Review: JSA #2

Review: JSA #2
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Jeff Lemire
Art: Diego Olortegui
Colors:  Luis Guerrero
Letters: Steve Wands

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Two groups of the JSA investigate separate incidents that they learn are linked…and the Injustice Society attacks to bring us up to the where things were in issue #1.

Positives

The story in JSA #2 comes out stronger than last issue.  This would have worked better as a first issue to let the reader know where things stand and what’s going on.  There are elements here that connect this series to the previous volume of Justice Society of America which just concluded.  There’s a mention of Courtney’s High School Graduation and a few significant words between Alan Scott and Ruby Sokov who is now with the Injustice Society.  Most importantly, the plot is more streamlined as we get the information we need to fill in the gaps.

Diego Olortegui does a good job on the art again effectively communicating the story beats and making sure the reader understands what’s going on.  The action elements are entertaining as well with Olortegui doing a good job creating the excitement.

The cover by Cully Hamner is noteworthy in that it’s a riff on All-Star Squadron #1.  It uses many of the same elements, but flips things by having Jade and Obsidian arguing.

Negatives

There’s still something off about this series so far.  While JSA #2 does get more things right it feels like Jeff Lemire is creating mystery and uncertainty in spots where he doesn’t need to.  Whereas last issue there was way too much tension between JSAers, this time it’s little details with a couple of large plot points that feel rehashed.

The Police don’t seem to want to accept Jade and Beth Dr. Mid-Nite and it feels out of place.  These are not brand new heroes…they have some experience at this point and it just feels manufactured.  Along the same lines, while this series has a feel similar to the early 2000’s JSA, there are a couple plot points Lemire is recapitulating that make it hard for this to feel new.  While including Sand in this series is a fun choice, it recalls that series that brought him back.  In the second story arc from that run, Obsidian was possessed by Ian Karkull.  We’ve already seen last issue that Obsidian is either compromised or being impersonated by Johnny Sorrow.  Johnny Sorrow is leading the Injustice Society of America again, just as he did in the fourth story arc from the 2000’s run.  Kobra gets a mention in issue #2 here which recalls his role in the “death” of Albert (Atom Smasher) Rothstein’s mother in the early issues of the aforementioned series.  These connections make this new series feel rehashed.

Negatives Cont’d

While Lemire does give the sense that Hawkgirl is being portrayed with her recent history intact, her mention of Carter’s past lives seems to indicate that she doesn’t have any.  However, Carter’s use of the exclamation “Seven Hell’s” is more in line with Katar Hol.  While Carter remembers this past life, the recent  Hawkman series by Robert Venditti settled Carter’s personality more in keeping with his Golden Age timeline than his Thanagarian iteration.  There just needs to be more focus on character.

That may be the big thing that’s off.  Lemire seems to be relying on plot to carry the story and hold the reader’s attention, but the best JSA stories have always been focused on character first.  Look back at Infinity, Inc., and all of Geoff Johns work on the team, even the recently concluded series.  Character comes first.  That’s why these characters have endured and have legacies, because of the character work throughout the years.

JSA #3 is teased on the last page as “Into Darkness.”  Todd Rice/ Obsidian has grown a lot over the years.  I’m worried that this next issue is going to be a rehash of all the dark times he’s been in before.  There’s no need to regress the character, and it contributes to the feeling that the character development that Lemire is going for is something we’ve already seen.

Verdict

Overall, JSA #2 is better than issue #1, but mostly structurally.  This issue makes #1 almost unnecessary except for the reveal about Obsidian/ Johnny Sorrow.   There are still character bits that feel off and a sense of “we’ve done this already,” but not in a fun nostalgic way.  Two issue’s in this series needs more focus on character and less reliance on plot.