The third volume of DC’s ‘Justice’ series has finally arrived, bringing to a conclusion one of the most unashamedly entertaining comic book story cycles of recent years. Stepping away from Brad Meltzer’s brand of hand-wringing introspection this is a Justice League book like they used to make.

With a cast list straight out of 80s cartoon series Superfriends the story pits a classic JLA line-up against, near as dammit, the Legion of Doom. In a nod to that fondly-remembered series Aquaman gets himself kidnapped in the first few pages. That’s where the similarity to childhood pleasures ends, however. The Atlantean hero undergoes some fairly grisly experimentation at the hands of Brainiac and Gorilla Grodd, depicted in unflinching detail by penciller Dough Braithwaite and fan favourite Alex Ross.

Notwithstanding the contributions of Braithwaite and writer Jim Krueger, this is Ross’ book. His love for the Silver Age comics he grew up on positively glows from every frame, with a million little nostalgic details to tickle the memories of his large baby-boomer audience. The artwork is a consistent delight across all three volumes, particular treats being a statuesque but still plausible Wonder Woman and a neat reinvention of the classic costumes in the third volume which recalls Ross’ Kingdom Come graphic novel.

The plot, which pits the Justice League against not only an evil conspiracy of super-villains but also the very people that the League is sworn to protect, develops in a classic three-act structure. Our heroes are at first defeated, then regroup and the series builds into a comic book Gotterdammerung with virtually every DC character drafted in for the final climactic battle.

Although Justice has been published in three parts it really makes no sense except as a unified whole. The only benefit to the three-book structure is the opportunity to wrap each volume in one of Alex Ross’ signature ‘team photo’ paintings, each one of which is an absolute joy. Especially for the older comic book fan, who still has a sneaking fondness for DC’s finest in their Saturday morning cartoon incarnation, Justice is the comic book highlight of 2007.

Titan Books, 23 November 2007, Hardback, £12.99 each, 144pp

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