Justice League Unlimited #23 Review
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Dan Mora
Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain
Letterer: Ariana Maher
Cover Artist: Dan Mora
Variant Cover Artists: Bruno Redondo, Nathan Szerdy, Cathy Kwan & Jessica Luna
Hispanic Heritage Month Variant Cover Artist: José Landrönn
Lanterns Variant Cover Artist: Dave Wilkins
Editors: Marquis Draper & Paul Kaminski
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99/$4.99 US (Card Stock)
Release Date: September 23, 2026
If you can't adapt to new situations, you risk falling out of touch with reality. When threats arise, the old ways of addressing problems may prove insufficient to defend what you hold dear. Yet there are some things you can count on. And one is that Bruce Wayne can never stop being Batman until criminals no longer threaten Gotham. Yet he works alongside criminals on the Justice League Watchtower. Bruce shares visions with them and accompanies them on missions.
Has Batman changed too much to defend the Justice League’s ideals? And how can Bruce Wayne continue working alongside Lex Luthor after he tried to kill Air Wave to ensure Brainiac Queen’s destruction? Let’s leap into Justice League Unlimited #23 and see!
Story
Mr Terrific, Guy Gardner, Metamorpho, and Hawkgirl raced across and beneath the surface of the planet Dronnda to prevent Despero from obtaining the Power Bank. When Mr Terrific retrieved it, he channeled his fellow superheroes’ abilities to defeat Despero. Then Kanjar Ro appeared, leading a squad of Scavengers to steal the Power Bank from the weakened and battle-weary Justice League teammates. Yet Guy Gardner, Metamorpho, and Hawkgirl's biggest worry is how the Justice League members' stored powers are affecting Mr Terrific.
As Justice League Unlimited #23 follows the battle for the Power Bank on the planet Dronnda, it also follows the battle for equality among the league’s membership. Blue Beetle has assured his fellow superheroes that they have installed safeguards to ensure ethical behavior that preserves life. Yet, like Mr Terrific’s teammates, Atom worries about how the villains are affecting his fellow heroes. As he assembles a team to investigate his suspicions that Darkseid sent visions to the Omega Tournament competitors, Giganta holds her own meeting. Like Batman, Giganta suspects that all these visions deserve further study. Yet, it’s difficult to be open with people who don’t trust you.
Amid all the action on two planets, Mark Waid's story addresses the difficulty of rebuilding trust once it has been fractured. The Justice League has struggled to accept repentant villains. But the new members aren't trying to clean their slates. They’ll still opt to kill their opponents if they judge it the smart option. Some look for opportunities to start fights with their teammates and wouldn’t shed a tear if someone died. And while Batman feels this most keenly of all the Justice League heroes, Atom cannot forget that members of the Quantum Quorum helped the villains escape the Phantom Zone to enter the Omega Tournament. Nor can Atom forget that Darkseid fooled everyone by possessing one of the Quantum Quorum in Justice League Unlimited #23.
Art
After the Scavengers capture a splash page, Dan Mora employs irregularly shaped panels amid the fighting. As Guy Gardner, Mr Terrific, Hawkgirl, and Metamorpho trade blows with their adversaries, panels compete for page space, jamming against each other or overlaying their fellows. Hawkgirl's tortured features rise to the forefront on one page. Guy Gardner's ferocity opens another page, while the Dominator's determined expression grounds it. Yet on Earth, an alligator beckons readers toward a dome in a swamp. Inside, Giganta towers above her teammates. Yet as she gazes down at them, her expression communicates openness and concern.
As Tamra Bonvillain’s bright colors energize the action on the planet Dronnda, green links Guy Gardner and Hawkgirl with a Durlan and a Dominator. Guy’s hard light constructs also link with Metamorpho’s attack. Yet yellow and orange dominate the fighting as Hawkgirl confronts a fellow Thanagarian, and Mr Terrific wields the power to destroy his adversaries. While the Scavengers opened Justice League Unlimited #23, Mr Terrific dominates another page, with an inset panel showing the red energy trying to explode from his eyes. Yet as the Atom and his fellow heroes observe Giganta’s meeting, violet and indigo surround the villains who want full membership in the league.
White letters with blue outlines introduce characters and locations. Black uppercase letters fill white dialogue balloons, while offscreen dialogue appears in colored narrative boxes. Letters grow bold with intonation, and enlarge with pain, anger, and a love for chaos. Ariana Maher’s sound effects accompany battles, shock arrivals, and Mr Terrific’s growing familiarity with his new powers. Yet a yellow glow surrounds dialogue balloons as a smart man contemplates wielding absolute power. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.
Final Thoughts
It's hard to work with others if you don't trust them. The Justice League heroes are predisposed to distrust the villains. But the villains remember how the heroes tried to shut them out of the battle for reality. As distrust creates a toxic atmosphere, heroes who risk their lives in the search for truth begin to lose interest in the facts in Justice League Unlimited #23.
Rating 9.7/10
To look inside see Justice League Unlimited #23 Preview.
For Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, Metamorpho, and Mr Terrific's battle with Despero, see Justice League Unlimited #22 Preview.
For Batman & Lex Luthor's mission to Slaughter Swamp, see Justice League Knight Vision Special #1 Review.
For Batman & Lex Luthor's shared vision, see my preview of Justice League Unlimited #21.
For Brainiac Queen's return, see my preview of Justice League Unlimited #20.
For how the Justice League's gets a surprising new spokesperson, see my review of Justice League Unlimited #19.
For Mary Marvel, Martian Manhunter, and Booster Gold's mission into the timestream, see my preview of Justice League Unlimited #18.
For how Justice League opened its doors to villains, see my preview of Justice League Unlimited #17.
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