DCU Comic Book Reviews

JSA #86

Where Highwaymen Ride

August 2006

Written by Paul Levitz

Pencils by Jerry Ordway & Luke Ross

Inks by Dave Mekis

Cover by George Pérez

Synopsis

The JSA decide to split into two groups:  Stargirl, Flash and Mr. Terrific will stay behind to watch their families while Johnny Thunder, Power Girl, and Wildcat travel to London to find the Gentlemen Ghost.  Alan Scott, still recovering for his injuries, tells them he will also be going because of the visit by his daughter, Jennie (aka Jade).  Later, in New York, Mr. Terrific gets a call and the remaining JSA team members leave headquarters to respond.  While they are out, the Gentleman ghost pays a visit to Joan Garrick.  He is still looking for Wonder Woman.  First Ma Hunkel and then Stargirl come to help Joan.  Stargirl once more goes right through the ghost, who tells her she should be grateful and then he disappears.  In London, the team finds the spot where the Gentlemen Ghost had been hanged.  They are then greeted by various ghosts, which Alan gets rid of.  They then travel to the royal palace where the Gentlemen Ghost has just stolen the crown jewels.  He tells them that with their deaths, he will once more live.

Review

One more issue to go; this has been an interesting story arc, if a little bit too long.  There are some bits and pieces they could have been excised out and made it at least one less issue.  But that is just a minor nit pick.  Otherwise, the story arc has been fairly good and certainly interesting.  I just hope that some things are explained, such as why Stargirl can’t touch the ghost, but more importantly why the others can.  I always thought ghosts were transparent; why is the Gentlemen Ghost different?   

There is one problem with this issue, however; the brief appearance of Hawkman.  Previously, Hawkman was seen as the prim foe of the Gentleman Ghost, both in his own title as well as in the pages of the JSA.  It would seem to make more sense if the Gentlemen Ghost went after Hawkman, who would be the one he hates the most.  I realize that Hawkman so far has been AWOL in the One Year Later set-up in the DCU, so I am guessing they couldn’t use him.  And that is fine.  I just think it is a big mistake to then include him as part of the flashbacks.  To give the scene a little more gravitas, they should have included the JSA.

The ending to this issue suggests that one of the JSA team members might die.  It seems a little strange to allow a character to live through the Crisis just to kill them now?  But let’s assume one might die.  The choices would be Alan Scott, Johnny Thunder, Wildcat, and Power Girl.  Both Alan Scott and Wildcat are fairly safe since they are in other books (Checkmate and Catwoman, respectively).  That leaves Johnny Thunder and Power Girl.  To kill Power Girl now is really stupid.  Her death would have been better when she was tied to Alexander Luthor’s rocket thingie in Infinite Crisis.  And Johnny Thunder doesn’t make much sense as he is a fairly new character although his death might be able to lead into a revamp when Justice Society of America re-boots in a couple of months.-- MRB

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