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Marc Guggenheim, what on Earth-2 are you thinking?
Usually, I’m not given to pure reviews of new comics here at the Absorbascon. And Guggenheim was part of the beloved Sub Diego run of Aquaman (beloved by me, anyway), so I’m naturally favorably inclined toward anything with his name on it (even though he killed Bart Allen, who later got better).
But this new issue of Justice Society? Unacceptable.
Page one? Jay Garrick gets appointed mayor of Monument Point, a previously unheard of city (unheard of by me, anyway), and decides to retire from super-heroics.
Well! I’m a foe a decompression, so getting right into the swing of Big Changes on the first page is fine by me. For example, the first few pages of the beloved Sub Diego run of Aquaman began in medias res, with half of San Diego already sunken into the sea; a brilliant and dramatic opening. But the Mayor of Monument Point is not a brilliant and dramatic opening…
Jay is a chemist and a superhero; why would anyone think to select him as a mayor and why on earth would that seem attractive to him? Oh, and he wasn’t elected, he was appointed. Guggenheim pretty much has to lampshade / handwave the affair, with less explanation and aplomb than was accorded Chief Screaming Chicken’s repossession of Gotham City in 1966.
Jay, retiring? What, again? Because… why? He’s tired? Or because the world’s fastest senior citizen doesn’t have enough time on his hands? It’s tough to reconcile such a decision with his “Barry brought me out of retirement” speech in recent issues of the Flash. In fact, it’s not in character any more than the near argument he has about it with Alan Scott.
Speaking of Alan Scott, let’s portray one of comic’s most experienced heroes as an overconfident, domineering blowhard, who gets his neck snapped because he doesn’t notice how tough his opponent is (the one who just kicked the rest of the JSA’s butts) and seems to forget that his magic ring doesn’t require him to be within 3 feet of his foe. Doiby Dickles wouldn’t have made that kind of mistake.
All these shenanigans are a clumsy way to take the JSA’s two most dominant figures off the table, I suppose so that some lesser lights will shine more brightly. Similarly clumsy is the, what, six hour fight (during which NO other superheroes/teams show up!!!) with the unnamed “super-terrorist” that destroys downtown Monument Point. Gosh, I wonder whether the heroes, feeling guilty, are gonna rebuild Monument Point into a wonderful new city of tomorrow and take up its protection? Oh, and what happened to Alan Scott’s ridiculous Moon Colony for Magical Friends? I must have blinked when editorial (if such a thing still exists) decided to ignore/retcon that away.
Look—there is NO bigger supporter of the individualized fictionopolis as the backdrop for superheroics than I. Having the JSA in NYC was awkward (no matter what the Past Scipio thinks). But why not simply use Civic City, the original location for the JSA? That would at least have a Golden Age connection and make Jay Garrick a (marginally) more logical choice as mayor.
Mr. Terrific has caught magical movie disease that is slowly lowering his intelligence? Oh ,for pity’s sake, the Kingpin-o-matic “Put the Heroes Through the Wringer” machine is going to burnout from being in overdrive; heck, it’s already broken the suspension of disbelief in the engine of my imagination.
Clumsy. The JSa--and we--deserve better.
Good Lord... It's the DC December solicitations. That puts us only months away from the dawning of the terrifying year 2011. It sounds like the future, but it feels like... Now.
Anyway, solicitations! What looks good and what looks bad in the final month of 2010? Let's see, shall we?
AZRAEL #15What the..? I know one of my co-bloggers has been exploring this issue, but really? This comic is still going on? It seems bizarre that a solo comic featuring a spin-off character from an event who is a legacy character of a replacement character could make it to fifteen issues. Is it selling really well or something? Only eight-six issues to go if they want to break the record...
Written by DAVID HINE
Art by CLIFF RICHARDS
Cover by GUILLEM MARCH
The prophecy is fulfilled! Azrael has been found crucified, and a mystery swirls around his fate. It’s time for the world’s greatest detective to step in and figure out how this destiny came to pass. And how will this continue to play into the founding of Batman, Inc? Guest-starring The Dark Knight!
On sale DECEMBER 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
KNIGHT & SQUIRE #3I may be one of those people who think Richard was actually innocent, but that doesn't mean I'm not looking forward to this story. Paul Cornell has been doing fantastic stuff with Lex Luthor over in Action, and I want to see how well his wacky DC Universe Britain stacks up with the second-hand information I've received from British friends...
Written by PAUL CORNELL
Art by JIMMY BROXTON
Cover by YANICK PAQUETTE & MICHAEL LACOMBE
Cyril and Beryl have the fight of their lives on their hands when Shakespeare’s most evil monarch, Richard III, returns! And he’s brought with him a cloned army of all the worst Kings of England, intent on taking back the country through the use of social networking! Yes, that’s the plot!
On sale DECEMBER 8 • 3 of 6 • 32 pg, FC $2.99 US
ACTION COMICS ANNUAL #13Speaking of Paul Cornell... This is going to be a hell of a lot of fun. I imagine in thirty-two scant pages Mr. Cornell will prove once again why Lex Luthor is the greatest villain in the DC Universe. Those other guys don't stand a chance...
Written by PAUL CORNELL
Art by MARCO RUDY and ED BENES
Cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER
While present-day Lex Luthor is busy fighting an array of the DCU's most vile foes over in ACTION COMICS, this annual takes a look back at two formative encounters Luthor had before he became the bald mad genius we know and love (to hate) today! Marco Rudy illustrates a story of young Lex and Darkseid, while Ed Benes tackles a tale starring Luthor and Batman foe Ra's al Ghul!
On sale DECEMBER 1 * 56 pg, FC $4.99 US
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #46I'm intrigued by Marc Guggenheim's upcoming run on JSA. Some will say that taking the JSA away from New York is a bad idea. But I've always been a fan of the "Fictionopolis" model. You can't really build a city if you have to deal with the real thing. Here's hoping Monument Point will be a welcome -- and refreshing -- member of DC's league of cities.
Written by MARC GUGGENHEIM
Art by SCOTT KOLINS
Cover by SHANE DAVIS & SANDRA HOPE
With Monument Point still down after Scythe's devastating attack on U.S. soil, looting begins! Enter Collatoral Damage, a new team of villains set to lay claim to the riches yet to be found in the rubble of the once great American city! Luckily, there are new heroes flooding into the JSA's new hometown to help stabilize and rebuild alongside Earth's First Super Hero Team!
On sale DECEMBER 29 * 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
That's all for tonight... What are you looking forward to at the close of this year?
I'm going to come right out and say it: this preview for tomorrow's issue of Justice Society of America leaves a baaad feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Now I know that this "twenty years later" future will never come to pass. Stuff like that doesn't happen in comics and especially not in the DC Universe. But there mere hint of it. The mere possibility gets me shaking with fear. It's not the idea that Neo-Nazis have turned America into some sort of twisted "Fatherland." It's not even the idea that the Nazis won.
No, the thing that makes me really uneasy is that Michael Holt -- Mr. Terrific -- seems to have given up. Michael Holt gave up once. After the death of his wife he nearly committed suicide. But he found a greater purpose. And in doing so one of the smartest men in the world became one of the world's greatest super-heroes.
But would he give up again? Could something so terrible happen that it might make him lose all hope and beg for the end? Beg to forget? The very thought of it sends chills down my spine.
Perhaps that is the key. After all, if such a characterization of Mr. Terrific seems so off to me, maybe that's because it is off. Perhaps this little preview of a "future" is the surest sign yet that it will never come to pass.
I got the chance to see the "Absolute Justice" episode of Smallville this weekend. That's the one written by Geoff Johns and featuring the Justice Society of America. Fair warning: here there be spoilers.
Now that that's out of the way, let me say that I really enjoyed this episode. Smallville has been on a real uptick the past couple of seasons and I always enjoy the interesting ways in which they pull things from the DC Universe into the sort-of "realistic" Smallville Universe.
They managed to employ the Justice Society in a way that didn't seem too silly. Doctor Fate was really cool, and Michael Shanks makes a surprisingly believable Hawkman. It was cool getting the chance to see Amanda Waller, and it almost seems that they're setting things up for a potential tenth season, though I'd be kind of surprised if they do that. Sometimes I can't believe Smallville has lasted as long as it has.
Despite everything else, though, there was one little moment that really got my geek mojo going. Something I've been waiting (and hoping) for every since the "death" of Lex Luthor a last season (that was last season, right?). The Superman mythos really can't exist without Lex Luthor, and the way I saw it Smallville could never arrive at Superman (even in its own roundabout way) without Lex Luthor being a part of things.
So you can imagine my geeky giddiness when Doctor Fate said the following:
"Although Lex Luthor is your ultimate opponent you will triumph over him."
What does that mean? It means what I've suspected all long: Lex Luthor isn't really dead in the Smallville Universe. He can't be. Superman can't really exist without him.
Doing my Friday post early today so that I don't forget to actually do it. I have a bad tendency to get busy on Friday nights and not post at all. I'm going to try to avoid that in this exciting new universe.
Anyway, the covers for the JSA family (wow, there's a JSA family now) have been posted over on the DCU Blog Let's see what's coming up, shall we?
Justice Society of America: Looks like we're getting a whole lotta Nazi in the main book. This isn't unprecedented, of course. The JSA has a long history of beating the crap out of Nazis. They make for easy villains as the only people who defend Nazis are Nazis themselves.
That said, if you take a look at the cover you'll see that it's missing something. Namely all the swastikas. I assume, of course, that they'll be added on for release in countries that don't have a ban on the symbol. I mean, it's not particularly effective with just circles. And if you take a close look you can see that they missed the on on Kid Karnevil's knife.
JSA All-Stars: I'm really excited to see Sand getting some face time again. Especially if it means he's going up against one of the best Golden Age villains not actually created in the Golden Age. Johnny Sorrow may be a modern invention, but he feels like he was created in the 1940's.
He's also really f%&#ing creepy. Now that we know he's been the villain behind things Icicle's remarks about meeting his boss being "the worst thing that ever happened to him" make perfect sense. Nobody wants to meet Johnny Sorrow. Ever.
Power Girl: I really like this cover. I especially like the fact that one of the guys is holding a copy of Jonah Hex. I wonder if (like in the Watchmen universe) non-superhero comics are the most popular in the DCU. If that's the case, I bet Jonah Hex is the number one seller.
Magog: Go away! Go away Magog! Go away and never come back!
Art sure is pretty, though.
I think I can say that this was one of the finest weeks of comics in recent memory. Consider: this week I got to read Blackest Night, JSA, Superman, and Detective Comics. What god have I pleased to deserve such a bounty? Here's some quick thoughts on each of those:
Blackest Night #5: I think it's safe to say that the $#&% has officially hit the fan. There is really bad stuff going down. And that last bit? I totally didn't expect it.
I think the reason why the rings didn't work is that they were all being employed separately. The colors weren't united. As we all have been expecting, one person is going to have to wear all the rings to get it to work.
Justice Society of America #33: Not only was this a rollicking good superhero action story arc, it's set things up nicely for the future. I think I'm actually going to have to buy All-Stars now.
My favorite bits? Doctor F'ing Fate taking out everybody and Mister Terrific taking out Karnevil like the punk that kid is. Good stuff.
Superman #694: Have I mentioned how much I love Mon-El and what James Robinson is doing with him? I read an interview where Robinson talked about how sad he was going to be when they had to put Mon-El back in the Phantom Zone. I'm right there with him.
Mon-El's gone from being a character I really didn't know much about to being one of my absolute favorites. Still hate the new costume, though...
Detective Comics #859: Rucka and Williams continue to tear things up with this story. It made me mad as hell to see the reason why Kate got kicked out of West Point. And that stuff happens all the damn time. There's no good reason to we should be doing that.
On the other side of things, I loved seeing Kate's initial meeting with Batman. That guy sure does leave an impression. I can't wait until he comes back.
We're getting to the end of Willingham and Sturges' inaugural arc on Justice Society of America. And I think I've got a good idea of who the villain behind all the mayhem might be.
Now, I'm probably not the first person to come up with this theory. And really; it's a theory I should have come up with earlier. I mean, it's not a very good guess if I don't make it until I see the preview pages for the final issue of the arc. Still, this is the panel that got the rusty gears in my head moving:
If you read enough of Bill Willingham's DC Universe stuff you start to realize that as a writer he has a definite modus operandi. One of Willingham's favorite tricks is to create new characters for stories and then use them again and again in later tales in different books. You can see it in the villains that have been thrown out in this story arc so far: a number of them (like Tapeworm and Blue Moon) are characters that Willingham created for his Robin run.
Now when I put that fact together with an image of a blond-haired kid in a mask with a sadistic grin on his face hitting somebody with a chair it clicked. I'd seen that sadistic grin before:
Now, if you're not familiar with the character you may be asking how and why he would orchestrate a series of attacks designed to destroy the JSA. If you are familiar with the character then you probably don't feel the need for a "how" and also wouldn't be surprised if the why turned out to be "just because he can."
Oh, and as for why Karnevil (if really is the mystery villain) has decided to spare Stargirl... Scary version? He's got a crush on her.
Also, the Atomic Skull is my new best friend.
My surly, bearded replacement "Mr. Polaris" made great pains during the issue to annoy and generally aggravate all around him. The other villains did not respond to it well; perhaps they remember the golden age when the true Doctor Polaris soared above them, unconcerned with the pitiful mercenary work of the villain underclass.
Still, only one of their number had the fortitude of spirit to say what needed to be said. You should know that I was as surprised as any to find that that one was the Atomic Skull. Mr. Skull pulled no punches, telling it exactly as it is. Of the M. B. A. he said:
"You're one to talk, you pathetic excuse for a replacement villain!"
With that, the Atomic Skull has earned a place of glory among the great thinkers and philosophers of our time. To him, kudos.
Oh, you know it's time for solicitations!
What, pray tell, do we have in store for the month of December?
BLACKEST NIGHT #6
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert
Variant cover by Rodolfo Migliari
Sketch variant cover by Ivan Reis
The secrets of Nekron are revealed as darkness consumes the DC Universe.
Everything else: TOP SECRET.
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with three covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Rodolfo Migliari). For every 100 copies of the Standard Edition, retailers may order one copy of the Sketch Variant Edition (with a cover by Ivan Reis). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale December 23 • 6 of 8 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US
Well, Blackest Night will be hitting the home stretch. But what will we see? Wait, TOP SECRET? I suppose that means we're going to get some sort of continuity altering event? Maybe, maybe not. Regardless, I'm sure we'll get more super-powered zombies ripping out peoples' hearts...
SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #10
Written by Greg Rucka & James Robinson
Art by Pete Woods
Cover by Gary Frank
Variant cover by Dustin Nguyen
New Krypton is a planet so fresh, s experiencing countless things for the first time. Its first spring. Its first blooms. Its first birth of a child. And now its first homicide. When an important figure in Kandor is murdered, the suspect seems obvious to everyone but Superman. But can he make Zod or the Council believe this is more than an open-and-shut case? And can he uncover the real killer in time to save the life of the accused? s a dark mystery, but R.E.B.E.L.S. star Adam Strange arrives in time to help find answers& even though the truth may blow apart the civilized trappings of Kandorian society in the process.
This action-packed arc leads all the way to the series final issue, which itself sets the stage for huge happenings in the DC Universe next summer!
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Gary Frank), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Dustin Nguyen). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale December 2 • 10 of 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
It sounds like something big is brewing for next summer with the Superman books. I'm actually looking forward to that even more than I'm looking forward to the post-Blackest Night status quo.
Oh, and my prediction is this: the "murderer" is Superman's New Krypton "pal."
JSA ALL-STARS #1
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art and cover by Freddie Williams II
Variant cover by Ryan Sook
An all-new ongoing series! The Justice Society spin off group struggles to pull itself toward some semblance of order after the s devastating split! New home base, new training methods, new villains all bringing the JSA All-Stars face-to- face with one of their greatest villains again for the first time! Join writer Matthew Sturges (JUSTICE SOCIETY, JACK OF FABLES) and artist Freddie Williams II (ROBIN) for a new chapter in the JSA legacy.
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 25 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Freddie Williams II), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Ryan Sook). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale December 2 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US
The big JSA split happens this month, and I'm still not sure what I want to do. I have favorites on both teams as well as characters I don't like on both teams. Also, I don't have infinite money. What's a guy to do? I'll probably at least try out the first issue of All-Stars. But who knows if I'll stick with it. I mean, it's got Magog.
POWER GIRL #7
Written by Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray
Art and cover by Amanda Conner
A blast from the past! The alien Vartox has come to Earth to claim a wife and her name is Power Girl! PG may have wanted a boyfriend, but not quite like this! The fan-favorite team of Palmiotti, Gray and Conner craft another winner!
On sale December 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
VARTOX! VARTOX! VARTOX! I'm so glad I didn't drop this book.
What are you looking forward to in December?
This does not, however, indicate any degree of feeling on my part toward the team. Even my pathetic nephew Damage fails to elicit warm feelings in my heart. Why would I care about any of the other losers on that team?
No, I am displeased because my replacement is showing me up. Or at least he's trying to. He's stolen my name (though it is now innacurate), copied my powers, (though to a lesser degree) and is apeing my costume (to a hideous degree). Now he wants to steal my reputation! Seize for himself a place of glory as one of the villains who "took down the JSA."
I will not allow it! If I have to step in and fight side to side with my whiny, college-dropout nephew then I will do it. Anything to show "Mister Polaris" who's boss...
So, we had ourselves a comic-con last weekend, did we? Obviously I didn't go, but I did try to follow the news on the Internet. It's got to be good for something, right? Here's what I took away from the con (so to speak):
The Good: Geoff Johns on a new Flash ongoing! It's not a suprise; I think everybody expected this. But it's still a very good thing. Johns has turned Green Lantern into a top book. If he can work his magic on the Flash (a character I've always preferred to Green Lantern) I'll be a happy camper.
The Bad: JSA All-Stars! I know, that sounds like a strange thing to be "bad." Especially since I do like Matt Sturges' work. But I'm not made of money, people! Now if I want to read about guys I like -- the Flash, Wildcat, Stargirl, etc. -- I've got to buy two different books! And I'm still stuck with Magog...
The Good: T. H. U. N. D. E. R. Agents in the DCU! I've never actually read a book about them but I remember reading about the aborted DC series from a few years ago. I remember putting it on my pull list and being very excited about it. And I remember being disappointed when it never materialized. Now I'll get another chance.
The Bad: Yaaah! That T. H. U. N. D. E. R. Agents book is going to cost me money! And aren't those guys kind of redundant now that Checkmate works out of the United Nations?
The Good: James Robinson's Justice League of America! Now that we've got a tease of the team I'm even more excited than I was before. Mon-El's new costume is snazzy, and I'm curious to hear what his new "super" name is...
The Bad: Donna Troy is on that team.
There were a number of things about this week's Justice Society of America that unsettled me. Primarily, I think, is the fact that one of history's greatest tragedies was employed to tell a super-hero story.
I don't know if Mr. Ordway has ever been to Hiroshima. I have, and it's impossible to forget the things you see there. The photographs of the dead, the melted rooftiles, the black, human-shaped stains on paving stones. These aren't things you forget, even if you wish to.
I understand that maybe Mr. Ordway was trying to make a point about the issue, that he was trying to say that the dropping of that bomb and its twin weren't something black or white. Maybe, even as far from it as I am, I'm still too close to the issue. I can't fault Mr. Ordway for trying to tell the story even if it makes me unformfortable.
Hiroshima is an interesting city, and if you go thinking you'll find a place absorbed by the meloncholy of its tragedy you'll be disappointed. the burnt out remains of the A-Bomb Dome are the only real remnants of what happened there. The Peace Park at the site of where the bomb was dropped is big and beautiful, and there are always both tourists and Japanese people there.
I'm sure that there are those who still harbor ill will for what happened on that day. But you wouldn't know it. Maybe it's too long gone and everyone there is too young. I got nothing but friendly smiles, waves from children, and enthuisiastic attempts at English. Nobody seemed angry or resentful that I was an American. They just seemed happy to see me.
Still, you can't forget what happened there. Whether it was right or wrong -- and I doubt anyone has a real, proper answer to that question -- it happened. And even though this week's JSA made me uncomfortable, if it helps just one person to remember what happened in Hiroshima, it'll be worth it.
Based on the garish colors, misuse of metallics, and truly atrocious hair, I can only assume that it is not I but rather that insipid MBA. I am truly disappointed to find that he survived his last encounter with the Blue Beetle.
I had hoped he might suffer some sort of debilitating injury or accident that would lead to his demise or abandonment of the moniker that is rightfully mine.
Still, I am not terribly concerned. As long as there is a Mister Polaris running around the stage is set for a classic comic cliffhanger. Consider:
The scene: a city street. A pathetic MBA does battle with the JSA. Without a medical degree is is outmatched by Doctor Mid-Nite. He is defeated. The Flash ties him up and the rest of the team prepares to retire to their mansion for "egg-creams." Someone says something intended to be witty such as "well, that ties up Doctor Polaris." To the team's surprise the foolish MBA is then crushed by two tons of steel.
Splash page: Doctor Polaris appears. "Fools!" he says. "I am Doctor Polaris!"
To be continued.
Wouldn't you rather read that?
What gods did I please this week? It was an excellent week for comics. And that's not even counting the three books by Geoff Johns that came out this week.
It was all so good that Justice Society of America was my least favorite Geoff Johns book for the week. And that was the book that gave us this scene:
