Comic Info
Comic Name: JSA
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Geoff Johns/Keith Champagne
Artist: Don Kramer/Dale Eaglesham/Jim Fern/David Lopez
# of Issues: 6
Release Date: 2006
JSA #77
Reprints JSA #76-81 (October 2005-March 2006). The JSA finds their numbers diminished as strange events sweep the globe. Atom Smasher finds himself facing his fate after his actions in Kahndaq and a new direction. As the JSA seek out the missing Jakeem Thunder, they learn something has also happened to Fate and the magic of the world is changing. Plus Stargirl tries to deal with her past and finds she must grow up.
Written by Geoff Johns and Keith Champaign, JSA Volume 11: Mixed Signals follows JSA Volume 10: Black Vengeance. The story is heavily tied in to the series leading up to Infinite Crisis including Villains United, The O. M. A. C. Project, Day of Vengeance, and The Rann-Thanagar War. The issues in the volume were also collected in JSA Omnibus—Volume 3.
The JSA really feels like it winding down here. The once large team is being broken off into smaller teams and characters’ plotlines are being resolved. Atom-Smasher is set up to join Suicide Squad, Power Girl leaves to investigate Ted Kord’s death, Sentinel sets out with Donna Troy to look into the threat against the universe, and Fate finds there is danger for all reality. It also has a rather sad ending to Hector and Lyta Hall after years of problems for the couple, Dream takes them into the Dreaming to leave Earth forever.
JSA #81
The stories are ho-hum and the Courtney loses her real father storyline in JSA #81 feels like a fill-in issue that is mostly made of rehash (if you read the fun Stars & S.T.R.I.P.E. series…also recommended) and attempted sentimentally (I thought we already established the father/daughter relationship with Courtney and Pat). It doesn’t work. I do like the whole Jakeem/Qwsp storyline but I wish that Fate’s battle with Mordru had not been intermixed with it. I didn’t feel either story got the attention it should have.
JSA Volume 11: Mixed Signals is for fans only and for completists. The JSA started out really strong and original and Johns really guided it. As the once proud and clever series winds down it just doesn’t have the punch that earlier issues and collections had. This book is average (and Alex Ross does continue his cool solo characters covers…at least that is a highlight). JSA 11: Mixed Signals is followed by the final JSA collection JSA 12: Ghost Stories.
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