Once again all it takes is simply focusing on strong character moments and team development to deliver one of the series’ strongest issues to date. With a brand new logo to boot, Dan Abnett and Daniel Sampere further their cosmic journey through the Ghost Sector along with this niche group of characters. Both the team and creators continue to fix the ramifications of Dark Knights Metal and bring this series out from its ashes. Abnett coming onto the series was the best thing that could have happened for it.

With the heroes split into two groups, the team must continue on Darkseid’s plan of locating the multiple relics across the Ghost Sector in order to complete an event known as Sepulkore. Albeit working for Darkseid, the heroes pledge to betray him when the time is right and stop whatever he is truly planning. After accomplishing their goal, both teams meet rendezvous, recounting each encounter to find these relics. Azrael and Starfire continue to grow more powerful while the other two members are left to wonder if their friends are already enslaved by the will of the New God.

Daniel Sampere’s pencil work shines brightest with the grandiose spectacle that Abnett commands from his scripts. With plenty of action throughout, this chapter delivers the emotional beats for fans to latch onto and Sampere delivers his best work to date. Whether fending off hoards or aliens preventing Sepulkore or just the quiet moments between team members, Sampere delivers the weight an excitement to each panel. Ivan Plascencia’s color work continues to drench the series within a radiant cosmic motif in all its glory.

Dan Abnett continues to defy and exceed fan expectations with this series, delivering a truly unique title to the DC landscape and the Justice League mythos as a whole. As it stood 6 months ago, this series seemed doomed by its multiple delays as well as the overall connection to an event that had ended months even before that. In a complete 180 degree turn around, Abnett has taken the wheel and saved this wonderful group of niche characters for certain obscurity.

Having the team working alongside Darkseid creates an interesting dynamic with the ability to pay off for multiple issues and arcs to come. This series presents a whole host of intriguing concepts to set differentiate from not only the other two counterpart titles but from any other team book DC puts out currently. As these characters continue to question one another’s true motives, the showdown between the team will be something to look out for in the near future before they truly come together as one.

Grade: B+