Review: Justice Society of America #12
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art: Todd Nauck
Colors: Matt Herms
Letters: Rob Leigh
Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd
Summary
Stargirl takes a look back at her life and career with the Justice Society as she gives her high school valedictorian speech. You might need a tissue for this one.
Positives
Geoff Johns created Stargirl, Courtney Whitmore as a tribute to his real life sister who perished as a teenager in a plane crash. More than anything else Justice Society of America #12 is a goodbye from Johns to Stargirl and his work on her over the past 25 years. It’s a celebration of that anniversary as well. Johns hits the important points from her life with special emphasis on the importance of family. Johns works in as many details as possible. We get a moment between Pat Dugan and Merry Pemberton. We see Jack Knight and his son in attendance at the graduation. Courtney herself announces that Pat is indeed her “real” dad, the dad that means something to her now while always acknowledging the fact that her biological dad’s abandonment of her and her mom will always hurt.
It makes sense that Todd Nauck who drew the Stargirl: The Lost Children mini series returns for this issue. He gets the chance to show his action choreography and layouts as a number of the pages are poster type wide angle shots. There’s a fair amount of Stargirl material from the past few years. This is the finale to that more so than the final issue of the current run of Justice Society of America. It’s about the only way Johns could say goodbye and put a bow on things.
Negatives
This incarnation of the Justice Society of America really is a story of “what could’ve beens.” It’s easy to see that when looking back at The New Golden Age one-shot that came out nearly two years ago. That issue introduced so many new characters and almost none of them have been developed beyond early stages, and some like the Golden Age Aquaman, never were addressed at all. Last issue’s clear finale makes more sense having read Justice Society of America #12. That issue was undoubtedly rushed and jam-packed with a resolution that needed more space despite being immensely enjoyable for what it is. As touching as #12 is, it is a reminder of all the things that never happened in this run. Even this issue itself was initially solicited as the beginning of a new era for the team as it went global. It even sounded like there were more issues to come.
Verdict
As a goodbye to Stargirl, Justice Society of America #12 functions as a sweet and touching moment. It wraps up things for Courtney as she finishes this chapter of her life. For Johns, it’s a goodbye that must feel difficult. It functions well for what it is, but at the same time is a bit anti-climactic after last issue’s wrap up of storylines.
