Justice Society Vol. 1 tpb
by Gerry Conway, Paul Levitz, Ric Estrada, Wally Wood & Joe Staton
I picked this one up at the same time as the aforementioned Crisis on Multiple Earths JLA volume and for the same unfathomable reasons. Admittedly Geoff Johns has done such a good job on the JSA that he has piqued my interest about earlier incarnations but as a child I had an aversion to anything non-Marvel; the JLA seemed like a punch of stiffs and the JSA seemed even lamer.
That aversion has greatly diminished since the 80s but I still have the same knee-jerk gut reaction to pre-80s JLA and especially JSA.
This volume did nothing to disabuse me of my prejudices.
I did enjoy it (much) more than Crisis on Multiple Earths. The stories are readable at least and even mildly entertaining but in general they are characterised by the hokiness that pervaded so much of DC's output prior to Dick Giordano's ascendancy to power.
The stories are generic and the characters are colorless and bland with the exception of Power Girl who is introduced here and comes on like gangbusters.
Conway and later Levitz do their best to inject some Marvel-like group dynamics and drama but it all comes off as ersatz Marvel.
The main thing this volume has going for it - and it's a major plus! - is some gorgeous inking and even full art by none other than Wally Wood. Not his best stuff by any means but even Wood not firing on all pistons is worth seeing. He makes Ric Estrada's and Keith Giffen's serviceable pencils on the first few issues shine and he even does full pencils and inks on 2 (or 3) issues and they are beautiful, at least up to his Thunder Agents standard. Always a joy to behold. I also love the way Woody took his Superman cues from the Fleisher cartoons. Great stuff.
The cover by Brian Bolland is a beauty too.
Also on the pleasantly surprising side of the balance sheet is the subtle social relevance of the stories, including references to South Africa's Apartheid regime and the environmental dangers of CFCs. Nice touches.
All in all, not as bad as Crisis but hardly good enough to warrant a place in my collection so this one will wind up in my "for sale" box. Reluctantly, however, besides of the Woody work. Writing this, I've actually almost half talked myself out of getting rid of it.
Any views on Vol. 2? More of the same I guess but without Woody.
by Gerry Conway, Paul Levitz, Ric Estrada, Wally Wood & Joe Staton
I picked this one up at the same time as the aforementioned Crisis on Multiple Earths JLA volume and for the same unfathomable reasons. Admittedly Geoff Johns has done such a good job on the JSA that he has piqued my interest about earlier incarnations but as a child I had an aversion to anything non-Marvel; the JLA seemed like a punch of stiffs and the JSA seemed even lamer.
That aversion has greatly diminished since the 80s but I still have the same knee-jerk gut reaction to pre-80s JLA and especially JSA.
This volume did nothing to disabuse me of my prejudices.
I did enjoy it (much) more than Crisis on Multiple Earths. The stories are readable at least and even mildly entertaining but in general they are characterised by the hokiness that pervaded so much of DC's output prior to Dick Giordano's ascendancy to power.
The stories are generic and the characters are colorless and bland with the exception of Power Girl who is introduced here and comes on like gangbusters.
Conway and later Levitz do their best to inject some Marvel-like group dynamics and drama but it all comes off as ersatz Marvel.
The main thing this volume has going for it - and it's a major plus! - is some gorgeous inking and even full art by none other than Wally Wood. Not his best stuff by any means but even Wood not firing on all pistons is worth seeing. He makes Ric Estrada's and Keith Giffen's serviceable pencils on the first few issues shine and he even does full pencils and inks on 2 (or 3) issues and they are beautiful, at least up to his Thunder Agents standard. Always a joy to behold. I also love the way Woody took his Superman cues from the Fleisher cartoons. Great stuff.
The cover by Brian Bolland is a beauty too.
Also on the pleasantly surprising side of the balance sheet is the subtle social relevance of the stories, including references to South Africa's Apartheid regime and the environmental dangers of CFCs. Nice touches.
All in all, not as bad as Crisis but hardly good enough to warrant a place in my collection so this one will wind up in my "for sale" box. Reluctantly, however, besides of the Woody work. Writing this, I've actually almost half talked myself out of getting rid of it.
Any views on Vol. 2? More of the same I guess but without Woody.
Last edited by: deejayway 10/25/09 09:24:04.
Edited 1 times.
