For this week’s Extra Tuesday, special guest Captain Nostalgia (Josh Burkey) of Victims and Villains takes a look into his comic log to do a review of Geoff John’s run in Justice Society of America back in 2006. Is it worth reading off of DC Universe? Check out the Captain’s review!
I think it’s safe to assume for us nerds we’ve all seen titles in comic shops that looked like it might be interesting but never really dove in. I couldn’t honestly tell you how many times at cons or local comic shops here I had found copies of Justice Society of America and just didn’t pick up. I think the one thing that always drew me to these issues was the beautiful art by Alex Ross. Upon finally, getting the DC Universe app I dove in head first to this series.
This series is primarily made up of three arcs. The first being a murder mystery. After years of silence, the Justice Society of America has come back. There’s only one problem though someone is slowly picking these heroes off one by one. One of the murdered heroes literally lands in their lap. Thus an investigation begins. One of DC’s most underused villains is actually behind the murders. I emphasize the lack of use with this villain. He’s introduced, has a fight with Wild Cat, and that’s pretty much over. All the build-up for none of the payoff.
The next arc focuses on a crossover between Justice League and Justice Society. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve already forgotten what this story was about. You think with heavy hitters like this, we’d be able to see at least something interesting. Even superheroes have bad days, I suppose.
The final arc focuses mostly on Power Girl. This is the most intriguing and redeeming arc of this series. This arc introduces Kingdom Come’s Superman. Which side not, if you’ve never read Kingdom Come, you seriously need to change that. It’s one of the best books ever told in the medium. Anyways, back to JSA. The way in which Johns handles Power Girl in this arc is immaculate. The sense of isolation he crafts with her and Superman in this story brings a depth of sympathy you can’t help but feel for. Who hasn’t ever just alone?
The storytelling at most times honestly always feels busy and lacks direction. While you have all this going on, you have the original three Society members (Green Lantern, The Flash & Hawkman) searching for new members in the background. That’s one of its’ biggest downfalls, society’s storytelling could have been great had it just focused and picked a direction. While there is a lot of missteps in writing, the art isn’t lacking. The art shines as one of the series’ better qualities. It’s warm and inviting.
Overall, “Justice Society of America” is a title that could have been great but falls short. It has too many plates spinning at once. Focusing on what legacy more on depth and underutilizing one of The best villains in DC’s canon. The arc between Kingdom Come Superman & Power Girl though demonstrates that the series has depth and has them in spades. The art also serves as another redemption quality to the series.
FINAL SCORE: 2.5/5
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