bullet.
     
    

    
     
      These
      eight
      ‘‘mystery
      men’’
      (“‘super
      hero”’
     
     
      as
      a
      term
      had
      yet
      to
      emerge)
      had
      formed
      a
      team
     
     
      so
      as
      to
      better
      battle
      the
      forces
      of
      evil,
      though
     
     
      their
      first
      meeting
      in
      All-Star
      #3
      consisted
      only
     
     
      of
      the
      JSA
      swapping
      stories
      of
      their
      exploits
     
     
      (maybe
      they
      should
      have
      been
      called
      the
      Mu-
     
     
      tual
      Admiration
      Society).
      Superman
      and
      Bat-
     
     
      man
      were
      mentioned
      as
      honorary
      members
     
     
      “too
      busy
      to
      attend’’,
      and
      comic
      relief
      was
     
     
      provided
      by
      two
      would-be
      crimebusters
      who
     
     
      crashed
      the
      meeting:
      the
      Red
      Tornado
      (a
      burly
     
     
      housewife
      who,
      unrecognizably
      female
      in
      her
     
     
      baggy
      disguise
      of
      cape,
      long
      underwear,
      and
      pot
     
     
      with
      eyeholes
      for
      a
      helmet,
      cleaned
      up
     
     
      neighborhood
      crime)
      and
      Johnny
      Thunder
      (a
     
     
      good-natured
      nitwit
      who
      commanded
      a
      genie-
     
     
      like,
      animated
      pink
      thunderbolt).
      The
      whole
     
     
      business
      seemed
      pretty
      laid-back,
      but
      in
      subse-
     
     
      quent
      issues
      of
      All-Star
      Comics
      the
      JSA
      went
     
     
      into
      action
      against
      such
      criminal
      masterminds
     
     
      as
      Per
      Degaton,
      the
      Wizard,
      Brainwave,
      the
     
     
      Psycho
      Pirate,
      and
      the
      Injustice
      Society
      of
      the
     
     
      World.
      There
      was
      no
      shortage
      of
      good
      guys
     
     
      either,
      and
      later
      JSA
      members
      included
      Starman
     
     
      (playboy-astronomer
      Ted
      Knight,
      whose
      ‘‘
      grav-
     
     
      ity
      rod’?
      enabled
      him
      to
      harness
      the
      forces
      of
     
     
      heat,
      light
      and
      gravity),
      Doctor
      Mid-Nite
      (a
     
     
      sightless
      surgeon
      who
      could
      see
      in
      the
      dark
      and
     
     
      who,
      with
      the
      aid
      of
      goggles
      that
      allowed
      him
      to
     
     
      see
      in
      the
      light,
      battled
      criminals
      with
      his
      blind-
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ing
      ‘‘blackout
      bombs’”),
      Wonder
      Woman
      (the.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      amazon
      adventurer
      in
      the
      star-spangled
      founda-
     
     
      tion
      garment),
      Mister
      Terrific,
      (Terry
      Sloan,
      a
     
     
      superb
      athlete
      and
      wealthy
      genius
      who
      turned
      to
     
     
      crimefighting
      because
      he’d
      run
      out
      of
      chal-
     
     
      tnges
      in
      life),
      Wildcat
      (a
      catskin-clad
      prize-
     
     
      ighter
      turned
      crimefighter),
      and
      Black
      Canary
     
     
      florist
      Dinah
      Lance,
      who
      put
      her
      martial
      arts
     
     
      nd
      moxy
      to
      use
      as
      a
      blonde-wigged
     
     
      timebuster).
      The
      JSA
      were
      a
      popular
      group
     
     
      hroughout
      the
      forties,
      and
      while
      the
      members’
     
     
      ndividual
      careers
      varied
      the
      team
      itself
      lasted
     
     
      ntil
      All-Star
      #57
      as
      the
      decade
      drew
      to
      a
      close
     
     
      d
      super
      heroes
      largely
      disappeared
      in
      the
     
     
      ‘clining
      comics
      market
      of
      the
      late
      forties
      and
     
     
      arly
      fifties.
     
     
      As
      comics
      fans
      know,
      super
      heroes
      came
     
     
      ack
      into
      fashion
      for
      keeps
      in
      the
      late
      fifties
      and
     
     
      erly
      sixties,
      and
      among
      the
      first
      success
      stories
     
     
      “te
      new
      characters
      who
      were
      based
      on
      the
     
     
      ‘mes
      and
      concepts
      of
      various
      forties
      charac-
     
     
      'S
      (i.e.
      the
      Flash,
      Green
      Lantern,
      and
     
     
      ‘wkman),
      Fans
      hadn’t
      forgotten
      the
      originals,
     
     
      ugh,
      and
      the
      JSA
      returned.
      Inspired
      by
      the
     
     
      PW
      generation
      of
      super
      heroes,
      the
      graying
      but
     
     
      ‘aL
      JS
      Aers
      moved
      out
      of
      retirement
      into
      semi-
     
     
      live
      status,
      frequently
      teaming
      with
      the
      mod-
     
     
      lustice
      League
      of
      America
      and
      making
     
     
      Pearances
      in
      such
      books
      as
      Adventure
      Com-
     
     
      P
      and
      a
      brief
      revival
      of
      All-Star
      Comics
      in
      the
     
     
      Venties.
      As
      the
      decades
      passed
      the
      JSA
      got
     
     
      ter
      (since
      they
      had
      been
      tied
      toa
      specific
      time
     
     
      We
      the
      forties)
      but
      continued
      to
      appear
      on
     
     
      am
      €ven
      spawning
      Infinity
      Inc.,
      a
      group
     
     
      *
      YP
      of
      the
      children
      and
      proteges
      of
      the
     
     
      ts.
      Still,
      as
      the
      ISA
      aged,
      their
      continued
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
     
         
     
     
        
     
     
         
     
     
          
     
     
         
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
         
     
     
          
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
     
        
     
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _
      activity
      seemed
      increasingly
      implausible
      even
     
    
   
   
    
     
      for
      comic
      books.
      Rather
      than
      see
      them
      reduced
     
     
      to
      codger
      crusaders,
      DC
      gracefully
      retired
      the
     
     
      JSA
      in
      the
      eighties
      by
      having
      most
      of
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      surviving
      members
      zapped
      into
      an
      Asgardian
     
    
   
   
    
     
      limbo
      where
      they
      were
      locked
      in
      an
      eternal
     
     
      battle
      to
      prevent
      a
      Hitler-induced
      Ragnarok
     
     
      from
      devouring
      all
      existence.
      Don’t
      you
      hate
      it
     
     
      when
      that
      happens?
     
    

    
     
      Fans
      hated
      it
      when
      that
      happened,
      and
     
     
      interest
      in
      the
      JSA
      was
      sufficient
      for
      DC
      to
      try
     
     
      and
      revive
      the
      team.
      So
      it
      was
      that,
      in
      a
      guest
     
     
      star-cluttered
      deux
      ex
      machina
      of
      a
      mini-series
     
     
      called
      Armageddon:Inferno,
      the
      JSA
      was
      res-
     
     
      cued
      from
      limbo
      in
      a
      series
      of
      events
      too
     
     
      complex
      to
      go
      into
      here.
      As
      a
      side
      effect
      of
      their
     
     
      time
      in
      limbo,
      the
      JSAers
      were
      physically
      reju-
     
     
      venated
      to
      some
      extent,
      trimming
      off
      a
      few
     
     
      decades
      so
      that
      the
      seventy-something
      JSAers
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      now
      have
      the
      appearance
      of,
      say,
      fifty-some-
     
     
      thing
      folks
      with
      the
      vitality
      of
      people
      even
     
     
      younger
      than
      that.
      The
      result:
      the
      JSA
      decide
      to
     
     
      return
      to
      action
      as
      semi-retired
      superheroes
     
     
      advising
      the
      next
      generation
      of
      crimefighters
     
     
      while
      remaining
      energetic
      enough
      to
      go
      into
     
     
      action
      themselves
      whenever
      the
      need
      arises.
     
     
      Therein
      lies
      the
      premise
      of
      the
      new
      ongoing
     
     
      Justice
      Society
      of
      America
      series
      that
      debuted
     
     
      last
      summer.
     
    

    
     
      Writer
      Len
      Strazewski
      has
      carefully
      bal-
     
     
      anced
      his
      presentation
      of
      the
      JSA
      as
      elder
     
     
      heroes,
      portraying
      them
      as
      a
      force
      to
      be
      reck-
     
     
      oned
      with
      while
      not
      making
      them
      too
      hard
      to
     
     
      swallow;
      for-instance,
      the
      Atom
      gets
      winded
     
     
      after
      unleashing
      his
      ‘‘atomic
      punch’’
      and
      Wild-
     
     
      cat’s
      legs
      cramp
      up
      every
      now
      and
      again.
      Artist
     
     
      Mike
      Parobeck
      portrays
      the
      characters
      as
      genu-
     
     
      inely
      older
      people
      with
      various
      receding
      hair-
     
     
      lines,
      wrinkles,
      and
      excess
      poundage
      all
      around,
     
     
      butit's
      subtle,
      and
      the
      characters
      in
      general
      have
     
    
   
   
    
     
      a
      distinguished
      but
      vital
      presence,
      similar
      to
     
     
      aging
      moviestars
      like
      Sean
      Connery.
      Interms
      of
     
     
      character,
      Strazewski
      makes
      the
      JSAers
      cred-
     
     
      ibly
      impressive,
      conveying
      an
      easygoing
      wis-
     
     
      dom
      and
      practical
      ease
      in
      action
      that
      comes
     
     
      from
      decades
      of
      experience.
      From
      the
      cool
      and
     
     
      detached
      Doctor
      Mid-Nite
      to
      the
      amusingly
     
     
      crotchety
      Atom
      the
      characters
      are
      portrayed
     
     
      consistently
      and
      with
      a
      surprising
      degree
      of
     
     
      humanity.
      The
      JSA
      talk
      and
      act
      more
      like
      real
     
     
      people
      than
      most
      current
      comic
      characters,
     
     
      perhaps
      because
      the
      writer
      doesn’t
      have
      to
      try
      to
     
     
      pass
      off
      the
      elder
      heroes
      as
      the
      kind
      of
      flaw-
     
     
      lessly
      larger-than-life
      archetypes
      who
      domi-
     
     
      nate
      most
      comic
      book
      casts.
      Strazewski
      also
     
     
      blends
      quite
      a
      bit
      of
      subtle
      humour
      into
      the
     
     
      scripts,
      and
      ever
      hints
      of
      self-aware
      satire
      aimed
     
     
      at
      such
      golden-oldie
      comic
      book
      conventionsas
     
     
      giant
      monsters,
      silly
      costumes,
      and
      melodra-
     
     
      matic
      villains.
      All
      in
      all,
      the
      bookhas
      often
      been
     
     
      very
      enjoyable
      to
      read.
     
    

    
     
      Unfortunately,
      there
      are
      problems.
      One
     
     
      glitch
      is
      pacing.
      While
      the
      first
      and
      second
     
     
      issues
      of
      the
      series
      were
      tightly
      plotted,
      subse-
     
     
      quent
      issues
      have
      seemed
      to
      wander
      amidst
     
     
      plots
      and
      subplots
      with
      very
      little
      development
     
     
      emerging
      from
      a
      given
      storyline.
      In
      short,
      not
      a
     
     
      lot
      happens,
      and
      the
      conspicuously
      slow
      pacing
     
     
      is
      a
      fatal
      blow
      in
      a
      medium
      that
      caters
      to
      rather
     
     
      action-oriented
      stories
      designed
      to
      quickly
      at-
     
     
      tract
      and
      sustain
      the
      attention
      of
      readers.
      The
     
     
      series
      is
      almost
      eight
      issues
      old
      and
      only
      six
      of
     
     
      the
      JSAers
      have
      emerged
      as
      ongoing
      cast
      mem-
     
     
      bers,
      while
      the
      rest
      of
      the
      JSA
      are
      scattered
      here
     
     
      and
      there
      in
      various
      unresolved
      or
      wholly
      unex-
     
     
      plored
      subplots.
      Most
      annoying
      is
      the
      raw
      deal
     
     
      handed
      the
      Sandman,
      the
      token
      casualty
      of
      the
     
     
      otherwise
      well-preserved
      JSA:
      he
      suffered
      a
     
     
      stroke
      in
      the
      first
      issue
      of
      the
      new
      series
      and
      has
     
     
      been
      largely
      forgotten
      since
      then.
      Granted,
      his
     
     
      condition
      is
      an
      element
      of
      realism,
      but
      its
      a
     
     
      frustrating
      waste
      given
      the
      character’s
      ori
      ginal-
     
     
      ity
      and
      stylishly
      spooky
      appeal,
      and
      Sandman
     
     
      has
      long
      been
      one
      of
      the
      overlooked
      gems
      ofthe
     
     
      JSA’s
      cast
      (something
      DC
      has
      apparently
      rec-
     
     
      ognized
      with
      the
      announcement
      of
      the
      forth-
     
     
      coming
      Sandman
      Mystery
      Theatre
      ongoing
      se-
     
     
      ries
      set
      in
      the
      1930’s).
      While
      the
      featured
      char-
     
     
      acters
      have
      been
      well-handled,
      others
      have
      been
     
     
      under-utilized.
      The
      few
      new
      characters
     
     
      Strazewski
      has
      added
      have
      thus
      far
      proven
      to
      be
     
     
      nomorethan
      annoying
      distractions:
      Jesse
      Cham-
     
     
      bers
      (daughter
      of
      JSA
      peers
      Johnny
      Quick
      and
     
     
      Liberty
      Belle)
      isa
      likeable
      enough
      character
      but
     
     
      her
      unoriginal
      super-speed
      powers
      make
      her
     
     
      nothing
      more
      than
      yet
      another
      Flash
      clone,
     
     
      particulary
      glaring
      since
      she’s
      hanging
      around
     
     
      a
      group
      whose
      members
      include
      the
      Flash;
      even
     
     
      more
      bothersome
      is
      Kiku,
      a
      Bahdnesian
      orphan
     
     
      teen
      adopted
      by
      Johnny
      Thunder...she
      basically
     
     
      has
      ‘‘feisty
      young
      thing”’
      written
      all
      over
      her,
     
     
      and
      is
      becoming
      very
      tiresome
      very
      quickly.
     
     
      Strazewski
      would
      be
      wiser
      to
      concentrate
      on
     
     
      developing
      all
      the
      various
      JSA
      characters
      them-
     
     
      selves,
      and
      while
      the
      book
      has
      in
      general
      been
     
     
      entertaining
      reading
      it
      does
      suffer
      from
      slow
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      continued
      on
      next
      page
     
    
   
   
    
     
      19