JSA #71 - Spoilers

[Expletive Deleted]

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Oh, to heck with it. The thread title says "spoilers," so anyone reading this gets what they deserve.

I this issue, the teams are finally all (well . . . mostly) together and the villain's plan is revealed. Degaton plans to kill President Truman, and presumably pin the crime on the Justice Society.

Anyone have any thoughts on this issue?

As with the last two chapters, I liked some of the character moments (the Starman stuff especially), but was disappointed with the pacing of the overall plot.

[Puffy Treat]

The scene where Degaton kills off/erases nearly all of Hourman's loved ones from history was chilling.

The rest of the issue had me going "meh" though.

[Dennis K]

My only complaint with this book, and it's a really minor one, is that sometimes the pacing is a bit slow. Even with that being the case, this particular issue made me glad I was a comics reader again.

[Blueferret]

Loved the splash page when Johnny and Jakeem walked into HQ.

[Titan Slade]

I wish Hawkman and Black Adam were still active JSA members :( .

[UniqueFrequency]

i quite liked the issue even if it WAS a little slow.

why aren't Hawkman and Hawkgirl in the past though?

[Blueferret]

I wish Hawkman and Black Adam were still active JSA members :( .


I agree. The two of them created an interesting dynamic that the series has been missing. Adam as an Anti-Hero is much better than Adam as a villain.

[Forsaken_One]

Wow, something actually happened! Kinda. Sorta. Well okay not really, but it looks like something will happen soon. I hope.

I'm sure this'll read great in trade and all but at this point I think they could have done the last three issues into two or even one if they'd tried without sacraficing much.

[Karl J. Barnes]

S

P

O

I

Oh, to heck with it. The thread title says "spoilers," so anyone reading this gets what they deserve.

I this issue, the teams are finally all (well . . . mostly) together and the villain's plan is revealed. Degaton plans to kill President Truman, and presumably pin the crime on the Justice Society.

Anyone have any thoughts on this issue?

As with the last two chapters, I liked some of the character moments (the Starman stuff especially), but was disappointed with the pacing of the overall plot.


Did he say that they were going to kill President Truman or the President? I kind of figured that though Truman is the logical choice; wouldn't be neat that Degaton was going to assassinate a future President like JFK or someone like that?

[Forsaken_One]

Yeah, we'd be screwed as a nation if anyone had assassinated JFK.

[yenaled]

ROFL :D

I liked it.

[Kid Seven]

I liked this issue more than either of the last two. While not much more happened i felt like the moments in the issue were much more stand-out, from the JSA assembling to Degaton killing/erasing Hourman's loved ones to Stargirl and Starman high in the clouds.

By the by, how sweet is that Alex Ross cover for next issue?

[Expletive Deleted]

Did he say that they were going to kill President Truman or the President? I kind of figured that though Truman is the logical choice; wouldn't be neat that Degaton was going to assassinate a future President like JFK or someone like that?That's a good point, and it's certainly a possibility. The phrasing seemed to indicate "current President" to me, though, and Johns went out of his way to namecheck Truman earlier in the issue.

[Shem the Penman]

That's a good point, and it's certainly a possibility. The phrasing seemed to indicate "current President" to me, though, and Johns went out of his way to namecheck Truman earlier in the issue.

Well, there are a lot of possibilities for future Presidents; everyone from Eisenhower to Bush II was alive in 1951. (Although probably not Pete Ross or Lex Luthor...)

[Expletive Deleted]

Well, there are a lot of possibilities for future Presidents; everyone from Eisenhower to Bush II was alive in 1951. (Although probably not Pete Ross or Lex Luthor...)Sure. Like I said, it's possible.

But the thing is, his goal (unless I'm missing something) is to cause the JSA to permanently disband in 1951. Attacking the sitting President is going to be more effective than attacking five year-old kids in Arkansas or Texas, relatively junior Congressmen from Massachusetts or Michigan, an actor, or even a prominent Senator from California. Eisenhower, I could see. But Truman is still bigger.

And on top of that, I really do think the Courtney/Ted scene establishes it as Truman. If you say "The President" to the Golden Age JSA, that's who you're talking about.

But, hey, I could be misreading that scene.

[StoneGold]

Did he say that they were going to kill President Truman or the President? I kind of figured that though Truman is the logical choice; wouldn't be neat that Degaton was going to assassinate a future President like JFK or someone like that?
Heh, that was an old Roy Thomas plot. What if the Invaders had stayed together after the war or something.

It's fun though watching Degaton play the evil version of Bill and Ted's time game.

[Jack Tango]

The old Bill & Ted game. I remember it fondly...

Okay, let's say this: In JSA/JSA, Rex Tyler still is yet to meet the android Hourman. All that really needs to be done is to remind Rex to tell "Tyler the android" to "stop Degaton."

Then Degaton could get in the act and go back in time and kill Rex.

And then Rex would disappear, and so would Rick, and the Worlogog would go back to Metron, but the Universe would disappear because the Android Hourman was never created.

Since the Universe, in the future, disappeared, Degaton would cease to exist as he was living in that Universe at the time.

With Degaton disappearing the heroes would be able to go about their merry way, re-existing happily in a world that never had to deal with the threat of Per Degaton.

Of course, Johns has something better up his sleeve, I'm sure.

[Forsaken_One]

I'm pretty sure that's a paradox. Because if that all happens and Degaton ceases to exist as the rest of the universe then none of that would happen. And everyone would come back. Including Degaton. Who would then go through the same series of events that lead to the end of the universe. Which would make everyone not exist, including Degaton. But then the Universe would exist and everyone would come back. Including Degaton.

Really though, we already know he fails. He's said he fails when he was a peeping tom on the other JSA member's misery. So we know he looses. And we know he survives.

[Kid Seven]

I can't believe that I've actually got appreciation for Degaton as a villian now. Complete turn-around on him. I actually think that stand-alone issue where he spies on everyone was one of my favorites of the series, it was just so well done.

[StoneGold]

The old Bill & Ted game. I remember it fondly...

Okay, let's say this: In JSA/JSA, Rex Tyler still is yet to meet the android Hourman. All that really needs to be done is to remind Rex to tell "Tyler the android" to "stop Degaton."

Then Degaton could get in the act and go back in time and kill Rex.

And then Rex would disappear, and so would Rick, and the Worlogog would go back to Metron, but the Universe would disappear because the Android Hourman was never created.

Since the Universe, in the future, disappeared, Degaton would cease to exist as he was living in that Universe at the time.

With Degaton disappearing the heroes would be able to go about their merry way, re-existing happily in a world that never had to deal with the threat of Per Degaton.

Of course, Johns has something better up his sleeve, I'm sure.
Actually, in the Bill and Ted version of the time game, the JSA just win on principle, since only one person can go around in time to set up all the things they need.

[SleepWalker]

i quite liked the issue even if it WAS a little slow.

why aren't Hawkman and Hawkgirl in the past though?

If you notice, none of the original JSA members that are still alive actually went back in time.

It seems to just be their modern counterparts.

[Mr. Biggstuff]

By the by, how sweet is that Alex Ross cover for next issue?

You will be happy to know that Ross is gonna be the Reg. Cover artist for Jsa!!! :D

[UniqueFrequency]

If you notice, none of the original JSA members that are still alive actually went back in time.

It seems to just be their modern counterparts.

true. i guess hawkman then and hawkman now are the same person...

[Sage Shinigami]

I can't believe that I've actually got appreciation for Degaton as a villian now. Complete turn-around on him. I actually think that stand-alone issue where he spies on everyone was one of my favorites of the series, it was just so well done.

Its one of my faves as well, though it kinda ruins a bit of this story. We now know he's not going to die next month...which, after all this, he kinda needs to...man, the android needs to come back to prevent stuff like this...

[Sk8maven]

Its one of my faves as well, though it kinda ruins a bit of this story. We now know he's not going to die next month...which, after all this, he kinda needs to...man, the android needs to come back to prevent stuff like this...

The way Degaton's stories always end is that everything he was trying to do gets completely undone, he (and usually everyone else) forgets that anything happened, and he goes back to washing Prof. Zee's test tubes and mumbling to himself about the strange dreams he's been having. ;)

Maven

[Blueferret]

The old Bill & Ted game. I remember it fondly...



All we are is dust in the wind :D

[Kid Seven]

Alex Roos is THE perfect artist for covers on JSA. I'm really excited about that. I have loved the high quality of cover artists though, Gibbons and Williams III being my favorites lately.

[marshal99]

I don't know about Alex Roos being the perfect cover artist but Alex Ross certainly is. ;) :D

[Karl J. Barnes]

I don't know about Alex Roos being the perfect cover artist but Alex Ross certainly is. ;) :D


Alex Roos is Alex Ross' Earth-2 counter-part. So he should be devilishly good.

[Kid Seven]

Damn the typos! Screw you all too! ;)

Just kidding. I like typos. ;)

[Forsaken_One]

I guess I'm in the minority, I don't absolutely love Alex Ross' art. I mean, sure, he's very good and I'll admit his pinups of characters like Superman or Batman are wonderful, but whenever I see a woman in one of his drawings I keep on thinking they look like a transvestite. His faces are just really masculine, even on the women.

[Mon-el]

I thought it was a good Issue, the story is progressing now that the team is finally together. The same president theory that some of you spoke of came to my mind as well. I brushed it off and thought Kennedy the first time I read it.

Loved the splash page when Johnny and Jakeem walked into HQ.

While I loved this page. Something strange bothered me about it. I looked over it a few times and it finally hit me.

The NOSES!!!
while everyone with a mask that doesn't cover their nose is Huge. Mainly with Stargirl's with the Hitler Moustache lightning.

[Kid Seven]

Not a huge fan of Kramer's I have to say. The faces are actually a big part of it for me. It seems like he generally starts of with a generic face, irregardless of gender or age, and then change on or two things to differentiate them. They all look pretty similar though and all look a little awkward.

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

Boy, this issue moved quickly, even though at the end of it, the story really hadn't progressed much. I guess that's the price we pay for Geoff getting his little character moments in for everyone (which is fine by me, by the way). Degaton is a villain whom I've never thought much of, to be honest, but Geoff does a great job with him here. His torture of Hourman by erasing his past was wonderfully evil (similar to scenes in the movie "The Forgotten," which I just happened to see last night.).

I'm glad to see that Geoff is moving slowly on the redemption of Al Rothstein. I like Al and was a bit dismayed when he strayed onto Black Adam's path. Glad to see him back in the fold.

I really like Geoff's use of Rick Tyler, who may be my favorite JSAer besides Mr. Terrific. I'm looking forward to next issue and hoping that Rick plays a big part in the story's resolution. Rick has always suffered in comparison to his dad and it would be nice to see him stand on his own two feet for a change.

[Kid Seven]

I also like that the reaction of the JSA is understandably and realistically varied. It's not just everyone going "Yay, Atom Smasher, you're back!" Johns is doing top shelf work on this book.

[Kevin Street]

I'm pretty sure that's a paradox. Because if that all happens and Degaton ceases to exist as the rest of the universe then none of that would happen. And everyone would come back. Including Degaton. Who would then go through the same series of events that lead to the end of the universe. Which would make everyone not exist, including Degaton. But then the Universe would exist and everyone would come back. Including Degaton.

That's the Grandfather Paradox, and it's inherent within all time travel stories. Most writers just ignore it, while others find in-continuity solutions. And some writers don't allow for any paradox at all. (The first Terminator movie is a great example of this.)

I liked issue #71, because it does all the character subplots so well. The scene where Rick punches Degaton off the time platform is kind of strange, though. You'd think that would be the end of the story right there, but Rick and Rex show up later at JSA headquarters and the game still seems to be on. Did Degaton gain the upper hand somehow, and if he did how did the Hourmen escape? They must have gone all the way from Washington DC to Gotham City without Degaton stopping them.

Stil, it was a fine issue. I particularly liked the Johhny/Jakeem and Mr. Terrific/Mr. Terrific subplots.

[BoosterBronze]

Loved the issue. Thought it was great that they refrenced the Barax story from like, two years ago. Good times.