JSA: The Golden Age by James RobinsonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
In the aftermath of World War II, the mystery men have largely retired. One of them, Tex Thompson, is now a celebrity with an eye on the White House and is instrumental in the creation of America's newest super hero, Dyna-Man. But things are not as they seem. Can the former super heroes rally to stop the greatest threat to America and the world?
This one has been on my radar for years since I'm a fan of James Robinson and the Justice Society. I snapped it up at MightyCon for $5 and it was worth the wait.
The Golden Age tells the story of the end of the golden age of super heroes. The Justice Society and the All Star Squadron are mostly retired. Green Lantern Alan Scott is managing his radio stations. Johnny Quick and Liberty Bell have divorced. Ted Knight is in a sanitarium. Paul Kirk is on the run, suffering from PTSD. The Tarantula has written a book about being super hero. When Tex Thompson starts making his push and things go down a dark path, the heroes have some difficult choices to make.
The tone of this piece is perfect for the time period. When the Red Scare is in full effect and communists are allegedly hiding behind every corner, you never know who is on your side. The writing hits all the right beats for me, with the paranoid tone and the dark political climate. When Alan Scott is brought before the Senate's Unamerican Activities Committee, you know shit has gone wrong in a big way.
The Golden Age is definitely a slow burn. The villains aren't revealed until near the end and then it's the big beat down. Not everyone walks away. Starman and Green Lantern step up, and the death blow is dealt by an unexpected character. It was one hell of a satisfying read for a rainy Sunday morning.
I would give this a five but the artwork seemed over-inked and murky and the coloring didn't help matters. Also, whose bright idea was it to put the black lettering in Paul Kirk's dialogue on top of maroon so it was almost unreadable?
It's a shame this was an Elseworlds tale because it would have been a great way to end the saga of the Justice Society. Although some of it made it's way into James Robinson's Starman run so it can't be entirely out of continuity. Or wasn't before the six or seven reboots since.
JSA: The Golden Age was a fun, well-written read and a must-read for fans of the Justice Society. Four out of five stars.
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