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The
Pull-Box:
ShotgunReviews.com's Ongoing Comics Column
01.27.03
by Troy Brownfield
Checking
in with the Big Boys: A Round-Up of the Latest Trades from
DC's Biggest Teams
More
info: www.dccomics.com
DC Comics
invented the super-team. That's a fact. The Justice Society
of America came first, and all others did follow. Since that
time, DC has pumped out a respectable number of other heroic
fellowships as well. The Justice League was an indirect inspiration
to the creation of Marvel's Fantastic Four, and The Authority
from their Wildstorm branch helped to redefine the super-hero
at the close of the 1990s. Three of DCs latest trade paperbacks
showcase the JSA, the JLA and The Authority, with each team
hitting their own personal landmark in terms of creative talent,
endings, and beginnings.
JSA:
The Return of Hawkman
Writers: David Goyer and Geoff Johns
Pencils: Stephen Sadowski, Steve Yeowell, Buzz, Rags Morales,
Michael Bair
Inkers: Michael Bair, Keith Champagne, Buzz, David Meikis,
Paul Neary, Rob Leigh
Colorist: John Kalisz
Letter: Ken Lopez
Rating:
 
The
"Hawkman issue" has been an albatross around the neck of many
creative teams for many years. The post-Crisis decision to
retroactively eliminate the Thanagarian Hawkman and Hawkwoman
from certain aspects of continuity was a headache; the events
of Zero Hour made it a migraine. In fact, the history of the
character was so confusing that the whole deal was consigned
to company limbo for several years. Thankfully, the writing
team of Goyer and Johns managed to pull off what they've done
since they began their partnership on the title: take DC's
history, and use care and intelligent craftsmanship to make
sense of the odd bits while reconciling the old with the new
in the service of making it all an entertaining story. It
sure doesn't sound easy, but they make it look that way.
Still,
the actual "Return of Hawkman" only comprises the last four
of the ten issues collected in this volume (it's worthy of
note for the new reader that at the $19.95 cover price, the
volume actually checks in at around $3.00 cheaper than buying
this whole arc in individual installments). The first five
relate a fantastically rendered epic throw-down between the
JSA, and their arch-rivals, the Injustice Society. Plotted
like clockwork, the IS's attack makes sense from both a story
and character perspective. Too often in comics, the villain's
plans come off as either predictably bad, or worse, half-assed.
Johnny Sorrow and his team have an effective strategy to isolate
and conquer the JSA. Of course, good heroes fight in effective
counter-style to their opponents, and the real fun is watching
how the JSA overcomes an initially overwhelming confrontation.
Sadowski,
Bair and Champagne shine on art throughout this arc. Given
the unenviable task of juggling the current team, their equal
number of adversaries, the '40s JSA in a flashback, and supporting
characters, the artistic team pulls it off flawlessly. From
subterranean clashes to high-speed duels to fistfights in
movie theaters and back to something as simple as an older
woman tending her garden, everything is brilliantly visualized
in a wonderful mix of the realistic and the otherworldly.
John Kalisz, who colored every issue in the collection, deserves
extra mention for his vibrant hues.
Between
"Injustice Be Done" and the "Return of Hawkman" arc, we get
a stand-alone issue that addresses questions of Hawkgirl's
past and other issues plaguing the team. It's a nicely handled
chapter, looking in some absent characters, establishing Black
Adam's potential place within the team, and laying the groundwork
for the story that's just about to begin in the book, "Princes
of Darkness".
Finally,
we reach the titular tale, and what a grand return it is.
The entire creative team manages to cut through the morass
of problems surrounding Hawkman by giving us the original
Carter Hall incarnation with a Thanagarian twist. Obviously
this is a successful interpretation, given that Johns, co-writer
James Robinson, and Morales launched a spin-off for the character.
While some readers found fault with the particulars of this
story's climax, I have to say that it makes perfect thematic
sense given what had been developed about the Hall-Hawks over
the years (particularly by old-school scribe Roy Thomas).
Again, this is a demonstration of the continued respect shown
by Goyer, Johns, and the rest of the creators.
Concerned
as it is with issues of revenge, returns, and retroactive
continuity, "Return of Hawkman" might not be the best trade
for the virgin JSA reader. My advice: Start with "Justice
Be Done", proceed directly to "Darkness Falls", and continue
here. It's a worthwhile journey.
JLA:
Terror Incognita
Writer: Mark Waid, Chuck Dixon, Scott Beatty
Pencils: Mike S. Miller, Bryan Hitch, Darryl Banks, Cliff
Rathburn
Inkers: Paul Neary, Dave Meikis, Wayne Faucher
Colors: David Baron, Laura DePuy
Letters: Ken Lopez, Bill Oakley
Rating:
I have
to admit that I felt bad for Mark Waid. If anybody was born
to write the JLA, it's him. Unfortunately, his tenure as regular
writer on the book got mauled by some inconsistent art, blown
deadlines, and other things over which he had no control.
Someday, I'd love to see him come back and make a big go of
it with a regular, consistent art team (Gary Frank springs
to mind, or Steve Dillon, or . . .). Regardless, Waid's stories
were chock full of great ideas, and those thankfully do shine
through in this collection that closes out his run on DC's
flagship team title. Issues 55-58 relate the title tale, issue
59 is a "Last Laugh" crossover by writers Dixon and Beatty,
and issue 60 is Waid's delightful Christmas story.
"Terror
Incognita" features the return of the JLA's earliest adversaries
from the current run of the book, the White Martians. Hitch
tears up the art on the first chapter, leaving us to wonder
what he might have done with the rest. Fortunately, Mike Miller
does an admirable job handling the League, their foes, and
roughly half-a-dozen diverse locations, including the Watchtower
and the Fortress of Solitude. The plot itself is a corker;
it's a solid work of suspense with nice surprises for the
long-time fan ("He has a dog." "With heat vision."), great
guest-stars, and an appropriately cosmic, intelligent resolution.
Anyone
who's read Waid's work clearly knows that he has an affinity
for the Silver Age. His ability to incorporate that old "sense
of wonder" along with new science and character developments
makes him a unique creative force. However, he can also go
completely into the realm of comedy and fantasy, as the last
story, "Merry Christmas Justice League- - Now Die!" cheerfully
proves. Plastic Man tells Weezer Winks, the cynical child
of his buddy, Woozy, a X-Mas bedtime tale that pits the JLA's
newest member, Santa Claus, against the demon lord Neron.
Packed with in-jokes about continuity and collectors and wonderfully
drawn by Cliff Ratburn and Paul Neary, it's a straight-forward,
old-fashioned fun piece of work.
The penultimate
issue, "Bipolar Disorder", reads somewhat confusingly if you
aren't in DC's crossover loop. Dr. Polaris, possessed by the
"jokerizing virus" that was unleashed during the "Last Laugh"
crossover, is wreaking havoc on the Earth's magnetic field,
leaving the JLA to stop him. Unfortunately, this is standard,
undistinguished fare, and not at all the usual great writing
that I expect of Dixon and Beatty; Bank's pencils are a nice
addition, though.
As it
is, "Terror Incognita" is not the best JLA collection out
there, but there is certainly some fine story work from Mark
Waid. It's a must if you're for any JLA fan. Potential new
readers should start with Waid's earliest work on the new
team, "JLA: A Midsummer's Nightmare", which set the stage
for Grant Morrison's run.
The
Authority: Transfer of Power
Writers: Mark Millar, Tom Peyer
Pencilers: Frank Quitely, Arthur Adams, Gary Erskine, Dustin
Nguyen
Inkers: Seven
Colors: David Baron
Letterers: Five
Rating:Brave
New World:
Rating:Transer of Power:
Cumulative Bananas:
and a quarter
It's no
secret at this point that many things boned the "Brave New
World" arc on "The Authority". From artists dropping off mid-issue
to finding fill-in creators to needing to drop an entire arc
into the middle of a pre-existing arc to panels that had to
be redrawn at the behest of the company, the final eight issues
of the book were a constant, delayed pain for loyal fans.
Now that the smoke has cleared, it's easier to look at the
big picture by reading the combined stories of issues 22 thru
29 straight through. This much is certain: Millar's vision
contained some suitably big ideas and the payoff is tremendous.
"Brave
New World" presents the bold concept of the world's governments
uniting to take down and replace the Authority, who have just
gotten too big for their own good. It's a great idea, and
the first issue, detailing the ambush and easily dismantling
of the team by the monstrous super-powered redneck assassin
Seth, stands out as one of the best of the entire run of the
series. Quitely's art had a knack for over-the-top violence
that really lent itself well to the tone of the series; unfortunately,
he disappears from the book after this installment.
The "Transfer
of Power" arc, written by Tom Peyer and penciled by Dustin
Nguyen, steps in at this point. While it might read better
to me after some distance, the whole bit was a big disappointment
in the face of the regular characters and style. Nguyen is
not a bad artist, but his style didn't grab me the way that
the previous creative teams had. Part of the problem is that
the replacement Authority, who were designed to be despicable
people, were a little bit too successful: I had no interest
in reading about them, and constantly wondered when the regular
players would show up again. Perhaps that's an unfair bit
of comparison, but the whole story seemed shoehorned in because
one guy jumped ship, and that's not precisely fair to the
readers.
I was
pleased, however, as the arrival of Arthur Adams to handle
penciling duty on the second and third parts of "Brave New
World". His larger-than-life style was perfectly suited for
the book, from his terrific parody images of the Legion characters
to The Colonel's collection of Jenny Sparks look-alikes. Gary
Erskine stepped in for the last chapter, doing a capable job
in a style reminiscent of Chris Weston.
"Transfer
of Power" closed the book on the original run of "The Authority".
With a new Mature Readers title in the offing, with a new,
hopefully consistent creative team aboard, I look forward
to seeing the cutting edge redefined once again. Readers who
want to know what all the initial Authority fuss was about
need to check out "The Authority: Relentless"; it's the stuff.
Troy Brownfield is still the Editor-in-Chief of Shotgun Reviews.
And the JSA still has the best last pages in comics. Email
Troy here.
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