I had time for one comic yesterday. And of course I was going to make it this one. This marks the official re-launch (if you don't count issue #0) of the JLA. It turned out to be somewhat of a bait and switch, just because we never officially see how Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman voted on everyone and the official declaration, but here's how the line-up appears, for sure.
The shocker, of course, is Arsenal getting picked over Green Arrow, which will definitely be touched on in later issues.
I don't want to be too spoiler-ish here, just because this is something comic fans should pick up. If not for the JLA itself, then for the Red Tornado storyline. It's no hyperbole when they say that Red Tornado will never be the same again.
TEN YEARS AGO IN WRESTLING HISTORY: AUGUST 1996 WWF: Shawn Michaels d. Vader at Summerslam '96. It would prove to be one of Vader's last main events and he sure made a go of it. Also, Mankind and Undertaker faced off in one of the modern-day classics: The Boiler-Room Brawl!
WCW: Hulk Hogan wins the WCW title from The Giant, beginning a YEAR-LONG title reign that would be briefly interrupted by Lex Luger for six days before holding onto the title for ANOTHER four months. THIS was WCW!
Another JLA relaunch? This is definitely a case of "if it ain't broke..." Why mess with the classic roster, especially since the classic JLA plus Plastic Man was such a huge hit in the mid-90's?
Scene: Mark DeRosa's brain. The year is 2005. Part of Mark DeRosa's brain: Come on, another position change? One day it's second base, the next day right field, now it's third? Why, I oughta go into Buck's office and throw his talking fish on the floor! Other part of Mark DeRosa's brain: Hold on, other part of the brain. We're making $500,000 this year. Last year we made $725,000. All for playing a damn kids' game. This is, as they say in Brainland, a no-"us"-er. We're not going to complain. Part of Mark DeRosa's brain: You're right, dude. Let's go back to looking at this crazy porn Teixeira gave us!
All 3 of the "Big 3" voted for Power Girl, but I'm not sure she's going to join (she's on the image shown for the new Justice Society relaunch). The variant cover showed the membership as:
Superman Batman Wonder Woman Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) Black Canary Black Lightning Red Tornado Arsenal (to be renamed Red Arrow? the regular cover that shows Roy has an "R" on his belt buckle - but he's identified as "Arsenal" in the ish iteslf - hmmm) Vixen Hawkgirl
I'm very glad to see Red Tornado get in and apparently a lot of the spotlight to start with as he's one of the coolest looking characters to me and I've never seen much done with him.
I'm also glad to see Black Lightning get in as I liked him from his stint in the old Batman & the Outsiders book and am looking forward to seeing more of him. Nice update on his costume too if the variant cover is any indication.
Neat to see the changes that were made to Ed Benes' two covers from the ones submitted to the various websites and the ones that saw print. Total red herrings (no pun intended) in the group photo.
I loved it and can't wait for the next issue.
(edited by DrewDewce on 24.8.06 1903) It is a good rule in life never to apologize. The right sort of people do not want apologies, and the wrong sort take a mean advantage of them. P. G. Wodehouse (1881 - 1975), The Man Upstairs (1914)
I've had a few days to think it over and I've got a nagging question. Is this the FIRST incarnation of JLA to NOT include Martian Manhunter?
TEN YEARS AGO IN WRESTLING HISTORY: AUGUST 1996 WWF: Shawn Michaels d. Vader at Summerslam '96. It would prove to be one of Vader's last main events and he sure made a go of it. Also, Mankind and Undertaker faced off in one of the modern-day classics: The Boiler-Room Brawl!
WCW: Hulk Hogan wins the WCW title from The Giant, beginning a YEAR-LONG title reign that would be briefly interrupted by Lex Luger for six days before holding onto the title for ANOTHER four months. THIS was WCW!
Originally posted by It's FalseI've had a few days to think it over and I've got a nagging question. Is this the FIRST incarnation of JLA to NOT include Martian Manhunter?
I think the only other time he wasn't with the main Justice League roster was during his stint with Justice League International, but that might be splitting hairs.
THis new JLA is rediculous. Oooo, Red Tornado. Why should I care about Red Tornado? He's been around forever and I haven't cared, why now? And Arsenal? Black Lightning? Vixen? WHY.
Someone please explain to me why this lineup is better than the big seven. I want to buy JLA to see all of DC's big guns in one place, not this crap.
Originally posted by It's FalseI've had a few days to think it over and I've got a nagging question. Is this the FIRST incarnation of JLA to NOT include Martian Manhunter?
I think the only other time he wasn't with the main Justice League roster was during his stint with Justice League International, but that might be splitting hairs.
I don't think he was in the Satellite Era either from the late 60's to the late 70's because he was off looking for New Mars. This might have been retconned recently though.
A shark on whiskey is mighty risky, a shark on bear is a bear engineer.
Well, I really dug #0, but I didn't like this all that much. I've only recently gotten back into DC with Infinite Crisis, so I'm still not all that up to speed on DC continuity. That meant a lot of what happened in #1 left me lost. It didn't help that a lot of the dialogue took place in sometimes confusing caption boxes. And a lot of times characters were referred to by their secret identity names.
But it wasn't enough to scare me away. I'll definitely be following this one for a while. I just wish it was a little more of a "jumping on point" for new readers (It is a #1, after all.), but I know you can't do that too often without alienating the core audience.
Originally posted by bradbiceTHis new JLA is rediculous. Oooo, Red Tornado. Why should I care about Red Tornado? He's been around forever and I haven't cared, why now? And Arsenal? Black Lightning? Vixen? WHY.
Someone please explain to me why this lineup is better than the big seven. I want to buy JLA to see all of DC's big guns in one place, not this crap.
Because lesser-known characters provide the writer with the freedom to explore personalities and impose changes that the Big Seven line-up limits. When it's only the big names on the roster. the ability to alter the status quo of any of your main characters becomes limited because you have to pass it by the writers and editors of the solo books that those characters primarily inhabit. Relationships, background revelations, changes in powers, personal crises, all of these are much more possible with a character that doesn't have a solo title, much less three or four of them.
The Big Seven has made for many awesome storylines, especially during the Grant Morrison era. But I certainly understand a writer's desire to have characters he can toy with more thoroughly.
Plus, Red Tornado kicks ass. Hell, I think I was one of the four people who read Primal Force just so I could see RT again.
"Never piss off a hawk with a blowgun" - Conan O'Brien
I count eleven members, which is a fairly large roster. But Meltzer's a great writer and I'm sure he can write some good character pieces with each one of them. I'm still surprised (in a good way) about Arsenal being brought into the JLA and Meltzer actually points out that this has been in the works for a while. Black Lightning on the main roster is great stuff!
The question NOW, however, becomes...which Wonder Woman, Diana or Donna? Because Meltzer won't say.
(edited by It's False on 31.8.06 0112) TEN YEARS AGO IN WRESTLING HISTORY: AUGUST 1996 WWF: Shawn Michaels d. Vader at Summerslam '96. It would prove to be one of Vader's last main events and he sure made a go of it. Also, Mankind and Undertaker faced off in one of the modern-day classics: The Boiler-Room Brawl!
WCW: Hulk Hogan wins the WCW title from The Giant, beginning a YEAR-LONG title reign that would be briefly interrupted by Lex Luger for six days before holding onto the title for ANOTHER four months. THIS was WCW!
Originally posted by GodEatGod Hell, I think I was one of the four people who read Primal Force just so I could see RT again.
I'm another one.
Over here as well. I also bought his mini back in the mid to late 80's, although some of that was because I really liked Carmine Infantino's art (Marvel's Star Wars comic was my gateway drug into the habit). The fact that my future favourite writer Kurt Busiek was involved, just makes it that much better in retrospect.
It is a good rule in life never to apologize. The right sort of people do not want apologies, and the wrong sort take a mean advantage of them. P. G. Wodehouse (1881 - 1975), The Man Upstairs (1914)
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