This book is a lot more interesting than Mikel Janín’s cover hints at. It’s a nice shot of Mr Terrific, but it’s pretty difficult to work out who’s in those little balls. And once again, the colour palette is weirdly bathroom based.
The image does deserve points for being a fair representation of what’s inside, as the JSA tries to recruit villains and turn them to the path of Good. I spotted the Icicle and Ruby and jauntily hatted Harlequin’s Son. The other guy? Solomon Grundy? I can’t remember, it’s not like this book comes out with any regularity.
Anyway, Icicle and Ruby are barely in this issue, but they’re in JSA custody, with one apparently keen to sign up, the other pretty reluctant. The star of the show is Michael Mayne, the Harlequin’s Son, who we learned two issues ago really hates domestic abusers. And here he is again, throwing a repeat offender off a building as Power Girl, Stargirl, Hawkman and newest member Salem arrive to ask if he’s like to play nice.
He’s not keen. Also, even if we accept he’s only scaring his prey, rather than trying to kill them, he’s Harley Quinn level loose cannon. Michael is interesting though, revealing that it’s not all about crime and punishment for him.
And there’s some very intriguing dialogue.
Now, read the two panels and it sounds like he’s saying his father is Alan Scott. But it seems likely Michael hates wife beaters because someone close to him suffered, and while the Golden Age Green Lantern has lately been thoroughly tweaked. DC are not going to add ‘spousal abuser’ to his list of traits.
So I’m guessing it’s two separate things: 1) Molly Mayne made a lot of mistakes including trying to be a good gal alongside Green Lantern, and 2) she got together with his father. Two different men.
(My reviewer pal Matthew B Lloyd, though, has a great theory that Ruby and the Harlequin’s Son have replaced Jade and Obsidian as Alan Scott’s kids, and it makes all sorts of sense. I am holding out, hoping writer Geoff Johns is playing with us.)
Elsewhere this issue Quiz Kid, forgotten sidekick of the original Mr Terrific, tells the current holder of that title that he plans to carve out a role for himself in the present day.
The biggest surprise in ‘Recruitment Drive’ is the arrival of a new wannabe member who isn’t a villain.
Or is he?
Well that’s a surprise, it’s the Lord of Chaos we originally knew as an elderly evil mage in the 30th century, then saw fight the JSA a thousand years previously in younger form. Is he really good or is he planning to do the Traitor Within The Legion Society bit?
And will the JSA ever get away from time-based menaces?
I enjoyed this issue hugely. The art by Janín’s and colourist Jordie Bellaire speaks for itself. It’s crisply composed, cleanly finishes and full of vibrant tones. The fight with the Harlequin’s Son is thrilling, being set against one of the most convincing cityscapes I’ve seen, and the vertiginous angles are superb. The quieter moments work too, with the sincerity of Quiz Kid a highlight.
Also great is the lettering of Rob Leigh, who never fails to go the extra mile when it comes to title designs.
Roll on the final quarter of this 12-issue series, and hopefully an ongoing that can make a monthly schedule – creative team changes are fine by me. Meanwhile, what did you make of Mordru, the Harlequin’s Son and the rest of the JSA cast this time?
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 
re: Mordru. I appreciate when the Legion villains get a bit more nuanced. Though, this just seems like another way to reset the Legion.
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Oh, I do hope not. I’ll be happy if we go back to the post-Lightning Saga bunch.
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Thanks for the mention! I thought this was a great issue. Good point about not making Alan a perpetrator domestic violence. The final reveal for that storyline will be as surprising as the appearance of Mordru here.
Matthew Lloyd
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Ooooh, you know something?
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I’m looking forward to buying this. I do think that when all 12 issues are FINALLY out they, plus the Golden Age special that launched this series and the Jay Garrick mini, will have made all the delays worth it. It’s just a lot of DC goodness and really makes me long for the DCU of about 20 years ago, frankly, before the New52 came along and mucked everything up for so long. Martin, I saw you posted on Bleeding Cool the other week challenging Rich to dig up the dirt on why this book is so late. I wholeheartedly agree. I can’t believe no one at DC is willing to talk. Heck, can’t Johns just grant an interview to a comic industry site and offer some explanations to fans? What would be the harm? Is it his fault? The artist’s? DC’s? I recall a few months ago Bryan Hitch went public and said that the Black Label Superman mini he produced with Mark Waid was prematurely launched by DC, so that the first 2 issues came out and the 3rd was delayed. I thought, “That’s refreshing to at least have a creator offer a bit of insight.” It is a shame when speculation about the actual creative process seems to overshadow the product. It would also be nice to know if this will result in a JSA ongoing or not. Something else that is so frustrating about the delays is that we should have known by now what’s next. But clearly that news – if there is any – is being held back until we get closer to issue 12’s solicitation/publication. – Brian
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You’re so right, just one interview could clear up the speculation and likely erase a lot of the bad feeling; things happen, books get delayed, DC’s real error here is failing to communicate with customers, as if we don’t matter.
Now, I’ve not missed part two of the Waid/Hitch Luthor story, have I?
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“I am so not down with almost-hot Mordru“
How’s this Mordy for you !?
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I prefer the silver fox…
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Interesting take with Mordy trying NOT to become a villain
–brainypirate
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Isn’t it!
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The same way Marvel tried this route with Kang and Iron Lad.
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I have no faith anything this book does will ever affect the greater DCU, currently or after it’s over. I also don’t care because I’m mostly enjoying it. Mordru disguised as Andrew Nolan was hysterical, especially the warning about how he’d look without the mask!
I don’t mind if Hellequin (I can’t remember his actual name) ends up being another son of Alan’s but Thorn’s status as Alan’s runaway wife would still fit the awful new continuity. Flashbacks show Alan hating being gay (as much as I hate him being gay ironically) so an attempted marriage would slide right in. It would also remover Alan deceiving her long-term.
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Oh, I really hope Thorn is in the picture, she was fascinating. Johns could have somehow made Rose and the Thorn her legacy, had Bendis not used her in the weirdest way over at Legion.
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DC needs to stop setting future characters on different Earths and follow sci fi’s general rules and it would free up Rose. Just have an event happen to Rose and reveal that it went the wrong way for making her immortal and the Bendis Legion is no longer a future for the current DCU.
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I’m having a lot of fun reading this book… but boy, do I wish it would come out more quickly.
I’m really hopeful that something is done with the Fair Play Club, and I’m very curious as to what Mordru is up to, and if he’s really on the level to prevent his (eventual, inevitable) villainy. And the Harlequin’s Son is an intriguing new character, too. I’m in the camp that thinks his father is not Alan Scott, but another guy, whom Molly probably hooked up with after she and Alan called it quits. (And I expect Jade & Obsidian to still exist and be his kids; I think they were both seen in one of the recent DC Pride issues, probably from 2022, shortly before this book debuted; that makes me think they’re both still in continuity.)
Anyway, every issue of this book has some interesting ideas worth pursuing — which makes it all the more frustrating that it’s taking so long for these issues to come out. I worry that the momentum on some of these ideas will be long gone before anyone else can take a crack at them.
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That’s certainly the biggest worry, that we won’t see the culmination of Johns’s idea sowing. Maybe he’s taking the Grant Morrison approach of deliberately putting loads of ideas out there for others to pick up.
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Mordru, huh? Well… I guess the idea isn’t coming from out of nowhere. This entire series has been built around the idea of giving the villains a second chance. Or giving them the opportunity to reform and change their ways. So the reveal is at least consistent with the theme of the series.
Personally, I’m ready for this book to be put to bed.
Or… even better… just give us a new series. I want to read about the JSA. On the regular. Not have a couple subplots wrapped in a cover get advanced every few months. We can still have Johns’ story come out on its interminable schedule, but in the meantime, give us something that is going to come out regularly. There are certainly enough characters in the JSA that it shouldn’t be that hard to have another book have an adventure (or two or three) that doesn’t conflict with whatever Johns plans might ultimately turn out to be.
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oops. That comment above was me. Murray
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A-blooming-men, a monthly title with a bit of pep would be terrific. I’m not terribly keen on the ‘give the villains a second chance by putting them on the team’. How about ‘‘give the villains a second chance by putting them in prison and letting them contribute there before applying for parole’?
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