A Sense of Doubt blog post #2910 - The New DCU and the Justice Society of America

A Sense of Doubt blog post #2910 - The New DCU and the Justice Society of America

I am including some reviews here after my comments.

I am not as big of a fan of the JSA as I am of other super groups and other comics. I like most of the characters well enough, and I like some of the re-imagining in the last couple of decades, such as making the original Green Lantern, Alan Scott, gay. However, I was not a reader of Infinity Corp or many of the 1980s JSA offshoots.

Still, I am a big Geoff Johns fan and a HUGE fan of Mikel Janin since his days on the Nightwing comic.

I am also a big fan of the Huntress not as the daughter of a crime lord turned vigilante but as Helena Wayne, daughter or Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. Though I confess that the Nightwing-Huntress romance when they were not in any way related was kinda hot.

But none of these fandom loves would truly get me excited if the JSA book were to be what it seemed at the start -- a new team with "new heroes." Both "new" and "heroes" deserve their own quotations as the group is neither new nor heroes.

Still, the story started out as a good read, though the characterization of Power Girl as a completely maniacal and unhinged psychotic was a bit much. So to see her shot first was at least a relief from her rage-aholic portrayal.

The comic did a great job subverting the expectations it set. Starting out promising readers a reboot with new heroes in a future in which Batman and Catwoman do get married and have a child, only to decimate that team and plan and send the Huntress back in time to when? The 1940s? We don't know yet but it seems likely given the time journey that proceeds her arrival.

I liked the featuring of artists who worked on some of those other JSA comics, such as Jerry Ordway (who doesn't get enough work and should), Scott Kolins, Steve Lieber, and Brandon Peterson.

I can't wait for the next issue, which will surely hit the top of my stack when it arrives in a box from Michigan tomorrow (or yesterday, since I am writing these words Tuesday morning the 7th).

Thanks for tuning in.


https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/dc-comics/justice-society-of-america-(2022)/1

Overall from critics, this issue received an 8.5 with users giving it a 7.8. But users are often reactionary and obsessive about stupid things.

https://butwhytho.net/2022/11/review-justice-society-of-america-issue-1/

rated 10/10

REVIEW: ‘Justice Society Of America,’ Issue #1

By William J. Jackson

Justice Society Of America #1 explodes across the DC Comics timeline with the opening salvo of one great storyline. Geoff Johns pens the issue with Mikel Janin as the leading artist. Guest artists include Jerry Ordway, Scott Kolins, Steve Lieber, and Brandon Peterson. Jordie Bellaire is the colorist with guests John Kalisz, Jordan Boyd, and Brandon Peterson, with lettering handled by Rob Leigh.

This issue kicks off from Johns’s story in The New Golden Age #1. Similar to his take on Doomsday Clock, Johns jumps around from past, present, and future. But here, he confines the timeline mainly to that of the Justice Society, the world’s (and comics’) first superhero team. But unlike the plot in Stargirl The Lost Children #1, this storyline takes us 26 years into the future and the heroic career of the Huntress.

Helena Wayne is the daughter of the murdered Batman and Catwoman. She took up a superhero mantle and formed a new Justice Society with some somewhat surprising members, all interested in finding out who killed the latest incarnation of Dr. Fate. My favorite parts of this issue came early on. The Huntress is complicated; she is very Batman-oriented but without overt grimness. She outwardly portrays a rugged individual but has a heart of gold. The use of Solomon Grundy was unexpected, as was the choice of future JSA members. I did a double take seeing them. But I have to say, it worked. There isn’t anything original here, just excellent comic book storytelling seeking to respect old material while giving it some new wrinkles. The villain was made apparent in The New Golden Age and is long established in the lore.

What makes this excellence is the characterization of Huntress, her risks, the futility of her mission, and the respect (at last!) DC places on its first team and its history. Even the 1976 Earth-2 JSA/JSI stories are canon now. There are some fine details to work out there, but good on them. DC’s most significant error was knocking the JSA out of existence. New ideas are needed. A blind eye to the past is not.

Johns pens this issue straightforward. There are lots of temporal one-panel blips roaming about. Janin’s artwork is smooth as polished glass. Huntress looks amazing. Grundy is a zombified heap of glorious line work. The rest of the JSA are well rendered. Even we are hit with a change of art style and color, and nothing gets dim or faded. Everything is crystal clear. I understand fans were weirded by Doomsday Clock’s big promises and uneventful end. But I feel like what they wanted from that was the JSA back. This is where that story needs to play out. Classic heroes are getting reinvigorated for today.

I love the story. I don’t mind Huntress being the focal point for now. Hopefully, soon enough, we will see the entire team in action in various eras. I have no idea how she will deliver the team from the hands of destruction, but it looks to be a fantastic ride into action, lore, and personal struggle. If you have never read the Justice Society’s previous comics, now’s the time to learn about them. Time travel stories make that easier, and we get an interesting old/new character to take us on that tour.

Justice Society Of America #1 is available now wherever comic books are sold.

“Legends Die Together, Too” 

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Mikel Janín
Color Artist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Guest Artists: Jerry Ordway, Scott Kolins, Steve Lieber, and Brandon Peterson
Guest Color Artists: John Kalisz, Jordan Boy, Brandon Peterson

Review by Kendra Hale

When I explain why Justice Society #1 means so much to me, I truly hope you can understand. I remember seeing the announcement on Mikel Janín’s Facebook for the series and screaming internally for joy. In the argument of JSA vs. JLA, my vote always fell on the side of JSA. While I have a massive love for the characters who made up the JLA, the JSA always felt more relatable.

Maybe if I say it felt more welcoming, that will better articulate what I mean. When you step back and look at the JLA, these are established heroes, most of whom have been battle hardened. Not the best proving ground for newer heroes or those still in their young days. The JSA is a different vintage. They welcomed those still learning, or who wanted and needed training. It always felt like more of a family.

The Golden Age 

Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, Ted Grant, Dinah Lance, Stormy Knight, Pieter Cross, Richard Tyler, Jim Corrigan, Kent Nelson, Michael Holt, Sanderson Hawkins, and so many more have held the title of JSA Team member. With over 1255 issues to the JSA’s name, we’ve not only witnessed immense talent from both the writing and art worlds, but some of the greatest stories in comic book history.

I still hold the Alex Ross covers as the number one examples that haunt my mind, to this day, and that overtakes even the astounding covers he did for Marvels or continues to create for Fantastic Four. So, while I want to go into this series with a clean slate and no expectations it’s nigh on impossible, given what I have seen these creatives do and knowing the heights they have to hit.

That being said let’s dive into this review and meet all the players for this new generation of Justice Society.

Her Father’s Daughter

Justice Society #1 opens with a time variance between three periods in history. We revisit Bruce Wayne losing his parents, Selina breaking free, and then finally Catwoman asking for help for a baby that Bruce cannot know about who is in danger.  Moving forward 26 years, enter Helena Wayne, the daughter of Bruce and Selina, now a leading member of the current Justice Society. The JSA has helped her with carrying the legacy of her fallen Father and helped mold her desire to help by refining her purpose. We join her in her search for Doctor Fate, who’s had a vision that only she can help with.

The New Team 

Obviously, most fans have met Helena before, and know her background. Most would also be familiar with Solomon Grundy, born on a Monday. Another familiar face is Power Girl or Kara Zor-L, but not everyone will know these characters, so let me do a quick breakdown of the characters. First, we have Jim Craddock, The Gentleman Ghost, who was once an enemy of the Hawks. Then there’s Michael Mayne, the son of The Harlequin, Cameron Mahkent, the oldest child of the Icicle, Kyle Knight the current Mist, and finally Ruby Sokov the daughter of Vladimir Sokov, the Red Lantern.

Watching The World Burn

Justice Society #1 has groundbreaking names at the helm and it shows masterfully in every panel. I mean the very first page featuring Huntress sees her choking out Falcone, this set the standard quickly and captured my attention promptly with just one splash page. Justice Society is being written by one of THE greatest storytellers the game has known, Geoff Johns. Some of DC’s most pivotal stories have his name attached to them, and there are few characters the man hasn’t written about. That in itself is exciting.

Backing him on the art side is someone who most certainly has the artistic chops to bring Geoff’s words to life, Mikel Janín. Known for his exquisite work on Batman, Mikel’s art is always eye-catching and detailed. To round out the art team is Jordie Bellaire on colors and she shows her mastery. It’s absolutely astonishing that she helps breathe every scene fully to life emotionally just with the right touch of tone.

Bonus Features

For Justice Society #1 we also get variant covers that hearken back to the Golden Age art style and are supremely delicious. We have pieces by Yanick Paquette and Nathan Fairbairn on the main variant cover, Joe Quinones for the ’90s Rewind variant, Jerry Ordway and John Kalisz for the 1:25 variant, and Steve Leiber and Nathan Fairbairn for the 1:50 variant.

We also get treated to bonus guest artists and guest color work, Jerry Ordway, Scott Kolins, Steve Leiber, and Brandon Peterson. Color Artists featured are John Kalisz, Jordan Boyd, and Brandon Peterson. Massive talent with tons of titles and books to their creed.

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