A Pinoy Blog About Nothing

This book was referenced by Darwyn Cooke in the Absolute Edition of his New Frontier. Although I’m not a fan of Cooke’s story, I love the idea of how the Silver Age heroes (eg. the Barry Allen Flash, Green Lantern, Superman, etc.) supposedly had to deal with coming into their own after the Golden Age heroes (pre-World War II to 1950s) have retired or disappeared.

It’s easy why I missed this the first time out. The original mini-series came out in 1993, the year where my interest in comics was waning (except for one) because of all the retreaded storylines and gimmicky stunts. I stopped reading comics altogether shortly thereafter (or at least stopped buying and borrowed instead). It’s fitting that in the collected edition, writer Howard Chaykin ranted about gimmicky covers and superheroes that are less heroic and more like bullies.

Comics continuity, that is, things that happen to comic book characters in the past, affects what he or she is in the present day — is a fairly new phenomenon. It wasn’t until the end of World War II did it ever matter. Back before WWII, comic books were the province of little boys. Over time, it was considered “art” and characters became “intellectual property” owned not by people who wrote and drew them but of big media corporations.

Before the Justice League (or Superfriends to TV watching folks) there was super team of called the Justice Society. JSA: The Golden Age is supposedly the story of how and why these Golden Age heroes gave way to the Justice League and the new generation of heroes.

This being an Elseworlds book (a section of the DC Universe which allows writers and artists to play with familiar characters and put them in stories which may have happened. These stories are considered not part of the character’s continuity hence not part ofthe canon. Still, these are stories which pose interesting questions (like, what if the baby Superman landed in USSR instead of
Smallville?).

This Elseworlds book tackles the issue of the superheroes in the time of post WWII America, the looming Communist threat and the McCarthy hearings. The costume heroes are being questioned to their non-participation in the fighting over at Europe. One of these costumed hero did fight in Europe and returned with new found fame and recognition from the government which he promptly leverage to get himself elected to government. Of course, this being a comic book, there are things which simply do not appear what they seem. Actually it’s this final confrontation which, although a totally unexpected twist, is ultimately an unsatisfying end — it seemed liked they had to come up with a comic booky ending to an otherwise great drama.

James Robinson and Paul Smith (whose X-Men run remains my personal favorite) did a great job in showing these former costumed heroes dealing with the changing reality of the world. The nuclear bomb and threat of Communist Russia hangs heavy in the minds of the citizens and politicians of the US. Costumed heroes are not to be trusted. Here we could see how each mystery man (and woman) had to confront the lives they have left now that all the action and adventure had died down. They deal with boredom, divorce, failing businesses and old age. You know, normal people stuff.

This mini-series ran the risk of comparison with Alan Moore’s Watchmen. I think it stands up on its own despite the shortcomings and ultimately spins a good yarn.