JSA: Strange Adventures #4

November 15, 2004

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: All in Color For a Dime

His offer to humanity rejected, Lord Dynamo attacks!

Writer: Kevin J. Anderson
Breakdowns: Barry Kitson
Finishes: Gary Erskine
Colors: Hi-Fi
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editor: Peter J. Tomasi
Cover Art: John Watson
Publisher: DC Comics

Lord Dynamo had a simple offer to mankind – medicine, technology, art, music… enough to advance the human race immeasurably. And all he wanted in return was Green Lantern’s ring and Starman’s cosmic rod. Mankind was ready to give it, too, until Johnny Thunder made an impassioned plea to save his friends. He won. He convinced them.

But Lord Dynamo doesn’t take rejection very well.

I’ve really enjoyed this series. The Justice Society of America in World War II is one of the most fertile storytelling environments in comics and Kevin J. Anderson has done a fine job with these characters. He knows them, he understands them, and he’s doing interesting things with them.

This is clearly Johnny Thunder’s series, with the book focusing on him and his job as the JSA historian and his aspirations to be a writer. If there’s one flaw in this issue, it’s how Anderson sets up a lot of the drama around the fate of a certain character. Look, this story takes place in the past and it’s not an Elseworlds. We know the fate of these characters already. There’s not that much drama to be had there.

Kitson and Erskine do pretty good work on the artwork, although not quite as strong as Kitson does when he does full pencils himself instead of just breakdowns. John Watson’s cover, however, is simply beautiful. He captures all of the characters in a dark moment for them. I’d hang this cover on a wall.

I’m really digging this title. I can’t wait to see where it goes. And I hope Anderson has a few more classic JSA stories in his future.

Rating: 8/10

JSA: Strange Adventures #3

August 14, 2004

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: It Was a Dark and Stormy Night…

Johnny Thunder has a new job –to tell the world the exploits of the Justice Society!

Writer: Kevin J. Anderson
Pencils: Barry Kitson
Inks: Gary Erskine
Colors: Hi-Fi
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editor: Peter Tomasi
Cover Art: John Watson
Publisher: DC Comics

Any time we delve into the World War II-era adventures of the Justice Society of America is a good thing, and acclaimed science fiction writer Kevin J. Anderson does a nice job setting up a really clever series. Johnny Thunder is a fan of pulp magazines, such a big fan that he’s been writing up the adventures of the JSA and submitting them to Amazing Stories only to meet with rejection after rejection… until the editor sees his sales slip and thinks the real-life tales of the JSA may be just what the magazine needs to win their audience back.

Meanwhile, a few nasty characters in Gotham City try to take over the airwaves of a APEX radio, unaware that Green Lantern is the engineer there. GL and Starman take on the villains in a dandy little fight sequence sure to satisfy people who get a little bored by the middle segment.

Not that I expect anyone to be bored – the idea of Johnny Thunder trying to write pulp science fiction is a hysterical one and Anderson executes it very well. He peppers the comic with references to real magazines and real writers, which helps to ground it a bit, but also gives the issue the same sort of flair that many of the current Julius Schwartz DC Comics Presents specials have.

Barry Kitson is one of the most solid superhero artists out there, and he does a fantastic Justice Society. From the nasty monster they fight in the early sequence of the book to Green Lantern and Starman’s fight, this is a energetic comic, made even better by fantastic coloring work by Hi-Fi.

Some people may not care to delve back into the Golden Age, but I’m not one of them. I love stories like this, I love the classic Justice Society, and I love the fact that Anderson and Kitson are doing them so well in the first issue of this miniseries.

Rating: 8/10

Justice League of America (2005 Series) #48

September 13, 2010

Title: The Dark Things Part Five (A Brightest Day crossover)
Writer: James Robinson
Pencils: Mark Bagley
Inks: Rob Hunter, Norm Rapmund, Don Ho, Derek Fridolfs & Rich Perrotta
Colorist: Ulises Arreola & Zarathus
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Cover: Mark Bagley, Jesus Merino & Nei Ruffino
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Publisher: DC Comics

The Justice League and Justice Society (along with Kyle Rayner and Mr. Miracle) face off against a hyped-up Alan Scott. Jade and Obsidian have merged into a new being, and Mr. Terrific’s plan to save the universe will hinge on a couple of girls named Kara.

This really is a fine conclusion to this story arc, bringing everything you were excited about to a boil in the finale. Dr. Mid-Nite’s rescue of Starman is well done, and the cavalry storming in works really nicely. There are some great bits in here with lasting changes for Alan, Jade and Obsidian, clearly establishing their roles in the DC Universe in general and their respective teams in particular. In fact, the Justice League we’re presented with by the end of this issue is an interesting group. I think Robinson has put together a nice core team to build his tenure on this title around.

Mark Bagley’s artwork works, but as I’ve often pointed out, it works better on the young heroes than the Justice Society. It’ll be nice next issue when they return to their own stomping grounds and he’s left with a pretty young team to depict throughout the book. The color team deserves some special recognition here though, I think, really turning out some eye-popping pages.

Then there’s the backup story…

Title: Cogs Part Three
Writer: James Robinson
Pencils: Pow Rodrix
Inks: Ruy Jose
Colorist: Zarathus
Letterer: Rob Leigh

While the Starheart was making all the elementals on Earth go crazy, Cyborg had just finished upgrading Red Tornado’s systems in a way that makes him virtually indestructible. Great idea, until the Starheart pits him against his friend. This issue is mostly an extended battle scene, with Cyborg doing whatever he can to stay alive long enough to – temporarily – put Red Tornado down. It’s an okay sequence, but doesn’t really add much to either character, save for building up the friendship between the two of them. It’s nice, but as neither of them promise to be part of the regular cast of the title, it feels sort of inconsequential.

Rating: 7/10

Justice Society of America (2007 Series) #42

September 6, 2010

Title: The Dark Things Part Four

Writer: James Robinson
Pencils: Mark Bagley
Inks: Norm Rapmund
Colorist: Allen Passalaqua
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Cover: Mark Bagley
Editor: Mike Carlin
Publisher: DC Comics

As the Brightest Day crossover continues, the Guardians of the Universe have sent Kyle Rayner to Earth to take out Alan Scott by any means necessary – even killing him. Not that this will be all that easy, mind you. Alan has been possessed by the power of the Starheart, a power that’s spread out to encompass not only his children Jade and Obsidian, but nearly every magic or elemental powered metahuman on the planet.

James Robinson continues to bring in nice, quick moments for dozens of heroes in this series. Dr. Mid-Nite’s rescue of Starman is a great bit, as is the battle Alan Scott has against Power Girl and Supergirl at the same time (which should go to show you just how powerful the Starheart actually is.) This is the penultimate issue, where everything is building up for a big finale, and the buildup really works well.

Bagley’s art is still kind of back-and-forth for me. As I’ve mentioned before, I find he does a very good job depicting the younger heroes (he was a magnificent Spider-Man and New Warriors artist for many years, after all), but his elder heroes don’t look quite as good. On the plus side, he’s got a good technique for bringing in lots (and lots) of characters on to a single page, making for fight scenes that are exciting and really give the sense that the heroes are getting overwhelmed.

I’m kind of surprised by this book, it feels like Jade’s personal Brightest Day storyline is coming to a close sooner than expected. But then again, back in 52 we saw characters’ stories ending at different times as well. Ultimately, as long as the end is satisfying, that’s what’s important.

Rating: 7/10