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Justice League of America: The Nail #1
JLA: The Nail
VOLUME 24
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE NAIL
Originally published as Justice League of America: The Nail #1-3
August - October 1998
Formed by the world's greatest heroes, the Justice League of America stands tall as the mightiest group of protectors the Earth has to offer. Since their founding, one hero above all has stood as their inspiration, guiding light and moral centre - Superman. Now imagine a world without the Man of Steel...
SUPERMAN #13
Originally published in Nov 1941
When a wealthy man is killed following a death threat from The Archer, Daily Planet reporters Clark Kent and Lois Lane rush to investigate, followed by a keen new office junior, eager to prove himself - Jimmy Olsen.
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA: THE NAIL
Originally published as Justice League of America: The Nail #1-3
August - October 1998
Formed by the world's greatest heroes, the Justice League of America stands tall as the mightiest group of protectors the Earth has to offer. Since their founding, one hero above all has stood as their inspiration, guiding light and moral centre - Superman. Now imagine a world without the Man of Steel...
SUPERMAN #13
Originally published in Nov 1941
When a wealthy man is killed following a death threat from The Archer, Daily Planet reporters Clark Kent and Lois Lane rush to investigate, followed by a keen new office junior, eager to prove himself - Jimmy Olsen.
Hardcover
First published December 1, 1998
About the author
Alan Davis
1,040 books68 followersAlan Davis is an English writer and artist of comic books, known for his work on titles such as Captain Britain, The Uncanny X-Men, ClanDestine, Excalibur, JLA: The Nail and JLA: Another Nail and others.
Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
August 26, 2017
One of the best DC's stories!
I bought this in its single comic book issues, but I've chosen this TPB edition to be able of making a better overall review.
This TPB edition collects "Justice League: The Nail" #1-3.
Creative Team:
Writer & Illustrator: Alan Davis
Inker: Mark Farmer
ALL THAT... FOR A NAIL
Never such small object has done so much damage to a DC parallel universe...
...a nail.
Just imagine, a reality where a small nail in the road provokes a flat tire to the humble pick-up truck of Jonathan & Martha Kent, so they aren't in the right place, at the right time, where little Kal-El's ship crashed in the Kansas fields. Therefore, the Kents didn't take that Kryptonian baby with them, making him their adopted son, giving him the important life lessons to fight for truth, justice and freedom. A world without...
...Superman.
Twenty-four years later, without the public image of Superman, the rest of the super-hero community is seen with fear, distrust and hate...
...in special the Justice League, who in this elseworld is formed by Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Hawkwoman (Hawkman died some years ago facing Amazo), Aquaman and The Martian Manhunter...
...but without the Man of Steel, the people aren't confortable with these metahumans whom the majority wears masks.
But that's not all, since without Superman flying up there, where he could be confused with a bird or a plane, it's like...
...hope...
...isn't there either.
So, even the supervillains are more insidious, more dangerous, more mercilesss.
The Batman will be the first to be unwilling witness of the cruelty and madness of The Joker.
And after the heart-breaking events of the controntation of Batman and the Joker, the world won't trust anymore in the Justice League or any other metahuman, hero or villain...
...where Lexcorp, with Lex Luthor and Jimmy Olsen are ready to release a lab engineered army able to take against the whole super-powered community.
A world without Superman and hope, but drowned in hate and blood...
...all that...
...for a nail.
I bought this in its single comic book issues, but I've chosen this TPB edition to be able of making a better overall review.
This TPB edition collects "Justice League: The Nail" #1-3.
Creative Team:
Writer & Illustrator: Alan Davis
Inker: Mark Farmer
ALL THAT... FOR A NAIL
Never such small object has done so much damage to a DC parallel universe...
...a nail.
Just imagine, a reality where a small nail in the road provokes a flat tire to the humble pick-up truck of Jonathan & Martha Kent, so they aren't in the right place, at the right time, where little Kal-El's ship crashed in the Kansas fields. Therefore, the Kents didn't take that Kryptonian baby with them, making him their adopted son, giving him the important life lessons to fight for truth, justice and freedom. A world without...
...Superman.
Twenty-four years later, without the public image of Superman, the rest of the super-hero community is seen with fear, distrust and hate...
...in special the Justice League, who in this elseworld is formed by Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Hawkwoman (Hawkman died some years ago facing Amazo), Aquaman and The Martian Manhunter...
...but without the Man of Steel, the people aren't confortable with these metahumans whom the majority wears masks.
But that's not all, since without Superman flying up there, where he could be confused with a bird or a plane, it's like...
...hope...
...isn't there either.
So, even the supervillains are more insidious, more dangerous, more mercilesss.
The Batman will be the first to be unwilling witness of the cruelty and madness of The Joker.
And after the heart-breaking events of the controntation of Batman and the Joker, the world won't trust anymore in the Justice League or any other metahuman, hero or villain...
...where Lexcorp, with Lex Luthor and Jimmy Olsen are ready to release a lab engineered army able to take against the whole super-powered community.
A world without Superman and hope, but drowned in hate and blood...
...all that...
...for a nail.
October 1, 2020
One of the best Elseworlds stories out there. It's a simple premise. What if Ma and Pa Kent had a nail in their tire and didn't see Kal-El's ship crash? The Silver Age unfolds completely different without the presence of Superman. Lex Luthor is now the fascist mayor of Metropolis. The world is filled with hatred towards metahumans and aliens. Alan Davis comes up with some great world building. His art is fantastic. I like that he wanted to draw all the Silver Age heroes and keeps most of their costumes the same. You get to see him revisit characters like Batman and the Outsiders as well. He last drew those characters in the mid 80's. His art has such a clean, classic style that is perfect for this book.
September 27, 2016
I have to admit: my first thought about the story concept of this Elseworld, a world without Superman because Ma and Pa Kent never found the rocket with the alien kid after gettin'a nail in a tire was THIS:
Guilty as charged, your honor!
I was really wrong for good this time.
But for a very few funny moments this is a great and inspired tale showing all the love of the author for DC universe and characters, a dystopic "What if" with echoes of Frank Miller's "Dark Knight Returns, a masterwork from an Alan Davis at his best as full storyteller and artist.
And just one of the best caped crusader stories ever.
Don't believe me? Just click on the spoiler.
Last but not least, the villain revelation was a real surprise and the ending one of the best ever.
Higly recommended to all graphic novel lovers, I always been more a Marvel zombie than a DC fanboy ( but for the Batman), but after reading this masterwork my number of DC comics readings is going to raise soon.
October 2, 2016
Interesting, well drawn Elseworld story. Could have used some fleshing out but all in all decent.
October 11, 2021
This was actually pretty good.
It stats with Superman not being raised by the Kents and the JLA forming but then we see the fall of GA and the public hysteria being created because of Luthor's rise in Metropolis and in the world and there is opposition against the JL and anti-alien hysteria and paranoia and then we see the members fall one by one and what happens with Batman is intense and whatever is going on with the GLC but when we see the mastermind behind it and where has been, the truth is revealed and the nail behind the JLA's place in the world too.
Its an epic story with twists and turns and it takes silver age heroes and turns the whole concept around them and shows that they are fallible if not without Superman and he is the glue that holds them together and I love Hal's role in here and the story ending with the fact of hope but the real compliment is the art which is so good and like some of the best ever and I LOVE Davis writing and the way he gets these characters and shows them at their worst and best simultaneously!
It stats with Superman not being raised by the Kents and the JLA forming but then we see the fall of GA and the public hysteria being created because of Luthor's rise in Metropolis and in the world and there is opposition against the JL and anti-alien hysteria and paranoia and then we see the members fall one by one and what happens with Batman is intense and whatever is going on with the GLC but when we see the mastermind behind it and where has been, the truth is revealed and the nail behind the JLA's place in the world too.
Its an epic story with twists and turns and it takes silver age heroes and turns the whole concept around them and shows that they are fallible if not without Superman and he is the glue that holds them together and I love Hal's role in here and the story ending with the fact of hope but the real compliment is the art which is so good and like some of the best ever and I LOVE Davis writing and the way he gets these characters and shows them at their worst and best simultaneously!
May 7, 2022
It's funny how one, seemingly insignificant event can change everything. In order to fully portray the ramifications of Superman's absence, the pages are constantly busy due to the inclusion of every DC character you can think of. At times, this can feel a little overwhelming, especially as it jumps between narratives at a rather fast pace. There isn't enough time to fully explore the impact on each Justice League member, but what is given manages to explore some interesting themes. Just a tad too overstretched to make a truly believable story, it nevertheless dabbles with fun ideas and interesting dynamics.
September 4, 2016
Thanks to Aveek for the recommendation.
Why does the JLA need Superman? More importantly, why does the world need Superman?
These are the questions that this Elseworlds story answers, where Jonathan and Martha Kent do not discover the rocket ship carrying Kal-El and the world grows without a Superman.
The story has some parallels to the X-Men comics, with the media spreading paranoia about the metahumans and the subsequent persecution of the latter by the Sentinel-like Liberators.
Why does the JLA need Superman? More importantly, why does the world need Superman?
These are the questions that this Elseworlds story answers, where Jonathan and Martha Kent do not discover the rocket ship carrying Kal-El and the world grows without a Superman.
The story has some parallels to the X-Men comics, with the media spreading paranoia about the metahumans and the subsequent persecution of the latter by the Sentinel-like Liberators.
February 13, 2016
Great "elsewhere" story. Here we see what could happen if for the want of a single thing by one person the world is changed. Very recommended
October 13, 2025
3.5
an elseworld story.
a world without superman
an elseworld story.
a world without superman
July 2, 2021
Alan Davis's artwork is amazing. His visual grasp of the characters of the DC universe is amazing. I enjoy everything he draws. Someone should give him the reigns to a "Brave and Bold"-type book outside of current continuity, and just let him go!
December 13, 2022
Review
Rating 4 out of 5 |Grade: A. It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's......[error: character not found]
Premise/ Synopsis
For want of a nail.... the battle was lost. This seems to be the theme which inspired and guides the JLA story 'The Nail', by Alan Davis. Which is not so subtly highlighted by the writer in the very first page of the story.
The nail in question here, is an actual rusty nail, one which found itself lodged in the tire of Pa Kent, while he and Ma Kent were out about going round in their humble pick-up truck. This seemingly insignificant event made it so that the couple were not where fate decreed, they should've been, to find a baby Kal El in a crashed kryptonian ship.
Which of course, led to a butterfly effect of causations leading to Kal El never growing up as Clark Kent, and inheriting his mantle as Earth's strongest guardian. Nor the Symbol of Truth, Justice and hope.
That last part, Hope, that's the fly in the ointment. There are a lot of people, in canon & in the fandom who get high on making fun of Superman's safe for work, Bly boy scout behavior. Where he, despite having enough power to single handedly crack the planet open like a freaking egg, instead chooses to restrain and reign in a lion's share of his power, to come across as the likable, loveable Kansas farm boy.
Most people would prefer the dark, brooding and badass Batman, the shadowy crusader of the night. I have no shame in admitting that I'm such a biased Bat-fanboy. But even someone like me has to admit that Superman has a great role to fulfill in the Justice League and the world in general, by virtue of merely existing.
It's a value that people most often are blind too, because people don't appreciate the things right in front of their eyes. Only when it's taken away do they start to despair upon its loss. Which is a sentiment that 1992's The Death of Superman was able to harness it in creating a comic book phenomenon.
Back to the point, despite his restrained nature, almost pathological naivety and belief in the good in people, and coming across as a gentle giant, Superman, merely by existing, is able to raise the standards of everyone around him.
Much like the life-giving sun which fuels him, Clark Kent as Superman is a never-ending source of hope and inspiration for much of humanity. One who, despite being an alien, embodies the best in humanity, and gives us something better to aspire to. The moral guidepost by which all other heroes are measured to. The natural leader to which the League and people of Earth look up to.
Even his begrudging BFF Batman, as well as his lifelong rival Luthor, would under duress admit to the strong moral character of Superman, one which makes him someone worth emulating. In many ways, these are the same sentiments emulated by All Might, in the brilliant and explosive runaway hit manga series My Hero Academia. That series is an important case study as to why in stories such as these, Inspirational symbols such as All Might & Superman are necessary. And how their absence can throw the society in chaos.
As one would expect a world devoid of Superman, is a much bleaker place to be. Without the big Red & Blue symbol of hope to rally behind, the world views its iteration of the Justice league with paranoia and suspicion. Why won't they? After all, the League is largely made up of individuals of alien origin, who either have shown no particular allegiance to humanity, or seemingly have their own agenda in helping us. For all the people know, they're just a vanguard of a systematic alien invasion to take over the planet. Now, if only there was some guy, who flew around with his face uncovered, with a million-dollar smile and treated everyone with love and compassion.
But there isn't, and the League in its current form is not united under an optimistic idealistic leader who would've taken steps to make the various teams of superpowered beings to be more approachable to the general public.
Instead, the perception of metahumans in general is being pushed towards the negative, thanks to general paranoia, as well as targeted media campaigns orchestrated by some shadowy figures. The members of the league, instead of facing this threat united, go off on their own, trying to deal with the issue in their own ways. Which doesn't end with the best of results.
What would become of the League and the heroes, who're fast losing the trust of the people?
Who is the shadowy hand that is guiding global events making them worse?
To what end are these forces committed to eradicating the league and changing the world?
Will our heroes overcome this challenge? Or falter and shatter under its weight?
Find out that and more in....
Thoughts
JLA the Nail, embodies the best of the edgy absurdity of the 90s era DC titles. Now, I may be a bit biased towards works which came out during that era, being a 90s kid, but I always felt there was a heightened sense of emotions and action put forth in them.
This story, which by design, takes place in a tonally darker timeline, bereft of Superman benefits from that treatment. The characters and the storyline is just the right shade of brooding, as more and more depressing events escalate in the background.
I’m sorry to say, the character who suffers the most in such a Grimdark style of storytelling is the Dark knight himself. Over the course of the story, he is subjected to the
Starting off the story on that ‘light’ note, things are not well for either of the other members of the League. As they are systematically taken down and neutralized by a highly efficient and well-planned assault, one which is reminiscent of Batman’s failsafe from ‘The Tower of Babel’ storyline.
Only these attacks against the heroes, are not only meant to defeat them, but also disparage their reputation, as gruesome events such as
The most likely suspect of the attacks is believed to be Lex Luthor who, in absence of the Man of Steel, had become Vice President and turned Metropolis into a highly regulated police state.
Meanwhile, criminal organizations around the world, like the Legion of Doom & the League of shadows were taken out in covert assassination missions, while Earth itself is sequestered from the galactic eye, by means of a large force field enveloping the planet.
For a short 3 chapter run, the story of the Nail is well paced to be a mystery thriller with several dire rising events. Akin to a detective novel, we’re given clues here and there, pertaining to the canon of the world, which lead us to speculate as to who is the mastermind behind this global conspiracy.
Not going to lie, up until the climax, I was banking on a Utilitarian, slightly fascist big brother version of Superman, who was brainwashed either by the CIA or Luthor to do questionable acts, for ‘the greater good’. A version with a more cold, indifferent form of the messiah complex, who deigned that for the betterment of the world, people and the metahumans among them must be brought under his control.
I mean, it was not an unreasonable hypothesis. There were clues put out saying how, there was some phenomenon causing decrease in solar radiation, as well as affecting the earth’s magnetic field. And at one point, the team of ‘Outsiders’ lead by Black canary, came upon a sinister fortress like a lair in the middle of the arctic, which was not even superpowered being able to enter without effort. This, plus the army of masked superpowered government agents lead me to believe this was all the fascist version of Superman, one who had subjugated Luthor and the government, and was running things from the shadows.
The actual reveal was somewhat different. It turned out the villain was a . Then there was the other, other reveal that
But I’m not too miffed. After all, twists which are earned, and which make the story enjoyable are always a welcome addition to storytelling.
The story ends with Superman accepting his mantle, joining the Justice League and this elseworld somewhat being corrected to its original course.
But Batman still was traumatized with the death of his sidekicks, and the killing of the Joker. Poor man spent much of the story broken and trying to overcome the PTSD of that ordeal. It seems to me that lately more and more stories which I read, just outright kill Bats, or remove him in the picture. That’s OK, this is just DC’s version of Killing their darlings to give the story more stakes.
The story is largely focused on the void left by Superman, and the traumatic shit that happens to the leaguers, mostly Batman. Which doesn’t mean the others don’t get any screen time. Wonder woman, Green lantern, Aquaman, Flash, The Atom, Martian Manhunter are all either dealing with their own demons, or trying to uncover the overarching mystery in their own ways.
Their individual investigations shed light bit by bit to the larger conspiracy, and as to why other factions or players, such as New Genesis, Apokalips or the Green Lantern Corps don’t intervene in Earth’s time of need. But for the most part the action is focused on the leaguers and other groups of heroes.
The Art
One thing I really appreciated in this series, other than the thrilling story, is the 90s era blend of gritty, just the right amount of dark, dynamic action panels, many of which cover the whole page. There is this recurring theme where, each member of the league as they go about their respective story threads, are given a full spread action page, revealing their skill in full glory. Peppered throughout the story, these pages are a real treat to view, and are like the pages of some theme calendars with all of your favorite characters.
A key detail which I loved is how many of the panels feature some form of explosion, and how the coloring and shading of the characters bathed in the light and flame add another layer of realistic sheen to their appearance. Batman and Shayera are the two characters that benefit the most from this treatment.
Other than that, most of the panels are bathed in darkness and shadows as befitting the bleak tone of the narrative. While it’s not excessive, the art does its work in giving us a sense of urgency, exhilaration and despair wherever the plot demands.
In Conclusion, JLA the Nail, by Alan Davis is a great addition to the Justice League storyline as an elsewhere title. Do make sure to read it for some good dose of nostalgia and entertainment.
Rating 4 out of 5 |Grade: A. It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's......[error: character not found]
Premise/ Synopsis
For want of a nail.... the battle was lost. This seems to be the theme which inspired and guides the JLA story 'The Nail', by Alan Davis. Which is not so subtly highlighted by the writer in the very first page of the story.
The nail in question here, is an actual rusty nail, one which found itself lodged in the tire of Pa Kent, while he and Ma Kent were out about going round in their humble pick-up truck. This seemingly insignificant event made it so that the couple were not where fate decreed, they should've been, to find a baby Kal El in a crashed kryptonian ship.
Which of course, led to a butterfly effect of causations leading to Kal El never growing up as Clark Kent, and inheriting his mantle as Earth's strongest guardian. Nor the Symbol of Truth, Justice and hope.
That last part, Hope, that's the fly in the ointment. There are a lot of people, in canon & in the fandom who get high on making fun of Superman's safe for work, Bly boy scout behavior. Where he, despite having enough power to single handedly crack the planet open like a freaking egg, instead chooses to restrain and reign in a lion's share of his power, to come across as the likable, loveable Kansas farm boy.
Most people would prefer the dark, brooding and badass Batman, the shadowy crusader of the night. I have no shame in admitting that I'm such a biased Bat-fanboy. But even someone like me has to admit that Superman has a great role to fulfill in the Justice League and the world in general, by virtue of merely existing.
It's a value that people most often are blind too, because people don't appreciate the things right in front of their eyes. Only when it's taken away do they start to despair upon its loss. Which is a sentiment that 1992's The Death of Superman was able to harness it in creating a comic book phenomenon.
Back to the point, despite his restrained nature, almost pathological naivety and belief in the good in people, and coming across as a gentle giant, Superman, merely by existing, is able to raise the standards of everyone around him.
Much like the life-giving sun which fuels him, Clark Kent as Superman is a never-ending source of hope and inspiration for much of humanity. One who, despite being an alien, embodies the best in humanity, and gives us something better to aspire to. The moral guidepost by which all other heroes are measured to. The natural leader to which the League and people of Earth look up to.
Even his begrudging BFF Batman, as well as his lifelong rival Luthor, would under duress admit to the strong moral character of Superman, one which makes him someone worth emulating. In many ways, these are the same sentiments emulated by All Might, in the brilliant and explosive runaway hit manga series My Hero Academia. That series is an important case study as to why in stories such as these, Inspirational symbols such as All Might & Superman are necessary. And how their absence can throw the society in chaos.
As one would expect a world devoid of Superman, is a much bleaker place to be. Without the big Red & Blue symbol of hope to rally behind, the world views its iteration of the Justice league with paranoia and suspicion. Why won't they? After all, the League is largely made up of individuals of alien origin, who either have shown no particular allegiance to humanity, or seemingly have their own agenda in helping us. For all the people know, they're just a vanguard of a systematic alien invasion to take over the planet. Now, if only there was some guy, who flew around with his face uncovered, with a million-dollar smile and treated everyone with love and compassion.
But there isn't, and the League in its current form is not united under an optimistic idealistic leader who would've taken steps to make the various teams of superpowered beings to be more approachable to the general public.
Instead, the perception of metahumans in general is being pushed towards the negative, thanks to general paranoia, as well as targeted media campaigns orchestrated by some shadowy figures. The members of the league, instead of facing this threat united, go off on their own, trying to deal with the issue in their own ways. Which doesn't end with the best of results.
What would become of the League and the heroes, who're fast losing the trust of the people?
Who is the shadowy hand that is guiding global events making them worse?
To what end are these forces committed to eradicating the league and changing the world?
Will our heroes overcome this challenge? Or falter and shatter under its weight?
Find out that and more in....
Thoughts
JLA the Nail, embodies the best of the edgy absurdity of the 90s era DC titles. Now, I may be a bit biased towards works which came out during that era, being a 90s kid, but I always felt there was a heightened sense of emotions and action put forth in them.
This story, which by design, takes place in a tonally darker timeline, bereft of Superman benefits from that treatment. The characters and the storyline is just the right shade of brooding, as more and more depressing events escalate in the background.
I’m sorry to say, the character who suffers the most in such a Grimdark style of storytelling is the Dark knight himself. Over the course of the story, he is subjected to the
Starting off the story on that ‘light’ note, things are not well for either of the other members of the League. As they are systematically taken down and neutralized by a highly efficient and well-planned assault, one which is reminiscent of Batman’s failsafe from ‘The Tower of Babel’ storyline.
Only these attacks against the heroes, are not only meant to defeat them, but also disparage their reputation, as gruesome events such as
The most likely suspect of the attacks is believed to be Lex Luthor who, in absence of the Man of Steel, had become Vice President and turned Metropolis into a highly regulated police state.
Meanwhile, criminal organizations around the world, like the Legion of Doom & the League of shadows were taken out in covert assassination missions, while Earth itself is sequestered from the galactic eye, by means of a large force field enveloping the planet.
For a short 3 chapter run, the story of the Nail is well paced to be a mystery thriller with several dire rising events. Akin to a detective novel, we’re given clues here and there, pertaining to the canon of the world, which lead us to speculate as to who is the mastermind behind this global conspiracy.
Not going to lie, up until the climax, I was banking on a Utilitarian, slightly fascist big brother version of Superman, who was brainwashed either by the CIA or Luthor to do questionable acts, for ‘the greater good’. A version with a more cold, indifferent form of the messiah complex, who deigned that for the betterment of the world, people and the metahumans among them must be brought under his control.
I mean, it was not an unreasonable hypothesis. There were clues put out saying how, there was some phenomenon causing decrease in solar radiation, as well as affecting the earth’s magnetic field. And at one point, the team of ‘Outsiders’ lead by Black canary, came upon a sinister fortress like a lair in the middle of the arctic, which was not even superpowered being able to enter without effort. This, plus the army of masked superpowered government agents lead me to believe this was all the fascist version of Superman, one who had subjugated Luthor and the government, and was running things from the shadows.
The actual reveal was somewhat different. It turned out the villain was a . Then there was the other, other reveal that
But I’m not too miffed. After all, twists which are earned, and which make the story enjoyable are always a welcome addition to storytelling.
The story ends with Superman accepting his mantle, joining the Justice League and this elseworld somewhat being corrected to its original course.
But Batman still was traumatized with the death of his sidekicks, and the killing of the Joker. Poor man spent much of the story broken and trying to overcome the PTSD of that ordeal. It seems to me that lately more and more stories which I read, just outright kill Bats, or remove him in the picture. That’s OK, this is just DC’s version of Killing their darlings to give the story more stakes.
The story is largely focused on the void left by Superman, and the traumatic shit that happens to the leaguers, mostly Batman. Which doesn’t mean the others don’t get any screen time. Wonder woman, Green lantern, Aquaman, Flash, The Atom, Martian Manhunter are all either dealing with their own demons, or trying to uncover the overarching mystery in their own ways.
Their individual investigations shed light bit by bit to the larger conspiracy, and as to why other factions or players, such as New Genesis, Apokalips or the Green Lantern Corps don’t intervene in Earth’s time of need. But for the most part the action is focused on the leaguers and other groups of heroes.
The Art
One thing I really appreciated in this series, other than the thrilling story, is the 90s era blend of gritty, just the right amount of dark, dynamic action panels, many of which cover the whole page. There is this recurring theme where, each member of the league as they go about their respective story threads, are given a full spread action page, revealing their skill in full glory. Peppered throughout the story, these pages are a real treat to view, and are like the pages of some theme calendars with all of your favorite characters.
A key detail which I loved is how many of the panels feature some form of explosion, and how the coloring and shading of the characters bathed in the light and flame add another layer of realistic sheen to their appearance. Batman and Shayera are the two characters that benefit the most from this treatment.
Other than that, most of the panels are bathed in darkness and shadows as befitting the bleak tone of the narrative. While it’s not excessive, the art does its work in giving us a sense of urgency, exhilaration and despair wherever the plot demands.
In Conclusion, JLA the Nail, by Alan Davis is a great addition to the Justice League storyline as an elsewhere title. Do make sure to read it for some good dose of nostalgia and entertainment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2017
Wow!!!! Review to follow.
December 22, 2022
Puntaje: 4.3 Estrellas.
Un cómic más que leo de la colección de novelas gráficas de DC Cómics. En esta ocasión, he leído “El Clavo” una de los Elseworlds más populares de la Liga de la Justicia.
Antes que nada, creo que es importante explicar qué es un elseworld. En DC Cómics las historias generalmente hacen parte de una continuidad, un universo en donde viven todos estos personajes y se desarrollan todos estos hechos históricos. Sin embargo, tal y como sucede con Marvel, en DC Cómics no hay un solo universo, hay todo un multiverso que se complementa entre sí.
Hace muchos años, varios guionistas presentaban ideas muy audaces sobre historias de personajes de DC que les encantaría contar, sin embargo, estas historias no eran congruentes con la continuidad que se había creado en la compañía, por lo cual no era posible integrarlas en el universo de DC. Es así como decidieron crear los Elseworlds: Historias de DC que ocurren en otros universos y que no afectan ni están directamente relacionadas con la continuidad en general.
Como pudieron leer en la sinópsis de este libro: El clavo se basa en la idea de ¿Qué hubiera pasado si Martha y Jhonathan Kent no ho encontraran a Superman? (Todo esto debido a que su camioneta estaba pinchada por un clavo).
Primero que todo me encantó esa analogía. El hecho de que algo tan sencillo e insignificante como un clavo puede cambiar la historia de todo el mundo me ha dejado perplejo. ¡De hecho, me ha hecho pensar sobre cuantas veces mi vida ha tomado rumbos diferentes porque se han presentado este tipo de clavos en el camino!
Me gusta además que, al ser un Elseworld, los guionistas no le tienen miedo a tomar decisiones que puedan ser radicales. En una historia normal de DC Cómics no sería tan sencillo dejar que un personaje importante muera. En esta historia vemos más de una muerte, que además son trágicas, y cómo esta afecta a los demás personajes.
Los giros que iba tomando la trama me han encantado, realmente no me esperaba nada de lo que iba sucediendo, de verdad que me he dejado sorprender por cada página de este cómic.
El único “pero” que le daría a esta historia es que no me gusta que DC ponga en entredicho que sin Superman el mundo no existiría. Evidentemente es un personaje de gran ayuda para todos, pero los demás miembros de la Liga de la Justicia tambien son extremadamente poderosos.
Eso sí, me gustó la escena final y como nos presentan una nueva liga de la Justicia, que realmente no es nueva para los lectores, pero si para este universo.
Me ha gustado este tomo, disfruté mucho de su lectura. Lo recomiendo para quienes quieran leer algo de DC Cómics que no requiera de mucho conocimiento previo o de infinitas lecturas para comprender lo que sucede. Eso sí, aparecen muchos personajes de DC, así que lo ideal sería conocer un poco de cada uno, pues de no hacerlo simplemente no te emocionarás con sus apariciones.
Un cómic más que leo de la colección de novelas gráficas de DC Cómics. En esta ocasión, he leído “El Clavo” una de los Elseworlds más populares de la Liga de la Justicia.
Antes que nada, creo que es importante explicar qué es un elseworld. En DC Cómics las historias generalmente hacen parte de una continuidad, un universo en donde viven todos estos personajes y se desarrollan todos estos hechos históricos. Sin embargo, tal y como sucede con Marvel, en DC Cómics no hay un solo universo, hay todo un multiverso que se complementa entre sí.
Hace muchos años, varios guionistas presentaban ideas muy audaces sobre historias de personajes de DC que les encantaría contar, sin embargo, estas historias no eran congruentes con la continuidad que se había creado en la compañía, por lo cual no era posible integrarlas en el universo de DC. Es así como decidieron crear los Elseworlds: Historias de DC que ocurren en otros universos y que no afectan ni están directamente relacionadas con la continuidad en general.
Como pudieron leer en la sinópsis de este libro: El clavo se basa en la idea de ¿Qué hubiera pasado si Martha y Jhonathan Kent no ho encontraran a Superman? (Todo esto debido a que su camioneta estaba pinchada por un clavo).
Primero que todo me encantó esa analogía. El hecho de que algo tan sencillo e insignificante como un clavo puede cambiar la historia de todo el mundo me ha dejado perplejo. ¡De hecho, me ha hecho pensar sobre cuantas veces mi vida ha tomado rumbos diferentes porque se han presentado este tipo de clavos en el camino!
Me gusta además que, al ser un Elseworld, los guionistas no le tienen miedo a tomar decisiones que puedan ser radicales. En una historia normal de DC Cómics no sería tan sencillo dejar que un personaje importante muera. En esta historia vemos más de una muerte, que además son trágicas, y cómo esta afecta a los demás personajes.
Los giros que iba tomando la trama me han encantado, realmente no me esperaba nada de lo que iba sucediendo, de verdad que me he dejado sorprender por cada página de este cómic.
El único “pero” que le daría a esta historia es que no me gusta que DC ponga en entredicho que sin Superman el mundo no existiría. Evidentemente es un personaje de gran ayuda para todos, pero los demás miembros de la Liga de la Justicia tambien son extremadamente poderosos.
Eso sí, me gustó la escena final y como nos presentan una nueva liga de la Justicia, que realmente no es nueva para los lectores, pero si para este universo.
Me ha gustado este tomo, disfruté mucho de su lectura. Lo recomiendo para quienes quieran leer algo de DC Cómics que no requiera de mucho conocimiento previo o de infinitas lecturas para comprender lo que sucede. Eso sí, aparecen muchos personajes de DC, así que lo ideal sería conocer un poco de cada uno, pues de no hacerlo simplemente no te emocionarás con sus apariciones.
March 10, 2009
I initially only picked this up because a friend had mentioned that there was a deeper exploration of the Batman/Catwoman relationship (even though it's not in canon), but this Elseworlds tale is surprisingly fantastic. The premise begins with a what-if situation where one seemingly inconsequential nail is wedged into the Kents' truck tyre and they never discover the alien ship that holds the future Superman, thus earth and its superheroes are not led by an all-encompassing guardian of goodwill and justice.
All the JLA characters as we know and love are somewhat warped (Green Arrow, for instance, turns into a ramped bitter old man following a tragedy), but retain their unique personalities, and it's curious to see how changeable their lives become depending on the choices made. Humans now fear and loathe meta-humans with increasing intensity, and one by one the JLA members become entangled in an anti-meta-human resistance, whose source remains unknown until it is almost too late, and help seems so far away.
One haunting scene I must say is one involving Batman and the Joker. I don't want to elaborate any further because it's a defining moment, but witnessing the sheer horror of Joker's antics is far from funny.
Alan Davis' art is extremely easy on the eye and proportionate, and the action sequences flow quite seamlessly.
This great narrative is followed up by Another Nail
All the JLA characters as we know and love are somewhat warped (Green Arrow, for instance, turns into a ramped bitter old man following a tragedy), but retain their unique personalities, and it's curious to see how changeable their lives become depending on the choices made. Humans now fear and loathe meta-humans with increasing intensity, and one by one the JLA members become entangled in an anti-meta-human resistance, whose source remains unknown until it is almost too late, and help seems so far away.
One haunting scene I must say is one involving Batman and the Joker. I don't want to elaborate any further because it's a defining moment, but witnessing the sheer horror of Joker's antics is far from funny.
Alan Davis' art is extremely easy on the eye and proportionate, and the action sequences flow quite seamlessly.
This great narrative is followed up by Another Nail
May 21, 2023
A good what if? plot if somewhat too bright and colorful for its theme.
The grim settings- and atrocious deaths of 2 secondary characters- are in contrast- and in the end subdued- by Alan Davis lavish art and John Kalisz warm colors. Which creates a discrepancy between the plot-very early XXI century dark- and the art-very late XX pop- diminishing its overall impact.
A very enjoyable read nonetheless.
The grim settings- and atrocious deaths of 2 secondary characters- are in contrast- and in the end subdued- by Alan Davis lavish art and John Kalisz warm colors. Which creates a discrepancy between the plot-very early XXI century dark- and the art-very late XX pop- diminishing its overall impact.
A very enjoyable read nonetheless.
July 24, 2018
The dialogue does forced, which brings me out of the story, and the over the top verbal narration from the characters that doesn't fit. The premise is interesting and good, world without Superman. Unfortunately this story fails to do what it promises, Who would want to resolve the story in an interesting or creative way? All in all a very disappointing story.
November 18, 2016
I thought the premise was really good, what would be the influence of a nail at the right time and right moment in the DC Universe. But this book is so badly written, with characters just talking to themselves and explaining what's happening for no reason. Apart from that, the idea is cool, but the story just develops in a very unoriginal way. Very disappointing.
December 10, 2014
3.5 to be precise.
The concept is beautiful - a DC world without Superman. The heroes have a good characterisation but it falters midway. Olsen isn't good enough. The possibilities of a nail storyline are endless and the master plan is great. Yet these didn't add up for me.
The concept is beautiful - a DC world without Superman. The heroes have a good characterisation but it falters midway. Olsen isn't good enough. The possibilities of a nail storyline are endless and the master plan is great. Yet these didn't add up for me.
May 21, 2017
I absolutely loved this. The mystery, the twists, the what-ifs. I feel like everything that makes superhero comics great was in play here.
I also have yet to find an Elseworlds story I haven't liked (I'm sure there are plenty). I wish DC would reboot it with new ideas.
I also have yet to find an Elseworlds story I haven't liked (I'm sure there are plenty). I wish DC would reboot it with new ideas.
October 10, 2017
Bardzo dobry komiks, który świetnie przekazuje ideę elseworlds. Mały szczegół w warunkach początkowych może być tragiczny w skutkach długofalowych.
January 29, 2020
nailed it.
August 9, 2018
En general me pareció una buena historia que logra ser entretenida a pesar de la cantidad de diálogo que nno dice nada al final y arruina un poco la experiencia (no soy muy fan de las historias que tienen personajes gritando "¡Esto es lo que está pasando en esta viñeta!", no lo digas, mostralo). Obviamente que gran parte del "misterio" de la trama se va en cuanto lees la sinopsis, pero es un buen intento y aún así tiene un par de giros interesantes.
Mi mayor queja con respecto a esto es la cantidad de personajes que aparecen sin que haya necesidad de ellos en la historia, al principio parecen tener importancia pero al final terminan no haciendo nada, sus historias quedan sin definición.
El arte y el color están muy bien, con buenas caracterizaciones y buenas escenas de acción, lo cual hace que me moleste aún más el enfoque "¡Oh, no! Mira lo que está pasando en esta viñeta."
Mi mayor queja con respecto a esto es la cantidad de personajes que aparecen sin que haya necesidad de ellos en la historia, al principio parecen tener importancia pero al final terminan no haciendo nada, sus historias quedan sin definición.
El arte y el color están muy bien, con buenas caracterizaciones y buenas escenas de acción, lo cual hace que me moleste aún más el enfoque "¡Oh, no! Mira lo que está pasando en esta viñeta."
April 22, 2023
A solid what if storyline.
Basically what would happen if Clark's parents that day driving hit a nail in the road and went back home before he landed and he never became the hero we all know and love? No SUPERMAN in our DC Universe.
What I did enjoy is there was still a focus on the Justice League and it would be made even without Superman but the landscape of the world and the way they view Meta Humans is really interesting. Lex is campaigning against Meta Humans in general, Joker is full blown crazy and does some FUCKED up shit to Batman's family here, and the way everyone has to get over trauma and loss to create a better world was fun. I felt the second half was a little too safe, especially the ending, but overall an enjoyable good time. A 3 out of 5.
Basically what would happen if Clark's parents that day driving hit a nail in the road and went back home before he landed and he never became the hero we all know and love? No SUPERMAN in our DC Universe.
What I did enjoy is there was still a focus on the Justice League and it would be made even without Superman but the landscape of the world and the way they view Meta Humans is really interesting. Lex is campaigning against Meta Humans in general, Joker is full blown crazy and does some FUCKED up shit to Batman's family here, and the way everyone has to get over trauma and loss to create a better world was fun. I felt the second half was a little too safe, especially the ending, but overall an enjoyable good time. A 3 out of 5.
February 8, 2023
Fun, epic Elseworlds tale with wonderful Davis art.
January 20, 2018
Jakoby Davis nevěděl, jestli chce psát příběh ve stylu God Loves, Man Kills nebo velkou pláštěnkovou rubačku. 3,5*
Více na https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSYUN...
Více na https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSYUN...
May 19, 2026
As part of the DC Comics Official Discord, I read this issue and answered the below questions. Unfortunately due to the individual issues not properly being on goodreads, I will be putting each week in one review here.
WEEK 1:
1. The story's inciting event, a nail causing a flat tire, is almost absurdly mundane. How did that choice land for you as an opening premise? Does the smallness of the cause make the consequences feel more or less powerful?
Upon hearing the concept before reading, I was immediately impressed by the idea of such a small universally common act interrupting a really canon event and how things could possibly spiral out of control like that. I imagined a domino tipping the wrong direction. But what made everything following the nail even more impactful was the verse quoted right at the start of the story:
“For want of a nail the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe the horse was lost, for want of a horse the knight was lost, for want of a knight the battle was lost. So it was a kingdom was lost, all for the want of a nail.” - Colloquial adaptation of a verse by George Herbert
2. Without Superman's presence, public fear and resentment toward metahumans has grown significantly. How does this issue establish that tension? Does it feel like a plausible extrapolation of the DC world, or does it strain believability?
The strain between the public and metahumans absolutely feels plausible, it’s as if the bridge of hope and justice to transition the world from the humans fighting during the war to the age of the supermen is nonexistent. And without that big smiling boy scout to lead the way, the heroes in charge are seen as outsiders (which also exist as a group, lol). It’s as if Superman's shield of hope didn’t just shield humanity from danger, but his fellow heroes from their scrutiny and fear because they are different. And of course the most believable part is how much worse Batman makes this tension through his secrecy. No longer does the fear extend to villains solely, without superman by his side everyone is worried about the big bad bat. Leading to scenarios where even though he is fighting the worst evil has to offer, he is still seen as the monster.
3. The Justice League here feels fractured and uncertain in a way they rarely do in mainline continuity. Which characters stood out to you in this first issue, and what does their behavior in Superman's absence reveal about them?
Outside of the Justice League, Lex Luthor stood out to me the most. Even without Superman in this world he still finds a way to hate metahumans…except this time the people flock to support him instead of the man of steel. It becomes much more apparent that Superman acted like a cushion for the rest of the heroes, taking in and directing all of Lex’s hate and schemes so that it rarely targeted them…and now it feels like it’s open season for all heroes. Lex has garnered a culture of fear, utilizing another surprising character twist with Oliver Queen and his injuries which took him out of the fight to smear the Justice League and utilize their alien presenting members as examples to fear all heroes that are different. The world itself is fractured right alongside the justice league. This is especially shown with the doom patrol near the end of the issue, as they are actively hunted down even though we know they are all human…but they don’t look that way anymore and are now hated because of this culture.
But looking at the justice league themselves what stands out to me the most are the alien/half-human members of the group and how they react to the world rejecting them and how the fully human members of the group seem to perpetuate the hateful ideals being spread by the public to blame the heroes victim to them. Near the start of the issue the JLA are talking about some of the recent reports, and Flash mentions that people fear what is different and that even the “truly human” metahumans are being targeted. But this kind of verbiage only furthers the divide between heroes like Flash and Atom compared to Hawkwoman, J’onn, and Aquaman who are not primarily of Earth/Surface World. This leads these heroes to become distant from humanity instead of embracing it. J’onn fully decides to go invisible and distance himself from the JLA in an effort to protect them from his look, and Hawkwoman and Aquaman are both clearly contemplating leaving and returning to their homes. Even if it’s as close as the depths of the oceans or light years away.
4. Olsen and Lois are given notable roles in this issue. How do their dynamics shift in a world without Clark Kent? What does their presence say about what Superman represents beyond his powers?
One of Superman’s most notable ideals has always been “truth.” Now we find a world where there is no mention of the daily planet at all, instead we have Galaxy broadcasting (WGBS) with Perry White at the helm as a puppet for Luthor’s smear campaigns to support his anti metahuman causes. Jimmy has abandoned truth in order to side with Luthor’s administration, weaponizing his own life living in the meta-human circles to hurt others while protecting his own skin. And then we have Lois…the last proponent of the truth. Out of everyone she is still getting down into the dirt to report and expose the truth…even if it also means giving hard truths to the heroes who are not yet ready to hear it, especially as she stares batman down, lol. But most importantly, without Daily Planet Reporter Clark Kent one thing is clear…the truth tends to fade away.
WEEK 2:
1. The consequences of Superman's absence begin to feel truly irreversible in this issue. Were there any moments where the weight of that absence hit hardest for you? What did they reveal about how central Superman is to the League's identity?
In Superman’s absence a moment that truly hit hard for me was seeing so many familiar and favorite characters being rounded up and trapped in the alien “research” center in Smallville. Looking beyond the fact that most of the characters trapped here are human, it further enhances the real fear the alien members of the JLA are facing from the world because a figure like superman, who acts as a bridge between humans and aliens to be the best of both worlds, doesn’t exist…driving each of them deeper into isolation and turning the iconic home of superman into a prison camp.Superman’s presence as a shining beacon of hope works to bring everyone together, in stark contrast to the evil forces in the shadows that move to put everyone against each other to bring everything down.
2. The anti-metahuman sentiment escalates significantly here. How does the story portray the political forces driving that fear? Does it feel grounded and believable, or does it veer into caricature?
The political forces that drive the anti-metahuman sentiment here feels significantly grounded. The last issue ended with the terrifying image of a Batman who just went through hell seemingly killing the joker on live TV, even though this issue hints later that joker may have been taken out remotely by the mysterious force pulling the strings behind the scenes, and suddenly we find that checkpoints have popped up checking everyone coming into Metropolis. The politics at play here grab onto every snippet of information to immediately blow out of proportion to justify their authoritarian tactics…sound familiar? Meanwhile the very forces pushing this fear are moving behind the scenes with even worse inhuman actions of their own.
3. Several Justice League members are pushed to their limits in ways we rarely see in mainline continuity. Which character's struggle resonated with you most, and what does it say about who they are without Superman's steadying influence?
Batman’s defeated thousand yard stare resonated with me the most. He witnessed such utter hell seeing batgirl and robin killed in front of him that he began to act solely on muscle memory, not even taking a moment to question if he was possible of killing the joker…only slipping into the depths of his own mind after an event that must have been even more traumatic than seeing his parents gunned down in front of him. Stripped back down to a helpless child seeing his own kids ripped apart. If the events of this story were unfolding even with Superman here I can’t say they would be entirely different, but it does feel as though Batman was closer to the edge of hopelessness, especially with the solitary attitude he had in the first issue, without Superman there to light the way. It’s as if the world’s greatest detective stopped trying completely.
4. The Nail continues to recontextualize familiar DC characters and relationships. Were there any reimaginings in this issue that surprised you, challenged your assumptions, or that you felt didn't quite work?
One set of reimaginings that pleasantly surprised me concerns Lana Lang and the Kents as we now see them hosting a full blown underground railroad for the heroes trapped in the prison camp that has been set up in Smallville. The lab has acted as a force for change for the town with Lana even getting a job there, but that development didn’t blind any of them to the inhumanity before them. Leading them to do anything they can to help, even if it means putting their own lives at risk by hosting them in their home. It’s truly a heroic and selfless action which is on par for Lana and the Kents.
But one character I felt hasn’t quite worked is Wonder Woman. This seems to happen a lot with elseworlds stories, at least the ones I’ve read, as it feels like the writers aren’t exactly sure what to do with a beacon of truth and hope that rivals superman…ultimately pushing her to the side to be the “white house liaison” to make it seem like she is doing something through the “right channels” while ultimately doing nothing. It’s pretty disappointing, in a way she is just as alien as Superman is to the rest of the world and provides a lot of unification as well.
5. Themes of fear, scapegoating, and the manipulation of public opinion run throughout this issue. How does Davis frame these ideas visually as well as narratively? Does the artwork carry any of that thematic weight on its own?
A large part of the manipulation of the public comes from the weaponization of the news cycle. All throughout this issue, starting with batman at the end of the last issue, situations have been setup to frame the perfect moment for the heroes to look like the bad guys and the art plays heavily into this as I wouldn’t have been thinking batman actually killed the joker if I didn’t see his terrifying figure looming over a burning arkham like the rest of the world did from their TV sets. This is weaponized even further by the death of Perry White, who was the poster child for anti-metahuman sentiment…only to be turned into a martyr as a manipulated metamorpho was forced to kill him at the risk of himself and the woman he loves. But none of these storylines would hold up as well without the artwork heavily enhancing it.
6. By the end of this issue, the stakes feel considerably higher than where we started. Where do you think the story is heading into the final issue, and what do you most hope, or fear, it will do with the threads it has built?
I think the story is on a headline collision for the truth in the final issue and the possible revelation of superman existing but without his farmboy charm. The end of the issue seems to imply that Starro may actually be the one behind everything, utilizing mind controlled agents on Earth to pull strings from the shadows. But the heroes have made big swings back without even realizing it, as Green Lantern foiled the attempt to ruin his public image and the atom/flash are continuing to unveil and put a stop to the shadow wars working behind everyone’s backs. But at the center of all the hope we have to resolve this is actually the outsiders…the one group which has found and made their way into the fortress of solitude where a shadowy caped figure promptly took them down. Was this done out of fear, maybe he is protecting his home, or is it possible superman is under the control of Starro? Even if they are to free him, Superman's mere presence wouldn’t immediately pull the public opinion back to the heroes, after all no one knows who he is or if he is good or bad, but it would be a great place to start. Ultimately I hope for a unifying force to bring everyone together to defeat the mysterious threat they are facing, but I fear everything still has a chance to crash and burn with the public totally turning against the heroes.
Week 3 included on issue 3, which is for some reason properly on Goodreads, lol.
WEEK 1:
1. The story's inciting event, a nail causing a flat tire, is almost absurdly mundane. How did that choice land for you as an opening premise? Does the smallness of the cause make the consequences feel more or less powerful?
Upon hearing the concept before reading, I was immediately impressed by the idea of such a small universally common act interrupting a really canon event and how things could possibly spiral out of control like that. I imagined a domino tipping the wrong direction. But what made everything following the nail even more impactful was the verse quoted right at the start of the story:
“For want of a nail the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe the horse was lost, for want of a horse the knight was lost, for want of a knight the battle was lost. So it was a kingdom was lost, all for the want of a nail.” - Colloquial adaptation of a verse by George Herbert
2. Without Superman's presence, public fear and resentment toward metahumans has grown significantly. How does this issue establish that tension? Does it feel like a plausible extrapolation of the DC world, or does it strain believability?
The strain between the public and metahumans absolutely feels plausible, it’s as if the bridge of hope and justice to transition the world from the humans fighting during the war to the age of the supermen is nonexistent. And without that big smiling boy scout to lead the way, the heroes in charge are seen as outsiders (which also exist as a group, lol). It’s as if Superman's shield of hope didn’t just shield humanity from danger, but his fellow heroes from their scrutiny and fear because they are different. And of course the most believable part is how much worse Batman makes this tension through his secrecy. No longer does the fear extend to villains solely, without superman by his side everyone is worried about the big bad bat. Leading to scenarios where even though he is fighting the worst evil has to offer, he is still seen as the monster.
3. The Justice League here feels fractured and uncertain in a way they rarely do in mainline continuity. Which characters stood out to you in this first issue, and what does their behavior in Superman's absence reveal about them?
Outside of the Justice League, Lex Luthor stood out to me the most. Even without Superman in this world he still finds a way to hate metahumans…except this time the people flock to support him instead of the man of steel. It becomes much more apparent that Superman acted like a cushion for the rest of the heroes, taking in and directing all of Lex’s hate and schemes so that it rarely targeted them…and now it feels like it’s open season for all heroes. Lex has garnered a culture of fear, utilizing another surprising character twist with Oliver Queen and his injuries which took him out of the fight to smear the Justice League and utilize their alien presenting members as examples to fear all heroes that are different. The world itself is fractured right alongside the justice league. This is especially shown with the doom patrol near the end of the issue, as they are actively hunted down even though we know they are all human…but they don’t look that way anymore and are now hated because of this culture.
But looking at the justice league themselves what stands out to me the most are the alien/half-human members of the group and how they react to the world rejecting them and how the fully human members of the group seem to perpetuate the hateful ideals being spread by the public to blame the heroes victim to them. Near the start of the issue the JLA are talking about some of the recent reports, and Flash mentions that people fear what is different and that even the “truly human” metahumans are being targeted. But this kind of verbiage only furthers the divide between heroes like Flash and Atom compared to Hawkwoman, J’onn, and Aquaman who are not primarily of Earth/Surface World. This leads these heroes to become distant from humanity instead of embracing it. J’onn fully decides to go invisible and distance himself from the JLA in an effort to protect them from his look, and Hawkwoman and Aquaman are both clearly contemplating leaving and returning to their homes. Even if it’s as close as the depths of the oceans or light years away.
4. Olsen and Lois are given notable roles in this issue. How do their dynamics shift in a world without Clark Kent? What does their presence say about what Superman represents beyond his powers?
One of Superman’s most notable ideals has always been “truth.” Now we find a world where there is no mention of the daily planet at all, instead we have Galaxy broadcasting (WGBS) with Perry White at the helm as a puppet for Luthor’s smear campaigns to support his anti metahuman causes. Jimmy has abandoned truth in order to side with Luthor’s administration, weaponizing his own life living in the meta-human circles to hurt others while protecting his own skin. And then we have Lois…the last proponent of the truth. Out of everyone she is still getting down into the dirt to report and expose the truth…even if it also means giving hard truths to the heroes who are not yet ready to hear it, especially as she stares batman down, lol. But most importantly, without Daily Planet Reporter Clark Kent one thing is clear…the truth tends to fade away.
WEEK 2:
1. The consequences of Superman's absence begin to feel truly irreversible in this issue. Were there any moments where the weight of that absence hit hardest for you? What did they reveal about how central Superman is to the League's identity?
In Superman’s absence a moment that truly hit hard for me was seeing so many familiar and favorite characters being rounded up and trapped in the alien “research” center in Smallville. Looking beyond the fact that most of the characters trapped here are human, it further enhances the real fear the alien members of the JLA are facing from the world because a figure like superman, who acts as a bridge between humans and aliens to be the best of both worlds, doesn’t exist…driving each of them deeper into isolation and turning the iconic home of superman into a prison camp.Superman’s presence as a shining beacon of hope works to bring everyone together, in stark contrast to the evil forces in the shadows that move to put everyone against each other to bring everything down.
2. The anti-metahuman sentiment escalates significantly here. How does the story portray the political forces driving that fear? Does it feel grounded and believable, or does it veer into caricature?
The political forces that drive the anti-metahuman sentiment here feels significantly grounded. The last issue ended with the terrifying image of a Batman who just went through hell seemingly killing the joker on live TV, even though this issue hints later that joker may have been taken out remotely by the mysterious force pulling the strings behind the scenes, and suddenly we find that checkpoints have popped up checking everyone coming into Metropolis. The politics at play here grab onto every snippet of information to immediately blow out of proportion to justify their authoritarian tactics…sound familiar? Meanwhile the very forces pushing this fear are moving behind the scenes with even worse inhuman actions of their own.
3. Several Justice League members are pushed to their limits in ways we rarely see in mainline continuity. Which character's struggle resonated with you most, and what does it say about who they are without Superman's steadying influence?
Batman’s defeated thousand yard stare resonated with me the most. He witnessed such utter hell seeing batgirl and robin killed in front of him that he began to act solely on muscle memory, not even taking a moment to question if he was possible of killing the joker…only slipping into the depths of his own mind after an event that must have been even more traumatic than seeing his parents gunned down in front of him. Stripped back down to a helpless child seeing his own kids ripped apart. If the events of this story were unfolding even with Superman here I can’t say they would be entirely different, but it does feel as though Batman was closer to the edge of hopelessness, especially with the solitary attitude he had in the first issue, without Superman there to light the way. It’s as if the world’s greatest detective stopped trying completely.
4. The Nail continues to recontextualize familiar DC characters and relationships. Were there any reimaginings in this issue that surprised you, challenged your assumptions, or that you felt didn't quite work?
One set of reimaginings that pleasantly surprised me concerns Lana Lang and the Kents as we now see them hosting a full blown underground railroad for the heroes trapped in the prison camp that has been set up in Smallville. The lab has acted as a force for change for the town with Lana even getting a job there, but that development didn’t blind any of them to the inhumanity before them. Leading them to do anything they can to help, even if it means putting their own lives at risk by hosting them in their home. It’s truly a heroic and selfless action which is on par for Lana and the Kents.
But one character I felt hasn’t quite worked is Wonder Woman. This seems to happen a lot with elseworlds stories, at least the ones I’ve read, as it feels like the writers aren’t exactly sure what to do with a beacon of truth and hope that rivals superman…ultimately pushing her to the side to be the “white house liaison” to make it seem like she is doing something through the “right channels” while ultimately doing nothing. It’s pretty disappointing, in a way she is just as alien as Superman is to the rest of the world and provides a lot of unification as well.
5. Themes of fear, scapegoating, and the manipulation of public opinion run throughout this issue. How does Davis frame these ideas visually as well as narratively? Does the artwork carry any of that thematic weight on its own?
A large part of the manipulation of the public comes from the weaponization of the news cycle. All throughout this issue, starting with batman at the end of the last issue, situations have been setup to frame the perfect moment for the heroes to look like the bad guys and the art plays heavily into this as I wouldn’t have been thinking batman actually killed the joker if I didn’t see his terrifying figure looming over a burning arkham like the rest of the world did from their TV sets. This is weaponized even further by the death of Perry White, who was the poster child for anti-metahuman sentiment…only to be turned into a martyr as a manipulated metamorpho was forced to kill him at the risk of himself and the woman he loves. But none of these storylines would hold up as well without the artwork heavily enhancing it.
6. By the end of this issue, the stakes feel considerably higher than where we started. Where do you think the story is heading into the final issue, and what do you most hope, or fear, it will do with the threads it has built?
I think the story is on a headline collision for the truth in the final issue and the possible revelation of superman existing but without his farmboy charm. The end of the issue seems to imply that Starro may actually be the one behind everything, utilizing mind controlled agents on Earth to pull strings from the shadows. But the heroes have made big swings back without even realizing it, as Green Lantern foiled the attempt to ruin his public image and the atom/flash are continuing to unveil and put a stop to the shadow wars working behind everyone’s backs. But at the center of all the hope we have to resolve this is actually the outsiders…the one group which has found and made their way into the fortress of solitude where a shadowy caped figure promptly took them down. Was this done out of fear, maybe he is protecting his home, or is it possible superman is under the control of Starro? Even if they are to free him, Superman's mere presence wouldn’t immediately pull the public opinion back to the heroes, after all no one knows who he is or if he is good or bad, but it would be a great place to start. Ultimately I hope for a unifying force to bring everyone together to defeat the mysterious threat they are facing, but I fear everything still has a chance to crash and burn with the public totally turning against the heroes.
Week 3 included on issue 3, which is for some reason properly on Goodreads, lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2025
I read the sequel to this story a while back, not thinking much of it at the time. I was more than pleasantly surprised when I read it and made an effort to find its predecessor and see if it was much better than what I read. It's that and more!
An Elseworlds story, like any other, in which something as insignificant as a nail prevents Jonathan and Martha Kent from going into town, prevents them from something great. What if Superman was never found by the Kents? This is what this story is about.
It's a world set in modern times, but with the old Silver Age of Superheroes involved. I take it Alan Davies loved Barry over Wally, Hal over Kyle, Beast Boy working alongside the Doom Patrol instead of the Teen Titans and of course Dick Grayson as Robin and Barbara Gordon as Batgirl. Nevertheless, the story doesn't feel quaint. It's strong and telling of what happens without Superman in the Justice League, Metropolis, or the whole DC Universe. The technology of Krypton is used against the world by an ordinary man who becomes a great enemy of the world, turning the people against superheroes and more. But by a strange quirk of fate, Kal-El does arrive on the scene to save the day. How? Best read it and find out because it is worth it.
There are so many great things about reading this book. Batman and Catwoman together, Alec Holland never bringing life to Swamp Thing, and more.
A great read that ends up producing a great sequel. A
An Elseworlds story, like any other, in which something as insignificant as a nail prevents Jonathan and Martha Kent from going into town, prevents them from something great. What if Superman was never found by the Kents? This is what this story is about.
It's a world set in modern times, but with the old Silver Age of Superheroes involved. I take it Alan Davies loved Barry over Wally, Hal over Kyle, Beast Boy working alongside the Doom Patrol instead of the Teen Titans and of course Dick Grayson as Robin and Barbara Gordon as Batgirl. Nevertheless, the story doesn't feel quaint. It's strong and telling of what happens without Superman in the Justice League, Metropolis, or the whole DC Universe. The technology of Krypton is used against the world by an ordinary man who becomes a great enemy of the world, turning the people against superheroes and more. But by a strange quirk of fate, Kal-El does arrive on the scene to save the day. How? Best read it and find out because it is worth it.
There are so many great things about reading this book. Batman and Catwoman together, Alec Holland never bringing life to Swamp Thing, and more.
A great read that ends up producing a great sequel. A
January 18, 2021
C'è una frase che dice: "Capiamo l'importanza di ciò che abbiamo solo quando la perdiamo". Ecco, in soldoni questa che è la tematica di "JLA - Il Chiodo". La presenza di Superman ha sempre invitato gli eroi DC a fare le cose in una certa maniera, a tenere un certo profilo. Il mondo senza Superman continua comunque a girare imperterrito e tante delle cose che sono accadute con la sua presenza, accadono nonostante la sua assenza: ma in modo diverso. Ed è qui, che la storia vuole sensibilizzare il lettore: mettendo l'accento sull'importanza non tanto del fare le cose, quanto più di "come" farle, oltre che la rilevanza di avere una guida che ci conduca nel metterle in atto. Perché forse "un Superman" non è essenziale affinché il mondo continui a girare. Però fa indubbiamente la differenza nelle occasioni in cui serve farla.
Un grande Elseworld come non se ne vedono più, oggi. E poi, parliamo di Alan Davis e di quello che forse è stato il suo periodo d'oro.
Un grande Elseworld come non se ne vedono più, oggi. E poi, parliamo di Alan Davis e di quello che forse è stato il suo periodo d'oro.
February 24, 2013
Over all, it's a good concept, but the story gets bloated with unnecessary characters. It's clear the DC must have some crossover stories that were published at the same time to compel comic fans to buy into surrounding story lines that never have to affect this one. It would have felt less convoluted if the who Darkseid and Green Lantern Corp. stories were left out. Dear comic publishers: try letting writers with a good pitch present their story without all the excess that serves only to promote other books.
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