After Wildcat’s death and funeral in JSA #6 and #7, writer Jeff Lemire and guest artist Gavin Guidry devote issue #8, “The Unnamed Ones,” to tell a self-contained story. Set in 1945 just after World War II, “The Unnamed Ones” serves as both a pit stop and as setup for the next storyline. But even without awareness of the larger narrative Lemire is developing, the story is self-contained enough to be easily read on its own. As such, it is completely new reader-friendly.
“The Unnamed Ones” depicts an untold adventure involving both the JSA and the All-Star Squadron battling post-war Nazis, but they are actually a distraction. The real threat is Wotan, who wants to acquire the Spear of Destiny as part of a deadly cosmic plan. In some ways, the self-contained story plays out like a 1980s story from Roy Thomas’ All-Star Squadron, with some of the zaniness of the original All-Star Comics from the 1940s.
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Another thing that stands out about JSA #8 is the artwork by Gavin Guidry. With Lemire’s more evenly-paced script, Guidry is able to deliver dynamic action sequences with the same fluidity as the series’ main artist, Diego Olortegui. Furthermore, Guidry helps convey a sense of nostalgia with his panel layouts.
For the sequences that take place in 1945, Guidry frames the panels similarly to a television screen from the 20th century. For the sequences taking place in the present, he uses sharper-edged frames for his panel layout. Also augmenting Guidry’s engaging artwork are Luis Guerrero’s vibrant colors, which give the characters more personality.
Solid characterization is another major strength of JSA #8 from both Lemire and Guidry. The way Lemire writes the original JSA team in its prime conveys a strong commitment to justice that is appropriate for these Golden Age heroes. With that commitment comes the confidence that they can stop evil dead in its tracks, including the “weakest” heroes that Wotan belittles later in the issue. To that end, the character that gets the most focus is Ted Grant, aka Wildcat.
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As the recently deceased JSA hero in the present timeline, Wildcat’s portrayal in JSA #8 spotlights his need to prove himself. Historically, he has always done this by showcasing his boxing skills and never wanting to be outclassed by other JSA heroes – not even other street-level brawlers like Helena Wayne’s Huntress (whom he also briefly clashed with in the 1970s run of All-Star Comics). Wildcat also tends to display a false confidence that he likes to wear on his mouth and fists, which Lemire and Guidry capture flawlessly.
Another character that gets something of a spotlight is the Unknown Soldier, who has already made an appearance in Geoff Johns’ and Mikel Janín’s Justice Society of America run. Lemire and Guidry appear to be further developing the mystery of the Unknown Soldier’s role in World War II, especially since he also gathered the intel on Per Degaton. But whether or not his appearance in this story factors into Lemire’s upcoming storyline is to be seen.
The character that has the most intriguing storyline, however, is Wotan, who is seen working with Johnny Sorrow to procure the Spear of Destiny. As seen in the issue itself, Wotan wants to open a portal to another dimension to unleash some deadly alien creatures on the Justice Society. But the most interesting detail in his plan is that it only works every 80 years. Already this creates an intriguing premise for Lemire’s next storyline that also builds on his Injustice Society storyline from the first six issues.
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Given the ominous ending of JSA #8, there’s a strong implication that the Justice Society is due to their face their deadliest enemies yet. There is even a hint that the Injustice Society might be involved, which could lead to some interesting developments for Scandal Savage, Ruby Sokov, The Fog, Solomon Grundy, and even Johnny Sorrow.
All in all, JSA #8 is Lemire’s strongest issue yet. It’s also a perfect starting point for new and casual readers who want to pick up a standalone story at the comic shop on Wednesday. In just one issue, Lemire and Guidry deliver an action-packed Golden Age tale with modern sensibilities, and sets a perfect tone for the series as a whole.
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