Why was the JSoA roster allowed to get so big?

[NeoStar9X]

Does anyone know or have the powers that be ever explain why the Justice Society of America roster was allowed to get as large has it has?

Couldn't or wouldn't some of these characters be better served being regulars and support cast members in other titles?

[Ghost Shark]

JSA is one of the most consistently well-written books on the market. The large cast is due to their mission to usher in and train the legacy heroes, becoming a true society of heroes. Large cast or not, it's a damn fine read.

[krammocon]

Geoff gave the LOSH as an example of how a team with big roster still works!

[Leocomix]

It's a brilliant move, the more characters there are the more chance there is to create favourites.

[titanfan]

The plan was for it to be big all along. Johns wanted it to be a true society.

With JSA Classified's cancellation, there is room on the market for another JSA title...perhaps the rumors of the team splitting in half (and two different titles?) are true...

[Vic Vega]

They just took the concept to its logical conclusion(what Superhero comics tend NOT to do, IMO).

If you're going to be about recruiting and training newbies you'd do it agressively as possible.

By their standards, Stargirl and Jakeem Thunder aren't noobs anymore.

Time to get more noobs to train.

[robbieglenn]

JSA is one of the most consistently well-written books on the market. The large cast is due to their mission to usher in and train the legacy heroes, becoming a true society of heroes. Large cast or not, it's a damn fine read.

Quoted For Ultimate Truth

[IvCNuB4]

Expect a numbers reducing blood-bath in the near future ....

[Babylon23]

I agree with everything that's been stated above. I'd also add that the mission statement and roster size helps establish JSoA from the many super teams that populate the DCU, especially the JLA.

While some of the characters may be better served in other titles, their appearance in JSoA helps them step into the spotlight. If fans and other writers like them, then they may begin to appear in other books. We've already seen Mr. Terrific as a major cast member in Checkmate, and Hawkgirl has stepped up to the JLA. Hopefully we'll see more of that in the future, once the characters have had a chance to develop in the pages of JSoA.

[NeoStar9X]

That's my biggest concern though. That there are so many cast members that it might prove difficult for many of them to be developed. Granted some have been around for years or even decades but that doesn't mean their development should stop. I would much rather see two books, same team but different sections of it though so that more people can get some spotlight.

[Leocomix]

This is no problem. There is more characterisation in this book than in 10 other comics put together.

[Lorendiac]

That's my biggest concern though. That there are so many cast members that it might prove difficult for many of them to be developed. Granted some have been around for years or even decades but that doesn't mean their development should stop. I would much rather see two books, same team but different sections of it though so that more people can get some spotlight.

I've got a full run of Levitz's work on the old Legion of Super-Heroes (in more than one title) from the late 70s and 80s. For awhile there, it had dozens of characters who were "active" members, "reserve" members, "dead" members who might come back, "potential recruits who petitioned for membership at regular intervals on the grounds that they had further developed their powers since they were last tested and rejected," et cetera, et cetera.

And of course the lettercols would occasionally have comments such as: "Why haven't we seen more of Sun Boy and his personal life lately? He's my favorite! In the last six issues, I think he just got to participate in a couple of massive slugfests, and precious little else!" [For "Sun Boy," insert just about any other Legionnaire, at various times, since an issue or story arc would often focus on the brave deeds of just a bare handful.]

But you know what? I think DC was doing it right by letting Levitz have his head and do it the way he wanted, at his own pace, understanding that he couldn't please every Legionnaire's personal fanbase at once! If he had wanted to try to sustain writing a "Legion of Super-Heroes Gold Team" book and a "Legion of Super-Heroes Blue Team Book" simultaneously, perhaps they would have let him -- but apparently that didn't come up. Perhaps he didn't feel up to the task. And if someone had forced him to let somebody else write a parallel book about half of the Legion's membership, supposedly happening "simultaneously" with his, I suspect it would have just created that many more headaches and inconsistencies for everybody.

So by extension, my feeling is that we might as well let Geoff Johns do it his way for awhile longer, and see what happens. If somebody really wants to start a "solo book" about one of the characters currently affiliated with the JSA, though, I imagine that might be negotiated.

[Calybos]

Large casts are good: see Legion.

In addition, the JSA is the legacy to the original All-Star Squadron, which had around fifty members.

[Babylon23]

That's my biggest concern though. That there are so many cast members that it might prove difficult for many of them to be developed. Granted some have been around for years or even decades but that doesn't mean their development should stop. I would much rather see two books, same team but different sections of it though so that more people can get some spotlight.

While the problem of neglect can be apparent with large rosters, the previous JSA series often featured 12-16 characters in it's roster, and Johns seems to have managed fine with that. As others have mentioned, Levitz did a similar thing with Leigon in the 80's.

So far we've seen plenty of development for both Wildcats, Citizen Steel, Damage, Power Girl, Starman, Liberty Belle and Hourman, plus some excellent moments with the elders. There's the developing friendship between Stargirl and Cyclone. We've seen less of Mr Terrific, but he's also been appearing in Checkmate, with plenty of character development in that book.

The other thing to remember is that Johns has stated that not all of the current members will be sticking around post-Gog.

[NeoStar9X]

Quick question, was Jakeem Thunder added back to the roster in the new series? He wasn't there in the first arc but not sure after that.

[Mon-el]

Quick question, was Jakeem Thunder added back to the roster in the new series? He wasn't there in the first arc but not sure after that.

He was added back in the first issue of Thy Kingdom Come arc or Justice Society of America #12.

[Doc Goblin]

It's also not like Geoff Johns is really hogging these characters on Justica Society. Where else would they appear? I don't see any of them who would've had their own title (besides Hawkman) and they would be getting used as supporting characters in other titles already if the writers were interested. If anything, Johns giving them the bits of spotlight they get in this book could lead to them getting used elsewhere instead of hindering it.

[Calybos]

Throughout the 80s, the Legion had a very successful formula for handling a large cast: split them into mission teams and focus on one or two missions at a time, each issue.

Throw in the occasional cutaway scene to the rest of the gang back at HQ or at home, and you're covered. Everyone gets a spotlight eventually.

[HaroldAllnut]

JSA is one of the most consistently well-written books on the market. The large cast is due to their mission to usher in and train the legacy heroes, becoming a true society of heroes. Large cast or not, it's a damn fine read.Quoted For Ultimate Truth

You're damn right.