More Gleeful JSA-AS Joy!
Okay, so paper is turned in! I have three exams coming up, but I somehow still feel free enough to blog more in depth on my reaction to JSA All-Stars. Because there's nothing like the return of my other favorite character to make me happy.
So. Thoughts.
1) Johnny Sorrow's brought another precocious blond teenager to a broken down theatre. Um. Yeah. Well, at least he didn't kidnap Stargirl from her bed. And she's already in her costume. But, still. Ew.
2) I actually am starting to like Magog. It's really hard to explain, but I think it's a combination of me liking assholes, especially ex-military hardass types, and also the fact that I think he's flawed in a fairly realistic/understandable way.
I mean, he's just out of the military. Been transformed into god knows what. He's really not good with kids. Or people. He has no idea how to lead a group of young adults or a superhero team. He needs someone to pull his ass in line.
I kind of sympathize. It probably helps that I am of the distinct belief that he will not be leader of this group for very long.
3) SAND! If I'm reading my set up issue correctly, and I hope-I hope-I hope I am, I'm thinking that this storyline is going to end with Sand as the leader of this group. I mean, it's pretty clear he's joining up since he gets the angsty monologue and his best enemy just showed up, and Willingham hasn't used him really.
It'd make sense if he took over, because he's a powerhouse on level with Power Girl and one who she can trust to actually lead the group and not fuck it up. That'll free her up to lead the main team rather than trying to Wolverine them both. He's actually led the full JSA for a good 20-something issues without any real fuck-ups (unless you count letting Carter be an utter jackass.)
And really, Magog just isn't any good at leading them. I don't know if Sand's any good with kids, but he's been a kid superhero, so he at least gets that aspect. And he can probably keep Magog in line through either politeness or unexpected mouthiness.
4) It occurs to me that this set-up was totally what I wanted from the relaunch and never got. For so long, Sand was really the only JSA member in his particular age group. He was too old to really belong with Stargirl or Jakeem Thunder, but much younger, not counting stasis, than Michael Holt or Dr. Midnite. The only folks around the same age were the Infinity Inc. people and they weren't gonna be in the Justice Society.
I had high hopes with Rick and Jessie and Kara in the relaunch, but that didn't really work out except for one midnight pow-wow with Kara (which is more reason I think he's taking over. Possibly wishful thinking, but his demotion wasn't fair, damnit!). But Sturges actually USED him! Without it feeling like just a compulsory one panel a year, but seems to be going to bring him into the PLOT!
Into a team with Magog, Citizen Steel, and Hourman! All about his age! And kids too, but still!
5) Dude, I just realized something. This is totally more evidence that Blackest Night will fix all the deaths. Because I'm totally calling Jade as the All-Star's token Green Lantern. Actually, I think that'd be a really good role for her. She works best away from the Corps Lanterns, and connected to her father and his legacy.
6) I wonder if Sand ever learned Japanese from Tsunami.
7) Shut up, you get obsessed over your favorites too, and it's been YEARS for me. YEARS!
8) I kind of want Sand and Magog to bond over the whole getting scary monster powers that screw up your life thing. Citizen Steel can show up too, I guess, but he belongs more to the Scott Summers school of sucky powers, where there's pretty much no upside.
Also because I still think Sandy's taking Magog's job.
9) The art is even more wretched second time through. Thank god that I think Kara'll head out once the team gets handed off to a competent leader. I love Kara, but I don't need to see EVERY INCH of her, KTHX.
10) Aside from the art, I love everything this comic wants to be. Everything.
11) It'll be kind of funny if Sand moves in with this team and the other team gets the Brownstone though. Then again, it's probably not healthy to stay there anyway. Live a little!
(*On retrospect, the Brownstone is destroyed anyway. But then I'm pretty sure it's been destroyed at least once before so...)
12) <3
So. Thoughts.
1) Johnny Sorrow's brought another precocious blond teenager to a broken down theatre. Um. Yeah. Well, at least he didn't kidnap Stargirl from her bed. And she's already in her costume. But, still. Ew.
2) I actually am starting to like Magog. It's really hard to explain, but I think it's a combination of me liking assholes, especially ex-military hardass types, and also the fact that I think he's flawed in a fairly realistic/understandable way.
I mean, he's just out of the military. Been transformed into god knows what. He's really not good with kids. Or people. He has no idea how to lead a group of young adults or a superhero team. He needs someone to pull his ass in line.
I kind of sympathize. It probably helps that I am of the distinct belief that he will not be leader of this group for very long.
3) SAND! If I'm reading my set up issue correctly, and I hope-I hope-I hope I am, I'm thinking that this storyline is going to end with Sand as the leader of this group. I mean, it's pretty clear he's joining up since he gets the angsty monologue and his best enemy just showed up, and Willingham hasn't used him really.
It'd make sense if he took over, because he's a powerhouse on level with Power Girl and one who she can trust to actually lead the group and not fuck it up. That'll free her up to lead the main team rather than trying to Wolverine them both. He's actually led the full JSA for a good 20-something issues without any real fuck-ups (unless you count letting Carter be an utter jackass.)
And really, Magog just isn't any good at leading them. I don't know if Sand's any good with kids, but he's been a kid superhero, so he at least gets that aspect. And he can probably keep Magog in line through either politeness or unexpected mouthiness.
4) It occurs to me that this set-up was totally what I wanted from the relaunch and never got. For so long, Sand was really the only JSA member in his particular age group. He was too old to really belong with Stargirl or Jakeem Thunder, but much younger, not counting stasis, than Michael Holt or Dr. Midnite. The only folks around the same age were the Infinity Inc. people and they weren't gonna be in the Justice Society.
I had high hopes with Rick and Jessie and Kara in the relaunch, but that didn't really work out except for one midnight pow-wow with Kara (which is more reason I think he's taking over. Possibly wishful thinking, but his demotion wasn't fair, damnit!). But Sturges actually USED him! Without it feeling like just a compulsory one panel a year, but seems to be going to bring him into the PLOT!
Into a team with Magog, Citizen Steel, and Hourman! All about his age! And kids too, but still!
5) Dude, I just realized something. This is totally more evidence that Blackest Night will fix all the deaths. Because I'm totally calling Jade as the All-Star's token Green Lantern. Actually, I think that'd be a really good role for her. She works best away from the Corps Lanterns, and connected to her father and his legacy.
6) I wonder if Sand ever learned Japanese from Tsunami.
7) Shut up, you get obsessed over your favorites too, and it's been YEARS for me. YEARS!
8) I kind of want Sand and Magog to bond over the whole getting scary monster powers that screw up your life thing. Citizen Steel can show up too, I guess, but he belongs more to the Scott Summers school of sucky powers, where there's pretty much no upside.
Also because I still think Sandy's taking Magog's job.
9) The art is even more wretched second time through. Thank god that I think Kara'll head out once the team gets handed off to a competent leader. I love Kara, but I don't need to see EVERY INCH of her, KTHX.
10) Aside from the art, I love everything this comic wants to be. Everything.
11) It'll be kind of funny if Sand moves in with this team and the other team gets the Brownstone though. Then again, it's probably not healthy to stay there anyway. Live a little!
(*On retrospect, the Brownstone is destroyed anyway. But then I'm pretty sure it's been destroyed at least once before so...)
12) <3
posted by kalinara @ 1:32 PM
4 Comments:
At December 04, 2009 5:07 PM,
SallyP said…
I will admit that i was pleasantly surprised with this book. I really can't STAND Magog, and I'm hoping that he'll get his comeuppance, but it was really very nice to see Sandy for a change.
Well, now we know why Courtney was being treated with kid gloves.
And yes, the art was NOT very good, but still, it all turned out much better than I had anticipated.
At December 04, 2009 7:06 PM,
kalinara said…
I suspect he'll get a comeuppance by way of power shift. :-) I really do think Sand's basically getting the "angsty leader intro montage" in this issue. And Magog is totally botching the job (Kara's totally got the "I'm not going away until you've got a competent leader" vibe going on.)
Heh, Sorrow likes young blonds. But I do suspect a trick. As it's Johnny Sorrow.
(Though considering this is the second teenaged blond he's got captured in a theatre...I think Sturges may have read the Sandy-Sorrow flashback scene the same way I did.)
At December 05, 2009 12:02 PM,
SallyP said…
Sorrow DOES seem to like old theatres. And young blondes.
Heh.
At December 11, 2009 11:03 AM,
Rob S. said…
Today's DCU blog has an indication that you're right about this:
http://tinyurl.com/yazlc22
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