JLA-Z #3

November 23, 2003

Quick Rating: Below Average

Profiles and pin-ups of JLA members, friends and enemies from the Martian Manhunter to Zatanna.

Writer: Mike McAvenie
Aritsts: Too numerous to list
Colors: Tom McCraw & Wildstorm FX
Editor: Ivan Cohen & Stephen Wacker
Cover Art: Phil Jimenez & Hi-Fi
Publisher: DC Comics

As a huge fan of the old Who’s Who and Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe volumes, I was very excited when DC announced they were putting out this three-issue series as a companion piece to JLA/Avengers. My excitement is probably also the reason for my disappointment in this slim volume that’s mostly pin-up and short on information.

It’s a book of profile pages, which is exactly what I wanted, but each profile has less information than even your average Secret Files profile. How do you condense Superman’s history to one paragraph? I understand the need for brevity, but if this is meant as a primer for people reading the crossover that don’t understand the history and dynamics of the JLA, this book could have done much better. Why waste space on superfluous villains like the Weapons Master and the Royal Flush Gang? Why include a page on the Teen Titans? Even if you accept them as the next generation of heroes, as the JLA’s “farm team” if you will, why is the illustration of the Marv Wolfman/George Perez era of the team, with a little inset of the original team and nothing of the current Titans? And for Heaven’s sake, why does Hal Jordan get three profiles in this series – one as Green Lantern, one as Parallax and one as The Spectre?

The best, and almost only, reason to get this book is some of the artwork. As unnecessary as the Teen Titans profile is, Phil Jimenez does a great pin-up of the team (as well as a very nice triptych cover that I’d like to see a poster of). The same goes for Jerry Ordway’s imagining of the Weaponers of Qward. Other high points are a sneak preview of Jim Lee’s Superman, Jon Bogdanove returning to a character he co-created (and one of my favorites), Steel, Todd Nauck on the Red Tornado and Y: The Last Man’s Pia Guerra drawing Zatanna.

If you’re into this sort of book for the artwork, then it’s worth getting. If you’re hoping to pick up new information about DC’s greatest heroes, you’d be better off just asking a friend who already reads the book.

Rating: 4/10