JSA #20 review

Posted on by martingray1

It’s weird, I’m often moaning about quick reads, but at other times a breezy book really hits the spot. JSA #20 is certainly a quick read, it’s not trying to reinvent the wheel… there’s no need because the wheel is working very well.

You may remember that in DC’s All In Special the Spectre was untethered from host Jim Corrigan (I don’t, heck, it was a year and a half ago!). Well, I don’t know what the delay was but he’s now in New York with no link to humanity, nothing to stop his more malevolent urges. It’s no longer the worst of the worst who feel his finger of judgment, it’s… everyone.

Thank God (?) the Justice Society is on hand to save lives.

Believing someone has to offer themselves up as a host to ameliorate the wrath of the Spectre, Green Lantern Alan Scott flies forth… but someone else reaches the Grim Ghost first and intercepts his eldritch energies.

While various JSAers play Pass the Poltergeist, the younger members – Stargirl, Kid Eternity, Jakeem Thunder and Dr Fate – go looking for Corrigan, the only person known to be able to control the spirit. Dr Fate reckons a good place to start would be the House of Mystery. And look who’s making herself at home.

Madame Xanadu does a great job recapping how Jim Corrigan bonded with the Spectre, but sadly, doesn’t know where he is right now. She does, though, spark a memory that brings the ghostly Kid Eternity closer to remembering who she was in life.

Hmm, could it be that like the Golden Age Kid Eternity the new girl died alongside a grandparent in the Second World War, this time at Hiroshima or Nagasaki?

Another question, since when could the Spectre meld with living people, even for a short time?

And how come Stargirl is such a fan of Madame Xanadu. Random? I like it.

Whatever the case, as I said at the top, I really enjoyed this issue. Writer Jeff Loebs isn’t trying to do too much, as in the earliest issues in which we had characters scattered across three or four battle fronts; here it’s New York and the House of Mystery, with the stakes clear and a little character moment for almost everyone.

Hopefully Jim Corrigan and the Spectre will be reunited soon because whenever there’s another host I simply find myself waiting for the inevitable return of Corrigan. May as well get on with it, eh?

Meanwhile, a guest star shows up on the final page, not one of my favourite characters, but Lemire gets points for the surprise.

Actually, looking again, the eyes and skintone look different to usual, the body younger… probably they’ve recently taken over the role; it happens a lot.

Or it could be artist Diego Olortegui and colourist Luis Guerrero putting their own spin on a classic design. Once again the team produce a great-looking issue, with some fabulous compositions, from that first shot of the massive Spectre looming over a skyscraper to the last page visitor. And the Spectre-ised Hourman and, especially, Flash look amazing. The only negative criticism I have is that the younger JSA members seem a tiny bit stumpy… but would you look at Madame Xanadu! Sublime.

And like everyone else in the book, the tarot reader benefits from the neon tones of Guerrero, and the way he sets colours alongside one another. The artful letters of Steve Wands likewise add to the sharp look of this series.

Pete Woods steps in with a beautiful cover, I especially like the energies dripping from phantom fingers. And it’s fun to see the Eighties Spectre logo again.

JSA #20 is a treat and next issue promises the scope of the story will get even bigger. Bring it on!

22 thoughts on “JSA #20 review”

  2. This book is finally feeling like the JSA is back. Not that I haven’t enjoyed the 2 prior arcs. But Lemire now feels established. This isn’t an introductory story or origin story. Back to regular ongoing business. And all the links to the wider DCU are appreciated. – Brian

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. I’m not sure what it means but it has to mean something that I read this less than twenty-four hours ago and had no memory of the last page until I flipped back to it. I thought it was miscolored at first but a niggling thought has me thinking there’s another character or two with that set up too. Is it one of the lost children Granny Goodness took rather than Horman? I don’t care enough to Google.

    I still like Kid Eternity’s powers and amnesia more than I like her being Kid Eternity. I’ve loved Golden Age reprints, Bronze Age, Bridwell’s unnecessary ties to Capt Marvel Junior aside, and evenNocenti’s, mostly by discounting Vertigo as non canon. Here we get the name stolen without any explanation of what became of a beloved minor character. Ugh.

    Wildcat’s one panel reaction reaction to Hourman’s possession has me thinking we’re right Yolanda wasn’t being cruel last issue but was doing what she thought would motivate a guy she cares for. And as for her escaping old me’s thing about consequences, wasn’t she acting in the defense of all reality against a motivated opponent? It’s not like she flippe dout and slaughtered everyone ahead of her in the checkout line. She’s more Wolverine (the good female one) than another Prime.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Oh, good spot on Yolanda, that never struck me.

      I’ve just looked back at those issues of Flash with Granny Goodness’ stolen boys, The Furious. I don’t see one who’s a visual match, with Mr Terrific’s (alternate world?) boy the closest.

      Is the original Kid Eternity still dead after being killed by Mordru a quarter of a century ago? How do you even kill a spirit? Surely Kid Eternity’s status means he never needs to be replaced.

      Like

      Reply

    1. Were you a prior fan of Johns’ work on the title? Maybe Johns had such an impact, both on his own and with David Goyer, that it is hard for other writers to follow and longtime fans to accept them? It’s not that he was writing some Eisner-worthy epic. But he really did set a standard and high bar to follow for modern adventures of the JSA. And then we had a decade-plus period with no JSA book. And then Johns briefly returned and pretended not much time had passed in the team’s world and gave fans a teasing reminder of what they missed. And now Lemire is trying to carry that baton while doing his own take. I am enjoying his run more than the small number of prior Johns’ successors. But I too have felt things are a little off. But then I also think I’m 25 plus years older than I was when the modern JSA was introduced. And maybe my tastes have shifted just enough so this book doesn’t excite me as it did all those years ago. – Brian

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  6. The only era I didn’t like was the Bill W era. I loved the Johns years(and of course Roy Thomas’ ASS, Infinity and YAS). I think there are a lot of things that have just been forgotten like the lost children, Why Rex is dead, The conversation about the JSA being teachers /mentors was already done during one of John’s runs. I will continue because I love the JSA but I just feel it could be better I guess

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. Anj here.

    Loving this book right now as it has picked up steam over the last year. I thought hearing the different JSAers take on Spectre and seeing their Spectre-ized costume was fantastic.

    And it seemed like Hourman had the most success? Perhaps he is the most wrathful?

    Great review!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Steve here.

      Corrigan was the most successful and he was very much not wrathful. Whatever that quality is he shares with Corrigan, if Rick becomes the latest permanent Spectre host is, I hope someone gets the Miracle and takes over as Hourman. I never warmed to the robot.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I hope Rick doesn’t become the latest ‘permanent’ Spectre. Hank Hall as Dr Fate, Sam Wilson as Captain America and of course, Hal Jordan as the Spectre… having heroes with their own identities take over for another hero never works.

        Liked by 1 person

    3. I get the feeling many have thought of Corrigan played out between his lengthy Golden through Bronze Age tenure and of course, Ostrander’s superlative run. I’m sure if told to stay with Corrigan most writers could still do epic work. Too bad most writers seem to forget replacement heroes don’t usually last (Wally being the exception, which annoys me) and that what lasts least poorly is a hero sharing a nom de super hero with the original.

      Like

      Reply

  8. I believe this is the 5th Kid Eternity. The original Christopher Freeman moved on at some point prior to the Vertigo series. Then the Vertigo Kit Freeman was eventually killed by Mordru. A new, living Kit Freeman was part of the Teen Titans before being beaten to death by the Calculator. After that was the New 52 Chris Freeman who must have passed on after Lazarus Planet.

    Stargirl is a major superhero fangirl. Maybe not as much as Cyclone, but this felt very in character to me.

    I believe the Spectre had been imprisoned in Hell for a while, before Hal Jordan freed him during the Starbreaker Supremacy. The Spectre was desperate for a new human host and tried to get Hal to come back, but Hal refused.

    I’m struggling to think of any characters that have successfully transitioned to another legacy. The only one I can think of is Wally West going from Kid Flash to the Flash.

    I wonder if Yolanda’s seeming interest in Rick will cause some tension down the road: What if Jesse comes back to try and work things out, but Rick and Yolanda have hooked up?

    I’m excited for that last page reveal. These are two areas of DC’s cosmic realms that don’t interact very often, despite both claiming to be divine.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Oh, very well done on the Kids Eternity, I thought they were all the same character.

      I’m not counting Kid Flash becoming back as he moved up a peg in the same legacy as opposed to becoming a new brand of hero.

      How the heck did I forget Courtney’s fangirl ways!

      I’ve never been a fan of the Fourth World stuff, I really should crack open that Omnibus that’s breaking my shelf, immerse myself.

      Like

      Reply

      1. I have been riding a pendulum on the Fourth World stuff over the years. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don’t.

        I think my biggest problem is very few get what Kirby was going for and so just use the names/visuals and insert their own personalities/stories onto the characters. Or they try to mesh it to fit alongside the already-existing framework of “real” mythologies, like the Olympian Gods.

        I’ve found that with the original Kirby Fourth World material it is best to go into it knowing Kirby was great at ideas and art, not necessarily dialog. Every! Sentence! Is! Shouted! New Gods and Mister Miracle are the best. Forever People is, I think, Kirby trying to embrace the younger culture he didn’t truly grasp. Still it has more cool ideas in a single issue than most series hope to have by issue 100.

        After the original Kirby material, I’ve found the best stuff is Cosmic Odyssey, Walt Simonson’s Orion series, and the just-finished Ram V series.

        Like

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Unknown's avatar

Published by martingray1

Journalist, comic reviewer, theatre critic, film lover, biscuit fan, cat indulger