So there's good news and bad news.
The bad news is, this is the final issue of the Justice Society of America. Also, the story here is pretty bad. (It's another one of those "demigod goes wild, destroys the city, and the heroes can't stop it" things.)
The good news is, the art is great - from the iconic cover by Darwyn Cooke to the interiors by Jerry Ordway - and DC has just announced that it will bring back the JSA in a few months, reportedly setting the team's adventures on Earth-2 (where it belongs).
I'm not sure if the "new" JSA will include heroes like the Golden Age Flash, Hawkman, Atom or Green Lantern (not to mention the original Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman), or if DC will stick to the heroes who aren't duplicated on Earth-1.
Whatever the case, it's good to hear the team is getting a fresh start, because it's been struggling since writer Geoff Johns left the series. It's been through various hands, and no one seems to be able to bring the series back to its former glory.
They tried splitting the team into two books (terrible idea), making the JSA a virtual army like the Legion of Super-Heroes (that didn't work), and giving the team a new setting and strange new villains to fight (no one cared).
What makes the JSA work is its sense of history and the family atmosphere - the idea that these old warriors are training the new heroes of today. Make them characters we care about, throw in some humor and some entertaining action sequences - and most important of all, tell a good story.
If they can achieve those goals, they can make the team as exciting and fresh as... well, as they look on the cover of this issue.
Here's hoping!
Grade: B
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2 comments:
I missed this when it first came out because it was among the books that our local shop didn't get on the original Wednesday.
When I saw the Cooke cover on your page, I said "WOW!" Then I looked closely, and I remembered the EXACT moment I stopped reading JSA.
In the upper left corner, you see Alan Scott transformed into an actual lantern. Cooke was smart enough to try and hide him. Dumbest idea ever for a character.
Yep, Alan was not treated well in the past year or two. (At least they didn't change his name this time around.) I hope he'll be back to normal when they trot out the new JSA - but I'm dubious.
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