DCU Comic Book Reviews

JSA #59

Time And Time And Time Again

May 2004

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Sean Phillips

Inks by Sean Phillips

Cover by Sean Phillips

Synopsis

Fifty-seven years ago...Per Degaton is told about the implications of time travel.  He then kills the professor.  Now...in Oregon, Degaton visits Dr. Mid-nite.  Eight hours ago...Captain Marvel tells the Flash that he is leaving the JSA.  Flash is concerned about Marvel’s relationship with Stargirl.  Marvel wants to tell Flash about his alter ego of Billy Batson, but he doesn’t before he flies away.  Just then, Degaton comes to visit.  He states he has witnessed the Flash’s death and then watched it again.  Seven hours ago...Green Lantern and Hawkgirl inform the parents of Alexander Montez that their son died.  On their way back home, Degaton visits, telling Hawkgirl and Green Lantern he has seen their deaths as well.  Twenty minutes ago...Hector and Lyta share an intimate moment as Hector decides to take some time away from the JSA.  Degaton watches them, but says nothing.  Eighty minutes ago...the Atom and Mr. Terrific tell Rex Tyler (aka Hourman) they are having trouble finding a way back to the time stream.  Hourman leaves the room and his confronted by Degaton.  Hourman punches Degaton, who then slips away.   Four hours ago...Marvel tells Stargirl he is leaving the JSA and he can’t see her anymore.  As Stargirl cries, Degaton watches.

Review

This is a remarkable issue, not so much for its content, but the manner in which it was presented.  Broken down to its core story, this is really nothing more than a glimpse into the current activities of the members of the JSA in the wake of the aftermath of the Black Reign storyline.  By wrapping the story around Degaton’s time travels and presenting the story through his eyes, the story comes as something more than just a fill-in before the next storyline.  Despite the fractured nature of the individual moments for each of the JSA team, the story connects all of these bits into a unifying whole.  It gives the story a little more weight and provides the character arc and emotional connection needed.  I am not all that familiar with Per Degaton beyond the knowledge that he is a time traveler, but in this case the story gives me all that I needed to know.  One could argue that Degaton is pretty much useless in this issue since he doesn’t actually do anything, but I think that is the point.  Throughout time he has always failed to defeat the JSA, so he has decided to witness their deaths as a way of getting a small sense of pleasure.  Besides, as I stated before, Degaton is not really the focus of the issue (that belongs to revealing the current actions of the JSA) but rather the way to tie it all together to keep the story from being fractured. 

I am a little disappointed that Marvel has left the team.  I really thought his relationship with Stargirl was one of the more interesting parts of the book.  I was hoping this could be explored a little bit more and see if it were to develop.-- Review by MRB

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