JSA, Vol. 1: Justice Be Done

JSA (1999)

by James Robinson (Writer), David S. Goyer (Writer), Scott Benefiel (Artist)

Written by James Robinson and David S. Goyer; Art by Scott Benefiel, Stephen Sadowski, Derec Aucoin and others This trade paperback chronicles the rebirth of the Justice Society of America, one of the first super hero teams of all times. Investigating the death of Dr. Fate, one of the JSA's founding members, the current Starman, Hourman, Star-Spangled Kid, Hawkgirl and Black Canary join forces with two former members of the legendary team, Atom Smasher and Sand. And after learning how the fallen hero's death has led to the birth of a new Dr. Fate and surviving an encounter with an ancient evil, the heroes decide to band together to form a modern JSA.

Collecting: JSA 1-5

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, Fiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2000

About the author

James Dale Robinson is a British writer of American comic books and screenplays.

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the start of one of DC’s stabs at trying to make a go at a Justice Society of America (JSA) comic. The JSA was DC’s initial super-group of heroes way back in the 40’s. DC has tried to re-introduce these characters into continuity in some form – they’re from Earth 2 and just visiting or let’s just do re-vamped Golden Age stories, etc, etc – and it was mind bending until Crisis on Infinite Earths combined realities and the writers had a lot of ‘splaining to do, to wit:

Keep some of the older members around as a way to show the kids that old people can do more than just volunteer at the local library and still be useful and all – Jay Garrick (The Flash), Alan Scott (The Green Lantern or the Sentinel or whatever), Ted Grant (Wildcat, the guy who’s as old as dirt yet could still kick my ass) and other assorted octogenarians.

It’s all in the family – Black Canary is the daughter of the original incarnation or Starman is the son of the Golden Aged dude.

It’s some crazy Hawkman continuity/reincarnation stuff – Hawkgirl

It’s a creepy android robot that has the memories and enhanced powers of the original – Hourman

Wards, god-children, step-kids and such – Sandy, Atom Smasher, Star-Spangled Kid

I’m not the real Wonder Woman, but I once played her in an old time comic book – Hippolyta

Just the facts, Jeff: Wesley Dodds, the Golden Age Sandman, is killed my Mordru, as he, Dodds, protects the identity of the baby who will become the next Dr. Fate. Dodds funeral is a good excuse for expository stuff to happen…



…and for zombies to attack the collected heroes looking for Dr. Fate’s horacrux or something.



I guess we do need another Dr. Fate. Ouch.



Mordru seems to be one step ahead of the heroes…



…so, can the hero with the least experience, the gum snapping Star Spangled Kid, do what it takes?



The other story in this volume involves Sandy Hawkins, the nephew of Wesley Dodds. It seems that Dodds goofed up along the way and changed poor Sandy into living silicon…



…forcing Batman to wax philosophical. Egad!



Sandy, sorry, Sand got better. Sort of.



Now the JSA can go collectively punch some nogoodniks.



Bottom line: Robinson and Goyer started this run off in a mildly entertaining way; Geoff Johns takes up the writing chores later. I have most of the collection, so here goes…

Three and a half stars rounded down.

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reread: 30/09/2022

This was a fun re-read again seeing how the team comes together and I like how quick paced it is and JSA going against a no. of foes like Mordru and Geo-mancer and new legacies being taken up and I also like reinventions of some old characters and it definitely feels like an awesome read. The art is certainly of it times but thats the beauty of it!

_____________________________________________________________________

This one was so cool! JSA are attacked by the Sons of Anubis when one of their own aka Wesley/Sandman dies and now its upto the new generation and old guard to stand together and fight the minions of this dark lord and find where the new Dr Fate is and we get revelations as to what is happening and some characters return, great moment for Stargirl and finally a face off with Mordru and the coming back of JSA! Then there is another story with Sand and setting up of future villains in the series. I loved the whole volume and it does hint at some nostalgic items and also good character bonding and legacy being taken up!

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the things I miss most about DC's current continuity. I'm not sure why DC's lineage is considered a bad thing now. This was the beginning of the JSA's return to prominence in the DCU. A nice mix of classic JSA members and second generation heroes. Pretty much everything you'd want if you're a fan of the original JSA or Infinity Inc. I like that they tied in both Sandman Mystery Theater's Wesley Dodds and Neil Gaiman's Sandman (Well, Daniel at this point, but his mom is Fury from Infinity, Inc.) into the book. I also liked how they were able to take a character from the Legion of Super-Heroes as the foil to bring the characters together. There's some really smart writing tying DC's rich history together.

[Bookwraiths · Rating 3 out of 5]

2015 re-read.

I loved this series when it was first released years ago, so I figured why not revisit it?

After finishing, this opening volume was pretty "meh" overall. Something that surprised me.

Now, I still liked it, just not as much as I did years ago. It was a good opening story line to get JSA back together, I suppose, and it does reintroduce all the characters, but the overall plot was fairly standard stuff without much suspense. And the art was pretty forgettable overall.

Loved the Doctor Fate stuff though. Wish the dude got more love.

[Artemy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first volume of Geoff Johns's JSA is not even written by Johns, it's written by James Robinson and (ugh) David S. Goyer, that douche who wrote crappy DC movies and said that She-Hulk is "a giant green porn star that only the Hulk could fuck" (his dumb words, not mine). Yes, not the best team to start off a book, and it shows — this is a sloppy fucking mess full of B-, C- and D-list characters of the DC universe who show up without any introduction or explanation, each with their own set of backstories that you're supposed to know beforehand.

The book opens up with the death of Wesley Dodds, the original Sandman, and it spins out from there — everybody's really sad, some guys in funny costumes imagine how their own deaths are going to be, all before an evil dude shows up from the future and then everybody tries to save some kid who will grow up to become Doctor Fate or some such nonsense. The writing just from the technical standpoint is pretty terrible, full of redundant captions and sensationally stupid inner monologues. This book didn't do anything to make me know or care about this bland team of also-rans.

The artwork from Scott Benefiel, Stephen Sadowski and Derec Aucoin looks very of its time — everything's homogenized, nothing particularly outstanding or exciting, but it does get the job done. The very first issue has a scene where Hawkgirl changes into her costume and they almost show her naked breasts in a couple of panels, courtesy of 'Giant Green Porn Star' Goyer I suppose. That scene probably was absolutely necessary for our understanding of her character.

If I hadn't heard so many praises for Johns's run on JSA I would drop the series right here. Fortunately, he takes over the writing in the next volume (Giant Green Porn Star will stay as a co-writer for quite a while though, ugh again), so I will be reading that. Hopefully it'll get better, because Robinson certainly did nothing to make me a fan of Justice Society.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rereading it as a spinoff from Starman, the first volume was written by James Robinson and JSA did an excellent job of adding to DC's mythology during the JLA era. But while JLA was more cosmic and epic, JSA felt like a family of superheroes who had generational histories. The second volume was cowritten by Geoff Johns and it quickly became my favorite comic during the early 2000s. It all started here

[Molly™☺ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bringing together the old and the new in a fast-paced, action-packed adventure that reassembles the JSA after the death of one of their own. It is a little bloated, with exposition and backstories in abundance, but it gets the job done and creates a team that seems to gel well together so far.

[Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is neither for the ultra-newbie nor for the JLA fan. I have seen previous Goodreads reviews and I don't think that most of them get the point of the JSA vis-a-vis the JLA. What I particularly like about this 87-issue comic (included are a few tie-ins to some of the best Post-Crisis crossover series) is the way they placed at the limelight the heroes that have long been forgotten, those who did not make it to coffee mugs, cosplays (except for Powergirl) and video games. And in doing so, they have portrayed superheroes that are more than mortals and less than gods.

And if you ask to whom I would recommend this book? It's for those who like to see alternative perspectives, beyond the skepticism that Watchment brought us and the out of this world experience brought by the JLA.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Infelizmente a Sociedade da Justiça começou a ser publicada lá fora em um período tempestuoso aqui no Brasil: a iniciativa Heróis Premium da Editora Abril. Por isso, estas edições iniciais da SJA não foram publicadas no Brasil (salvo alguns anos depois na revista Wizmania). Ou seja, os leitores brasileiros só começaram a acompanhar essas histórias na fase de Geoff Johns, que é tão sensacional quanto essa inicial e presta uma bela homenagem aos heróis da Era de Ouro dos super-heróis. É uma pena que a Panini não tenha republicado essas histórias em encadernados e elas cheguem até nós apenas pela Eaglemoss, que certamente não dará continuidade no material, porque esse não é o papel dela. Fica o apelo - que vai cair em ouvidos moucos porque a Panini é a Panini - de que se publique a SJA em encadernados aqui no Brasil. É um material de primeiríssima qualidade e traz heróis da época dos bisavós para os bisnetos, só que repaginados de uma maneira que possa atrair as novas gerações. Recomendo fortemente para quem é encantado pelo Universo da DC Comics e toda a sua história dentro da história das histórias em quadrinhos! (eita quanta história!)

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the golden age superheroes from DC and the new JSA brings these original heroes back into the modern age along with their legacy namesakes. Well above average art and plot keep these 70 year old comic characters interesting and entertaining. Very recommended

[Vail Chester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating how human these larger than life old fogeys are.

[Fizzgig76 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reprints JSA: Secret Files and Origins #1 and JSA #1-5 (August 1999-December 1999). Wesley Dodd is dead, and with the Sandman’s death comes a warning…someone is seeking Fate. Wesley’s old sidekick Sand and the former members and allies of the Justice Society of America find themselves pulled into a race against time to locate the new Doctor Fate before Mordru finds him first. The Earth needs heroes and a new JSA must rise!

Written by James Robinson and David S. Goyer, JSA Volume 1: Justice Be Done is a DC Comics Justice Society team comic book. Starting in the one-shot JSA: Secret Files and Origins #1 (August 1999), the collection features art by Scott Benefiel, Stephen Sadowski, and Derec Aucoin. Issues in the collection were also collected as JSA Omnibus—Volume 1 and JSA by Geoff Johns—Book 1.

One of the things that DC has that Marvel doesn’t have is a longer history with more players. DC was experimenting in team books composed of its biggest heroes in the Golden Age of comics when Marvel still had a more limit heroes and teams. As Marvel brought in its Golden Age heroes, past teams were expanded and explored more, but DC had the opportunity to create a family and heritage of their teams that Marvel just couldn’t do. While DC had the confusing Multiverse and then collapsed it in Crisis on Infinite Earths to streamline its past, it didn’t feel like the post-Crisis DC ever really utilized the JSA to its best potential…until this volume.

With JLA’s success, JSA seemed like a natural. Unfortunately, the JSA always seemed a bit stodgy and trying to justify members that were active since World War II didn’t always work. Robinson and Goyer managed to infuse enough of the original feel of the JSA into a new team that wasn’t as formal. The new JSA feels like something really new while honoring the old.

The characters of JSA outweigh the plot. The basic idea of this collection is to reestablish Doctor Fate who was a primary member of the Justice Society. Having never been a big Dr. Fate fan, it was good to see Infinity Inc.’s Silver Scarab take his place and in addition to that other characters from the “family team” Infinity Inc. also resurface. The comic also smartly adds Robinson’s then popular Starman (though Robinson had plans for the character) and helped introduce the newly created Star-Spangled Girl. The pieces all have a lot to explore.

JSA kicks off strong in this volume and was quickly handed off to Geoff Johns who was just starting to make waves at DC. Team books are rather tricky, and JSA seems like one of the better handled team books. If you are a fan of comics that are steeped in history and reward longtime readers, JSA is definitely a title to follow. JSA 1: Justice Be Done was followed by JSA 2: Darkness Falls.

[roberto ortiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

El legado de los héroes, pasado, presente y futuro, rayos, final de la década del noventa, ¿quién será el nuevo Dr. Fate? ¿Quién es ese villano que está matando con tal de llegar al hereero del casco de Nabu?
James Robinson y David Goyer nos cuentan todo esto de una manera muy entretenida siendo el inicio de la mejor etapa de la JSA de toda su historia.
Stephen Sadowski cumple como narrador, no te enamora por completo pero manteniendo la tendencia que a veces tomaba DC preponderá una buena historia por sobre un dibujo exuberante.
Por mucho tiempo fue lo único que pude leer de este grupo y solo me hizo querer conseguir como seguía. Solo puede mejorar.

[Isa Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robinson's amazing writing is just what was needed for the revamp of the JSA in the 90s. I enjoyed the reintroduction of characters that hadn't had much screen time since the 70s to 80s (Al Rothstein and his taking of the name Atom Smasher and the return of Hector Hall), and the addition of characters like Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders) and the Star-Spangled Kid (Courtney Whitmore). I know Johns largely takes over the series after this, so I'm interested to see where it goes from here.

[Fernando Angeleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

El primer tomo del regreso de la JSA en los años 2000, los históricos se encuentran para enfrentar una nueva amenaza que viene del futuro, Mordru, un mago chiflado que quiere los poderes del Dr. Fate. Pero también la nueva generación de héroes se suma a las filas creando un grupo nuevo, con algunos rostros viejos.
Me gustó este comienzo, es una relectura este tomo, pero ahora tengo ánimos para continuar con esta serie que se ve hermosa.

[Garrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little dated, and it's clear that they had no other plan than to get these major players back on the board, but coming out of the aftermath of Zero Hour and making legacy heroes cool again, this little collection does the job. Characters I've read for years are introduced (or re-introduced) here, and this little walk down memory lane will certainly be worth it, as far as I can tell.

[Dylan Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a great series, bought all the books out of order and only now bought this book to finish the series, Have to say it lived up to expectations it's a great start to a very good run by james robinson, who also wrote starman which is another series i'm very fond of. Good art throughout the book, The last issue had a guest penciller but still fit the flow of the book well.

[James Rodrigues · Rating 3 out of 5]

The introductory story to reintroduce the Justice Society of America, and it's rather average. Decent story ideas, but it's brought to life in such a forgettable manner, while skipping all over the place, and speeding through key moments.

[Bud · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's something about JSA books. They always seem to have the best writers and best art and the stories are always enjoyable to read all the way through. At least that's how it is for me. I enjoyed it!

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Currently reading the JSA omnibus, but I wanted to write a separate review for this arc, which reintroduced the classic team to the 90's DC Universe.

It's great. Retro but modern and, most importantly, a lot of fun.

Very recommended.

[Yehmehneh · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh

[jess ⋆. ̊ · Rating 3 out of 5]

courtney i miss you

[Glen Engel-Cox · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is a problem inherent with any piece of fiction that contains multiple protagonists, be it comics, film or novels. When you add to that the infinite array of super-powered permutations, it's hard to believe that any superteam book can be good. Yet, superhero group books are some of the longest running comic titles, from DC's venerable Justice League of America through all the myriad X-groups available from Marvel, as well as two titles in Marvel's new Ultimates line. Maybe the popularity of these titles is an inherent interest in seeing collaboration in action, akin to the ensemble drama shows on TV like Law & Order, Hill St. Blues or St. Elsewhere. A group book also promises something for everyone: you might get bored with Superman by himself, but Supes in a JLA book can be ignored if you're a big fan of Wonder Woman.

So it's not suprising that James Robinson, fresh from his deserved success on the Starman title, tries to reinvent additional golden age DC superheroes in a new Justice Society of America (JSA). Starman, after all, had been an original JSA member, so why shouldn't he be able to bring back the others, in both new configurations (the new Hawkgirl is a niece of the original Hawkman and Hawkgirl, wheras Sand is a former child ward of the Sandman) and old (Black Canary is here, somehow able to fit in all this action between her work with Oracle in Birds of Prey, as well as the original Flash, Jay Garrick). And if one hero had been good before, having all of these together had to be better, right?

Unfortunately, what had worked in Starman, because Robinson had time in that title to remind readers of the Starman legacy, get them accustomed to Jack Knight and his quirks, and lay down some great foreshadowing of serious problems to come, is almost all-together missing in JSA: Justice Be Done or glossed over so quickly that only the most dedicated Golden Age fan can keep who all these characters are, and what they are capable of, straight. This problem is then magnified by the plot, which hinges on the predecessors of these heroes or their scion as well as a villain with a deep history, making the story fairly impenetrable for new readers and a textbook case for why both Marvel and DC are "re-envisioning" their characters, to start again without all this baggage.

Everything happens quickly in this book, including the introduction of characters and universe-shattering battles, then back to quiet moments that last a single panel. In some cases, it seems that entire pages or issues are having to be condensed into a single page. I had seen some of this problem before in Starman, when Knight expanded his activities into space and Robinson lost the grounded connection of Jack with his antique store in favor of a Starlin-esque psychotropic jaunt. Here, the stakes for the characters rise too quickly, from attempting to rescue a single child to an apocalytic fight at the end of time, that the reader isn't able to see a sense of scale. It is like a big-budget Hollywood action thriller, where what is important is not the characters, but the spectacle. In the end, instead of an ensemble, the JSA is only a collection of explosions, like fireworks that burst upon the page and are then gone, as this book is from your memory.

[Richard Schaefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Contains: JSA Secret Files #1, JSA 1-5

This volume covers the re-forming of the Justice Society of America, with a combination of golden age heroes still at it (Green Lantern, the Flash), and heirs to the title of OG heroes (Sand, the Atom Smasher, Hawk Girl, etc.). As such, it is both very tied into DC history, and very thematically concerned with legacy. James Robinson cowrote these issues with David Goyer, and the tone is different than what the series will become once Geoff Johns replaces Robinson. There is a heavy interest in the magical, mystical side of the universe, particularly with regards to Dr. Fate, one of the most interesting characters in DC (and one of the best costume designs). The writing is smart and often elegiac, deeply concerned with the ways the past influences to future in both super-heroic and human ways. I’d say I slightly prefer the later parts of this series, once John’s comes on, but he is absolutely building on the groundwork Robinson and Goyer lay here. It is a really strong start to a series that, from the beginning, had a strong sense of what it wanted to be. It does justice to the legacy it’s working with.

[Jason Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cool story. I've never been very familiar with the JSA, but this was great reading. I'm anxious to read more.

[Amber DiTullio · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never read any of the JSA comics before, but I decided to pick this one out of the library on a whim. I didn't know much about it, only that the JSA was the precursor to the JLA and I'd probably recognize more than a few of the characters. What I didn't know is that I would be brought back, in many ways, to the first graphic novel I ever read.

The novel starts out with Wesley Dodds, formerly the crime-fighter known as Sandman, speaking with his friend, Speed Saunders, in Tibet. Dodds sends Saunders off on a mission to Dodds' former sidekick, Sandy. Not long after Saunders leaves, someone else arrives, wanting something from Dodds. But rather than giving this person what they want, Dodds chooses death by falling from the mountain.

That is the starting place for this fantastic graphic novel. Former members of the JSA, the children of former members and people that have stepped into the shoes of former members gather not only to say good-bye to Dodd but to be sent on a mission that could have the Fate of the world hanging in the balance.

One of the things that I loved best about this graphic novel was, as I said above, how it brought me back to Neil Gaiman's wonderful Sandman series. Of course, this story revolving, in part, around the original DC Sandman, it makes sense to have some homage, but some pieces still took me by surprise. The appearance of Sandman/Daniel was the first. I won't mention any more because I want to leave some surprises for any Sandman fans that choose to read this.

While the story did seem to wander a bit for me, taking me places that didn't quite seem to mesh, I found it an overall good book. The artwork was fantastic (particularly Sandman/Daniel) and it brought to me both a feel of the Golden Age and a feel of now. It was a very good melding in my mind.

[Mariano Hortal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Y una vez que tengo un poco más de tiempo... toca diversificar..
Comienzo por fin lecturas y relecturas de los cómics que tengo en casa. Que son muchísimos.
Como tenía bastante abandonado lo superheroico, voy a empezar con esta etapa de la JSA que realizó Geoff Johns y que en su momento me pareció interesante. Lo siguiente será Morrison...
Pues bien, en estos primeros cinco números teníamos la revitalización del grupo, el más antiguo del Unvierso DC. Lo bueno es que no conocía nada de las historias antiguas, por lo tanto iba de nuevas. El único miedo era, evidentemente, el desconocimiento, ya que había sido toda la vida de Marvel.
Estamos, pues, ante uno de esos cómics que busca presentar al nuevo grupo, heredero del legado de los héroes pasados. Como tal funciona bastante bien, utiliza como hilo conductor la búsqueda del nuevo DR Fate, y utilizando el típico argumento de la búsqueda, le sirve para que cada uno de los personajes tenga su momento de gloria.
Eso sí las multirreferencias que aparecen a hechos del pasado de los personajes son infinitas y, da la impresión en todo momento que estás perdiendo algo.
James Robinson y Goyer fueron los artífices de la historia que, sin sobresalir en demasía, por lo menos se deja leer a pesar de lo repetitivo de ciertas situaciones.
Los lápices de Sadowski no están mal para la acción, pero las mujeres no tienen rasgos femeninos y resultan "raras"...
Recuerdo que lo que vino después era mejor... ya contaré...

[The_Mad_Swede · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume collects JSA Secret Files # 1 and JSA # 1–5 from 1999.

In short, this is James Robinson and David Goyer's venture to reform (with some new blood involved) the old Golden Age team preceding the coming of the Justice League – and it is a successful reformation.

As the whole arc is about the reformation itself I will not go into detail, suffice it to say that a great and mystical threat is at the centre of it all, and old heroes (or their "replacements") are called into the fray.

All in all, it is a fun read and I will definitely be reading more. My one major complaint is that it is not entirely easy to get into the story or the characters. There seems to be a bit of a layer requiring some previous knowledge about the characters and the background, which can all be well and fine in some circumstances (though the old adage "every issue is somebody's first issue" certainly isn't a bad approach), but which becomes more than a bit jarring in what is the first arc of a "new" series.

Still, enjoyable if one "survives" those initial hurdles, and it will be interesting to see where it goes.

[Victor Orozco · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must say I have had many an experience reading about the Justice Society of America whenever a massive crisis emerges in the DC Universe and they call upon all the teams to come to the rescue. I've read a character from the JSA intermingle with the Justice League but never just a JSA adventure.

I decided if I was going to read anymore on the JSA then I would read it from here. Basically this is the early 2000s that basically reforms the JSA after years of inactivity making it the once mighty body of vigilantes that predated the Justice League decades ago during the Golden Age of Comics.

I have to admit there are some characters that just stand out for me. Kendra Saunders as Hawkgirl is amazing, Alan Scott is interesting as the Green Lantern, Jay Garrick/Flash, I absolutely love Courtney Whitmore as the Star-Spangled Kid, Ted Grant/Wildcat and so much more.

Not a bad set of stories but I can barely remember the villain. Still its a nice start. C

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tried reading this book about 6 years ago, when I knew much less about the DC Universe, and couldn’t get through it. Now that I know a bit more about Wildcat, Starman, and other less popular characters, I was able to make sense of this book, and even enjoyed it.
The JSA was one of the DCU’s first teams, but the modern incarnation is a mix of old and young, with an emphasis on training the young. This is a pretty good idea for a book—shouldn’t the Teen Titans have supervision? This origin story isn’t extremely unique—all the heroes gather at a funeral, then embark on a mission to help a fallen/thought-dead Dr. Fate.
I’m going to try to track down more JSA books, to see if the story gets better.