Review: JSA #5
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Art: Diego Olortegui
Colors: Luis Guererro
Letters: Steve Wands
Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd
Summary
Hawkman escapes from Hell, Beth Chapel rescues Obsidian and the rest of the JSA tries to figure out what’s going on while Jade takes all the weight on her shoulders.
Positives
Things really feel like their moving in JSA #5. If last issue was the strongest issue of the series this may be a little stronger, but it’s at least just as good as issue #4. Lemire has a lot of balls in the air in this inaugural storyline, and this issue feels the best balanced between them. It took a while to get here, but it feels like this series is finally on the right track with issues #4 and #5.
No one character takes center stage as each of the different plots move forward. Perhaps, the realization by Jade and Sand that no one could possibly be betraying the team is right on the nose, in a good way. The two have sorted out that something else is going on. The reader has known since issue #1, and it’s good to see at least these two figure out something is REALLY not right.
The resolution to the last page sets up significant tension as Lemire teases the death of a JSAer. It’s been seen in the solicits and Lemire gets to a point in the story that focuses the reader on Green Lantern (Alan Scott), The Flash (Jay Garrick), Wildcat (Ted Grant) and Dr. Fate (Khalid Nassour). If Lemire has foreshadowed anything in the series so far it’s that the Old Guard has done their best to infuse Khalid with confidence and support…too little, too late? Paving the way for the return of Kent Nelson?
Negatives
I’m still not sold on the idea of a group of the younger heroes having a different ideology to the Old Guard when it comes to how to deal with villains. It not only feel contrived, but a literal rehash of the JSA series of the 2000’s with the Atom Smasher, Black Adam, Extant storylines. The subsequent issues of that series and the following Justice Society of America series moved the team into a very different space and this generational conflict feels like a regression. Way back when Infinity, Inc. dealt with the the generation gap, but it was centered around parents and children and not the moral implications of killing that Geoff Johns explored in the aforementioned 2000’s series. Exploring the theme from a different angle would’ve landed better and not felt redundant. There’s still a slim chance that it’s being driven by Johnny Sorrow in disguise as Obsidian, we’ll have to see.
Verdict
With JSA #5, this series is falling into place. This issue is well balanced and moves things forward. There are some misgivings with the internal conflict, but it’s outweighed by the rest of the issue as well as a solid tease for which JSAer will die next issue. May be over with the pains of childbirth with this series.
