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Comic Book Review: JSA #83
by R.J. Carter
Published: March 3, 2006
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Publisher: DC
Creative Team:
· Paul Levitz
· Rags Morales
· Luke Ross
· Dave Meikis
Related Sites:
· DC Comics: JSA Forum
Grade: B-
Cover art by George Perez and Tom Smith
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Okay, in Infinite Crisis we saw the JSA -- or most of it -- get transported to Earth 2 (although apparently to get back to Earth 1, you just have to fly over.) And we're told that the Speed Force was gone, after Jay Garrick has his leg go out.
One year later... Jay's okay, and just as fast as ever. Although his wife Joan (also still kicking) may be having a difficult go of things -- she just saw her father's ghost!
Jakeem Thunder is also still okay, as is the Thunderbolt. They're also seeing a ghost, by the way.
Stargirl? Mister Terrific? Doctor Mid-Nite? Green Lantern?
All okay. All seeing ghosts.
Power Girl fans can rejoice. It
looks like she gets off Alexander
Luthor's "Crisis Tower" just fine.
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Anyone here seeing a pattern?
So what could be behind the sudden appearances of the ghosts from these JSAers pasts? Ghosts that none of the members are all that keen to discuss, by the way, until prompted to speak by Power Girl (who's still alive, and who isn't Supergirl.) Could the answers lie in the interspersed flashback vignettes about a young Englishman named Jim? Hmm... do we know any ghosts named Jim? Could this ending be any more telegraphed?
So what we have here in this extra-special "One Year Later" story is... well, a story that could have taken place in just about any time in the JSA's history. The only reference to the Infinite Crisis at all is the statement from Green Lantern that what they're all seeing can't be ghosts:
Green Lantern: They're not real. Since the Crisis, magic hasn't been working on Earth -- and you can't tell me the experiences you're describing aren't either magical or unreal.
Thunderbolt: Ahem... Green Lantern...
Green Lantern: Wha--?
Thunderbolt: What about me? Y'know I can't talk about everything I've seen since I've been on the other side guys, but trust ol' Johnny -- if a Thunderbolt's real so are ghosts.
Oh, there's a throwaway reference to Green Lantern's daughter, Jade, but we don't quite know what that's all about yet. But honestly, Mr. Levitz, I'd think the readers deserve a bigger hook for what's supposedly touted as an "event book". Oh, it's still a good enough story with one of my favorite villains. And the interior are by Rags & Ross (not to mention the George Perez cover!) sock-knocking-off. It's just... I don't know. If you'd run the story last year, I'd have been pleased as punch. But I just came away with the same feeling I get when a friend invites me along to "this great new restaurant" where I end up getting a hamburger and fries and am then expected to join in with his raving when all I got was, well, a hamburger and fries. Which is what this issue is: a nice fast-food of a read, but no different than what you'd get any other month.
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