5 Reasons To Read Justice Society of America # 1

You know, I've always been a JSA fan, but here, in my usual "can't-think-of-anything-else-to-post" spirit, are five reasons to add this book to your pull file/shopping list.

1. The JSA's Raison D'etre - Sure, they're cribbing slightly from Kingdom Come, but having the JSA serve as the "real world" examples of heroism (in counter to the JLA as "strike force") helps reinforce the themes of legacy, of "moral responsibility", and helping reinforce Golden Age values in the early 21st century. Mr. America's short-lived career, Damage's rampage - all of these show the need for the Justice Society in the DC Universe.
   
2. Maxine Hunkel - you know, I had never warmed up to Stargirl (at least, not until JSA # 81, where her father died), so I expected to be turned off by another teenage girl. However, Maxine brings a good kid-sister quality, and I'm eager to see if Johns has Maxine and Stargirl interact as mentor/mentee, or if it degenerates to semi-sibling rivalry.
3. The Last Page - I loved the fact that Johns was risking a lot by showing us scenes from the coming year. So many comics get wrapped up in their arcs that they show a lack of plotting. This book, folks, looks to be good.
4. The "New" Starman - OK, we all know that they're hinting that this is Thom Kallor from the Legion of Super Heroes. However, it will be interesting as we see - is this the same one from the current series? The one a previous Starman met in the 1990s? Or some new permutation? Does this mean the return of some kind of multiverse? Yes, it does rely on the old "person-from-future-may-or-may-not-be-crazy" cliche, but it brings up more questions than answers...and it's another tie to Kingdom Come
5. A Surprise Revelation - There was a hint of this (no spoilers here) in the earlier JSA series; but here, there's a flat-out revelation about one of the main JSA characters. But it also shows how to take a new spin on an old character

So if you have to spend your comics money wisely, please buy this book. Be sure to also listen to The ISB's podcast - I think you'll dig it.

EDIT: for some reason, my picture of JSA # 1's cover disappeared, so I deleted the reference in the blog.