DCU Comic Book Reviews

JSA #72

JSA/JSA, Conclusion

June 2005

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Don Kramer

Inks by Keith Champagne

Cover by Alex Ross

Synopsis

In 1951...both the current and the future JSA members arrive on the front lawn of the White House to warn the President that his life in his danger.  At that moment, Per Degaton and his red morgue army also arrive on the White House lawn.  A huge battle ensues.  Degaton captures the Atom, encasing him an impenetrable shield.  Degaton then accelerates Atom’s metabolism, turning him into a living human bomb that will denote within minutes.  The JSA attempts to free him, but fail.  Rick Tyler takes his tachyon hourglass and hands it to Atom Smasher, who uses it to knock Degaton down.  At that moment, a new hero appears in sky.  She calls herself Starwoman and tells Stargirl that Johnny and Jakeem Thunder need to call for Thunderbolt at the same time.  Before Starwoman disappears, Stargirl realizes that she was her sister from the future.  Meanwhile, Jakeem and Johnny call for Thunderbolt and then wish to free the Atom.  Just then Rip Hunter arrives to take the JSA back to the future.  In Blue Valley, Stargirl returns home, relieved to find her family still alive.  In the time stream, Degaton knows that tough times are coming for the JSA and he will enjoy watching it.  

Review

This is exactly what this storyline needed:  a good old fashioned slobberknocker.  It was great to see the JSA jump into battle.  Part of me is annoyed that the ending to the battle was dependent on the deus ex machina appearance of Starwoman.  I am somewhat willing to let it slide since she did make an appearance earlier in the story, but it still stuck out like a sore thumb.  Plus, it seems a little odd that once the Atom is freed, Degaton has been defeated.  Wouldn’t he have a back-up plan in case his original plan didn’t work?  Why wouldn’t he just send someone to kill the president while the JSA is buys battling the army?  I realize that it is kinda convoluted and too much for one issue to handle, but these questions came to me as I was reading, so I thought I’d bring it up. 

Unfortunately what is lost in this final issue is any type of interaction between the old and new members of the JSA.  Based on the dialogue, Rex realizes that Rick is his son, but we don’t get his reaction of that little tidbit at all.  Nor do we get Wes’ reaction to seeing Sandy and his feelings about Sandy’s state of being in 1951.  Or even the Flash or Green Lanterb wondering why their future successors had not shown.  I realize that Johns is more interested in the Degaton storyline and it is too much to add all that in just five issues, but it is noticeable. 

The final part of the time travel return, with the bump around 1985 to suggest the Crisis on Infinite Earths was part fascinating, part annoying.  I like the way it plays around with the history and continuity issues of Power Girl based on how much the crisis affected her, but I also know that that small scene would not have been there if it wasn’t for the JSA Classified storyline coming up.

I really, really wish the scene of the JSA on the White House front lawn had been a large two-page spread.  That would have been one cool picture.  While I like the picture of the team charging into battle it is cluttered by the army and by Per Degaton’s black cloud misty thing. 

Is Per Degaton the first comic book character to use the word “retcon” in a comic book?-- Review by MRB 

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