Review: Justice Society of America: Kingdom Come Special: The Kingdom

Bow down to Gog

After reading the final installment of this colon series, I’m really glad DC decided to spin these one-shots and specials out of JSA.  The Gog/Magog/Kingdom story has gone on long enough, and compressing four months worth of story into three one-shots solves the problem of the story grinding in place.  Fortunately, Gog makes a demand that may cause the breakdown to occur.

The Gog character has always seemed a bit menacing, even though he proclaims to be doing good.  He’s fixed Grant Emerson’s face, cured Doctor Mid-Nite of his blindness, fixed Starman’s mental illness, and even saw to it that Sandman no longer suffered from  terrible nightmares.  But as you’ve probably guessed, Gog’s miracles come with a Twilight Zone twist.  Power Girl got sent to Earth-2 where she was hunted as an impostor, Doctor Mid-Nite can’t do the medical work he used to with his special vision, and without the horrible nightmares of those suffering, Sandman can’t rescue those in need.

As Gog and his followers approach Kahndaq, Gog stops and tells everyone to rest on the sixth day and spread the word about what he’s done.  Grant is more than happy to do that, and through his proselytizing, ends up making an ass of himself as his new face, and undying servitude toward Gog, angers many in the JSA.  Stargirl tries to talk some sense into him, but when that fails, Atom Smasher shows up and the two get into a high powered fight that ends up with Al Pratt’s house blown to bits.  It appears the gotcha for Grant is his vanity.  And that will be his downfall at some point in the next two issues  I’m sure.

Meanwhile, Earth-22 Superman, pleads with Wonder Woman to put her weapons away, and avoid killing anyone in the coming conflict.  His argument makes sense as he was teleported off his Earth before he got too righteous and decided take out everyone in the United Nations building.  Sadly, this is the only tie readers get to the events in the Superman special that was put out a couple of weeks ago, and seems more of an afterthought or a “hey, we better mention this plot point again”, as some special set up.

The one side story that has kept me interested in this series of specials is Starman’s sudden sanity, and remembering what his mission to the 21st century is all about.  For some reason he has to get a job as a grave digger.  Mix this bit of knowledge, with the one panel from the last issue featuring Braniac holding up the lighting rod, and a picture begins to form as to what Thom’s there to do.  I have no idea who is buried the the Metropolis graveyards.  I believe Bart Allen was buried in Keystone City, so the only other dead hero that really has a tie to the JSA is Earth-2’s Superman, who died during the previous crisis.

Sandman, though, discovers a bigger problem.  Even though Gog is fixing everything on the planet, the planet is dying, which leads to the biggest conflict in the issue – Gog demands that his followers bow down and worship him.  If it wasn’t for those horns and spooky smile, I’m sure readers wouldn’t be creeped out.  But as this sets up for the big action taking place in the next issue of JSA, I don’t believe Gog is going to take things too well, when those around him finally question his motives.

Of the three issues that I’ve reviewed for Major Spoilers, this is perhaps the only one that is really necessary to set up the conflict in the next issue of JSA.  I’d rather DC dump this content into three stand alone issues that you really don’t have to read, than incorporate it into the main series proper, and drag Gog/Magog/Kingdom Come story out for 15 more issues. Overall, I found this the most enjoyable of the three specials, and am giving Justice Society of America: Kingdom Come Special: The Kingdom 3 out of 5 Stars.

52/52