My JSA Classified Disconnect (Now with added tangent!)

Okay, I have to get this off my chest. I am THIS close to dropping JSA Classified.

It's not that I don't like the stories. I actually do, but for god sake, Mr. Terrific does not need another solo adventure. He's the White King of Checkmate AND a high profile member of the JSA. He gets seen a lot in group scenes and crossovers. And that's good, he's a good character. He deserves a lot of attention.

But you know? There are a lot of team members who DON'T get a lot of attention. Who AREN'T in two books. Is it too much to ask that maybe we focus on them?

I mean, okay, I haven't sat down and mapped out who starred in what JSA classified, so maybe statistically I'll be proven wrong. But hmm, let me think about who I remember most as stars of JSA Classified comics:

Mr. Terrific, who has two comics already.

Dr. Mid-Nite, who IS criminally under-used, but he seems to have had quite a few Classified stories fairly close together. Also, he has a unique role as team medic which means that while he may not have a lot of panel time over all, there are distinct points where he's bound to come in.

Alan, Jay, or Wildcat: Hey, you can't have too much of these guys and I agree. I do however think they're featured fairly prominently in the main series itself.

Powergirl or Stargirl: Same as Alan, Jay or Wildcat really. I love them, but they're pretty much assumed a state of prominence.

I know we've had Classifieds about Jakeem Thunder, (who hasn't yet rejoined the team) or the Injustice Society, but the rest really seems same-old, same-old.

It's a shame, because JSA Classified could do so much more.

Why are they always mostly solo stuff? Why can't we have more ensemble type stories?

Why not WWII flashback adventures? There are tons of old school fans out there, folks who eat up the Golden Age or even All-Star Comics/Squadron, who'd probably enjoy seeing the old hats in action again. JSA Returns was some of Johns's best work and I'm sure there are other folk who'd have fun writing the past with sly hints and references to the future.

Why not Rick and Jessie's wedding? I mean, sure the couple gets annoying, but you know the wedding of the son of Rex and Wendi Tyler to the daughter of Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle had to have been an event. Who was best man? Who caught the bouquet? Did Ma Hunkel cry?

What about when Sand broke out as the sandmonster? Or Todd started to become sane? What about Infinity Inc flashbacks?

Why not more passing the torch scenes or vignettes? Why not play with the legacy aspect by showcasing "then" and "now"?

How about day in the life sorts of stories? Super-powered folks dealing with mundane crises. How about Maxine and Courtney hanging out, or shopping, or whatever it is teen girls do when coming across someone being bullied? Obviously they can't expose their powers and it wouldn't really be fair to blast them with the rod...so what to do?

How about something family related? Ted and Tom get enough attention in the main book, but how about Alan and Todd? The latter being an ex-supervillain, now being happy, sane and involved with someone, the dead twin sister...that's lots of stuff to talk about. Rick and Rex? Damage and Atom Smasher?

And you know, a lot of the perfectly justifiable "where the hell is Obsidian?" complaints might be slightly appeased if he got an issue. Could bring in Ian Karkull, the Shade, or go somewhere completely different.

...

You know, it occurs to me, while I don't think the lack of Obsidian is an intentional aversion to homosexual characters, I do think it's strange that more of a big deal wasn't made about the JSA having its first, as far as I know, gay member.

Of course, they'd have to USE him to warrant the attention, but still. Considering all the buzz around Batwoman, I'm surprised they haven't tried to use that.

I mean, in this case, it really IS a big deal. JSA is THE legendary superteam. They're the first and the most respectable. Being in the JSA gives you a lot of clout. (Which is why Sandy was the best teenaged hero in the past and Stargirl is the best now...other teen heroes have to make do with teenage teams, they're in the JSA!)

We're not talking about the Teen Titans, the Outsiders, or any of those teams. We're talking about the JSA! The team that's been around in some form or another since the REAL 1940s. It's a big deal that the old staid coots of the DCU are fighting alongside feminists, girls, non-white people, non-straight people...it's powerful symbolism about how the past and the present don't have to be at war with each other, how the values of the past don't have to get lost in the shuffle of progress but are made richer by greater equality, diversity and opportunity.

It should be a big deal that Obsidian's now a member of the team. It ought to be. It's something to be celebrated. It's at least as worthy of attention as some new chick in a bat costume!

But everyone's been quiet. Probably because he's not really a member of the team. He's wall-paper. I personally think that whole cryptic Sand-Obsidian interchange at the end of the first storyarc's supposed to be some kind of foreshadowing for a future arc, but god knows when THAT'll be.

At least a JSA Classified story would be SOMETHING. Even if it means Mr. Terrific will only be in TWO great comics that month. Let's give it a shot!