JSA Classified #12

May 22, 2006

Quick Rating: Good
Title: The Fall and Rise of Vandal Savage Part Three

It’s Vandal Savage versus Green Lantern – for the last time?

Writer: Stuart Moore
Pencils: Paul Gulacy
Inks: Jimmy Palmiotti
Colors: I.L.L.
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editor: Mike Carlin
Cover Art: Paul Gulacy
Publisher: DC Comics

In a way, I’ve been slightly disappointed in this series. One of the cool things about JLA Classified is that the creative teams have permission to go to any era of the Justice League, but in JSA Classified, the book is rooted in current continuity. For the world’s first superhero team, that just seems like a wasted opportunity. On the other hand the current arc, featuring a dying Vandal Savage plotting revenge against his greatest foe, the Golden Age Green Lantern, has been a pretty darn good one.

Savage, dying, remembers a fateful encounter with own daughter as Alan – who recently lost his own child – races to confront the villain with an old friend. Savage, however, has been around for millions of years, and even as he faces his final, imminent death, he’s got something up his sleeve.

Moore has done a pretty good job with this arc. I’m a big fan of Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern for those embroiled in the endless Hal/Kyle debate, and it’s nice to see him get something of a spotlight. However, he’s still technically the antagonist this issue, as the focus is squarely on Vandal Savage, one of the most interesting villains in the DCU. Part of me doesn’t believe they’ll actually kill him off, but then, they haven’t even finished counting the bodies from Infinite Crisis yet, so what would one more be?

Moore’s story is fine, but I’m slightly disappointed in Paul Gulacy’s artwork. He doesn’t quite have the right sensibilities for the sci-fi and magical aspects of the two lead characters – the panels look somewhat awkward, and the revelation of a monster towards the end isn’t as grotesque as it should be – the creature winds up looking like a cross between X-Statix’s Doop and Mr. Potato Head.

Overall, this has been a solid arc weighed down by less-then-stellar artwork. Gulacy, to my liking, is better suited for street-level characters like his run on Catwoman.

Rating: 7/10

JSA Classified #33

December 30, 2007

JSA Classified #33 (DC Comics)
By Junior Thomas, Staz Johnson, Mike Norton, Scott Kolins

This two-part Green Lantern story wraps up pretty well this issue. Vandal Savage’s attack on Thanksgiving has led to the immortal stealing much of the Starheart power from Alan Scott, using the life-essense of a nearby child to create a “puppet” for his attack — a duplicate of Alan’s deceased daughter, Jade. Alan is forced to face his own child while Savage makes his play. This was a decent enough story, if not a great one. Alan Scott is still one of the best characters in DC’s old guard, but Vandal Savage is a bit played out as an enemy. While Jade’s story packs some nice emotion, the reader doesn’t really believe there’s a chance she’ll return here. I liked this issue, and the Christmas Eve epilogue is nice enough, but I’m really more looking forward to next issue’s Hourman/Liberty Belle story.
Rating: 7/10

JSA Classified #32

JSA Classified #32 (DC Comics)
By Junior Thomas, Staz Johnson & Scott Kolins

It’s a week late for Thanksgiving, but it look like DC managed to work in the JSA’s annual adventure after all. Green Lantern is depressed at the idea of facing another holiday without his daughter, Jade, but decides to join in with the Flash and Wildcat as they take a ride in the Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade gets shaken up, though, when Solomon Grundy attacks. Thomas plays nicely with Alan scott’s emotions here, using a very real depression that most anyone can relate to as the anchor for his story. The only weak point is in a choice of villains that feels slightly overdone — although when you consider how few truly legendary JSA villains are still up and around, I suppose it’s unavoidable. And it’s certainly an improvement from the last arc on this book. Not great, but for a Thanksgiving story, it’s not bad.

Rating: 7/10