JSA All-Stars #1 Review

So I recently just got caught up on DC's Justice Society series. Started with the Robinson/Goyer #1 and all the way up to when Willingham/Sturges took over. I love the JSA. Love the legacy and how it's about family and then became about "making better heroes".

I love Willingham's Fables and the only Sturges thing I had read as his novel, Midwinter (good read, I recommend it). So I went into this with an open mind.

My biggest complaint about the Geoff Johns run was the sheer number of characters in the book. I didn't think we got enough into the "minds" of characters like Cyclone, Judomaster, Citizen Steel, etc.. They were mostly background characters. We got bits and pieces but none of 'em got their moment to shine.

I loved that the art conveyed alot of the family and emotion of the team. How Hourman and Liberty Belle were always in contact with each other, even if it was just holding hands at a meeting, and how Citizen Steels cousins/neices/nephews were always showing up all over the place.

So I thought the introduction of a second book, splitting the cast, would be the way to go. Give 'em all more time to shine.

Now the book itself. The idea is that the the vets (Power Girl, Stargirl, Hourman and Magog... I'll get back to him in a sec) will take the "kids" and provide them training. Help them learn the ropes, learn to function as a "better hero".

That's a good idea. The problem is that alot of those that are the "rookies" have been around for awhile. Cyclone, Citizen Steel, Judomaster, Wildcat's son, etc.. they've dealt with Gog, the Black Marvel Family and other threats. They aren't rookies by any means.

And one of the leaders, Magog, he's the newest member of the JSA except for King Chimeara, the only true rookie on the team.

So the idea of training the rookies, makes sense to enable them to split the team, but it really is kind of flimsy. I think they should have gone with the approach Marvel did and just had teams on different coasts or something like that. Would have made a tad more sense.

Especially since two of the youngest members, Jakeem Thunder and Lightning (who is also a relative rookie compared to Cyclone, Citizen Steel and Wildcat) are on the "old" team. Mr. America is a relative rookie as well.

Oh well, I can live with that because the rest of the story is good. There's training, trying to form squads to handle different parts of a threat, some inter-team conflict. All the things needed for a good story are there.

And done pretty well. I enjoyed the read alot.

It was the art that made it hard for me to get into.

I don't like Freddie Williams at all. The art was detailed. But the figures were too angular for my tastes. I just couldnt' get into it.

He draws a horrible Cyclone in flight.

As a first issue, was enough to draw people in, even those that hadn't been fans of the JSA before. They do a good job explaining why there are two squads of JSA now and the cliffhanger ending is definately enough to make me want to come back for more.

Sturges does a good enough job to make up for the art and make me look past it.