Multiversity: Society of Super-Heroes #1

This is sort of a hard comic to review. As usual, Grant Morrison is biting off a huge task in his comic book work. This one issue has to set up a parallel Earth, complete with alternate history. It needs to establish a new world of super-heroes and villains. It needs to tie into the greater threat of the Gentry from Multiversity #1.

Heck, in addition to all of that set-up, we also need an actual story, complete with rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. Morrison ALMOST pulls it off. The problem is, as near as I can tell, the story just abruptly stops in the middle of what I’d call the climax.

The Society of Super-Heroes, or S.O.S is a pretty easy to like group. Led by the enigmatic Doc Fate (sort of magic-powered pulp version), the Iron Munro-trained Atom, a very alien Abin Sur, a squad of Lady Blackhawks, and a fascinating Anthro the Immortal Man, the group covers a lot of bases. Abin Sur’s Green Lantern is pretty dang powerful, but the rest of the folks seem pretty grounded in pulp sensibility. 

Doc Fate gets a lot of dialogue, but Anthro seems to anchor the story a bit more. I was immediately interested in the Immortal Man’s long-view perspective and outlook. When he gives a piece of jewelry to one of the Blackhawks, he states he’ll just go get it back after its current home crumbles. That’s a long view!

The villains are ostensibly working for the Gentry, the main villains in the Multiversity series. Fate describes the situation involving Nix Uotan and the Gentry pretty well, although I’m never quite sure if the main story involves those weird creatures or not. Felix Faust is powered by their dark energies, but Vandal Savage, Parallax, Lady Shiva, and Blockbuster all seem to be motivated by their normal desires. At one point, Vandal Savage declares his desire to be pirates invading other Earths, “Prepare to board!”

Like everyone else, it is hard not to comment on the similarities between the invading parallel Earths in this story and the ongoing, multi-year marathon that Jonathan Hickman is writing over in Avengers. I certainly hope that this story runs a lot faster, though. I can’t stand the idea of waiting 5 years to see this one resolved too. As long as the story inches forward in each of these one-shots, I'm not going to complain too much.

In a story like this, with relatively few pages to establish an entire universe and continuity, there is a heavy burden on the art. Chris Sprouse is up to the task. The WWII-era pulp setting is clearly established from page 1 forward. The architecture, vehicles, and even the tone of the action (established in script, of course) sell the alternate reality. Sprouse’s character designs are great. The almost formal look to many of the characters (including Atom and Sinestro!) lends dated feeling to the proceedings that enhances the alternate universe concept.

$4.99. Dang. I didn’t even notice that at the shop. The book is 40 pages, so I just need to remember that this would have been a “prestige bookshelf” book back in the day. It is certainly GOOD enough content to justify the price.  

Earth 2 v1: The Gathering HC

Holy. Cow. Guys, you might want to sit down for this. At one point in this collection, Jay Garrick actually rescues some innocent bystanders. He complains that he wants to be fighting big bad Solomon Grundy, but he does it. And then, after the fight, he calmly states that he had to help fight the bad guy because “That makes us heroes, right? We do the right thing.” This is in a DC Comic? What the what????

These guys are actually acting like heroes, putting themselves at risk! There is no over-explanation of the costumes. There is no rationalizing or embarrassment about super-heroics. This is straight-up a new continuity of heroes.

James Robinson does what SHOULD have been done in the new 52. This is a new take on character you used to know. This is an Elseworlds that can admit it. Alan Scott is very different, heck; the ring he gets is coming from Swamp Thing’s “Green.” But he still acts like a hero. And overconfident, somewhat jerky hero, but his heart is in the right place.

Hawkgirl has ties to the “world army” along with the Atom and Mr. Terrific. There are lots of hints about shared history and secrets, but the story stands fine on its own. Most of all, Hawkgirl retains her tough edge while still being an approachable, fun character. She and Jay Garrick are buddies by the end of the book.

In the world of Earth 2, heroes are called Wonders. There were only 5. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Robin (Huntress), and Supergirl (Power Girl). They all died fighting off Steppenwolf’s invasion of parademons a few years before the main characters show up. Now it is the time for the next generation of Wonders to step up. The government has some. Some are popping up randomly. And it seems that Mr. Terrific is coming over from the new 52 to join up too.

I can’t state how refreshing it is to see a new continuity treated like a fresh start. I miss the old JSA terribly, but these aren’t those characters with their morals downgraded. Same names, similar powers, but these are re-imaginings. That is a lot easier to take.

Everyone’s suits have been updated to look sleek and post-modern, but the art has a different feel than the rest of the new 52. Even with Jim Lee designing some of the costumes, Nicola Scott does an absolutely fantastic job making everything still look heroic. Her alternate Wonder Woman just makes me pine for a better-looking version of the character in the new 52.

James Robinson isn’t reinventing the wheel like he did on Starman, or even the recent Shade series. He’s just delivering a solid super-hero title that is high on action and drama. This is a GOOD representation of what the new 52 should have been.

Back Issue Review: Justice Society of America Special #1 (2010)

I remember this book coming out a couple years ago, but I know it tied in to the Magog series that I’d already dropped. But I saw it a few weeks ago in a dollar bin and Scott Kolins' art is worth at least that!

This is a pretty generic team-up book with a slight focus on Magog. There really isn’t enough time for most of the characters to get any development time at all. This is one big fight, with Magog and the JSA taking on Kingdom Come’s N.I.L.8 and the underlings of Gog. It’s full of one-liners and generic action talk. Kolins does a better job with some characters than others; his Magog is decent, and I liked his surly Wildcat. Power Girl gets to kick some butt, so that was nice to see again. Gog himself barely shows up, and his followers seem a lot more blatantly evil than he appeared in his original JSA storyline.

I will say it was nice seeing those fantastic old costumes again. Power Girl, Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, Wildcat, I could go on and on. I suppose it’s true what they say, all your old comics are still sitting there if you don’t like the new ones!

Kolins is a dynamic penciler. No one does super-heroes better. But this book looks rushed. There are very few backgrounds and many of the panels look choppy. Kolins’ later work on JSA was a lot prettier. Was this a fill-in issue, or was it a couple issues of Magog that got re-packaged for higher sales? Magog kind of walks off into the sunset at the close, did he show up again before the reboot?

Make no mistake; this is not a great comic. But it’s got good action and decent art, so it was well worth the buck I paid to pick it up.

Average

Justice Society of America #54

What a gorgeous cover. What a poster that could make!

Doesn’t really matter anymore, does it? Marc Guggenheim wraps up his interesting Monument Point storyline in a pretty abrupt fashion, letting a super-powered energy blast do what the entire JSA could not, taking down the weird dude trapped under Monument Point. I assume this would have been more dramatic and detailed had the DCU not rebooted.

I’m still annoyed that Jesse Quick was sort of to blame for letting this guy go, and it’s also interesting that the mysterious Senator from earlier in the book was actually correct. Having the JSA hang around in Monument Point really was a bad idea.

In the end, this is going to be a shortened, forgotten run, as Guggenheim turned out some solid super-hero comics, but hardly reinvented the wheel during his time on the book.

Jerry Ordway’s pencils are a delight, as always. I truly hope there is a place for his classic style in the new 52 somewhere. Is it too much to hope for a new Shazam title?

Fair

Justice Society of America #53

I’ll lead off by saying I really hope the rumors about the new JSA series are true. James Robinson and Nicola Scott? That’s a Golden Age dream team if you ask me. Just wonderful potential there.

But how is Marc Guggenheim doing for his lame duck story? Not bad, although I have to say I’m a bit confused. First of all, I’m pretty sure that the Challengers of the Unknown are older than they appear in this story. Isn’t one of them the old-ish priest from the recent Doom Patrol series? Yet here they are in their prime, out challenging the unknown. It just confuses me.

My other big problem is Jesse Quick. She makes such a colossal blunder in this issue, it is going to be hard to respect her after this (fortunately, I guess that is only for one more month). Unless she’s been under the influence of some mind-affecting power, she absolutely is responsible for anything that the new bad guy does after his release. And considering how much trouble someone went through to trap him? That could be bad news.

I found myself smiling through the issue, and the reason was Jerry Ordway’s art. The guy is just a master storyteller, and he does such a great job with facial expressions and different builds. I wish I could see more regular work from the guy, this book was just plain pretty.

Good (got a bump up because of the art!)

Justice Society of America #52

What a weird comic. After a frenetic debut, Marc Guggenheim’s addition to the DCU, the city of Monument Point, has gotten a lot calmer. Sure, there is a mysterious set of doors sitting under the city, locking something in, but there seems to be plenty of time to look at it. I don’t think the JSA realizes they are two months away from being erased out of the DCU. That’s too bad, I like the expansive approach to the cast Guggenheim is using. This issue featured Hourman, Star Girl, Liberty Belle, Dr. Mid-Nite, and some pretty fun guest-stars.

The guest-stars are another weird point. The Challengers of the Unknown and the JSA really don’t get along. Their interactions throughout the issue are those of professionals trying to stake their claim in certain areas of expertise. The JSA think they can handle everything, but the Challengers want to keep their hold on exploring the unknown. It’s an interesting dynamic, and one I rarely see in comics.

Tom Derenick’s art is still pretty solid. He’s got a nice take on Hourman.

Fair

Justice Society of America #50

This one's a lot more setup that delivery, although Marc Guggenheim does get a lot of mileage out of his guest-artists. There are nice sequences by George Perez, Howard Chaykin, and Freddie Williams II. Tom Derenick handles the modern portion of the story, while those guest-artists give us glimpses of Per Degaton and his past run-ins with the JSA. Derenick does a nice job with the modern portion. His art has always had a bit of a flat quality, things the foreground look similar to stuff in the background, but he does nice super-characters.

It seems Per Degaton will be the main villain for the next arc, assuming he has something to do with the dark past of Monument Point. I also like seeing the Society expand with the returning All-Stars and a slew of new characters. I hope the newbies aren't fodder for deaths though, Dark Knight and Red Beetle have potential. I will say I'm not sure Manhunter and Blue Devil make the most sense to join up; they're both already on other teams!

JSA is still one of the most consistent titles DC is putting out, even when the anniversary issue is a bit of a gimmick, it is still entertaining.

Fair

JSA vs. Kobra TPB

Why the heck is Eric Trautman not writing more mainstream books? He proved himself on Checkmate, and he lives up to that billing in this strong follow-up. I think he was one of the guys banished to the Red Circle books (that I bet I would have liked), but this guy gets the JSA. Of course, while this is called a JSA limited series, it is really is a showcase for just two of them; Mr. Terrific and Power Girl. While Kobra manipulates his terror empire into a more and more powerful position, Trautman shows us the two approaches of the JSA's leaders. Mr. Terrific is ready to feint and bluff and strike at shadows, plot and plan. Power Girl is confident that any trap Kobra can make, her team can crush. This is a great showcase of why I love both characters. It doesn't matter that every other JSAer only gets at best three lines, this book features my two favorites. Don Kramer's art is great. I've loved his work since his original run on JSA, and this lives up to that legacy. No one draws someone getting blasted by a haymaker better than Kramer; there are couple great shots mixed in again here. And while the JSA doesn't do much besides pose and run out for big action shots, those moments do look great. Good

Justice Society of America #49

I continue to be impressed by Marc Guggenheim's JSA. My enjoyment has probably increased as the cast has increased, at this point it doesn't feel like the JSA if the team doesn't have 20 people in it. I'm shocked at the power of the two new villains in this arc. Scythe takes on half the team, including most of the heavy hitters and barely gets taken out by a souped up Alan Scott. Dr. Chaos takes on most of the street-level characters and is handling them with no problems, even when all the JSA All-Stars show up! At least Power Girl steps in to show Chaos who's boss.

I'm excited to see where the series goes from here. Jay Garrick as the mayor of a city packed with super-heroes? And that city has a dark secret tied to the US government? I'm in.

Scott Kolins' art sells this book. Look at some of those panels during the Dr. Chaos fight where Steel is slugging Hourman in the midsection, you can see the chaos in that conflict that lets the villain excel. I think some of those guys should be a bit more hurt than they are, but I'm not going to complain about a dramatically drawn comic battle!

Good

Justice Society of America #48

This book has been a very pleasant surprise. I'm happy I didn't drop it like I had originally planned. I stuck around for the Scott Kolins art, but I'm now hooked by Marc Guggenheim's story.

This is very much a middle chapter as the bad guys seem to be out-maneuvering the JSA at every turn. Half the team is taken out, with Alan Scott paralyzed, Lightning "dead," Mr. Terrific not so terrific, and Dr. Fate too busy to help. Jay Garrick, Doc Mid-Nite, Wildcat, and Mr. America certainly seem over-matched by Dr. Chaos and Scythe. (Although it is great seeing just how powerful the original Flash is, isn't it?)

I wonder if the timely arrival of that bunch of heroes has anything to do with JSA All-Stars getting cancelled? The influx of that book's cast will make this feel like a society again. It did look to me like there are a few new characters coming to help too. A Red Beetle?

Scott Kolins is so darn good, this book looks terrific. I'm still not blown away by Scythe's design, but I love Chaos' design and the secret villain sure looked great in his big reveal.

Good

Justice Society of America #47

After a bit of an uneven start, I find myself really enjoying Marc Guggenheim's new take on the JSA. The book really does feel like a society now, thanks to the appearance of a ton of guest stars and the return of a lot of the JSA's always huge cast. Mr. America and Dr Mid-Nite returned last issue, Blue Devil showed up, and now it looks like the current Manhunter may have a role to play in this series too. If Monument Point ends up as the destination for a ton of heroes not being published elsewhere, it could be a really neat new DCU locale.

Dr. Chaos is sporting a costume in this issue, and I'm not sure if I like it better than his civilian clothes last issue. He seems to be reveling in his super-villainy, though, so I understand why he needed a costume. I'm also pleased to see last issue wasn't quite as lethal as it seemed, one of the fallen cast members should make a recovery, assuming she can survive her current predicament. I'm worried about this current storyline with Mr. Terrific. He's one of my favorites on this team; I don't want to see him getting less and less intelligent. It sure looks like he'll do anything to stay smart after he gets an offer to betray his teammates from Dr. Chaos. I'm hoping that Terrific will get his brains back AND take out Chaos and Scythe.

Scott Kolins' art is still fantastic. The darker tone does work nicely in this somewhat depressing title, but the heroes all look good. I'm most impressed by Kolins' Dr. Mid-Nite; he looks awesome.

Good

Justice Society of America #46

Marc Guggenheim is ramping up the heroes involved in his super-city story, and my interest is increasing at the same rate. This issue I spotted a lot more Dr. Mid-Nite, along with Mr. America and Blue Devil. I'm pleased that the Society's expansive membership is still a factor in the book, maybe Guggenheim was just starting out small with a core group.

This issue does has a race against the clock plot, but the real kicker is what happens to junior Societee Lightning. I've got to think she'll be ok, but it stinks seeing her taken down so hard. I find the whole Alan Scott story a bit laughable, just because I don't see his upcoming Battery-armor sticking around too long; some creator or another will want him back to normal shortly. I do like seeing all the danger in the Society's new home, they might want to ship in a couple more heroes.

Scott Kolins' art has looked better, but this is still very nice. The washed tones dont' work for me quite as well as the vibrant, clean look from Flash a few years ago. Kolins' average stuff is still some of the best art on the stands, though.

Fair

Justice Society of America #45

Man, this comic is STILL so sad. I men, it's not like a dejected Flash in a wrecked city leads one to believe this will be a happy read, but still!

I think Marc Guggenheim has hardened up the core cast a little bit. The only member of the JSA showing the level of compassion I'd expect is Doc Mid-Nite, the rest of the team is ready to head back to their NYC HQ after battling Scythe last issue. Speaking of the new villain, I like that Guggenheim is tying his origin into an old WWII mission, it gives the new guy a nice tie to Flash and GL, personal beefs are always more interesting.

I am having a hard time with the reduced cast. I hope Mid-Nite is back to stay, but seeing such a small group is just weird. The book went from having too large a cast to too small of one, especially with GL now paralyzed. Flash, Mr. Terrific, Lightning, Dr. Fate, Wildcat, and Doc Mid-Nite are not enough. I'd be interested to see a couple more old members show up once the new status quo is established. (I think I read that the eventual goal is to have a city where super-heroes are an integrated part of the Society.)

Scott Kolins' art is still awesome. He remains one of my favorites, I just wish he was drawing more of my favorite characters!

Fair

Justice Society of America #44

Marc Guggenheim does a nice job building up a new DC villain in his first issue. This unnamed bad seems tough, angry, and very dangerous. Of course, having the team reduced down to five or six members makes the guy seem a lot tougher. I'm not sure where the other team members went, last I remember this lineup was friggin huge. With only Jay Garrick (old Flash), Alan Scott (old GL, Wildcat, Lightning, Mr. Terrific, and Dr. Fate, the team is a lot more vulnerable.

One thing that bugged me was how dark this whole issue felt. The villain is savage and destroys a city. Flash wants to retire. Alan Scott sustains a huge injury. Worst of all, my favorite guy on the team is losing his super-IQ. I expect JSA to be a bit brighter, so seeing everyone so melancholy is a bummer. I realize this could improve in Guggenheim's next issues, but right now this feels like a 180 degree turn into sadness.

Scott Kolins' art is awesome. In fact, his art is the reason I decided to give this issue a chance. He's using a hybrid of his clean Flash style and the heavier washed look from his more recent work. Everything looks detailed and great; the art is wonderful.

Fair

Justice Society of America #43

James Robinson obviously has some ideas he'd like to share about magic, faeries, and vampires in the DCU, but tying them into Alan Scott's Starheart lantern battery just feels like an odd choice. I never really pictured Alan as the guardian/sentinel of magic, but here we are again, with him keepin the peace in the odd city the Starheart created. It's a strange new status quo that I imagine will be ignored by the next creative team to use Alan.

Obsidian continues his unhealthy fascination with his sister Jade; this whole issue is basically him whining to Alan Scott that he can't see her again. He even suggests that merging with her into some hybrid being is a better option than just talking to her on the phone. I mean, it would suck to not see your sibling, but c'mon, man! That's just crazy! I do like that Robinson just throws out two or three plot ideas in double page spreads. Each alternate outcome for the Jade/Obsidian merge could have been a mini-series at least!

Jesus Merino is a strong penciler, but he excels on super-hero material. His faerie work just isn't as strong. I spent the issue wishing that he was drawing a more straight-forward powers battle, rather than a long conversation with some interesting backgrounds.

Average

Justice League of America #48

James Robinson's conclusion to his Starheart story arc isn't bad, it's just a bit odd.

All the players sort of return to their pre-story status quo except for Jade and Obsidian, who can't get near each other without transforming into some evil combo-thing. It's an odd choice, but I'm ok with letting the characters breathe on their own for a bit. It's also interesting that Jade seems to have completed her White Lantern task; she's gets her life back (permanently?) as a reward for balancing out Obsidian's evil. I suppose that means this is no longer a Brightest Day tie-in book.

There are a few good character moments (like Kyle swooping away with Obsidian) and some odd ones (Hourman sure comes off as needy to Jesse Quick). I can't complain about the final product though. Robinson didn't kill anyone and he did a nice job putting some 2nd-string characters in the spotlight.

As near as I can tell, the JLA is now Nightbats, Wonder Donna, Jesse Quick, Jade, Supergirl, Congo Bill, and Starman. Are Cyborg and Red Tornado still on the team?

Mark Bagley's art is still a nice fit. His Hourman and Wildcat look darn similar, but that's ok, Wildcat has more stubble.

Fair

Justice Society of America #42

James Robinson is still taking his time getting to the point in this Starheart crossover, but adding Kyle Rayner to the mix is a step in the right direction. Kyle's romantic past with Jade and Donna Troy makes him a nice little catalyst for some interaction as the issue wears on. There is a surprising amount of time spent with Supergirl and Power Girl too, the two of them get some great shots in against Alan Scott. Dr. Mid-Nite gets a moment to shine too, as he sneaks around the star palace to save Mikaal Starman.

I'm still not a fan of this many dueling dialogue boxes. Too many people are narrating and thinking their way through this story. I think Hourman even gets some in-head time. It just gets confusing! I do like some of the odd interplay that the Starheart is forcing. Having the Starheart be "new" to existence and so eager for experiences is a cool take on a fairly repetitive villain.

Mark Bagley continues to amuse me with his great takes on Wildcat and the rest of the JSA. He's a natural fit on the JLA characters, but his JSA look a tad off. I'm also not a huge fan of the Jade/Obsidian hybrid that shows up at the end, but is should be short-lived.

Fair

Trinity v2 TPB

I'm kind of shocked. I'm more of a fan of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, (and 5th, etc.) level of DC heroes. I often lose interest in the big three. But here we are in volume two of the Trinity series, and the whole story is about the missing stars of DC. The big three are nowhere to be found, but without them, the story is wandering.

Those closest to the stars are wandering around in a bronze age world of purple aliens. It seems the Trinity ended up there somehow and taught these weirdos their values. It's nice knowing that they did their thing even in this weird place, but it's weird reading a whole series where the exciting stuff already happened. The stars of the book just sit around listening to stories!

Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza do a better job with the straight up super-heroics. I'm not really interested in seeing the DCU characters representing different Tarot cards, but I do like seeing dead characters like Tomorrow Woman and Triumph. The alternate world is fun because so many of the relationships are shaken up. (I'm betting Space Ranger is Martian Manhunter).

Mark Bagley and the crew on the backups are all pretty good. I sort of wish they were all drawing less hairy purple aliens though.

Average

Justice League of America #47

I'm not sure if I'm just not into it or what, but I'm just not thrilled by this Starheart storyline. I've never been into the whole Starheart concept, it's a bit too abstract for me, and this story is no exception.

James Robinson has formed up a unique cast of leads by merging the JLA and JSA. NightBats, Donna Troy, Jesse Quick, Hourman, Jade, Mr. America and Mr. Miracle II are a strike force trying to get to the center of a green city on the Moon. Somehow the Starheart is controlling Alan Scott, and tons of heroes and villains all over the DCU are going crazy. So is it just me, or does one of those names not belong with the others. I'll call it now, James Robinson is going to kill off Mr. America during this storyline. He just doesn't belong with that team. Robinson does a nice job with NightBats and Donna Troy. His Mr. Miracle II is fun, but then, Shilo is a great character. His JSAers are far more generic. They don't come across anywhere near as well. Obsidian has a decent role, although I'm unhappy to see him being mentally controlled yet again. That guy can't win.

Mark Bagley continues his solid run on the stars of the DCU. Batman looks great, and his Mr. Miracle II is cool and current looking. I like Obsidian's look these days too. Hopefully he'll stick around after this story.

Average

Justice Society of America #41

James Robinson's crossover with the JLA isn't exactly bad, I just feel like there is nothing new here. In fact, since Mark Bagley draws this issue (he's the regular artist on JLA) it actually took me a few minutes to realize this wasn't an issue of JLA. Sure, the focus is a LITTLE stronger on the JSAers, but the JLA folks still play a large role.

And maybe it is just me, but the whole motivation for the crossover just doesn't sound like that big a deal. The Starheart might be making some heroes go crazy, and I like the idea that the heroes are fighting themselves, but I just don't see enough of it for it to really have an impact. It's like, this story could easily be a bigger event, but it still feels small. The best part of the issue was Dr. Mid-Nite having to do some actual doctoring. I always like seeing the character have to be a "real-life" super-hero.

Mark Bagley has a great take on Wildcat. I love the droopy sides to his mask. He does a nice job with the power-ladies too, PG and Supergirl look inspiring.

Fair