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JSA (1999) #5-6
JSA by Geoff Johns Book Four
Geoff Johns's epic JSA run continues as heroes from around the world are vanishing, the JSA is divided, and the team is vulnerable to the threat of Vandal Savage!
It's the fourth volume of JSA by Geoff Johns, continuing the superstar writer's run on DC's original team of superheroes!
In the Ultra-Humanite's latest world-conquering scheme, heroes from around the world--including members of the JSA--are vanishing, and those that remain must forge an unusual alliance with the Icicle to save the day. And with the JSA divided, handling multiple matters in different eras, several heroes find themselves in ancient Egypt, fighting the immortal villain Vandal Savage and an earlier incarnation of the powerful Black Adam. However, Power Girl and Dr. Mid-Nite also have their hands full with separate cases.
Collects JSA #32-45.
It's the fourth volume of JSA by Geoff Johns, continuing the superstar writer's run on DC's original team of superheroes!
In the Ultra-Humanite's latest world-conquering scheme, heroes from around the world--including members of the JSA--are vanishing, and those that remain must forge an unusual alliance with the Icicle to save the day. And with the JSA divided, handling multiple matters in different eras, several heroes find themselves in ancient Egypt, fighting the immortal villain Vandal Savage and an earlier incarnation of the powerful Black Adam. However, Power Girl and Dr. Mid-Nite also have their hands full with separate cases.
Collects JSA #32-45.
352 pages, Paperback
Published October 20, 2020
8 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Geoff Johns
2,718 books2,410 followersGeoff Johns originally hails from Detroit, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University, where he earned a degree in Media Arts and Film. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1990s in search of work within the film industry. Through perseverance, Geoff ended up as the assistant to Richard Donner, working on Conspiracy Theory and Lethal Weapon 4. During that time, he also began his comics career writing Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. and JSA (co-written with David S. Goyer) for DC Comics. He worked with Richard Donner for four years, leaving the company to pursue writing full-time.
His first comics assignments led to a critically acclaimed five-year run on the The Flash. Since then, he has quickly become one of the most popular and prolific comics writers today, working on such titles including a highly successful re-imagining of Green Lantern, Action Comics (co-written with Richard Donner), Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, Infinite Crisis and the experimental breakout hit series 52 for DC with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Geoff received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 thru 2005, 2007 and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 thru 2005. Geoff also developed BLADE: THE SERIES with David S. Goyer, as well as penned the acclaimed “Legion” episode of SMALLVILLE. He also served as staff writer for the fourth season of ROBOT CHICKEN.
Geoff recently became a New York Times Bestselling author with the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac with art by Gary Frank.
His first comics assignments led to a critically acclaimed five-year run on the The Flash. Since then, he has quickly become one of the most popular and prolific comics writers today, working on such titles including a highly successful re-imagining of Green Lantern, Action Comics (co-written with Richard Donner), Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, Infinite Crisis and the experimental breakout hit series 52 for DC with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Geoff received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 thru 2005, 2007 and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 thru 2005. Geoff also developed BLADE: THE SERIES with David S. Goyer, as well as penned the acclaimed “Legion” episode of SMALLVILLE. He also served as staff writer for the fourth season of ROBOT CHICKEN.
Geoff recently became a New York Times Bestselling author with the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac with art by Gary Frank.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 6, 2020
Geoff Johns's run on JSA continues to be great. In the main story Stealing Thunder, the Ultra-Humanite returns to take over the world leaving only a few remaining heroes to stop him. There's something about the Ultra-Humanite I've always found threatening. Maybe it's that he can take over anyone. Maybe it's that for a long time he was an albino ape that I thought looked cool as a kid. Who knows?
There are a lot of smaller stories as well. I liked the focus on just a couple of team members at a time. There's a very good origin story for the new Crimson Avenger. I wish she had appeared more often. The issue, Father's Day, is fantastic. Jakeem wishes to meet his father while Hourman has a heart to heart with his dad.
The longer arc with Mr. Terrific, Hawkgirl and Shazam travelling through time was really good. Loved getting to see the original Mr. Terrific and the Freedom Fighters. Then heading back to Egypt and seeing the Justice Society B.C. was great. I loved the Shazam and Black Adam moments in that one. It is odd that that DC put the prologue for Princes of Darkness in this volume when it's the main focus of the next arc.
Geoff Johns is really on a roll with this series. I hope DC continues to put out the rest of the series and its followup in these larger collections.
There are a lot of smaller stories as well. I liked the focus on just a couple of team members at a time. There's a very good origin story for the new Crimson Avenger. I wish she had appeared more often. The issue, Father's Day, is fantastic. Jakeem wishes to meet his father while Hourman has a heart to heart with his dad.
The longer arc with Mr. Terrific, Hawkgirl and Shazam travelling through time was really good. Loved getting to see the original Mr. Terrific and the Freedom Fighters. Then heading back to Egypt and seeing the Justice Society B.C. was great. I loved the Shazam and Black Adam moments in that one. It is odd that that DC put the prologue for Princes of Darkness in this volume when it's the main focus of the next arc.
Geoff Johns is really on a roll with this series. I hope DC continues to put out the rest of the series and its followup in these larger collections.
May 11, 2021
When it comes down to it, Geoff Johns just writes damn good superhero comics, and this series may well be his best one.
April 26, 2024
JSA run peaked here.Majestic Artworks.
Read
July 27, 2023I know nobody’s reading these long comic reviews I post on here, but I’m hoping that one day, my future self will be curious and revisit them to see what I thought, so bear with me.
It’s an absolute magic trick how many characters and storylines this balances - both world-threatening calamities and personal stories about grief, regret, and real emotions. I loved the bigger stories here (Stealing Thunder and Savage Times) as well as the smaller sidetracks (like the Father’s Day special and the one where a lunatic develops a parasocial fixation on Power Girl). I’m impressed that it keeps ongoing plot threads (like the Crimson Avenger/Wildcat threat) dangling but never completely out of focus. It pretty much all works for me!
This volume is also the most I’ve really understood Captain Marvel - the Wisdom of Solomon thing finally clicked with his ancient Egyptian battle strategy, and there’s real pathos in the duality of Teth-Adam’s love for and Black Adam’s hatred of him. Jakeem grows up a bit (and really grew on me) and Hector becomes even more unhinged. I loved that Khufu asked how Jay Garrick was doing.
There’s a recurring thing where somebody pretends to be someone they’re not to convince them to do something and the adversary believes it - it’s both used against our heroes and by them. It’s fun.
I will say - something happens at the end of issue #40 that chronologically HAS to take place after issue #45. I don’t really get what that’s about. I assume that arc is coming next, but I didn’t understand it at all until I finished this volume.
Great stuff! The more I read the more I like it! The newer heroes have definitely taken the lead now (sometimes I had to ask myself where Alan or Jay were) and I think that’s cool. I’m surprised that Geoff Johns is the one with his name on the cover when David Goyer has been consistently credited this whole time. Excited to proceed!
It’s an absolute magic trick how many characters and storylines this balances - both world-threatening calamities and personal stories about grief, regret, and real emotions. I loved the bigger stories here (Stealing Thunder and Savage Times) as well as the smaller sidetracks (like the Father’s Day special and the one where a lunatic develops a parasocial fixation on Power Girl). I’m impressed that it keeps ongoing plot threads (like the Crimson Avenger/Wildcat threat) dangling but never completely out of focus. It pretty much all works for me!
This volume is also the most I’ve really understood Captain Marvel - the Wisdom of Solomon thing finally clicked with his ancient Egyptian battle strategy, and there’s real pathos in the duality of Teth-Adam’s love for and Black Adam’s hatred of him. Jakeem grows up a bit (and really grew on me) and Hector becomes even more unhinged. I loved that Khufu asked how Jay Garrick was doing.
There’s a recurring thing where somebody pretends to be someone they’re not to convince them to do something and the adversary believes it - it’s both used against our heroes and by them. It’s fun.
I will say - something happens at the end of issue #40 that chronologically HAS to take place after issue #45. I don’t really get what that’s about. I assume that arc is coming next, but I didn’t understand it at all until I finished this volume.
Great stuff! The more I read the more I like it! The newer heroes have definitely taken the lead now (sometimes I had to ask myself where Alan or Jay were) and I think that’s cool. I’m surprised that Geoff Johns is the one with his name on the cover when David Goyer has been consistently credited this whole time. Excited to proceed!
January 31, 2023
JSA noventeira do tio Johns.
Tá, eu sei que não é bem noventeira, mas é o clima.
Grandes vilões, personagens bem escritos, desenhos divertidos e coloridos, e, o mais importante de tudo, uma sensação de fazer parte de uma grande história.
Esse é um gibi de um tempo em que a DC tinha tudo isso e publicava gibis que não tinham o Batman - nenhuma das 539 versões dele.
Sério, pode acreditar.
Bom, temos o último esquema do Ultra Humanóide - aquele gorila gigante dos anos 70 - para dominar o mundo e os remanescentes da JSA, com a ajuda do Geada Júnior, enfrentando outros heróis dominados pelo gorilão. Embora eu não tenha gostado muito do final, eu achei uma história muito boa, especialmente pela participação do Geada, eu curto o vilão sincero; o cara que se reconhece como vilão e tá pouco se fodendo pros outros.
Ainda vamos ter a Poderosa enfrentando o macho alfa dos machos alfas numa história engraçadinha de tão ridícula; o Doutor Meia Noite, com a ajuda do Capitão Marvel e da Stargirl, enfrentando nazistas no colégio; o Homem Hora tem um segredo da hora; a nova Vingadora Escarlate mega hardcore - um personagem ótimo que, espero, apareça em algum volume subsequente - e algumas bobagens temporais que envolvem o Sr Incrível, os Gaviões, o Dr Destino, o Adão Negro, o Mordru, o Vandal Savage e várias outras coisas que eu não me preocupei muito em entender.
Ah, claro, como sempre destacamos o Pantera dando umas porradas no Gavião Negro usando como arma, apenas, as duas bolas de aço que ele tem.
Pantera é foda.
Tá, eu sei que não é bem noventeira, mas é o clima.
Grandes vilões, personagens bem escritos, desenhos divertidos e coloridos, e, o mais importante de tudo, uma sensação de fazer parte de uma grande história.
Esse é um gibi de um tempo em que a DC tinha tudo isso e publicava gibis que não tinham o Batman - nenhuma das 539 versões dele.
Sério, pode acreditar.
Bom, temos o último esquema do Ultra Humanóide - aquele gorila gigante dos anos 70 - para dominar o mundo e os remanescentes da JSA, com a ajuda do Geada Júnior, enfrentando outros heróis dominados pelo gorilão. Embora eu não tenha gostado muito do final, eu achei uma história muito boa, especialmente pela participação do Geada, eu curto o vilão sincero; o cara que se reconhece como vilão e tá pouco se fodendo pros outros.
Ainda vamos ter a Poderosa enfrentando o macho alfa dos machos alfas numa história engraçadinha de tão ridícula; o Doutor Meia Noite, com a ajuda do Capitão Marvel e da Stargirl, enfrentando nazistas no colégio; o Homem Hora tem um segredo da hora; a nova Vingadora Escarlate mega hardcore - um personagem ótimo que, espero, apareça em algum volume subsequente - e algumas bobagens temporais que envolvem o Sr Incrível, os Gaviões, o Dr Destino, o Adão Negro, o Mordru, o Vandal Savage e várias outras coisas que eu não me preocupei muito em entender.
Ah, claro, como sempre destacamos o Pantera dando umas porradas no Gavião Negro usando como arma, apenas, as duas bolas de aço que ele tem.
Pantera é foda.
Read
November 13, 2020I’m still really liking this series. I’ve said it before, but Johns does so well balancing character, action, and story. This volume starts with “Stealing Thunder,” where the Ultra-Humanite tricks Jakeem into giving him Thunderbolt and thereby remakes the world. It also serves as a lovely tribute to Johnny Thunder. Then we get some smaller stories focused on individual members that deliver just the right touches of emotion. The one with Hourman and Jakeem is my favorite.
This volume ends with a longer, timey-wimey arc that mostly takes place in ancient Egypt. While exciting and fascinating at times, it gets a little convoluted with exposition. Still, there are good moments for all involved, especially Mister Terrific, Captain Marvel, and Black Adam.
Great art in this collection, by the way.
This volume ends with a longer, timey-wimey arc that mostly takes place in ancient Egypt. While exciting and fascinating at times, it gets a little convoluted with exposition. Still, there are good moments for all involved, especially Mister Terrific, Captain Marvel, and Black Adam.
Great art in this collection, by the way.
March 17, 2025
I really liked the first few stories, it felt like we were finally meaningfully exploring our characters (like, for example, in the Father’s Day issue). Although, unfortunately, after that we focus a lot on doctor fate, and we also go back to Egypt, which I wasn’t interested in. Really only because there was so much info dumping that became hard to keep track of and fully understand, to the point that I don’t know who the doctor fate that shows up at the end of the book is.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews