Category: JSA

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JSA volume 1: Justice Be Done


By James Robinson, David S. Goyer & various (DC Comics)
ISBN: 978-1-56389-620-0

After the actual invention of the comicbook superhero – for which read the launch of Superman in 1938 – the most significant event in the genre, and indeed industry’s progress was the combination of individual sales-points into a group. Thus what seems blindingly obvious to us with the benefit of four-colour hindsight was proven – a number of popular characters could multiply readership by combining forces and readerships. Plus of course, a whole bunch of superheroes is a lot cooler than just one – or even one and a sidekick.

The Justice Society of America was created in the third issue of All-Star Comics (Winter 1940/1941), an anthology title featuring established characters from various All-American Comics publications, by the simple expedient of having the heroes gather around a table and tell each other their latest adventure. From this low key collaboration it wasn’t long before the guys – and they were all guys (except Red Tornado who pretended to be one – don’t ask!) until Wonder Woman premiered in the eighth issue regularly joined forces to defeat the greatest villains – and social ills of their generation.

Within months the concept had spread far and wide…

And so the Justice Society of America is rightly revered as a true landmark in the development of comic books, and, when Julius Schwartz revived the superhero genre in the late 1950s, the key moment would come with the inevitable teaming of the reconfigured mystery men into a Justice League of America. From there it wasn’t long until the original and genuine returned. Since then there have been many attempts to formally revive the team’s fortunes but it wasn’t until 1999 on the back of both the highly successful revamping of the JLA by Grant Morrison and Howard Porter and the seminal but critically favoured new Starman by Golden Age devotee James Robinson, that the multi-generational team found a concept and fan-base big enough to support them.

This first volume collects the prequel tale from JSA: Secret Files #1 and the first complete story-arc from JSA #1-5, detailing with great style and remarkable facility (considering the incredibly convoluted continuity of the feature) how the last active survivors of the original team, Wildcat, Flash and Green Lantern/Sentinel, unite with the inheritors of the veteran team’s legacy to continue the tradition, train the next generation of heroes and battle one of the oldest evils in the universe.

It all begins with the death of the Sandman, octogenarian Wesley Dodds, who beats the odds one last time to thwart an unstoppable ancient foe and warn his surviving comrades of the peril to come…

At Dodds’ funeral a horde of death-demons attack the mourners after the hero known as Fate is murdered, and the assembled mourners – legacy heroes Sand, Stargirl, Hourman, Atom Smasher, Starman and Obsidian, plus Black Canary, Wonder Woman (actually her mother Hippolyta) and the aforementioned trio above are sent on a tripartite mission to rescue three babies; one of which is the new incarnation of the magical hero Doctor Fate.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to all, a wild card has been introduced with the unexpected return of another departed comrade in the guise of a new and deeply troubled Hawkgirl…

Although deeply fixed in the vast backstory of the DC universe, ‘Gathering Storm’, ‘The Wheel of Life’, ‘Old Souls’ and ‘Ouroboros’, illustrated by Scott, Benefiel, Stephen Sadowski, Mark Propst and Michael Bair, is a accessible superhero-rebirth saga, wonderfully compelling with a frenetic pace that keeps the reader barrelling along. The struggle against the mystery villain is pitched perfectly, with plenty of clues for the old-timers and enough character illustration to educate and satisfy those who have never heard of “the Dark Lord…”

With the revival and reintroduction of Hawkgirl and Doctor Fate achieved, the volume concludes with ‘Grounded’ (illustrated by Derec Aucoin and Bair) focusing on the history and new powers of the latest Sandman and introducing a new Mister Terrific to the team, whilst foreshadowing horrors yet to come…

Complex, thrilling, breathtaking; this is the very best modern superhero comics can aspire to: adding to rather than subtracting from the shared mythology whilst not afraid to dump the utterly unsalvageable bits of stuff that just won’t play today – never once forgetting that it’s all about entertainment…

Although this will never be a universally acclaimed graphic novel like Maus or Watchmen, for dyed-in-the-wool tights and fights fans JSA: Justice Be Done is just what the Doctor ordered and what Fate decrees…
© 1999 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Checkmate: Pawn Breaks


By Greg Rucka, Jesus Saiz, Steve Scott & various (DC Comics)
ISBN:978-1-84576-603-0

In the aftermath of DC’s Infinite Crisis an international organisation to monitor and control meta-human affairs was developed, under the aegis of the United Nations Security Council. Originally an American agency, Checkmate had gone rogue under the telepathic influence of Maxwell Lord, and the new internationally sanctioned organisation is tasked with policing all nations, protecting them from metahuman dangers and terrorism, and also preventing “rogue” nations and regimes from weaponising their own paranormal resources.

This second tripwire-tight collection reprints issues #8-12 of the fondly remembered comic book, following as the organisation (composed of superheroes and traditional intelligence operatives) goes to absolutely outrageous lengths to place an undercover agent in the global death cult Kobra, courtesy of Greg Rucka, Jesus Saiz and Fernando Blanco.

‘Pawn 502’ is a superbly paranoid thriller with plenty of twists and turns and spellbinding action, cleverly plundering many dark and dusty corners of DC continuity for the delectation of long-term readers whilst skilfully keeping the newly initiated appraised. Crossover fans mighty like to know there’s a classy Shadowpact guest-shot included here.

Following is an intriguing tale that slips uncomfortably into the too-real world of South American death squads and rigged elections from writers Rucka, Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir, pencillers Steve Scott and Cliff Richards, and inkers Nathan Messengill, Steve Bird and Art Thibert.

‘Corvahlo’ is a dark, sordid tale featuring ex-JLA-er Fire and Bat-baddie Bane which cleverly reveals that there’s a traitor in Checkmate and, as a team is sent to retrieve a witness to vote-rigging, that mystery Judas is planning to subvert or destroy the entire organisation if necessary…

This is a cool and engaging blend of genres, with the murky world of espionage coldly and logically grounding the high-flying gloss of costumed super-doers. Moody and addictive, but perhaps a little too dependent on a working knowledge of the DC universe, this is nevertheless a fabulous series of yarns for the older fan, and the spy-game milieu should guarantee a few converts from espionage devotees looking for a little something on the wild side…

© 2007 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Justice Society of America: the Next Age


By Geoff Johns, Dale Eaglesham, Art Thibert & Ruy Jose (DC Comics)
ISBN: 978-1-84576-606-1

The World’s first Superhero team reboots itself once more after the interminable series of universal Crises (specifically World War III) and in conjunction with the Justice League of America returns as an organisation of heroic veterans working with and training the next generation of young heroes in this new interpretation of the JSA.

Originally published as issues #1-4 of the latest monthly comicbook series, this gripping thriller sees Elder Statesmen Flash, Green Lantern and Wildcat begin a recruitment drive that leads them to the heirs and inheritors of a number of older mystery men just as the corpse of one of the very first costumed heroes comes crashing through their HQ’s skylight, alerting them to a vicious plot by their oldest foe to wipe out “legacy heroes” forever…

Fast paced, tense and eerily gratifying, the venerable, journeyman and apprentice heroes cut loose against modern super-Nazis and the most evil man alive as they gather Cyclone, a new (or perhaps not) Starman, Citizen Steel, Liberty Bell, Damage and another Wildcat into their burgeoning fold just in time for the incipient JLA/JSA crossover The Lightning Saga and the unfolding Countdown to Final Crisis.

Steeped in DC lore and continuity this won’t be accessible to every reader, but it is still a compelling and enjoyable new chapter for the Justice Society and a worthwhile endeavour for fans of big plots and bold costumed crusaders.

© 2007 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Crisis on Multiple Earths: The Team-Ups


By Gardner Fox, John Broome & various (DC Comics)
ISBN: 978-1-4012-0470-9

As I’ve mentioned before, I was one of the “Baby Boomer” crowd that grew up with Gardner Fox and John Broome’s tantalisingly slow reintroduction of Golden Age superheroes during the halcyon, eternally summery days of the 1960s. To me those fascinating counterpart crusaders from Earth-Two weren’t vague and distant memories rubber-stamped by parents or older brothers – they were cool, fascinating and enigmatically new. And for some reason the “proper” heroes of Earth-One held them in high regard and treated them with obvious deference…

It all began, naturally enough, in The Flash, flagship title of the Silver Age Revolution. After ushering in the triumphant return of the costumed superhero concept the Scarlet Speedster, with Fox and Broome at the reins, set an unbelievably high standard for superhero adventure in sharp, witty tales of science and imagination, illustrated with captivating style and clean simplicity by Carmine Infantino.

Gardner Fox didn’t write many Flash scripts at this time, but those few he did were all dynamite. None more so than the full-length epic that literally changed the scope of American comics forever. ‘Flash of Two Worlds’ (the Flash #123 September 1961, illustrated by Infantino and Joe Giella) introduced the theory of alternate Earths to the continuity and by extension resulted in the multiversal structure of the DCU, Crisis on Infinite Earths and all the succeeding cosmos-shaking crossover sagas that grew from it. And of course where DC led, others followed…

During a benefit gig Flash (police scientist Barry Allen) accidentally slips into another dimension where he finds that the comic-book hero he based his own superhero identity upon actually exists. Every adventure he had absorbed as an eager child was grim reality to Jay Garrick and his mystery-men comrades on the controversially named Earth-2. Locating his idol Barry convinces the elder to come out of retirement just as three Golden Age villains, Shade, Thinker and the Fiddler make their own wicked comeback… Thus is history made and above all else, ‘Flash of Two Worlds’ is still a great read that can electrify today’s reader.

Fox revisited Earth-2 nine months later in #129’s ‘Double Danger on Earth!’ (inked by Murphy Anderson) as Jay Garrick ventured to Earth-1 to save his own world from a doom comet, only to fall foul of Captain Cold and the Trickster. Another cracking thriller, as well as double Flash action, this tale teasingly reintroduced Justice Society stalwarts Wonder Woman, Atom, Hawkman, Green Lantern, Doctor Mid-Nite and Black Canary. Clearly Editor Schwartz had something in mind…

‘Vengeance of the Immortal Villain!’ from Flash #137 (June 1963, inked by Giella) was the third incredible Earth-2 crossover, and saw the two Flashes unite to defeat 50,000 year old Vandal Savage and save the Justice Society of America: a tale which directly led into the veteran team’s first meeting with the Justice League of America and the start of all those aforementioned “Crisis” epics.

That landmark epic can be found elsewhere (most notably in Crisis on Multiple Earths volume 1, ISBN-13: 978-1-56389-895-2), and this collection continues with the less well-known ‘Invader from the Dark Dimension!’ (Flash #151, March 1964, by Fox, Infantino and Giella), a full-length shocker where the demonic Shade ambitiously attempts to plunder both worlds.

Public approval was decidedly vocal and Editor Julie Schwartz used DC’s try-out magazines to sound out the next step: stories set on Earth-2 with exclusively Golden Age characters.

Showcase #55 saw the initial team-up of Doctor Fate and Hourman as the Justice Society stalwarts battled the monster of Slaughter Swamp when ‘Solomon Grundy Goes on a Rampage!’ Produced by Fox and Anderson, this bombastic yarn even had room for a cameo by Earth-2’s Green Lantern, and the original text page featuring the heroes’ origins is also reproduced here.

Showcase #56 also featured “the Super-Team Supreme” (and by the same creative team supreme) in ‘Perils of the Psycho-Pirate!’ wherein ex-con Roger Hayden (cell-mate of the original JSA villain) steals the magical Masks of Medusa to go on an emotion-controlling crime-spree. Fan-historians should note that this tale is a pivotal antecedent of the landmark Crisis on Infinite Earths (ISBN: 978-1-5638-9750-4) as well as a superbly engaging adventure in its own right. A text feature on the original Psycho-Pirate accompanies the story.

Although getting in late to the Counterpart Collaborations game, the inevitable first teaming of the Hal Jordan and Alan Scott Green Lanterns is one of the best and arguably second-most important story of the entire decade. ‘Secret Origin of the Guardians!’ by John Broome, Gil Kane and Sid Greene (Green Lantern #40, October 1965) introduced the renegade Guardian Krona, revealed the origin of the multiverse, showed how evil entered our universe and described how the immortal Oans took up their self-appointed task of policing the cosmos. It also shows Gil Kane’s paramount ability to stage a superhero fight like no other. This pure comicbook perfection should be considered a prologue to the aforementioned Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Still looking for an Earth-2 concept that would support its own series Schwartz, Fox and Anderson debuted the team of Starman and Black Canary in The Brave and the Bold #61 (September-October 1965), pairing the heroes against the eerily translucent villain the Mist in ‘Mastermind of Menaces!’ This compelling thriller is augmented here by the text feature biography of the Black Canary.

Although not featured in this volume, Schwartz and Fox did finally achieve their ambition to launch a Golden Age hero into his own title. After three Showcase appearances and many guest-shots the Spectre won his own book at the end of 1967, just as the super-hero craze went into a steep decline.

This fabulous volume concludes with a back-up tale from issue #7 (November/December 1968) of that brilliant but ill-fated series. ‘The Hour Hourman Died!’ by Fox, Dick Dillin and Sid Greene, is a dark and clever attempted-murder mystery that packs a book’s worth of tension and action into its nine moody pages and serves as a solid thematic reminder that the golden Silver Age of the 1960s was a creative high point that simply couldn’t last. When you start at the top the only way is down…

Still irresistible and compellingly beautiful after all these years, the stories collected here shaped the American comics industry for decades and are still influencing not only today’s funny-books but also the brilliant animated TV shows and movies that grew from them. These are tales and this is a book you simply must have.

© 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 2005 DC Comics. All rights reserved.

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JSA Volume 3: The Return of Hawkman

JSA: The Return of Hawkman
JSA: The Return of Hawkman

By David S. Goyer, Geoff Johns & various (DC Comics)
ISBN13: 978-1-84023-572-2

This third collection (reprinting issues 16-26 of the monthly comic and portions of JSA Secret Files #1) revived the greatest victim of DC’s perpetual massaging of their in-house continuity – an event considered impossible by many of the company’s top-guns – and accomplished it in a manner that is both impressive and enjoyable.

Hawkman was created by Gardner Fox and Dennis Neville for Flash Comics #1, released in 1940 and one of the most visually arresting characters of the early days of comics. He ran until the end of the Golden Age, led the Justice Society for nearly its entire history and even alternated cover slots with the eponymous Flash.

He vanished with so many others at the beginning of the 1950s, and was revived both as a new concept for the Silver Age, and in his original persona when the JSA met the Justice League of America. Although seemingly incapable of supporting a mass-market book for any sustained period, he is an icon of DC’s line and was savagely retconned many times. In the parlous times of the mid-1990s he seemingly vanished into Limbos both literal and literary.

With a timeline considered “toxic” by the DC powers-that-be he was left to languish until the incredibly audacious scribes Goyer and Johns decided to bring him back and do him right in his true home: the JSA comicbook. And although that’s what this collection reprints, the road took a few twists and turns before it got there…

Kicking off is a five part saga sub-titled ‘Injustice Be Done’ as the Faustian mastermind Johnny Sorrow gathers a team of super-villains and executes a strategic assault on the multi-generational group of heroes. As if it matters those reprobates are Count Vertigo, Killer Wasp, Rival, Blackbriar Thorn, Geomancer, the Icicle, Tigress, the Thinker, Shiv and Black Adam, but the unconfined joy of this fights ‘n’ tights romp is the return of the Spectre to this most influential of teams.

At the climax of the action extravaganza, the Flash is lost in time and the interlude tale ‘Guardian Angels’ details his meeting with the heroes of ancient Egypt – including the flying Warrior Prince Khufu, whose murder led to a cycle of heroic reincarnations that culminated in the birth of Hawkman.

The Big Show then follows with ‘The Return of Hawkman’ a four part spectacle that spans thousands of years and trillions of miles as Hawkgirl and a team of JSA-ers travel to the devastated planet Thanagar to resurrect the Winged Wonder from non-being and destroy a soul-eating demon who has turned the entire planet into a vast charnel house playground.

As well as reconciling the convoluted histories of Hawkman into a viable whole and kicking off a highly entertaining spin-off series this dramatic tale is pure superhero flash and dazzle – the kind of bravura fantasy that no other medium of expression has ever managed to match.

It’s not witty, it’s not significant and it’s not capital A “Art” – but it is spellbinding, breathtaking adventure. What more can a fan-boy want?

© 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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Justice League of America Vol 2: The Lightning Saga

The Lightning Saga
The Lightning Saga

By Brad Meltzer, Geoff Johns & various (DC Comics)
ISBN: 978-1-84576-789-1

Once the publishers realised the sales potential of super-team crossovers it was a foregone conclusion that such collaborations would become a regular part of comicbook life. One of the most crammed of these was the JLA/JSA annual team up in Justice League of America #147-148 in 1977, which included the additional team of 30th century champions the Legion of Super Heroes.

Thirty years later the modern incarnations of those heroes did it again in ‘The Lightning Saga’, a crossover that progressed through the post-52 Justice League # 8-10 and Justice Society #5-6.

When minor villain Trident is captured he is found to be under the mind-control of the alien Starro the Conqueror. Further examination reveals that he is also from the 30th century. In fact he is a hero known as Karate Kid, part of a team of teen-aged champions that Superman joined when he was just starting out. Revelations follow swiftly as JSA-er Star Man – a mysterious hero suffering from mental illness – reveals that he too is a time-lost member of the Legion of Super Heroes.

For an unspecified reason, seven members have travelled back in time, becoming lost and amnesiac. The combined 21st century teams must track them down and discover what mission could be so vital that it would be worth risking the entire future for?

As the lost Legionnaires are recovered old-time readers might well be fooled by a brilliant red herring newer fans won’t pick up on, but rest assured the conclusion isn’t one you’ll see coming.

Terse, far-reaching, tense and filled with humour and tragedy, this action-extravaganza continues the policy of reuniting all the disparate strands of DC continuity back together after the separations of the two decades following Crisis on Infinite Earths, and does it in a stylish and thrilling manner.

This volume also includes ‘Walls’ by Brad Meltzer and Gene Ha from Justice League #11: a gritty tale of survival as Red Arrow and Vixen are buried alive under a collapsing building and #12’s ‘Monitor duty’ by Meltzer, Ed Benes & Eric Wight, which depicts a typical but never normal day in the life of the team.

The book concludes with the landmark issue #0 which re-launched the World’s Greatest Super-Team into the post-Infinite Crisis era. Written by Meltzer it featured art from Eric Wight, Dick Giordano, Tony Harris, George Pérez, JH Williams III, Luke McDonnell & Paul Neary, Gene Ha, Rags Morales, Ethan Van Scriver, Kevin McGuire, Adam Kubert, Dan Jurgens & Kevin Nowlan, Jim Lee, Howard Porter & Dexter Vines, Andy Kubert & Jesse Delperdang, Phil Jimenez & Andy Lanning and Ed Benes & Sandra Hope. There’s also a collection of some of the many alternate covers that have accompanied the current series.

Intense and very high maintenance, the modern JLA is epic in every way but might not be to everyone’s taste. Still, if tense dramas and soap-opera ethics are your thing this is a very impressive read, ‘though not perhaps, one for the casual browser.

© 2006, 2007 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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JLA/JSA: Virtue and Vice

Virtue and Vice
Virtue and Vice

By David S. Goyer, Geoff Johns & various (DC Comics)
ISBN: 1-56389-937-X

Some books you can talk about, but with others it’s simply a waste of time. This is one of the latter. If you’re aware that the Justice Society of America was the industry’s first super-team formed to fight in World War II, and are now an organisation who regularly save the world whilst mentoring the next generation of superheroes, whilst the Justice League of America are the World’s Greatest Superheroes (and have all the characters who’ve appeared on TV and in movies) then you have all the background you need to read this wonderful example of fights ‘n’ tights fiction.

The JLA and JSA have gotten together to celebrate Thanksgiving when the alien conqueror Despero attacks them and the entire world by releasing the Seven Deadly Sins who promptly possess Batman, Power Girl, Mr. Terrific, Dr. Fate, Green Lantern, Plastic Man and Captain Marvel.

Can the remaining heroes defeat the sins without killing their friends, and save the world from total destruction? Of course they can, that’s the point. But seldom have they done it in such a spectacularly well written and beautifully illustrated manner.

This is a piece of pure, iconic genre narrative that hits every target and pushes every button it should. If you love superhero comics you should own this lovely book.

© 2002 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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JSA Presents Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. vol 2

JSA Presents Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. vol 2

By Geoff Johns, Lee Moder, Scott Kolins, Dan Davis & various (DC Comics)
ISBN: 978-1-84576-734-1

Geoff Johns started his DC career by revamping the Star Spangled Kid for the 21st century. The original Kid and sidekick Stripesy fought crime in the 1940’s both as a duo and as part of the original Seven Soldiers of Victory. Their gimmick was that Stripesy was an adult whilst the Kid gave the orders. It seemed like a natural development to thrill the children who bought comics and that idea hasn’t been lost here.

Pat Dugan was Stripesy. He’s just remarried and his new wife has a teen-aged daughter, Courtney. She’s a little resentful that the family has moved out of Beverly Hills to Blue Valley, Nebraska. That attitude changes somewhat when she finds a belt and costume that give her superpowers. At first intending to tick off her new dad she soon discovers she enjoys being a hero, entering into a tenuous partnership with Dugan who has built a robotic battle suit to carry on crime-fighting.

A good thing too, as Blue Valley is literally infested with aliens, monsters and super-villains, most notably the insidious Dragon King who fought Pat in his WWII days. This second volume collects issues #9-14 plus an issue #0 and features the remaining bright, breezy, undemanding adventures with overtones of rebel-teen, coming-of-age family bonding from the regrettably short-lived comicbook (see JSA Presents Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.: vol. 1, ISBN: 1-84576-595-8).

It all kicks off with a behind the scenes tale depicting how the original Star Spangled Kid passed on the torch – and the super-belt, guest-starring the JSA and featuring sections drawn by the superb Chris Weston and inked by John Stokes. Scott Kolins pencils the next few tales as the 1940s The Seven Soldiers of Victory appear in a tale that reveals just how they all got lost in time. Moder returns as the craziness at Blue Valley High shifts into high gear with the reappearance of cybernetic-killer and Valley Girl Shiv, who is desperate to please her Super-Mastermind dad and eviscerate young Courtney.

Time-lost hero The Shining Knight joins the cast as the pace increases and the Dragon King’s evil plans near completion. When the mind-controlled populace goes on a rampage rebel Courtney finds herself fighting alongside some of the greatest – and oldest – heroes of all time to save the world!

Fast, frantic and funny, this is a delightfully easy book to like, that doesn’t take itself seriously and remembers what kids – as well as fanboys – want.

©1999-2000, 2008 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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JSA: Ghost Stories

JSA: Ghost Stories

By Paul Levitz & various (DC Comics)
ISBN 1-84576-441-2

With the cancellation of the monthly comic book an open secret, sentiment seemed to prevail in the DC offices and veteran Justice Society scribe Paul Levitz returned to write the “final” story-arc of the original super-team, before the company wide reboot of the DC universe took permanent hold (Permanent being defined as “until we decide to change our minds again”).

Ghost Stories is a simpler tale from a more traditional perspective, and I suspect, produced for a die-hard audience like myself. It begins with Power Girl learning of and experiencing a 1950’s exploit of Superman and Batman involving the mysterious ‘Gentleman Ghost’. Drawn by George Perez and inked by Bob Smith, ‘Ghosts in the House’ is as much pastiche as prologue, and leads into the next chapter which fell under the umbrella of DC’s One Year Later relaunch.

When the spirits of the dead start appearing to modern day JSA-ers and their families, the heroes mobilise and soon confront the Gentleman Ghost who wants not only revenge but also to live again, which he can only achieve by killing the team. ‘Who’s Afraid of Ghosts?’, ‘When the Dead Call…’ and ‘…The Living Must Answer!’ are illustrated by Rags Morales and Dave Meikis, with flashback sequences by Luke Ross.

Long-time fan and fan-favourite Jerry Ordway returns to draw the series to a close in ‘Where the Highwaymen Rode…’ and ‘Ghost in the Castle’, with the plain, honest indomitable good-defeating-overwhelming-evil plot coming triumphantly together to close the current series in a deeply satisfying manner. This tense, action-packed old-fashioned romp is a fitting close to a possibly over-extended chapter in the long history of this greatest of super-teams. Although possibly not to everyone’s taste, this is a series with more highs than lows for the fan of costumed do-gooding.

© 2006 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

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JSA: Mixed Signals

JSA: Mixed Signals

By Geoff Johns, Keith Champagne & Don Kramer (DC Comics)
ISBN 1-84576-347-5

As the company readied itself for the massive shake-up generated by the Infinite Crisis crossover, some DC titles experienced an unfortunate decline in quality, and none more so than the once excellent JSA. Although initially a worthy continuation of that landmark concept which was the foundation of all superhero teams, by the time of this collection (reprinting issues #76-81 of the monthly comic) the glorious history and triumphs had been diluted by a kind of thematic “burn-out” as the original world-savers became over-mired in interpersonal dramas. But the real killer wasn’t a lack of story balance: It was that the threatened changes elsewhere seemed to leech the life out of this venerable superhero team by pulling the team in too many directions.

The legal fate of wayward member and accused international criminal Atom Smasher is finally resolved in the first tale, but that’s merely an excuse to introduce the cyborg Omacs (see also The Omac Project ISBN 1-84576-229-0) and the new Suicide Squad into this series, and when the energy based hero Airwave crashes into their HQ seeking reinforcements for a universe shaking catastrophe, the team are alerted to the cosmic component of the Infinite Crisis.

Meanwhile Earth’s magic users are under assault and a small team are dispatched to the Fifth Dimension to rescue Jakeem Thunder and his mystical Thunderbolt, only to become embroiled in a titanic civil war, whilst their own magic members face destruction from super-wizard Mordru in a prelude to Day of Vengeance (ISBN 1-84576-230-4).

This volume concludes with a small personal story of the type that so well counterpoints cosmic epics, as the teenaged Stargirl reconsiders her life with her semi-retired superhero stepfather Pat (Stripesy) Duggan as the Crisis builds around them all.

Despite feeling a bit rushed and convoluted, this is still credible and competent work from writers Geoff Johns and Keith Champagne, and artists Don Kramer, Dale Eaglesham, Jim Fern, David Lopez, Art Thibert, Mick Gray, and Fernando Blanco, although perhaps the piecemeal nature of this beast might deter all but the dedicated fan.

© 2006 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.