DCU Comic Book Reviews

JSA #67

The Autopsy

January 2005

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Dave Gibbons

Inks by James Hodgkins

Cover by J. H. Williams III

Synopsis

In the aftermath of the murder of Sue Dibny (the wife of Elongated Man Ralph Dibny), the JSA (along with other heroes throughout the world) go out in search of the killer.  Only two stay behind:  Dr. Mid-Nite and Mr. Terrific who are charged with the duty of performing the autopsy on Sue’s body.  However, Mr. Terrific leaves the operating room:  the drunk driver who killed his wife is out on parole and Mr. Terrific wants to meet him.  Elsewhere, Superman finds Power Girl crying at Sue’s grave.  Power Girl wonders why Sue was killed when she had so much to live for.  Meanwhile, Jay Garrick runs back and forth from New York to Keystone, keeping an eye on his wife while helping Dr. Mid-Nite.  Wildcat and Stargirl encounter Mirror Master to see if he is involved, but he denies any involvement.  Wildcat tends to agree and suggests that Stargirl goes home to her mother.  At the Brownstone, Mr. Terrific returns, unable to talk to the drunk driver.  Dr. Mid-Nite thinks about going after him, but continues to work.  Examining evidence, he realizes he knows who killed Sue Dibny.  In 1951, Per Degaton watches as the Justice Society is attacked by the House Un-American Activities Committee campaign.  He realizes that time is one his side.

Review

I liked this issue (well, except for the little nitpick below).  Johns does nothing more than expand upon a scene already in Identity Crisis as well expand upon the themes in that mini-series with characters that are not part of the main cast.  The scenes with Jay Garrick and Stargirl worried about their loved ones were poignant and well done.  I am less thrilled with Power Girl’s tantrum, but since this has been a recurring theme for her within the pages of JSA it actually made sense. 

Yes, I realize that the last couple of pages were the set-up for the next storyline, and yes I realize that other brief scenes have been cropping up in previous issues as well. Despite this, the Degaton scene at the end is wildly out of place.  I just think that the final page with Dr. Mid-Nite realizing who killed Sue Dibny was the best way to end the comic.  But this is a self-contained story that does not rely on events that are taking place in JSA.  Yes, I realize that the issue is not really self-contained as it takes place in and around the events of Identity Crisis, but these events have no bearing on JSA. 

I think there will be a number of people who will be pissed off that the huge Identity Crisis-crossover sticker is all over the cover with hints of important stuff included when it reality nothing at all happens.  Let’s face it, Dr. Mid-Nite finds out who did it and then we are told to read issue #6 of Identity Crisis.  In this case, I think this is a case of the marketing people misunderstanding what Johns was attempting to do.  To me the issue was not a big impact story, but a fill-in the gaps type of story to flesh out the main story. -- Review by MRB 

Comic Connection

A more in-depth autopsy actually takes place in Identity Crisis, issue #2.  The identity of the killer that Dr. Mid-Nite finds under the microscope is revealed in Identity Crisis, issue #6.