The world’s FIRST super-team is back. But so is the deadly Injustice Society. Are the heroes of the Golden Age up to the challenge of a new century? Your Major Spoilers review of JSA #1 from DC Comics awaits!

JSA #1

Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Diego Olortegui
Colorist: Luis Guerrero
Letterer: Steve Wands
Editor: Katie Kubert
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: November 6, 2024

Previously in JSA: DC’s first super team, the Justice Society of America, faces its greatest and most personal challenge yet. Will golden age ideals hold true in a world recovering from the events of Absolute Power? Or do they need a more hardcore approach to stand a chance against the new Injustice Society of America?

RAGNAROK

The Kobra cult is running rampant through the streets of St. Roch, Louisiana, and the Justice Society of America has to stop them. The bad news is that most of the old soldiers (Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Green Lantern, The Flash, Wildcat, and Hawkgirl) have been neutralized by a previous Kobra attack. The remaining JSAers, led by Jade, can stop the latest Kobra rampage, but their ranks are full of dissension. Hourman and Jesse Quick’s relationship is on shaky ground, thanks to the events of Absolute Power, and Obsidian is at odds with his twin sister/leader. Yolanda/Wildcat wants to find somebody to beat the tar out of, while Sand, the former Sandy The Golden Boy, seems to be jockeying for leadership. As for Doctor Mid-Nite, she’s busy keeping Jakeem Thunder alive after Kobra’s attack, leaving Jade in the unenviable position of herding super-powered cats, metaphorically speaking.

Of course, the fact that one of her team is actually a spy from the new Injustice Society is probably a bigger problem, but she doesn’t know that yet.

A LOT GOING ON HERE

With seven members on Earth, six more in limbo, and another in a coma, this Justice Society faces a lot of the same problems as previous iterations. The plotting is much cleaner than the last muddled arc, making this issue a more successful narrative. We see a lot of personality in these pages, in addition to the conflict and little spurts of action. Lemire has even found a way to balance out the Old School/New School JSA team dichotomy, starting with the youngsters separated from the centenarians, who have problems of their own to deal with. It’s a good way to start out, made even more interesting by the art. I’m not 100% sold on everything Olortegui chooses to do in this issue, but the facial expressions throughout are glorious. Hawkman and Hawkgirl’s gear looks unusually angular and metallic, which is okay, while Doctor Fate’s helmet is now ridged like the edge of a dime, which really isn’t, for me. That said, it’s a successful art job overall, clearly establishing setting and tone, with a lovely callback on the final page.

BOTTOM LINE: IT’S A WHOLE NEW DAY

If the leader of the ISA turns out to be who I think it is, I’m going to be very unhappy, but overall, JSA #1 is a really well-crafted comic, successfully juggling two dozen characters, making them all look good and giving us new wrinkles in existing relationships, earning 4 out of 5 stars overall. The All-In era of DC reminds me of 1987’s post-Crisis reality and its unlimited potential, and this issue feels like the creative team is both aware of that and up to the challenge.

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JSA #1

80%

80%

Hits The Ground Running

If not thrilled with the coloring, or the possible face/heel turn hidden inside, but this is a real return of the JSA, avoiding the pitfalls of the previous series with seeming ease, and making me want more of Lemire's Justice Society

• Writing

  9
• Art

  8
• Coloring

  7
• User Ratings (1 Votes)
  10