Mild Mannered Reviews - JSA Comics


Justice Society of America #1
Scheduled to arrive in stores: December 6, 2006Cover date: February 2007
Writter: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Dale Eaglesham
Inker: Art Thibert
"The Next Age: Chapter One"
Reviewed by: Neal Bailey
We see the JSA lined up in World War 3.
Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman speak with the JSA to find out how to make heroes better.
Mr. America describes his start in vigilante life, then comes upon a crime scene. He surveys the scene, describes poisoning, and then removes his mask, revealing that his family has been slain.
The JSA ponders its new lineup, Hourman, Mr. Terrific, Power Girl, Liberty Belle, Stargirl, Dr. Mid-Nite, Green Lantern, Flash, and Wildcat.
Wildcat declines the opportunity to vette new members.
In Philadelphia, police deal with a rampaging villain. Rebel and Damage duke it out, only to have Hourman and Liberty Belle step in and invite Damage into the JSA. Damage declines, originally, then realizes that the destruction he caused fighting Rebel would be paid for when Hourman says to bill the JSA. Reluctantly, he comes along.
Mr. America fights Catalyst, who has gone after his brother, now. They fight, and Mr. America starts to get the best of Catalyst.
Power Girl and Mr. Terrific find Maxine Hunkel, Ma Hunkel's granddaughter, flying outside of Harvard, where she attends and excels. She appears to be developing tornado powers. They offer her membership, and she goes ape, talking up a storm.
In Opal City, Starman saves a helicopter, then flies off, spouting nonsense, apparently insane.
Stargirl and Mid-Nite visit Starman in his hospital, and recruit him, after he asks them to help him find his mind.
Green Lantern and Flash grab Wildcat and tell him to hurry to their destination.
Mr. America waits on a wharf at Catalyst's meeting place for the man who paid Catalyst to kill Mr. America's family. A voice catches his attention.
Maxine arrives to find the entire JSA finally gathered. Starman says, "There's a star on Thanagar. I dreamt about it. Ha! 52!"
Beaten, staggering, Mr. America runs somewhere, to warn someone that he was just the beginning.
He falls into the Justice Society meeting, smashed to hell.
Wildcat, meanwhile, meets Tom. His son.
A preview page says: "Coming this year in JSA:" and shows Batman meeting with Sandman about seeing Batman's death, Someone who looks like Vixen saying she has to track down Starman. We see Power Girl react in surprise as a hand comes out of Kal-L's grave. Finally, we see the Kingdom Come Superman lamenting that his work never ends.
Story - 5: An absolutely brilliant beginning to the next iteration of this already brilliant book.
For those of you new to the series, Geoff has been making JSA a kind of unsung hero book for character for quite some time. It's not a comic for people who want instant gratification or overwhelming cliché stereotype, but it is a book for people who like a good, multi-character team drama.
It's rife with family, strength, action, and good plots. It's like reading a story on a par with Identity Crisis on a regular basis, minus the baggage of the MAIN CHARACTERS.
Slowly but surely, this book has been maneuvering into the radar of even casual fans, to the point that now it's going to involve elements like Kal-L, Power Girl's larger part in the universe, and even, it would appear, the Kingdom Come Superman.
The book had waned a bit, as it ended. Johns was taken up with Infinite Crisis, and a few of the stories were less entertaining than when he helmed the book as closely.
Now, back in action, he opens up with one of the better first issues I've ever read, structurally. All of these characters are classics, but you're also pulled along by Mr. America's dilemma, and wondering how this will harm the JSA.
Every character pops, every scene is strong, there's not much to hate here. A killer opener for a strong new book.
Art - 5: I like Eaglesham's work when he's doing action, but he's also getting better with regular character interaction as well, as I experience him. Good stuff.
Mr. America's beating, his landing on the table, the WW3 spread, all incredible. I haven't got much to say, mostly because I'm greatly pleased.
Cover Art - 5: A classic depiction of all involved. Ross' covers have been a staple of this book for some time, and to be honest, sometimes it's hit and miss because they're usually more character sketches than the issue at hand, but just look at this cover and find a complaint...
Mild Mannered Reviews
2007
Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.January 2007
- Action Comics #845
- Superman #658
- Superman/Batman #31
- Superman Confidential #1
- Supergirl #12
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #24
- 52: Week 26
- 52: Week 27
- 52: Week 28
- 52: Week 29
- 52: Week 30
- Justice League of America #4
- JLA Classified #29
- Justice League Unlimited #27
- Krypto The Superdog #3
- Action Comics #846
- Superman #659
- Superman/Batman #32
- Superman Confidential #2
- Supergirl #13
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #25
- 52: Week 31
- 52: Week 32
- 52: Week 33
- 52: Week 34
- Justice League of America #5
- JLA Classified #30
- Infinite Holiday Special #1
- Justice #9
- Justice Society of America #1
- Justice League Unlimited #28
- Krypto The Superdog #4
- Superman #660
- Superman/Batman #33
- Superman Confidential #3
- All Star Superman #6
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #26
- 52: Week 35
- 52: Week 36
- 52: Week 37
- 52: Week 38
- 52: Week 39
- Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predators #1
- JLA Classified #31
- JLA Classified #32
- JLA Classified #33
- Justice Society of America #2
- Justice League Unlimited #29
- Krypto The Superdog #5
- Action Comics #847
- Superman #661
- Action Comics Annual #10
- Superman Confidential #4
- Supergirl #14
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #27
- 52: Week 40
- 52: Week 41
- 52: Week 42
- 52: Week 43
- Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predators #2
- Justice League of America #6
- JLA Classified #34
- JLA Classified #35
- Justice #10
- Justice Society of America #3
- Justice League Unlimited #30
- Krypto The Superdog #6
- Action Comics #848
- Superman #662
- Superman/Batman #34
- Supergirl #15
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #28
- 52: Week 44
- 52: Week 45
- 52: Week 46
- 52: Week 47
- Justice League of America #7
- JLA Classified #36
- Justice Society of America #4
- Justice League Unlimited #31
- Superman Confidential #5
- All Star Superman #7
- Supergirl #16
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #29
- 52: Week 48
- 52: Week 49
- 52: Week 50
- 52: Week 51
- World War III - Book One: A Call to Arms
- World War III - Book Two: The Valiant
- World War III - Book Three: Hell is for Heroes
- World War III - Book Four: United We Stand
- Justice League of America #8
- JLA Classified #37
- Justice #11
- Justice Society of America #5
- Justice League Unlimited #32
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #1
- Action Comics #849
- Action Comics #850
- Superman #663
- Superman/Batman #35
- Supergirl #17
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #30
- 52: Week 52
- Countdown 51
- Countdown 50
- Countdown 49
- Countdown 48
- Justice League of America #9
- JLA Classified #38
- Justice Society of America #6
- Justice League Unlimited #33
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #2
- Action Comics #851
- Superman #664
- Superman/Batman #36
- Superman/Batman #37
- All Star Superman #8
- Supergirl #18
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #31
- Countdown 47
- Countdown 46
- Countdown 45
- Countdown 44
- Justice League of America #10
- JLA Classified #39
- Justice #12
- Justice League Unlimited #34
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #3
- Action Comics #852
- Superman #665
- Superman/Batman #38
- Supergirl #19
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #32
- Countdown 43
- Countdown 42
- Countdown 41
- Countdown 40
- Justice League of America #11
- JLA Classified #40
- Justice Society of America #7
- Justice League Unlimited #35
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #4
- Action Comics #853
- Action Comics #854
- Action Comics #855
- Superman #666
- Superman/Batman #39
- Supergirl #20
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #33
- Countdown 39
- Countdown 38
- Countdown 37
- Countdown 36
- Countdown 35
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #1
- Justice League of America #12
- JLA Classified #41
- Justice Society of America #8
- Justice League Unlimited #36
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #5
- Action Comics #856
- Superman #667
- Superman/Batman #40
- Superman Confidential #6
- Supergirl #21
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #34
- Countdown 34
- Countdown 33
- Countdown 32
- Countdown 31
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #2
- JLA Wedding Special #1
- Justice League of America #13
- JLA Classified #42
- JLA Classified #43
- JLA/Hitman #1
- Infinity Inc. #1
- Justice Society of America #9
- Justice League Unlimited #37
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #6
- Action Comics #857
- Action Comics #858
- Superman #668
- Superman #669
- Superman/Batman #41
- Superman Confidential #7
- Superman Confidential #8
- All Star Superman #9
- Supergirl #22
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #35
- Teen Titans #52
- Countdown 30
- Countdown 29
- Countdown 28
- Countdown 27
- Countdown 26
- 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #3
- Justice League of America #14
- JLA Classified #44
- JLA Classified #45
- JLA/Hitman #2
- Infinity Inc. #2
- Justice Society of America #10
- Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents: Cyborg Superman #1
- Tales of the Sinestro Corps Presents: Superman Prime #1
- Infinite Halloween Special #1
- Justice League Unlimited #38
- Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century #7
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Check out the Comic Index Lists for the complete list of Superman-related comics published in 2007.