Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Dale Eaglesham & Art Thibert
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
The third incarnation of the Justice Society of America starts with a bang, as Geoff Johns and Dale Eaglesham jump right into World War III from page one! This dynamic and series defining image showcases the classic and most popular line-up of characters - Stargirl, Green Lantern (Alan Scott), Power Girl, Mr Terrific, Jakeem Thunder & his Thunderbolt, The Flash (Jay Garrick), Dr Midnight, Sand, Wildcat and Hourman. Many of these characters are relics of the so called Golden-Age of comics; the period in the 1940’s when the comic-book was both topical and plentiful, when brightly coloured heroes battled villains in four-colour glory. But, unlike many other comic-book heroes, The Flash, Green Lantern and Wildcat have all grown older and less impulsive as the years have progressed. Of course, they don’t really show their age as much as they should, having been around a good Sixty-plus years, but this can be easily explained away by the Crisis (as can many uncomfortable questions these days). The fact that these characters are no longer youthful doesn’t relegate them to the bench however; if anything it is their experience and humility that allows them to function in the modern world- by forming a group of both old and young, as the mantle of heroism is passed onto the next generation.
DC Comics have had a long history of passing on the titles of their heroes- from the many and varied Green Lanterns (Alan Scott, Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner) to the more ‘familial’ Flash heritage (current Flash Bart Allen’s Grandfather was Barry Allen, the Golden Age Flash). This is where the JSA fits into the DC Universe, they are the family that binds the generations together; allowing new characters to benefit from the lessons learnt by their predecessors, whilst at the same time affording the older characters the opportunity to ‘keep an eye’ on them.
The Justice Society has never been about the powerhouse characters such as Superman, Wonder Woman or Batman. Rather, the JSA tends to focus on the lesser known, but historically important heroes who helped shape the DC Universe into what it is today. The Flash and Green Lantern are the oldest and probably most powerful of the team, and along with Wildcat make up the founders of the Society and its oldest (and eldest) members. However, their powers are often of less importance than their experience, which is where their real strength lies. Having been around for over sixty years, they’ve picked up more than a few tricks along the way- and have meshed their own individual abilities and strategies together to form a fully coherent and complimentary unit. It is this sense of family, of community that drives the JSA: everyone knows it’s importance and history, and the very real honor that being a member incurs- even Batman (that most taciturn of speakers) makes note of this in his brief appearance in this very issue: ‘The Justice League is a strike force. The Justice Society is a family.’ And Wonder Woman follows up the sentiment by alluding to them as ‘A moral compass’, which is as fitting description as any I could think of.
So if the JSA isn’t about raw power, what are the ‘big three’ doing in the first few pages of this new series? Well, they’re just there to highlight the difference between and the importance of the two ‘Justice’ teams. It’s all well and good showing how the two differ practically, but having one of the most recognizable cowls in the comics world state it as fact is a definite bonus - a seal of approval of sorts. For many readers, this might be the first introduction to these characters, having Batman praise their tradition can only help people understand what they are all about. Also, the newly re-formed team need a bit of help tracking down and offering membership to all of the newly powered people that have recently begun to flood the DC Universe (ever since Infinite Crisis). Who better to help out some old-folks with their shopping lists than the JLA?
This first issue has several interwoven story-threads, each adds to the overall complexity and subtlety of the series as a whole. We have the various members of the JSA tracking down and offering membership to those lucky enough to have been approved; we have Ted Grant (Wildcat) reminiscing about the history of the Society and his particular role within it (as both physical trainer and mentor, a man of few words but startling clarity of insight after a few rounds in the ring), and there is the separate (and yet surely equally important) narrative concerning Mr. America attempting to track down the murderer of his family. Each thread is handled with enough care and thought to hint at greater things, and yet still give you the required dose of pure enjoyment. Hearing Ma Hunkel (caretaker of the JSA Headquarters and grandmother of a newly powered young girl) diss Guy Gardner in the same breath as she praises the other Green Lanterns (‘Nice group of young men’) is just one example of the wit and consideration that fills every line of dialogue and every panel of beautiful, traditional comic-book art.
Each character really lives their life here, Mr. America is barely holding it together as he searches in vain for an unknown mastermind; the new Starman is confused and potentially Schizophrenic and yet aware of his illness and the potential consequences; Ted Grant looks like he feels much more than he ever lets on, and yet is clearly determined to play the role of the stoic, all-macho boxer. When they communicate, the old friendships are plain to see, whilst the body language and forced indifference of the newbies makes them stand out a mile away. But these are new and dangerous times, and with the sudden arrival of Mr. America, it is clear that the JSA need to overcome their difficulties quickly and more on to more urgent matters.
No one writes quite like Geoff Johns, and no-one else writes the JSA in quite the same way either. His style combines elements of traditional comic-scripting with modern narrative form- in the same way that the JSA mix both old and new characters to make something great. His work is heavily embedded in the history and architecture of the rich DC Universe, but never to the extent that it is impervious to new readers. To be honest, it was Geoff Johns/James Robinsons JSA run that brought me back around to superhero comics after a long absence; the rich storytelling combined with an innovative use of history and character interaction just won me over within a few pages. It’s the same here, every page feels like it is transcribing events that actually happened, to real people. The defined nature of each character, however small, is absolutely spot-on. The old favourites have returned after an absence the less-than-well-received JSA: Classified series didn’t come close to filling, whilst the new characters have lives and histories that appear to be as detailed as any of those already transcribed over the past sixty-plus years. We can already begin to see the lines and boundaries form, separating characters and families in a way that can only be overcome through adversity. This is what writing comics is (or should be all about); involving your readers in the everyday lives of your characters, not just their fights with Sinistro or Despero, but their arguments and idiosyncrasies with each other.
Dale Eaglesham’s art is also a joy to behold. I’ve been a big fan of his ever since seeing his work on Sigil (one of the four flagship titles of CrossGen Comics, sigh…) and was excited to hear he was to be the regular artist on this book. His brand of dynamic and yet equally restrained art is a perfect match for Johns’ writing, it allows the panels space to breath and say what they need to, but retain enough vibrancy and subtlety to never become boring. Every panel that appears dominated by text boxes or dialogue is also brimming with small, yet important artistic flourishes that bring the scene together. From the way that characters pursue tasks and errands whilst not engaging in the main crux of the panel, to the way that light plays upon the faces of those who aren’t really sure what’s going on, each small detail somehow brings out the humanity in the characters involved, allowing us to become intimate with their lives. We are as much a part of this comic as they are, and as their losses are our losses, so their triumphs are ours too.
Adam is the Manager of the Travelling Man Comic Book and Hobby Games Store in Leeds, UK. He’s a self-confessed über-fanboy and loves nothing more than chatting about the obvious superiority of the old-skool JSA over “Those damn glory-hogging kids, the Justice League”. He’s also a massive fan of small press indie comics, and loves reading new and exciting books that haven’t had all of the soul sucked out of them by the mainstream (yet). He also over-uses parentheses and hyphens, but likes the attention it gets him.