Review: JSA #7
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Art: Rafael De LaTorre
Colors: Luis Guererro
Letters: Steve Wands
Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd
Summary
It’s Ted Grant’s funeral- memories and the feeling that something still isn’t quite right. It’s a lot of smaller moments with a surprise at the end of the issue.
Positives
Rafael De Latorre is another new artist on this title and he turns in a nice job with a lot of character moments and no action at all. The end of the this issue is real surprise that might be the most interesting moment in the entirety of this JSA series. Stop if you don’t want to be spoiled, but Ted Grant still has a role to play in this series along with some other recognizable deceased heroes.
Power Girl makes an appearance in this issue which is important as she has a long history with Wildcat. She was able to impress him in her earliest appearances as well as agitating him to no end. Their respect and annoyance towards one another is a classic element for these two characters. Unfortunately, this issue doesn’t do enough with it, or even the right things with it…we’ll get to that below.
Negatives
JSA #7, like so much of this run so far feels…miserable. It’s hard to see any passion or excitement for the Justice Society of America in this issue. This series has been mired in too many plot threads and too many unhappy characters in conflict. This issue doesn’t do anything though to mitigate that. There’s too much telling as well, and that’s probably due to the fact that Lemire is trying to do too much and can’t really generate any excitement or much movement.
Jesse and Rick are having “problems,” but we’ve not actually seen it, we only have what they tell us instead of seeing it developing over the course of the series. Like so much in this series, it feels hollow and empty. Any sort of compelling interpersonal moment is absent. It feels like we are reading a pitch or an outline instead of the actual comic. Lemire wants the reader to feel their tension, but there’s nothing there except an idea.
Negatives Cont’d
Unfortunately, the misery in this issue comes through in each of the subplots save the final one with Hawkman, Hawkgirl and the new Kid Eternity. Before we get there, we have to suffer through the Justice League “talking down” to the JSA for the “mess” they’ve let get out of hand. It doesn’t seem right that the JSA and JLA would have this animosity between them of any sort. It doesn’t even work on the level of “dramatic tension.” It just feels out of place, just as Jay states in the issue itself. It just contributes to the misery plaguing this series. Part of it comes from what Batman says. I think he’s a better judge of things and wouldn’t come off as condescending. Additionally, I think Mr. Terrific would be able a little more aligned with the JSA. DC wants him to be JL, but he’s always going to be a JSA legacy character.
Another detail is Lemire giving Jay Garrick’s birthyear as 1923. This makes no sense as he is shown graduating college in 1940 and being a fully grown adult in the first appearance of All-Star Comics #3 IN 1940. Using Lemire’s date this would only make in 17 in 1940 and still in high school. Garrick is a smart man, but he’s not graduate from college at 17 smart. If Lemire hadn’t mentioned a specific date it wouldn’t have changed what Garrick says in his eulogy of Ted Grant. It’s a needless detail that distracts and confuses instead of enriching Jay’s words about the deceased Wildcat.
Negatives Cont’d
While Power Girl’s appearance in JSA #7 is appropriate, the interaction between her and Yolanda is less than encouraging. The first thing that raises questions is that Yolanda refers to her as “Paige” instead of Power Girl or better yet, Karen. This, of course, just reinforces the confounding nature of the recently ended Power Girl series written by Leah Williams. There’s nothing wrong with Power Girl’s characterization at first, but upon some reflection, it not right at all. She’d be hurt by Ted Grant’s death, but she probably wouldn’t offer touchy feely condolences to Yolanda. She’d probably be a little more stoic and have some of the anger that Yolanda shows. Paired with the use of “Paige,” it ends up feeling not right.
This appearance of Power Girl is the first representation of the character after Leah Williams’ penned series and it may point to how Power Girl will be portrayed in the DC Universe. If this is any indication, and DC can’t see the damage done to the character it will continue to be a difficult time for Power Girl fans.
Furthermore, it shows DC’s gross ignorance in the incompatibility of Leah Williams’ version of Power Girl and a character who has history with the JSA. There’s no way Leah Williams’ take on the character is able to have had the history with the JSA. Williams’ take is just impossible if she’s had the history that she’s had, narratively it makes no sense besides being a completely different interpretation and characterization of Power Girl. DC and Lemire are reinforcing a version of Power Girl that has done nothing but alienate fans and actually damage Power Girl as a character.
Verdict
Lemire’s approach of chaos and a broken team just isn’t working in the series. It doesn’t allow the fun and excitement long associated with the characters, and instead just mires the team in misery, unhappiness and depression. JSA #7 falters on characterization as well as the Batman and Power Girl feel very off. Something big will have to happen to turn this series around, and the promise in the finale may be just that…maybe. Maybe.
