Written by Geoff Johns.
The New Golden Age # 1 Art by Diego Olortegui; JP Mayer; Scott Hanna; Jerry Ordway; Steve Lieber; Todd Nauck; Scott Kolins; Viktor Bogdanovic; Brandon Peterson; Gary Frank; Nick Filardi; John Kalisz; Matt Herms; Jordan Boyd; Brad Anderson; & Rob Leigh.
Justice Society of America # 1-5 Art by Mikel Janín; Jerry Ordway; Scott Kolins; Steve Lieber; Brandon Peterson; Marco Santucci; Jordie Bellaire; John Kalisz; Jordan Boyd; & Rob Leigh.
Collection Cover Art by Mikel Janín.
SUMMARY:
Released by DC Comics in 2024, this 177-page hardcover compiles 2022-2023’s The New Golden Age # 1 and Justice Society of America # 1-5. In an alternate future ten years away, a young Helena Wayne senses once more that an unknown ‘boogeyman’ is stalking her. Over the subsequent sixteen years, Helena suffers from the death of her legendary father, Bruce Wayne’s Batman, and becomes the Huntress to serve as his compassionate legacy. Leading her own Justice Society – now composed mostly of reformed villains and a few stalwarts, like Power Girl, Helena is stunned to finally discover her perpetual boogeyman’s identity.
Meanwhile, with his time-warping powers, Per Degaton is ruthlessly annihilating incarnations of Justice Society dating as far as into the future as the 31st Century. Degaton’s homicidal spree ultimately leaves Helena orphaned. Desperately transported by a magical snowglobe to 1940, Helena’s only hope is finding the right Dr. Fate, as Degaton’s first target each time is the one sorcerer who can mystically foresee his scheme. Still, nearly a century in the past, the Huntress meets the Justice Society’s first incarnation.
Soon time-shifted into the present-day, Helena’s team-up with the current Justice Society sets up an intercept course with her lifelong tormentor. Still, will a long-awaited reunion with an unsuspecting family member end in heartbreaking tragedy for both Helena and her new teammates?
Guest stars include: Deadman; Detective Chimp; Madame Xanadu; the 31st Century’s fledging Justice Society; Helena’s alternate-future Justice Society; the Time ; Sgt. Rock & Easy Company; the Unknown Soldier; The Time Masters; and the present-day Batman.
Notably, Johns’ Stargirl: The Lost Children shares the same poignant cliffhanger as this volume’s last scene.
Note: This title is also available digitally. Presumably, DC Comics will release a trade paperback edition at some later date.
REVIEW:
It’s an excellent read for long-time DC afficionados. Cleverly co-mingling multiple DC continuities (i.e. the recent Doomsday Clock; the long-running ‘90s JSA series and, more notably, the mid-1970’s Earth-Two JSA), writer Geoff Johns has concocted a tantalizing Justice Society reboot.
Anchoring this new series (at least, for now) with an updated (and edgier) version of Helena Wayne/Huntress (whose original incarnation was last seen in 1985-86’s Crisis on Infinite Earths) is frankly an inspired strategy. Hence, this latest re-launch of an ongoing Justice Society title has the welcome advantage, no matter how short-term, of fresh unpredictability.
Partially linking this first volume with Stargirl: The Lost Children and Alan Scott’s new Green Lantern series is another savvy move on Johns’ part. The risky flip side, however, is that this hefty consolidation of classic JSA members (i.e. Jay Garrick’s Flash, Alan Scott’s Green Lantern, & even Power Girl); some newly resurrected mid’80s legacy characters (i.e. Beth Chapel’s Dr. Mid-Nite II & Yolanda Montez’s Wildcat); and an influx of new young characters (i.e. members of ‘The Lost Children’) is a lot to absorb for any reader. To Johns’ credit, carefully spreading Per Degaton’s obsessively singular menace across the generations (much like John’s 2006 JSA, Volume 10: Black Vengeance) helps ground his ambitious storytelling into a more gripping narrative.
Up to this daunting task is a high-caliber art team, as their visuals equal Johns, as far as supplying this volume’s best creative asset. What stands out most, aside from its darker tangent towards homicidal violence, is that The New Golden Age leaves fans wanting more of this premise.
Though notoriously delayed in DC’s release of the individual issues, Volume 1’s end result proves well worth the wait for fans. Justice Society of America, Volume 1: The New Golden Age delivers an older teens-and-up gem worth seeking out. At the very least, perusing The New Golden Age at the library makes good sense, so one doesn’t blindly jump into Johns’ continuity mash-up of a plot.
Note: For a terrific retro-read, this reviewer further recommends DC’s America Vs. The Justice Society. Including both the original Helena Wayne/Huntress and Per Degaton, this last hurrah showcasing Earth-Two’s near-complete Justice Society is a most helpful overview of pre-Crisis JSA continuity.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
Each full-page Mikel Janín cover precedes its issue.
Designed as a retro-80’s DC Who’s Who, there’s a twelve-page character biography gallery. Specifically, the profiles explore: the little-seen Golden Age/Earth-Two Aquaman (artists: Jerry Ordway & John Kalisz); the Lost Children’s Betsy Ross & Molly Pitcher – Miss America’s protégés (artists: Todd Nauck & Matt Herms); the Lost Children’s Boom – Jay Garrick’s daughter (artists: Nauck & Herms); the Lost Children’s Cherry Bomb – the Human Bomb’s protégé (artists: Nauck & Herms); & The Harlequin’s Son – The Golden Age Harlequin’s son (artists: Ordway & Kalisz).
Additional profiles include: the Lost Children’s John Henry Jr. – John Henry Irons & Natasha Irons’ ancestor (artists: Nauck & Herms); the Lost Children’s Ladybug – Red Bee’s protégé (artists: Nauck & Herms); a redacted Legionnaire profile (artists: Nauck & Herms); a Golden Age Mister Miracle – Thaddeus Brown (artists: Scott Kolins & John Kalisz); the Lost Children’s Quiz Kid – the Golden Age Mr. Terrific’s protégé (artists: Nauck & Herms); Red Lantern – Vladimir Sokov (artist: Brandon Peterson); & the Lost Children’s Salem The Witch Girl – the Golden Age Dr. Fate’s protégé (artists: Nauck & Herms).
Note: Though these profiles are terrific, an element of retroactive deception is curiously present. There’s no dispute pertaining to the Golden Age Aquaman’s first appearance – it’s documented. However, the Russian Green Lantern and the various ‘Lost Children’ are in fact all new characters. In spite of what these profiles claim their 1940’s Golden Age ‘first appearances’ are, Johns created/co-created these characters.
The glorious padding concludes with a full-page variant cover gallery. The artists are: 1. Dan Hipp; 2. Jay Hero 3. Todd Nauck & Matt Herms; 4. Michael Allred & Laura Allred; and 5. David Talaski (The New Golden Age # 1); artists 1. Jerry Ordway & John Kalisz; 2. Joe Quinones; 3. Steve Lieber & Nathan Fairbairn; and 4. Yanick Paquette & Nathan Fairbairn (Justice Society of America # 1); and artists 1. Tom Raney & Michael Atiyeh; and 2. Paquette & Fairbairn (Justice Society of America # 2).
Continuing on are: artists 1. Steve Sadowski & John Kalisz; 2. Maria Laura Sonapo & Laura Martin; and 3. Paquette & Fairbairn (Justice Society of America # 3). Next up are: 1. artist Jay Hero; and 2. Paquette & Fairbairn (Justice Society of America # 4). Finally, for Justice Society of America # 5, the artists are: 1. Alvaro Martinez Buena; and 2. Paquette & Fairbairn.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 9 Stars
