After some unfortunate delays, Justice Society of America #5 is finally here, and it has a lot going for it: Justice Societies of various eras, a villainous group you’ll want to punch in the face, and a resolve that will make this adventure worthwhile. I suggest that you dive into this issue and then, if you want, go back to Flashpoint Beyond for a reread – you’ll spot some exciting foreshadowing and similarities as you read that, The New Golden Age one-shot, and this current series.
Mikel Janin does the art for these pages, and provides great facial expressions to Batman. The shock that Janin conveys in Batman’s eyes is an excellent mix of “what the…” and “how the…”. The center panel for page three, where Helena looks up at her father and says, “Not to me,” features the perfect face for a woman who has just lost and regained her father. Geoff Johns gives us the typical Batman response to this situation in that Huntress should not have done so, but Batman does call out his hypocrisy. Johns also plants a potential sequel with Helena’s response.
Little plot threads like “consequences are still to come” are fun items in comics that help create a strong continuity, but the release pace kills the thrill. Years from now, when fans read the trade paperbacks of Doomsday Clock, Flashpoint Beyond, and this New Golden Age, they’ll have a blast as the points are easier to connect with the benefit of time. Sadly, supporters of the ongoing series are left frustrated by delays, so I hope that issue gets fixed as the last two pages promise quite an escapade of entertainment coming up next. I was very excited to see some teammates return, and some elements from Stargirl and the Lost Children story intersects with the JSA team.
Geoff Johns delivers a fantastic showdown that brings in many characters from this series that were introduced but not fully engaged. Degaton plays as a dangerous villain to the heroes and even beyond. Degaton’s potential was shown on a page by Jerry Ordway, bringing a horrible fate to the DC Universe. Pages and promises like that are great as they offer a more extensive scope for the villain and just how important it is for the JSA to stop this threat. The primary element that made this issue stick out was that it gives a sense of conclusion to this story, which was great, especially considering issue one of this series was released last November. If the series could produce in a more timely manner, Justice Society of America could be a top-tier contender at DC Comics.
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