DCU Comic Book Reviews

JSA #63

Waking The Sandman, Part One:  Insomnia

September 2004

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Jerry Ordway

Inks by Wayne Faucher

Cover by Ethan Van Sciver

Synopsis

In Hartford Connecticut, Rex Tyler (aka Hourman) telephones his wife, who thinks he is dead, but he can’t force himself to speak.  At the JSA Brownstone, members of the JSA are having a hard time getting to sleep.  Suddenly, an earthquake rocks the building.  Outside, the words JSA have been drawn out in the ground.  Inside the amulet of Dr. Fate, Hector and Lyta Hall take away Nabu’s powers so he will learn from the others trapped inside.  When they return to the tower, they receive a message:  a friend needs help.  In New York City, the JSA suspects Sand is trapped inside the Earth and are ready to dig for him.  Hector Hall, however, tells them it will not be that easy.  While his body is trapped in the Earth, his essence is trapped in the dream world.  To get him out they will need the help of Brainwave.  So, the JSA splits into two teams:  one (Power Girl, Wildcat, Green Lantern, Mr. Terrific, Hourman) to dig in the Earth, the second (Stargirl, Hawkgirl, Flash, Brainwave, Hector and Lyta Hall) to find Sand in the dream world.   In the dream world, the find Sandman who tells them they are nightmares and they should be prepared for a rude awakening. 

Review

Aaaand this is where Johns is starting to lose me.  The bits with Hourman have been fascinating so far, but I think it has reached the point where the bits are no longer doing and we need to see some forward movement with the character.  Either Rex needs to talk to his wife or Johns needs to reveal how he is going to get Rick back on the team or not get him back or whatever is the plan.  I don’t mind a little foreshadowing or a wait, but it has been far too long. 

The other part that Johns is losing me is the search for Sand.  Besides the fact that I am not really sure if Sand is a character worth bringing back, the whole business with the dream state and the digging into the Earth is too wild to believe, even if it is a comic super hero book.  It is not necessarily one or the other, but both ideas at the same time. 

But don’t get me too wrong, this was an enjoyable issue, typical of the type of stories Johns does in the JSA, but after finishing it, I just had to scratch my head and wonder about some of the things presented within the issue. 

Despite my reservations, there are some nice touches in this issue, from Power Girl’s moment of reflection to Hourman’s aborted telephone call.  However, it is a little disconcerting that the others accepted Brainwave into the search team without much of a problem.  I realize that Brainwave reveals how everything is thinking he is unstable, but I am surprised that no one (especially Alan) would voice their objections.-- Review by MRB

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