JSA #74 - Month Two Of Vengeance (Spoilers)

[Expletive Deleted]

JSA #74 - Black Vengeance Part 2 (of 3) - a DAY OF VENGEANCE tie-in - an INFINITE CRISIS lead-in . . . sheesh.

Anyway.

S

P

O

I

L

E

R

S

So what happens this issue? Aside from a little bit of lead-in, it's the big fight issue. Spectre vs. Dr. Fate. Spectre vs. Black Adam. Spectre vs. JSA. Black Adam vs. JSA. Spectre vs. Thunderbolt. And so forth.

One thing that struck me was the similarity between this issue and and DAY OF VENGEANCE #2 from last week. Scenes of the Spectre attacking and defeating a powerful magic hero. Scenes of heroes (and whatnot) preparing to fight the Spectre. Scenes involving odd romantic subplots. Scenes of Spectre fighting a magic hero with a lightning bolt on his chest. Cliffhangers with several heroes confronting Jeanclipso.

It's not 1:1, but I think it's noticeably similar.

Anyway, I'm still not fond of the crossover elements, but this issue is otherwise fine. Not the best ever, not the worst ever. Just . . . somewhere in the vicinity of okay.

[pureclint]

I liked it of course I am a big Black adam and Marvel Family fan.

Although I thought Carter was a bit apologetic for his actions.

[Static-Pulse]

Wow. Courtney was all angsty and moping. How thrilling. :rolleyes:

[Phoney Bone]

I noticed something I never had before when reading this book.

Hawkgirl makes a comment about the disappearance of The Atom (Ray Palmer) and how Hawkman seems to have changed. Hawkman and Atom were friends and crimefighting partners for years. Usually, Atom would be seen sitting on the Hawk's right shoulder.

Is Johns trying to say that The Atom acted as hawkman's concience for all those years, much like the "angel/devil whispering in my ear" imagery?




The Spectre in the 5th dimension can be bad on sooooo many levels!

[Jared_Humpherys]

One thing in this issue confused me: the Thunderbolt looked like the one of old, not the Johhny Thunder merge. I know it had to be the normal Thunderbolt in the past storyline, but then what's happened to Johnny's soul in the current timeline? Perhaps it's just an issue with the art?

Also, Power Girl's got heat vision now. Interesting.

Overall, good issue. I take it this takes place after DoV issue 2(which has Captain Marvel being pounded on)?

[SuperManny]

One thing in this issue confused me: the Thunderbolt looked like the one of old, not the Johhny Thunder merge. I know it had to be the normal Thunderbolt in the past storyline, but then what's happened to Johnny's soul in the current timeline? Perhaps it's just an issue with the art?


A fun issue, but lately it feels that this story is going to be crammed in 3 issues. Black Adam seriously takes charge in this comic book, but it's weird how he didn't revert back to villainous Theo Adam after the Spectre took away his power. We also get a glimpse of another reason why Black Adam doesn't like the JSA in his country: he wants to be the only one offering his people a sign of hope, even referring the JSA's justice as not justice at all and a bad example.

Thunderbolt's appearance can be chalked up to the art, but you're right, he should at least have a bowtie to denote Johnny Thunder's influence. We don't see Stargirl much in action, but I'm sure that will change.

What happened to the Atom? Hawkgirl refers to an event in Hawkman's own title?

Thanks G. Johns for the terrific comic book..... :D

[Phoney Bone]

What happened to the Atom? Hawkgirl refers to an event in Hawkman's own title?


Ray Palmer was last seen in the last issue of Identy Crisis. He disappeared after his ex-wife Jean Loring (the villian of the mini-series) was commited to Arkham Asylum. He is shown shrinking to microscopic size. Where is he? Nobody knows.

[K'Nort]

Also, Power Girl's got heat vision now. Interesting.

I wasn't sure whether it was heat vision kicking in or some other sort of possession or latent power manifestation. Esp with the trouble she had with it.

[pureclint]

One thing in this issue confused me: the Thunderbolt looked like the one of old, not the Johhny Thunder merge. I know it had to be the normal Thunderbolt in the past storyline, but then what's happened to Johnny's soul in the current timeline? Perhaps it's just an issue with the art?

Also, Power Girl's got heat vision now. Interesting.

Overall, good issue. I take it this takes place after DoV issue 2(which has Captain Marvel being pounded on)?


It is the art I think he even calls his Thunderbolt "Johnny".

[bfrank]

I wasn't sure whether it was heat vision kicking in or some other sort of possession or latent power manifestation. Esp with the trouble she had with it.
perhaps the "trouble" is the fact that it was one of the powers that she lost due to supermans surgery (which in turn was due to the grey man? slapping the spit out of her)...if it kicked back in and her body couldn't handle it, she would be blind...

Perhaps she'll start kincking ass ala Wonder Woman now...

[Phoney Bone]

It is the art I think he even calls his Thunderbolt "Johnny".


I don't think it was a problem with the art at all. When the T-Bolt popped out of the pen, Jakeem was clearly confused that the T-Bolt didn't look like Johnny.

[pureclint]

I don't think it was a problem with the art at all. When the T-Bolt popped out of the pen, Jakeem was clearly confused that the T-Bolt didn't look like Johnny.


Hmm I will reread it, I thought he was just addressing the Tbolt as Johnny.

[Mr. Jixx]

I didn't get that, either. If you go back to when Johnny 'died' back in #37, he's had different looks. Sometimes he looks like Johnny, sometimes like Tbolt, and sometimes like a mix. I don't think this is a plot situation, IMO.

[hitit345]

I've only been reading comics for about 11 months and at the moment JSA is definitely is at the top of my list. Anyway I depend on this website to fill in a lot of my character/story history blanks. So what/who is choking Courtney on the last page of #74?

[Expletive Deleted]

At the end of the "Princes of Darkness" storyline, the Eclipso entity was trapped inside Alex Montez, relative of deceased superheroine Wildcat II. Using Eclipso's powers, he joined Black Adam's team in the conquest of Kahndaq. During a subsequent fight with the JSA, he realized that Eclipso was influencing his actions (leading to the death of a teammate), so he killed himself and Eclipso got loose again.

The thing choking Courtney is a statue of Alex.

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

OK, I just read this issue and in addition to the questions above about the T-bolt... When did Lyta come back into the picture???

[Expletive Deleted]

When did Lyta come back into the picture?During the "Black Reign" storyline.

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

During the "Black Reign" storyline.

Ah, thanks. I missed a couple issues during that story. Damn. Now I've got to go back and find them.

[yenaled]

Pick up the trade released next week.

[Shellhead]

During the "Black Reign" storyline.

I thought Lyta came back during the Mordru/Eclipso/Obsidian mess around issue #50, which was a little before Black Reign.

[Expletive Deleted]

I thought Lyta came back during the Mordru/Eclipso/Obsidian mess around issue #50, which was a little before Black Reign.Nah, it was during "Black Reign," when Hector finally throws down with Nabu. He finds Lyta while trapped in Fate's amulet in JSA #58 and they escape together in HAWKMAN #25, if I'm remembering correctly.

Lyta was talked about in "Princes of Darkness," when Nabu was trying to convince Hector of her death, but I don't think she actually appeared.