Justice Society of America Annual reactions
So I've read the Justice Society of America Annual #1:
The theme really should be "You can't go home again". Either that or "Be careful what you wish for".
In theory, the setup sounded like a dream come true. Even the preview artwork offered up a faint glimmer of hope.
I wanted to like this. I was ready to like this. Why then do I feel so completely gipped?
*sighs* I'll get to that.
I don't have too many beefs with the artwork honestly. Jerry Ordway is a great inspired choice for the artwork. His clean style works fine for these character designs. The opening pages with Huntress are gorgeous. If I had a complaint, it'd be with his facial expressions and eyes. They always veer off into wild eyed territory for me. I don't care for the redesign of Northwind, especially since everyone else looks like not a day has passed since COIE.
I really wish I could like the story, though.
What I always liked about Infinity Inc was they were their own unit. Yes, they all had their own legacies to bear, some more than others, but they weren't the JSA. I never recall any sense after the initial arc that they wanted to be the JSA either. This issue suggested far from living in their parents' shadows, they've taken them over completely. The Greatest Generation yields to the younger one. And while part of me likes the idea, another part of me doesn't. Jay and Alan retired, but the Hawks are still in action? (I did do a little squee of delight seeing the original Doctor Fate and Spectre together again.)
The other problem is it felt less like a JSA story and more like a PG & Huntress story with the JSA/Infinitors along for the ride. The medical exam scene worked better than the meeting room one. And then the rest just got bogged down in either Huntress' issues or the Power Girls. It didn't feel like a team book.
The biggest problem: the portrayal of Huntress. In the interviews, Johns or Ordway said "Helena is the reason we're doing this..." *wince* I'm sorry, which part of the confident, intelligent, assured, and professional Helena Wayne did we miss? Because my Helena always struck me as the consummate professional in all her lives. Yes, she has the requisite Bat "my parents are dead" angst. And yes she occasionally wallowed in it. But I never had the sense it overwhelmed her life.
When the book opens, apparently every old Bat-villain in Earth-2 Gotham knows who she is and who she was related to. Excuse me? Did Johns choose to ignore the whole Dr. Fate's casting a spell on the world to make everyone forget? Because aside from Harry, Helena was extremely good at keeping her identity quiet. (She learned from the best.) Huntress acknowledged Batman was her father in the infamous "Infinity Inc" press conference. That's a bit of a leap from Huntress=Batman=Bruce Wayne.
Turning Harry Sims into the next Two-Face could have been a neat twist. Could have been. Twisted girl I am, I actually liked Two Face's interactions with Montoya. But instead, they used it as a reason to rachet up Helena's angst over her non-feelings for him. I've already stated my opinion about Helena/Dick in this universe. Obsidian is gay is bad, but Batcest is okay? They may not be blood related, but they're virtually brother and sister. The pairing just doesn't work for me. It isn't just the age difference. Helena never really does state who the person is. Is it Kara herself? Given Ross' involvement, I doubt they'd go there, but I could see it.
And yes Gog probably twisted this Earth-2. Whether it's the real Earth-2 or the old Earth-2 doesn't excuse the story problems I had.
Really really wanted to like this. I'll go huddle with my Earth-2 collection awhile. If you can't find me, I left the coordinates in the transporter.
*needs an Huntress icon now*
The theme really should be "You can't go home again". Either that or "Be careful what you wish for".
In theory, the setup sounded like a dream come true. Even the preview artwork offered up a faint glimmer of hope.
I wanted to like this. I was ready to like this. Why then do I feel so completely gipped?
*sighs* I'll get to that.
I don't have too many beefs with the artwork honestly. Jerry Ordway is a great inspired choice for the artwork. His clean style works fine for these character designs. The opening pages with Huntress are gorgeous. If I had a complaint, it'd be with his facial expressions and eyes. They always veer off into wild eyed territory for me. I don't care for the redesign of Northwind, especially since everyone else looks like not a day has passed since COIE.
I really wish I could like the story, though.
What I always liked about Infinity Inc was they were their own unit. Yes, they all had their own legacies to bear, some more than others, but they weren't the JSA. I never recall any sense after the initial arc that they wanted to be the JSA either. This issue suggested far from living in their parents' shadows, they've taken them over completely. The Greatest Generation yields to the younger one. And while part of me likes the idea, another part of me doesn't. Jay and Alan retired, but the Hawks are still in action? (I did do a little squee of delight seeing the original Doctor Fate and Spectre together again.)
The other problem is it felt less like a JSA story and more like a PG & Huntress story with the JSA/Infinitors along for the ride. The medical exam scene worked better than the meeting room one. And then the rest just got bogged down in either Huntress' issues or the Power Girls. It didn't feel like a team book.
The biggest problem: the portrayal of Huntress. In the interviews, Johns or Ordway said "Helena is the reason we're doing this..." *wince* I'm sorry, which part of the confident, intelligent, assured, and professional Helena Wayne did we miss? Because my Helena always struck me as the consummate professional in all her lives. Yes, she has the requisite Bat "my parents are dead" angst. And yes she occasionally wallowed in it. But I never had the sense it overwhelmed her life.
When the book opens, apparently every old Bat-villain in Earth-2 Gotham knows who she is and who she was related to. Excuse me? Did Johns choose to ignore the whole Dr. Fate's casting a spell on the world to make everyone forget? Because aside from Harry, Helena was extremely good at keeping her identity quiet. (She learned from the best.) Huntress acknowledged Batman was her father in the infamous "Infinity Inc" press conference. That's a bit of a leap from Huntress=Batman=Bruce Wayne.
Turning Harry Sims into the next Two-Face could have been a neat twist. Could have been. Twisted girl I am, I actually liked Two Face's interactions with Montoya. But instead, they used it as a reason to rachet up Helena's angst over her non-feelings for him. I've already stated my opinion about Helena/Dick in this universe. Obsidian is gay is bad, but Batcest is okay? They may not be blood related, but they're virtually brother and sister. The pairing just doesn't work for me. It isn't just the age difference. Helena never really does state who the person is. Is it Kara herself? Given Ross' involvement, I doubt they'd go there, but I could see it.
And yes Gog probably twisted this Earth-2. Whether it's the real Earth-2 or the old Earth-2 doesn't excuse the story problems I had.
Really really wanted to like this. I'll go huddle with my Earth-2 collection awhile. If you can't find me, I left the coordinates in the transporter.
*needs an Huntress icon now*