Welcome back to the Society Pages, a column that looks back at the ‘modern’ history of the Justice Society of America. The main thrust of this column is to look at “JSA” and “Justice Society of America,” two ongoing series, written for most of their runs by Geoff Johns.
After an unfortunately necessary week over, we return to look at a strange Elseworlds series that lived on, in spurts and starts, longer than either of Johns’s ongoing series, “JSA: The Liberty Files.”
JSA: The Liberty FileCover by Tony Harris
Written by Dan Jolley and Tony Harris
Penciled by Tony Harris
Inked by Ray Snyder
Colored by Matt Hollingsworth
Lettered by Ken LopezAn Elseworlds tale! As World War II rages around the globe, a vicious albino smuggler intercepts a parcel whose contents could change the outcome of the war. Now the Allies’ secret heroes Owl, Clock and Bat battle for the safety of the world.
There is a gene in creators of a certain age that romanticizes both pulp heroes and World War II, often times together. That is certainly the case for Tony Harris, the connective tissue between the three miniseries that fall under the ‘Liberty Files’ heading. Here, the JSA, Batman, and others are all reimagined as players in the battle against the Nazis, government agents instead of vigilantes.
“The Liberty File,” the first of these minis, is in many ways the middle ground between the two series that follows. While it is undoubtedly an engaging story that looks absolutely gorgeous, it is, at best, only half a JSA story. The villains aren’t ones associated with the team, and of the four main heroes, only three are really JSAers – “Owl,” aka Dr. Mid-Nite, “Clock,” or Hourman, and “Mister Terrific” Terry Sloane. The other, Batman, as well as the MacGuffin, Martian Manhunter, are more associated with Earth-One’s Justice League of America.
But hot damn does this book look gorgeous. Tony Harris was at his artistic peak in the late 90s/early 00s, and here, with Ray Snyder’s heavy line and Matt Hollingsworth’s brooding colors, the book finds its pulp roots while not sacrificing any of the emotion or pomp that comes from superhero comics. Artistically, this is the finest of the three titles, though “The Unholy Three” comes in a close second. Harris’s costume designs for these re-imagined heroes are especially inspired, with Batman’s costume being a more functional, less flamboyant take, to Sloane’s cobbled together creation.
But ultimately, this is a borderline JSA book at best. Thankfully, the next miniseries in this line would have a stronger JSA presence.
JSA: The Unholy ThreeCover by Tony Harris
Written by Dan Jolley and Tony Harris
Penciled by Tony Harris
Inked by Ray Snyder
Colored by J.D. Mettler
Lettered by Ken LopezEight years after the events of The Liberty File, the Bat, the Clock and the brash young powerhouse named Clark Kent are back in action. Two ex-KGB operatives code-named Parasite and Steelwolf are killing American covert agents in Berlin, and the Unholy Three must stop them before they find the Trigger, a mystery device that could end all life on Earth!
Colorist J.D. Mettler is the only new member of this creative team and he, more or less, fits like a glove. This second volume is just as gorgeous, visually, as the first. Harris is an artist that is often most effective inked by others (see his “Starman” work, often inked by the great Wade Von Grawbadger), and Ray Snyder does some incredible work with his pencils. Look at this stunning page where all four visual artists are on top of their game.
The biggest issue with this miniseries is that it follows the ‘Superman is evil’ trope that was played out in 2003, and is nearly unbearable in 2020. This one does a nice play on that, however, and has it not be Kal-El that falls to Earth, but Zod, plucked from the Phantom Zone by a Nazi experiment. That is enough of a refresh to give the book a unique edge, but still feels a little played out.
Continued belowBut the book introduces a host more heroes, and continues the tradition of the first in a satisfying way. Even if these are essentially JSA in name only, they are comics that look great and read well. While I probably could have skipped these, I’m glad I didn’t.
Undoubtedly, the third series will be just as essential, with as many ties to the JSA! (Takes a comically large sip of water…)
JSA Liberty File: The Whistling SkullCover by Tony Harris
Written by B. Clay Moore
Illustrated by Tony Harris
Colored by Dave McCaig
Lettered by Wes AbbotIn 1940s Europe, the Nazi war machine is on the move…but crimes are still committed in even the smallest hamlets. One heroic duo must solve the most bizarre mystery of all, but when dealing with Der Karneval, the current Whistling Skull and his partner Knuckles must learn to rely on the memories of the Whistling Skulls that came before and uncover a mystery all in the midst of the greatest war in world history!
Uh oh.
“JSA Liberty File: The Whistling Skull” is a meandering title from a wholly different creative team, save for Tony Harris, and featuring brand new characters with no JSA connection, outside some mentions and a first issue flashback. In fact, this is addressed within the narrative in the second issue:
In fact, this was announced as a creator owned work titled “The Further Adventures of the Whistling Skull” back when WildStorm was a separate publisher under the DC umbrella back in 2010. Clearly, they wanted to goose the sales, added the JSA name, and moved it over to DC proper, after the Elseworlds branding had been removed. Following so far?
Unlike the first two, which were oversized two-issue stories, this is six issues long, and looks totally different than the first two series. I’m sure part of that is intentional, but the coloring and inking are really lacking here when compared to the first two miniseries. There, the grotesque was played for effect; here it seems like it is played for humor. Everyone is smirking and weirdly muscular in parts, almost lumpy.
With almost no JSA connection, inferior writing (from the usually reliable B. Clay Moore) and artwork, and a bloated page count, this is a clearly inferior product and one that shouldn’t have been put out under the banner of the prior two series. I can’t really fault Harris and Moore, who clearly had a story they had to shoehorn under the ‘Liberty Files’ banner. But, for anyone hoping to read along, feel free to skip this one.
