori Teshirogi was tasked with creating this, as she already had success doing the colorful heroes of Saint Seiya, and does a reasonable job transferring the Justice League into a manga.

Japanese teenager Rui Aramiya travels to Gotham City looking for his parents who were recently reported to be dead. Rui encounters the Joker, who is using his mother to gain access to ley lines, which allow people to obtain ultimate power in the DC Universe. Batman shows up to rescue Rui, but once again, "the Joker got away!" The Clown Prince turns out to be allied with Lex Luthor who offers Rui answers to his parents disappearance. But Batman calls in the Justice League to help defend Gotham from the slew of villains like Ocean Master planning on using the ley lines for their own evil schemes.

The manga is slated to be at least two volumes long, but creator Teshirogi also did a short origin for Wonder Woman that looks similar to her initial scene in the live-action Justice League movie. Teshirogi brings a fresh look to the JLA, although Bruce Wayne looks a little younger than he usually does, but makes it seem like hardly anyone wouldn't be able to tell that he's really Batman. It's not exactly as memorable as the 60s Bat-Manga, however it performs well as a Justice League story for manga fans.