JSA All-Stars 17 and 18

JSA All-Stars #17
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Freddie Williams III

This book and the main JSA book really could have benefited from having those boxes explaining each character that shows up like they have in Legion books. It is very helpful and would bring in new readers. That being said, story-wise I enjoyed this issue as a man named “The Prince”shows up claiming he comes from an alternate timeline where he is a member of the Justice Society and no one believes him but the last panel makes it look like he is telling the truth. I can’t say I enjoyed the art of Williams III here which is still too cartoony for my tastes and for this title.

JSA All-Stars #18
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Freddie Williams III

This is the final issue of JSA All-Stars in which the Prince is revealed to be extremely powerful and almost destroys the world before being defeated by Roxy. Who luckily survives! But other than that it wasn’t really that great of an ending and I imagine it was rushed due to a surprise that the series was ending. I have to say that Sturges created some great characters in this run and I hope to see them elsewhere in the DCU.

Roxy Forever

JSA All-Stars #16
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Freddie E. Williams II

 

Um I loved this issue! Roxy has quickly become my favorite thing to come out of this book – well tied with Anna Fortune and I was worried about what would happen to her with this book ending. Well sure enough we flash forward to the 852rd century and she is still around helping Hourman Matthew Tyler out. Awesome! There were a lot of great moments here. The art still bugs me sometimes though.

All-Stars 14 and 15

JSA All-Stars #14
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Freddie E. Williams II

 

I am really falling in love with the character of Anna Fortune! I can’t wait to learn more about her. It was great to see the Robot Hourman – Matthew Tyler – again! I loved him in JSA and I really miss him. What a great character. This storyline already has grabbed my interest.

JSA All-Stars #15
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Freddie E. Williams II

 

I am not sure what that ending implied? But I suppose it’s important that she says “Weird Skin”. Still enjoying this arc so far and the Puzzlemen are quite – well – literal.

Memory Wipe

Power Girl (Volume 2) #19
Written by Judd Winick
Art by Sami Basri

 

I liked that the JSA All-Stars actually believed Power Girl about Maxwell Lord. I mean she is their proven leader and they would have no reason to doubt her – I feel like a lot of writers would have went there though so I am glad Winick did not. It’s too bad even PeeGee forgets about Lord soon after. One thing that kind of bothered me is that Power Girl was a member of Justice League Europe and probably didn’t have many adventures with Fire, Ice, and the rest of Justice League America but I can buy that they had a few. Anyways, this was a really good issue as Winick has really made the whole Generation Lost plotline pretty epic and the surprise success of the brightest day line. We need to see Terra soon though.

Bones

JSA All-Stars #13
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Howard Porter

 

This was a crazy goofy end to this arc as everything gets set right – the clones are real girls who have been altered to look like Cyclone by nanites and all get set back except well, Cyclone has the wrong bones…weird. Power Girl decides not tell her. It was all well and good and fun nothing really else to say about it.

Cylone Clones

JSA All-Stars #12
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Howard Porter

 

Maxine is powerless and finds herself walking into a still powered version of herself in her dorm room – and they don’t know who the real Cyclone is. I have no idea what is going on here but it was an amusing issue especially if you are fan of Cyclone like I am. Not much else to say about it.

False Infinitors

JSA All-Stars #11
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Freddie E. Williams II
Co-Feature by Jen Van Meter
Art by Travis Moore

Meh Sturges’s writing is still good but I am annoyed with Williams’s art again. Why draw Huntress into the group shot of Infinity Inc when she doesn’t fucking exist in modern continuity?! Does this book not have an editor? That kind of stuff really annoys me because I am a fan and I can get it straight why can’t the professionals. Plus I am not a huge fan of Williams’s art to begin with. The relationship between Atom Smasher and Anna Fortune as well as King Chimera and Cyclone are really great though and I am still enjoying the story if not the art. The back-up was much better how adorable is it that Icicle and Tigress had a baby together!

Blood Aflame With The Light Of The Sun

JSA All-Stars #10
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Freddie E. Williams II
Co-Feature by Jen Van Meter
Art by Travis Moore

 

The main story was okay as it was really just the battle with these Paradoran Gods with some fun lines like “My blood is aflame with the Light of the Sun” haha. But other then that I feel like the plot really isn’t moving forward. I certainly don’t believe Power Girl is in any bit of trouble as the cliffhanger tried to make it seem. The back-up was good as usual.

Blasts From The Past

JSA All-Stars #9
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Freddie E. Williams II
Co-Feature by Jen Van Meter
Art by Travis Moore

 

So the redhead from last issue was Brainwave from Infinity, Inc. I did not see that coming. This book is fantastic now I hope Sturges stays with it. I am afraid with his writing partner Willingham leaving the main JSA book Sturges won’t stay on this book long but I could be wrong. I love all the shout out to Infinity Inc, as it is a great use of continuity even though I have never read that original series. The romance between King Chimera and Cyclone is really interesting and I would like to see it continue to bloom and Anna Fortune is still a kick ass new character. The back-up continues to entertain as well.

Mystery in Parador

JSA All-Stars #8
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Freddie E. Williams II
Co-Feature by Jen Van Meter
Art by Travis Moore

Our heroes travel to fictional Parador to figure out why the one-time normal gang that the Infinitors used to fight has now become god-worshipping cultists. I liked all the reference to the days of Infinity Inc as it is an era that is rarely talked about. Hourman, Atom Smasher, and Power Girl were all members of that team and I completely forgot that. King Chimera apparently lost a lover once and that makes sense especially in the context of last issue where he cared so much about how Judomaster felt about Damage’s death. Williams’s art did not bother me at all this issue and I think it really worked for the first time since this series began. I guess he just needed to improve. Ann Fortune is still interesting as hell – she is apparently from the past somehow. In the back-up the villain behind everything seems to be the Professor’s son. Hmm.

Rest In Peace Damage

JSA All-Stars #7
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Freddie Williams II
Co-Feature by Jen Van Meter
Art by Travis Moore

 

The main story focuses on Judomaster – a character who really hasn’t had a lot of focus. She is dealing with the death of Damage during Blackest Night – I liked it although it didn’t seem to be that different from the letter sent from beyond the grave stories told in comics past. It was great to see former Titans at Damage’s funeral – because DC seems to have forgotten that Damage was also a Titans at one point. I loved seeing Argent too! The Liberty Belle and Hourman back-up goes along with its Indiana Jones like themes – pretty good stuff.