Golden Age vs. Earth Two

I'm not gonna make this one a long rant. It's just, reading JSA today reminded me about why I really don't want the DCU to go back to "Earth-2" permanently.

See, I love the Golden Age stuff. I love the Golden Age heroes. I love the JSA.

But I like them *now*. I loved Johns's whole JSA Returns, and the Golden Age psuedo-elseworld, because what I love isn't so much the comics as they were written in the forties, but the way in which the forties are portrayed now in the comics. I love that sense of history and legacy tinged with a modern perspective.

And I like my JSA without Superman and Batman. Wonder Woman can stay...but as Hippolyta thank you, not Diana.

See, when I read this month's JSA I was disappointed. Because as necessary as the story is for IC, I don't read JSA to read about Superman and Batman...any version of them. They have Action Comics, Detective Comics, Superman, Batman, Superman/Batman, Legends of the Dark Knight, Gotham Knights and spinoffs like Supergirl, Nightwing, Batgirl and Robin.

I read about JSA for the legends. And yeah, I know that in the real forties Superman and Batman were the main heads of the team.(I've been corrected! Thanks guys, they were only the heads in the later re-interpretation of Earth-2! Which is what I really don't want returning. :-))

But I think that something's lost there. See, when I say I want more GA-flashback type stories, what I want are stories about Jay, Alan, Carter, Ted, Wesley, Sandy the Golden Boy, the Crimson Avenger, Johnny Thunder, the Spectre...

I want to see these guys shine.

I love the thought that with or without Bruce or Clark, the JSA existed and was going strong. I love seeing Alan and Carter as the head statesmen of the JSA rather than Superman or Batman. I love Jay as the warm voice of wisdom, Ted as the brawler, Wes as the detective.

In my opinion, Superman and Batman are unnecessary in this scenario. In fact, the thought of them in there permanently I feel robs what the Modern Age has given to these "lesser" heroes. (Who are only lesser when stuck in a group behind Batman and Superman).

JSA gave some great characterization to Ma, Power Girl and Earth-2 Lois Lane, I admit. But the rest...Jay had one line. I didn't see much of any of the others. None of the newbies, of course, but also really none of the old-timers who are supposed to shine there. (And *did* in the far superior Degaton-in-1951 story)

I still think this Earth-2 stuff's clearly not sticking around, the covers for the new issues have everyone on one Earth again for example. (And I'm in denial about a certain ghost silhouette looking like E-2 Batman. There might be another explanation). I don't really want these guys to remember E-2 anyway. They shine better unencumbered by that time.

And I like the JSA on regular Earth thanks, I like them having *inspired* the Silver Age JLA and Superman and Batman and company. I like the thought of Alan Scott and the Crimson Avenger inspiring Batman, not them following his lead. Besides Batman's got 14 million other books where his adventures are told, where he gets to lead and kick ass and dominate his given group. Superman too. Leave the JSA, and the prestige of being the "elder statesmen" to those that deserve it.

Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait and see. At least my three favorites are still alive and well. :-)

(Edited for Clarification: What I'm complaining about really, is the way the JSA is portrayed in multiverse stuff, mostly the seventies. And that's what I think of when I think of "Earth-2"...and what I'm afraid of happening. I really really don't want is a return to the Superman/Batman dominated era to the JSA, and that's really what Levitz's story felt like to me. :-))