Welcome back to the Society Pages, a new 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. And, after 5 weeks, we are finally at the start of “JSA!”
One of the really interesting parts of getting here is seeing just how much DC prepared its audience for this series. Between “Starman” and introducing certain ‘new’ characters in their own miniseries (Doctor Mid-Nite) or appearing in someone else’s book (Mister Terrific), to the “Justice Society Returns” event, the audience was primed and ready for a JSA title. Not only that, but the two aforementioned characters aren’t even a part of this first arc, so the seeds are also sewn for expansion and change down the road. But first, there was a prologue that I’m not really sure why it wasn’t a part of the first issue, because it is pretty damn essential.
JSA Secret Files and Origins #1Cover by Stephen Sadowski
Written by James Robinson, David S. Goyer, Steven Grant, and Ron Marz
Penciled by Scott Benefiel, Eddy Newell, and Chris Weston
Inked by Mark Probst, Eddy Newell, and Chris Weston
Colored by John Kalisz, Gloria Vasquez, and Tom McCraw
Lettered by Ken Lopez, Janice Chiang, and TypesetGet the inside story on how the latest incarnation of the original super-team came together–along with the final fate of one of the Justice Society’s original members. Plus: Black Canary meets Fate and Sentinel spends some time with the new Star-Spangled Kid. Continued in JSA #1!
Before we get to the main piece in this anthology, there are two small pieces that basically catch readers up on two characters who would be very important to the first “JSA” arc, but may not be known to the readers. The first is Fate, the then current Dr. Fate, and there is a story of he and Black Canary meeting for drinks in a sleazy bar. There really isn’t much going on here, beyond saying “Hey, look over here at Fate! He’s going to be important!” Eddy Newell does some gritty, grimy work here that is very effective for the tone of the story, but this version of Fate already looked cheesy and outdated by 1999. He is basically the most 90s design you could ever dream up.
The other story is a sweet, if not a little over the top Ron Marz penned story about Star Spangled Kid chatting with Green Lantern Sentinel. Courtney is written as an obnoxious teenager a lot around this time, but here she’s especially shitty to Alan, who is just trying to be a nice old man. The Chris Weston art makes Courtney look like a gangly, awkward teenager, which I appreciate, but can be a little rough at times, lacking much consistency at all.
But the main story, and it’s a good one, is about Wesley Dodds, the original Sandman. Dodds had a dream that led him to Tibet, where he encounters the Gray Man and sets his companion, Speed Saunders, on a journey to save a yet to be born child. He then is attacked by ‘the Dark Lord,’ but manages to delay him long enough for him to kill himself by jumping off a cliff, both keeping the child’s location a secret and sending himself to the afterlife, where he can be reunited with his wife.
We then see all the major players of the first “JSA” arc react to this event, and most of it is handled really well. But, like Scott Benefiel did in his “Sensation Comics” issue, he can’t help but draw unnecessarily revealing scenes with Hawkgirl, which feel really voyeuristic and creepy. He draws the old men very accurately, and draws the young women like pinups. It’s a very, very weirdly specific shift in his style.
The events of this issue directly lead into “JSA” #1, and although I suppose you can pick up what is happening in there without reading this, I’m not really sure why you’d want to?
Continued belowThe rest of the issue has the usual “Secret Files and Origins” profiles, as well as a JSA timeline and schematics of the JSA headquarters, both of which will come in very handy during this read through.
JSA #1-5Cover by Alan Davis
Written by James Robinson and David S. Goyer
Penciled by Stephen Sadowski and Derec Aucoin
Inked by Michael Blair
Colored by John Kalisz and Heroic Age
Lettered by Ken LopezThe worlds first super-hero team returns in these stories that revamp the team for todays sophisticated comics readers. The new team, which includes Black Canary, Starman, Dr. Fate, the Golden Age versions of Flash and Green Lantern and many others as wellfirst gather at the funeral of the original Sandman, Wesley Dodds, only to head into action together against the Scarab and the classic DC villain Mordru!
The first arc of “JSA” had two main goals: to give the various members a reason to join together, and to give the readers a reason to care about yet another super-team. Sure, the nostalgia of the team is a selling point, but Robinson and Goyer quickly realized that there was only so far that was going to take the book. Luckily, there were enough legacy characters being introduced, as discussed above, to fill out the ranks a little bit.
What is fun about the team’s makeup is that the legacy characters all have very different relationships to the JSA. Jack Knight was a reluctant hero, but very much understands the value of the team. Black Canary is seemingly here to honor her mother’s legacy. Atom Smasher is coming to terms with his family’s legacy. Sand is trying to fill recently departed shoes. Even the older characters have some interesting wrinkles, with Hippolyta still using the ‘Wonder Woman’ name, and Alan Scott still being Sentinel, not Green Lantern.
The initial arc is very much steeped in the past of the team, focusing on the fallout from Dodds’s death, but it also allows a lot growth going forward, though almost always in ways that touch on legacy. For instance, we get a fair amount with Sanderson Hawkins, aka Sand, both dealing with the fallout of his mentor’s death, but also his changing powerset, and his role on the new JSA. We also see the emerging of a new Dr. Fate, though it is in the guise of a character that has a plethora of DC and JSA history.
For the most part, the arc works at setting the stage, and does so far faster than a book today would do so. Issue #2 in particular seems like a story that would’ve taken six issues now; instead of all three teams hitting different locales each taking multiple issues to achieve their goal, it is all wrapped up in one issue.
Stephan Sadowski pencils the first four issues, and does a good job both trying to modernize the look of the book, while maintaining the classic look of these characters. His work is very standard for the late 90s, and all the good and bad that comes from that. He handles action particularly well, though, especially a sequence set in the always interesting Tower of Fate.
The script of these issues sometimes tries a little too hard to squeeze pop culture references in there, but that’s a James Robinson thing from way back. Star Spangled Kid asking for a Backstreet Boys CD feels like a relic from a bygone era for so many reasons. Her relationship with Jack Knight is contentious to start, and has a lot of silly name calling. By the end of the first arc, they are on better terms, and some of the sibling-like bickering takes a backseat.
Overall, the first arc gives the series its grounding, and allows the team to assemble. I know that the team will change a bit in the next few issues when Geoff Johns takes over, but this feels like a pretty clear mission statement for what James Robinson and David Goyer wanted from their Justice Society book.
Continued belowAll-Star Comics 80-Page Giant #1Cover by Michael Lark
Written by Mark Waid, Joe Kelly, Eric Luke, Tom Peyer, Roy Thomas, John Ostrander, James Robinson and David S. Goyer
Penciled by Adam DeKraker, Duncan Rouleau, Christopher Jones, Peter Pachoumis, Kevin Sharpe, Denys Cowan, and Dave Ross
Inked by Mark Probst, Aaron Sowd, Keith Champagne, Wade von Grawbadger, J. Baumgartner, John Floyd, and Andrew Hennessey
Colored by Gloria Vasquez, John Kalisz, Noelle Giddings, and Carla Feeney
Lettered by Ken Lopez, Ken Bruzenak, Kurt Hathaway, Rick Parker, and John Costanza
Finally this week, we get another anthology of past JSA stories. Many of these stories are quite good, but the one I want to draw most attention to is the Robinson/Goyer penned/Dave Ross illustrated Jack Knight/Ted Grant vehicle, “The Ropes.” This is a nice, self-contained story about Ted trying to teach Jack to box a bit, but also acts as a conversation between the old guard and the new guard of the JSA. The story presents each character at their best and their worst: Jack can be aloof and dismissive, Ted can be overbearing and old fashioned.
Ross’s art is a lot of fun, and really gets into the pummeling of Knight in the boxing ring. He looks worse and worse in every panel, but never gives up. And that is where he and Grant bond, and come to an understanding of their roles. It’s an effective story, and gives a little insight into the attitudes of the various generations of team members.
Next week! The second “JSA” arc and the first half of “Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.!”
