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. But before we can get into that book, we’ve got some homework to do.
In 1992, the first ongoing title called “Justice Society of America” was launched from writer Ken Stawzewski and artist Mike Parobek. The series which, unbeknownst to me, had a letters page called ‘Society Pages,’ is the first series, post-“Crisis on Infinite Earths,” to really dig into the idea of the JSA as the elder statesmen of the DCU. Let’s dig in.
Justice Society of America Volume 2Cover by Mike Parobeck
Written by Len Strazewski
Penciled by Mike Parobeck
Inked by Mike Machlan, Matt Banning and Jeff Albrecht
Colored by Glenn Whitmore
Lettered by Bob PinahaThe original Justice Society of America lineup–The Flash, Green Lantern, the Atom, Dr. Midnite, Wildcat, Starman, the Sandman, Johnny Thunder, Hourman, Johnny Quick, Hawkman and Hawkgirl–returns from their decades long exile in a secret dimension! However, life back in the DC Universe isn’t the same: new heroes, new villains and new challenges abound!
Strazewski wrote the prior volume of “Justice Society of America,” which took place in 1950, and we discussed last week. That series didn’t really break too much new ground, and there were parts that bordered on creeper territory with the way the other characters talked to Black Canary. Strazewski, overall, fares much better here, though not without a little weirdness thrown in.
The series, on a whole, is about aging, and trying to find purpose later in life. It’s a topic that isn’t covered quite often in superhero comics. In a way, this book feels like a superhero Jackie Brown, a film that is all about folks getting older but still being able to thrive. The JSA are trying to find a way to be productive heroes in a world that has, more or less, passed them by. The various members are all handling this situation differently, with the married heroes having the easiest time adjusting.
Al Pratt, the Atom, seems the most frustrated by the new status quo. He doesn’t have a family, nor does he have a business to return to. Whereas Ted Grant, Wildcat, seems eternally grateful for this new chapter, Pratt can’t share in his joy. The series does a good job establishing the JSA as a collection of individuals, and doesn’t shy away from showing the mixed feelings that would likely come from their, shall we say, unique situation.
The series is also aided by a more consistent art style form Mike Parobeck. His work has a timeless quality, keeping the designs simple and clean. But the book doesn’t feel like a Golden Age pastiche, visually. Parobeck does a good job integrating the classic characters into the modern timeline, without leaning too much on ‘fish out of water’ visuals.
The series was cut short at just ten issues, but a fair amount is accomplished in the time given. There are arcs featuring some Golden Age remnant villains, but the series is never really about the external forces at place. Strazewski really focuses the book on the struggle of purpose and the shifting realities of aging. On that front, I can both see that the book was unique and accomplished its goals, but also why the book might not have been very popular with the kids of 1992.
Unfortunately, Strazewski gets into some of the trouble he was in last volume when it comes to gender stuff. This series introduces Jesse Quick, daughter of Liberty Belle and Johnny Quick, and she, initially, is a hint at what the JSA would become later in the decade. But she quickly devolves into ‘sexy young woman bait,’ being used to distract and trap thirsty men. She’s an interesting idea, reduced to blonde hair and an unzipped top.
There is also some weirdness with the Ultra-Humanite, a Golden Age villain that jumped from body to body. That means that sometimes the Ultra-Humanite was in a human body, sometimes a giant ape’s, and appeared as both male and female at different times. Now obviously, 30 years ago gender identity was not exactly understood the way it is now, but the book gets a lot of cheap jokes out of ‘who knows what the Ultra-Humanite is?’ jokes.
Continued belowThe pop culture/news references in the book are both a fascinating look at 1992 and also pretty hilarious. Why Strazewski felt the need to have Doctor Mid-Nite hear of the passing of Denholm Elliott? I have no idea/. If you had ‘the DC analogue of Archbishop Desmond Tutu’ on your bingo card, congratulations, you’re a weirdo, but a correct weirdo.
Overall, this series had a limited scope that showed a few hints of growth, if it kept going, whether through Jesse, or through the continued re-integration into society. There were only a few non-JSA characters that showed up after the first issue, but it would have been interesting to see how Strazewski would have integrated some of the other 90s DC characters if the series had continued.
Before the series cancellation, there was supposed to be a crossover with “Justice League Europe,” and while that never materialized, there were a few pages of Parobek’s art for the proposed crossover that found its way into “Justice League Europe” #49, and the JSA characters showed up for both issue #49 and 50.
Justice League Europe #49-50Cover by Ron Randall
Written by Gerard Jones
Penciled by Ron Randall and Mike Parobeck
Inked by Randy Elliott
Colored by Gene D’Angelo
Lettered by Willie Schubert
Ostensibly because of the cancellation of “Justice Society of America,” the JSA has very, very little to do in these two issues, aside appear captured for 4/5s of the time. The JLE team was in a weird flux, relaunching as “Justice League International” with issue #51, and so the book feels like a conclusion of the European vacation adventure.
Anyway, the JSA does nothing and most of this is so steeped in its contemporary stories that it is almost inscrutable without reading prior issues which, for this project, just wasn’t in the works. So, enjoy this panel of Sonar pulling a fast one on Hal Jordan.
Next week, “Zero Hour,” and the deaths of some JSAers.
