DCU Comic Book Reviews

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #22

Thy Will Be Done

February 2009

Written by Geoff Johns and Alex Ross

Art by Dale Eaglesham and Nathan Massengill

Painted Pages by Alex Ross

Covers by Alex Ross & Dale Eaglesham

Synopsis

In an attempt to bind himself to Earth, Gog offers Magog one last chance to worship.  When Magog refuses, Gog takes back the gift he had given.  The JSA attack Gog, intent on severing Gog from Earth.  Working together the JSA accomplish that task, with Magog delivering the final blow and severing Gog’s head.  Kingdom Come Superman and Starman then take the head and literally put it in the Source Wall with the rest of the Third World Gods.  Superman then asks Starman to return him to his own world (Earth-22).  There, Superman starts to retaliate against the government for leaving the heroes to die.  Norman McKay stops him.  On New Earth, all of Gog’s gifts have disappeared, except for Magog’s.  Damage is upset that his face is once more disfigured. Despite that, Judomaster kisses him.  On Earth-22, time passes as generations live and die and heroes are born.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

In looking at this issue and in looking at the entire storyline, I had started to write a dissertation about the themes that Ross and Johns explore, from the idea of free will versus utopia to religion and worship.  After writing a little bit, I cut it out and decided not to do it.  I like the fact that there are a lot of things going on in this story with themes that run deeper than simply the JSA punching and hitting the bad guy.  But I am not sure this is the place to discuss such things.  Yes, this is a review site.  I don’t claim to be a critic, just someone who reads a lot of comics and then comments on what I read.  Much of what appears on this site are observations rather then critiques (although I am sure there are critiques).  Ultimately, I think that my own viewpoints of those themes are less important than the fact that these themes are in the story.  And that I think is the point of this story.  Some may dislike the ending and feel it is a let down.  I think the ending is less important than what you take out if the ending.  Is free will better than utopia?  Would you allow Big Brother to rule your life if you knew it would abolish hunger and no one would be poor?  Those questions you will need to answer for yourself.  All I want to say is that for as great as the story is on the surface, it becomes much more meaningful once you start to dig deeper.  This is great stuff.

I have to wonder about the decision to use the Source Wall, because the Third World is gone, the New Gods are now part of the Fourth World.  So if the Gods are part of the Fourth World, why would the Source Wall remain?  Well, okay that may be a stupid question; I suppose remnants of the Third World would remain behind.  I guess I am just surprise that Johns would reference something like that coming so soon after Final Crisis.

Comic Connection

Some of the themes and ideas debated in this storyline are also provided in the Tangent: Superman’s Reign mini-series.  In broad strokes, Tangent Superman takes the role of Gog while the New Earth heroes take the role of the JSA.

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