JSA #54

Day 9 of my Thanksgiving reads is an all-time holiday classic! 

The JSA has invited the members of the JLA to their headquarters for Thanksgiving dinner. It's a humorous mix of characters from both teams as they wait for the turkey to roast and the potatoes to mash. Only Batman is on edge as he feels that having all these superheroes under one roof is a recipe for disaster should a super villain decide to launch an attack.

A fantastic story written by Geoff Johns (Blackest Night) with amazing art by Don Kramer (Wonder Woman). I know it's probably not in fashion to say this, but Don Kramer's artwork of female heroes such as Wonder Woman and Power Girl is simply stunning cheesecake. It's very alluring. Though I will admit, the artist does try to draw the ladies in what could be considered extra-wide thongs.

A great read that was worth the wait. A must have for fans of holiday themed comic books.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC/Marvel: All Access #4

The JLA and X-Men realize who is behind the dimensional crisis between the DC and Marvel Universes. It's not as epic of a team-up as when the JLA and the Avengers worked together. But it was quite thrilling. 

An overall great job by Ron Marz and Jackson 'Butch' Guice. Very good and interesting story and great artwork, especially for mid-90s comics!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC/Marvel All Access #3

The excitement continues with Access recruiting Batman and Doctor Strange to assist with the mystery of the weakening barriers between the two dimensions. Meanwhile, gumming up the works is the inevitable showdown between the JLA and the X-Men.

I pretty much know how this is all going to wind up. But it's a thrill ride nonetheless.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Superman #165 (A Holiday Favorite Revisited)

Lex Luthor has been elected President of the United States. It's a fact that doesn't sit very well with the Man of Steel. Seeking advice, solace, and allies, Superman makes the rounds with his fellow Justice Leaguers while giving them their Christmas presents. 

Featuring the artistic talents of Art Adams, Mike Wieringo, Ed McGuiness, Rob Liefeld, Norm Rapmund, and many more, this was a great Christmas themed story that's drawing style changed which each hero Superman engages. 

One of my favorite stories begins with a scene involving Waverider and Mongul's Warworld. Yet, that's the only time we see these characters. It's a moment that has to nothing do with the holiday themed story but thankfully, it doesn't really detract from the rest of the tale. 

Speaking of detractors- even the art of the much-maligned Rob Liefeld is pretty good. The late 90s version of Aquaman with the long hair and hook hand actually looks great done by the creator of Deadpool. It's almost a Christmas miracle!

 Worth Consuming

 Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

JLA: Shogun of Steel

 This Elseworlds tale takes place in feudal Japan as a despotic ruler has thrown Japan into a near-fascist state. None is safe as robotic drones wreak havoc in the countryside, eradicating any chance for a force to fight back. A small band of freedom fighters have one last opportunity to fight back, but time is running out. Thankfully, there’s a man who can fly, shoot fire from his eyes, is incredibly strong, and he hates this new ruler of Japan just as much as they do.

   The story is very good. It's kinda original even though I figured out who the bad guy really is about half way before the big reveal and it was really cool and fitting since the heroic mystery man is Kal-El.

   Here’s my problem with this book: while the art is visually stunning, reflecting the woodcut style of ancient Japan, why is Kal-El portrayed as Asian? In regular DC books, Superman looks like a Caucasian male with raven black hair. Here, Kal-El, along with his father Jor-El, is drawn as a Japanese strongman. Shouldn’t Superman look more like he would in the regular DC books since he was born on Krypton and not Earth? I think having him be more like a “fish out of water” in feudal Japan would have been even more poignant.

    There’s a definite Shogun vibe here. In  that novel by James Michener,  an American explorer is thrust into the world of feudal Japan and I think the artist and writer missed a great opportunity to explore that route had they kept Kal-El looking like himself in the comics and not having his appearance drawn like a Japanese man. Though I consider this a serious nit/ continuity error, I consider this book to be Worth Consuming. 

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Legends of the DC Universe #32

The final chapter of this current Legends storyline has Wonder Woman and World War II anti-hero Fury battling it out over a false sense of entitlement. See, Fury bonded with Wonder Woman's mother during her time-travelling antics during the second world war. Fury took it to mean Hippolyta was in reality her mother. It was in reality nothing more than a kind hearted woman taking an orphan child under her wing during the horrors of war.

    The biggest conflict is between Wonder Woman and Superman. For this entire storyline, Wonder Woman has been juggling with her heart over whether of not to accept a date with a despot to end a bloody civil war. Superman has been taking the whole thing on the chin, agonizing over whether of not Diana will go so far as to sleep with this rebel leader. It's very 8th-grade romance if you ask me.

    Honestly, with a story like this, it surprises me when people get all bent out of shape that Wonder Woman and the Man of Steel are currently an item in the New 52. Hint of a romance between these two characters has been hinted at since the early 70s and the love affair went so far that in days of John Bryne's post-Crisis Superman run in the 80s,  the two went on a date in Action Comics #600.  That attraction fizzled after only one outing and a kiss that grossed Wonder Woman out (I.E. like when Lorraine kisses Marty in Back to the Future and says "it's like kissing my brother.)
 
 The romance has turned into so much more over the course of the past 25 years with Elseworlds stories such as 'Red Son,' 'Whom Gods Destroy,' and 'Kingdom Come' and it's sequel 'The Kingdom' having a now widowed Superman marry Wonder Woman and have a child. (Technically Kingdom Comic isn't an Elseworlds title as much as an alternate timeline story, as that series does not carry the Elseworlds Compass logo. Yet The Kingdom does carry the Elseworlds imprint.)
   
    A very satisfying ending to a very good Wonder Woman story. It featuring some great art, sexy covers, and some great plot twists and surprises.

   Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Legends of the DC Universe #31

   After soul searching with friends, family, and fellow members of the JLA, Wonder Woman decides to go on her date with the rebel leader/ reincarnated Greek legend. She promises him one evening but the rogue cheats and keeps heading west, prolonging the courtship with the quickly setting sun. After nearly 24-hours together the question is whose getting under whose skin more? Meanwhile, Fury schemes to undermine everything, blaming Wonder Woman from stealing her mother from her. It's a deadly delusion that will come to a head in the third and final chapter next issue.

    Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Legends of the DC Universe #30

   The last Wonder Woman story in this anthology series was awful. So when I saw that another Wonder Woman tale pop up, I had some apprehension. Wonder Woman is a great character. I enjoy reading stories involving her. But that story from issues 4-5 sucked rocks. There was plot holes, the art was rough, and the dialogue was melodramatic at best.

    But this story by Christopher Priest and Karl Waller was actually very well written, entertaining, and excellently plotted.

   In this opening chapter, a despotic European rebel leader has his eye set on Wonder Woman. But he's willing to give up his civil war for one night with the Amazonian princess. Talk about your indecent proposals! But it appears that this is his nature as the warlord is in reality one of the Titans or some other important legend of Greek myth. (I've never heard of the myth he's based on, so I don't blame the writer for my being unable to recall the characters name without the book in front of me.) But from what I do remember, he's not Hercules despite being a massive horn dog.

    I really enjoyed this issue and I liked how it's tying in Hippolyta's time as Wonder Woman during World War II. It made for a compelling read that helped cement this story into the post-Crisis canon. It also has me ready and eager for chapter two- something I was not looking forward to after reading issue #4.

   Worth Consuming.

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.







 

JLA #60

 

  This adorable Christmas themed issue of JLA borrows a few pages from Princess Bride when Plastic Man tries to get his unruly nephew to go to sleep on Christmas Eve. The hero tells the story of how Santa Claus joined the League. It's clearly a rouse to get the tyke to sleep, but it makes for a comedy of errors. Of course, you know the real Santa is going to pop up by stories end.

   The story in general was written by Mark Waid, who've I've lately become a fan of thanks to his recent work on Daredevil. I'm also trying to collect the entire run of JLA. So it's very good to know that I'm going to have more great Mark Waid stories to look forward to when I get my run complete and ready to read it. The art is a little inconsistent but with the story teller being very fluid with the true, I think it works. Plastic Man goes back and forth on his tale and the varying artistic styles might be deliberate to reflect that aspect. Plus, with a character like Plas who can assume any shape, there will be times that the narrator or his characters will morph like he does.
 
 Individually, these story devices might not seem to work very well on their own. But when you put it all together, every aspect of this story worked together to form a great tale. I loved it.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Legends of the DC Universe #19

I'm torn. I usually hate it when you read a book and then you find out that the cliffhanger is in the pages of another title. In this case, the cover explicitly states that the JLApe storyline starts here. (JLApe was a cross-over event in which members of the JLA were turned into various types of primates by Gorilla Grodd.) Then at the end of the book there is a checklist of the other books in the story arc. So, I applaud those steps to keep the reader in the know.

However, Legends of the DC Universe is supposed to tell untold tales of the best and brightest of the DC Universe. To me, that means stories from their early days. Here, we get Impulse, a 90s creation. Okay- you can still operate within the realms of this series premise with this. You can expound on Bart’s life in the 30th century. But to tell a story that occurs in the ‘present’ seems to defeat the concept of telling the backstories of the DCU.

The story itself was very good. It was funny, exciting, and made me want to read more

Impulse. Also, I am not on the hunt for the rest of the JLApe annuals.

However, this story does not operate within the established parameters set by the editorial staff in the letters pages of issue #1.

So, I will deem this story worth consuming but I must knock it down a peg because it didn’t stick to the essence of Legends of the DC Universe series.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

JLA Showcase 80-Page Giant

Almost a dozen stories about the JLA, ranging from when the League was in Detroit and Europe, as well as taking up residence on the moon. Almost a collection of lost tales- most work, like the Steel/ Aquaman team-up that includes bonding over pork rinds and Wally West and Black Canary matching wits with a Rumplestiltskin-type sprite.

The art was very, very good and I enjoyed reading most of these tales. With an anthology, you can’t expect all perfect tales. But, it’s good enough.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

JLA: Act of God # 3

  In this final chapter, the superhero community, already reeling from the loss of their super powers, now must face the fact that their replacements are losing not only the battle but their very lives. 

    However, a small band of de-powered heroes have decided to continue their battle against evil and look to the Batman family for training and guidance.

   I really loved how all the pieces came together. The Clark Kent/ Diana Prince sub-plot finished quite nicely too!

   One of the best Elseworlds tales that I have ever read. 

  Worth Consuming!

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

JLA: Act Of God Book 2

With Earth suddenly depowered of meta-humans, the super villains who use technology and weapons have run amok. The first test involves the Toyman seeking revenge over Luthor with a giant armored soldier. Lives literally hang in the balance of this outcome.

 

One of the most shocking comic’s I have ever read. I had to keep reminding myself that’s it is only an Elseworlds tale. Brutally fantastic art. An amazing second chapter.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

JLA: Act of God, Book 1

 

  A strange act of God causes all the super powered heroes and villains to lose their powers. That now means the heavy hitters are Batman, Steel, Blue Beetle and Booster Gold!

   A very interesting opening chapter that looks at the question “What makes one a hero?”
The art is fantastic. The story is really good. Excellent plotting and some spot on character analysis of DC’s best and brightest!

   Kudos!

   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

"JLA: Another Nail"

Now that Superman has finally come, the DCU faces its first crisis. A real page turner here! Honest. There are some great cameos by the Doom Patrol, Powergirl, Black Orchid, and The Phantom Stranger. And thankfully, the crisis ends with Barry Allen still alive!

The best part is Batman’s penance for the death of the Joker at his hands in The Nail. The outcome is awesome!

"JLA: The Nail, Book Three"

WORTH CONSUMING!

The Nail comes to an end with an all-out battle against the biggest, baddest, most powerful enemy the Justice League as ever fought…Jimmy Olsen? I know this seems lame but it works. Just read the book. Then, you’ll see I was right!

"JLA: The Nail, Book Two"

WORTH CONSUMING!

The book is great- but things go from bad to worse for the Justice League!!! Some alien presence is building up a disdain for meta-humans and the world takes the Patriot Act to the highest level of fascism…EVER! The scary thing is that this book was written years before 9/11!

"JLA: The Nail, Book One"

Imagine a world without Superman. Oh, don’t worry! He’s out there, he’s just never been discovered.

In this Elseworld, meta-humans and aliens are looked at with disdain and the JLA finds itself in the middle of a public relations nightmare.

It’s the beginning of a great tale. The book’s best part is also the most chilling. The Joker forces Batman to watch while he destroys Batgirl and Robin. What makes this so vile- just what Joker does to them is never shown. But, it’s really bad. Wow!

Worth Consuming!