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Friday, December 08, 2006

Random Reactions to JSA #1 (very slight spoilers likely)

I picked up my comics this week! (Though I somehow managed to miss Beyond 6, which makes me sad. I'll need to grab that ASAP). But naturally the one I was most looking forward to was JSA.

So I'll post my random reactions to JSA. (They should lack enough context so as not to be TOO spoilery):

-Maxine Hunkel is made of awesome! I'm so glad to see another character so ready to just have fun with being a hero. Especially in the JSA, which tends, I think, towards dourness. Besides, as someone prone to babbling excitedly at the drop of a hat (any hat, :-)) I feel as though she is kin! :-)

-This ought to reassure a few people who were worried that Stargirl was going to end up a bubbly, brainless cheerleader for the JSA. If anything, it looks like Courtney's going to get to be the more experienced "big sister" for once. That should be awesome.

-Starman's a little more...scattered than I expected. It's not a bad thing, but I don't really know what to make of him. That schtick seems like it could get old fast. I do like his costume though.

-In context, I like the Rick-Jessie scene (from the preview) much better. Especially as Newlyweds are supposed to be obnoxiously clingy and such.

-Some interesting hints about Damage. My curiousity is piqued.

-The group conflict potential seems pretty interesting. But I wonder at Ted's whole insistance that he doesn't know this group. I mean, sure Damage, Starman, and Maxine are likely strangers, but most of the others are still the old JSA line-up, or closely connected enough (Like Jessie or Todd) that he definitely knows them.

--I guess Wildcat just wants to be emo for a while.

-No Sand in the issue, which should make me sad. However a Sandman-who-I-hope-is-Sand is in the preview at least, so I'm happy! I haven't seen my other favorite character in ages!

-Mr. America has a very odd character design, like they were aiming toward Clark Gable but overshot into Gomez Addams. Still, there's a nice old-movie quality about him, which I like a lot.

-Jay and Alan continue to be mom and dad of the group. Which makes me smile.

-And while I didn't have as much of a problem with the character selection process in JLA, I'm glad that the JSA spent a comparitively much shorter time around the characters.

-That and there's only one Red Tornado I really care to read about, and she's got a mean hand with a frying pan.

-So far, the story is good. Readable and easy to follow. Some of the dialogue is clunky, but in general, I think it's doing a good job with setting everything up. I want to see what happens next. (And the ending genuinely surprised me!)

...Can I have the next one yet? Please?

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19 Comments:

  • At December 08, 2006 11:35 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    This may be sacrilege on this blog, but up until now, I couldn't get into JSA. It was just... blah. JSA #1 did a pretty good job of changing that, though. I'm not 100% into it, but interested enough to get the next issue.

    I will say, though, that the white stripes on Wildcat's new mask? Yuck! Starman reminds me a lot of PAD's Captain Marvel (He's, uh, got stars for a face and he was crazy, too) so I'm curious to see where that goes.

    Couple questions from a JSA neophyte. "Obsidian is our security system." This is the same guy from a recent issue of 52, brother to Jade? What was Jakeem Thunder's status at the end of the last JSA series? He's on the cover, but MIA in the book, kind of like Sand.

    By the way, Sandman's green costume reminds me a lot of a Metal Gear Solid villain. Not a specific one, just the style in general. That's a good thing.

    Beyond 6 was quite good.

     
  • At December 08, 2006 11:51 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    It's interesting how different the pacing is between the relaunches of Justice League of America and Justice Society of America. JLA is a bit slower in pace, but focuses on one or two characters at a time. JSA seems to be moving at a bit faster pace, with more characters being introduced at the same time. And, yet, I'm enjoying both paces, which is odd for me. I guess it's because it also adds to the differences between the two teams.

     
  • At December 08, 2006 12:19 PM, Blogger Tom Foss said…

    According to Geoff Johns' super-awesome interview on Newsarama yesterday, Sandman is Sand, Jakeem won't be showing up for a little while, and that first teaser panel is lifted directly from issue #5.

    I think Ted's just playing Mr. Gruff-'n'-grumpy, probably to even out the time he's spent babysitting over in Catwoman. I don't think it's a whole lot more than image maintenance, really, and I think that's the point of the big end reveal. He pretends to be the tough guy, but he's as much of a father figure with a heart as anyone else, maybe even moreso. I mean, Ted's got "kids" running all around the DCU: Batman, Catwoman, etc.

     
  • At December 08, 2006 1:20 PM, Blogger SallyP said…

    Gosh, I do like Ted. Guess he's just feeling a bit on the cranky side. Maxine is cute. Of COURSE she'd be gushing.

    I did like the part about John Stewart designing the new headquarters, and the fact that the other Lanterns erected it. Such nice young men...except for that red-headed one. Haw!

     
  • At December 08, 2006 1:37 PM, Blogger tavella said…

    Maxine made me go yay, because every superstar group needs someone who thinks this is the coolest thing that ever happened to them. Call it the Kyle/Hiro slot.

    Plus it means, as you noted, that Courtney can grow out of the newbie slot.

    I also loved the costumes, the way they looked like actual clothes for the most part, instead of painted on.

     
  • At December 08, 2006 2:55 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Pros: Maxine being a gushing fangirl and yet obviously having a lot more depth(her depression, having no friends...she's coming across a little too healthy)

    :Jessie and Rick and Jessie's new costume

    :Damage being a bitter bad-ass

    :Ted and Alan and Jay being Ted and Alan and Jay

    : Mr America's look and reaction to his, er, tragedies

    : Starman not being your prototypical hero - and being aware that he's losing it

    :Power Girl's reaction to Maxine

    :Courtney being...well, Courtney

    :Coming this year in JSA!

    Cons: Not a goddamn thing.

    Sooo much better than the JLA relaunch that its not funny.

     
  • At December 08, 2006 4:44 PM, Blogger Zaratustra said…

    Maxine looked a bit gimmicky there. "Gosh, Maxine, you talk a lot!" "That Maxine girl talks a lot, doesn't she!" "Golly gee, Maxine, you surely are a talker." Hoping they don't make the same joke -every time- she's on panel.

    Ogod Starman is Ambush Bug.

    I hope to god they're not rehashing Identity Crisis with Mr. America and the JSA.

    DOES DAMAGE LOOK LIKE A BITCH?

    BTW newsarama confirms Sandman is Sandy.

    Overall - Not perfect, and I -hate- the 'America' in the title, but ten times better than the 'new' JLA.

     
  • At December 08, 2006 8:09 PM, Blogger Chris Sims said…

    Who are you people?! Where do you come from?!

    So it's really just me, then? Rats.

     
  • At December 08, 2006 8:13 PM, Blogger Zaratustra said…

    I'm sorry, Chris. Do... do you want a hug?

     
  • At December 08, 2006 9:27 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Chris's enjoyment of comics seems to directly correlate with the amount of Silver Age wackyness in an issue.

    At least, that's what I think.

     
  • At December 08, 2006 9:31 PM, Blogger Chris Sims said…

    Zaratustra: Yes. But not from you, thanks.

    Matthew: There's actually a complex algorithm I use to determine my enjoyment, which is how I end up with the odd run of Darkhawk here and there.

     
  • At December 08, 2006 11:29 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Sims: Who are you people?! Where do you come from?!

    So it's really just me, then? Rats.


    If it makes you feel any better, my secret shame is that Manhunter bores me to tears!

    Uh, I mean, yay Manhunter!

     
  • At December 09, 2006 1:45 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I think Wildcat's negative attitude towards the idea of mentoring the direct inheritors of legacies (as opposed to showing these new kids who's boss in the boxing ring) can be explained by the fact that a) he's had one child kidnapped by a supervillain and never found and b) the woman he once allowed to become the new Wildcat ended up getting gutted by Ecilpso.

     
  • At December 09, 2006 3:02 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    You said pretty much everything I thought, with two exceptions.

    1) After all the tormented stuff pawned off on Rick and Jessie in the last few years (Titans, The Flash and the previous JSA book), isn't it nice to see two people in masks SMILING?

    2) I thought Mister America looked more like Errol Flynn than anybody and thought that might be a sly double-reference(Mister America being a Nazi spy in "The Golden Age" and the (now debunked) rumors of Errol being the same).

     
  • At December 09, 2006 3:25 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I have a few quibbles. I don't like the Mr. America subplot, specifically the whole "family and loved ones being horribly murdered, with blood spattering the floors" angle. Too grim and angsty for me. And I think the narrative captions ramble on just a bit. But I do like the characters, so I'll stick with this.

     
  • At December 10, 2006 12:31 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Maxine Hunkel, and Misfit from Birds of Prey totally need to have a team-up miniseries.

     
  • At December 12, 2006 9:25 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Z:Thanks Yay for the Golden Boy:)

    Kalinara : of Jay and Alan WHICH is the mom/dad

    Best word verification EVER: ndjsa
    "Now Dat's JSA":)

     
  • At December 12, 2006 9:24 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Yay! More weirdoes! Especially Maxine!

    (go cry emo cat)

     
  • At December 12, 2006 9:29 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    "I mean, Ted's got "kids" running all around the DCU: Batman, Catwoman, etc."

    That's a good point, and subtly reinforced when Mr. America's narration mentions him.

    Also, the mystery of "who is Starman?" just got a lot more awesome. I'm betting he's actually Supergirl.

     

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