…is trotting out the JLA: Earth-2 version of The Crime Syndicate to fight the JLA yet again, because Grant Morrison seemingly said all there was to say about the evil opposite Justice League in the original graphic novel and because it indicates that new-ish Justice League of America writer James Robinson didn’t really have anything new to do with the team other than have them fight the same old villains over and over again.
But as Ethan Van Sciver’s cover for the upcoming JLoA #50 indicates (you can see the whole thing at The Source), by the time the Crime Syndicate shows up to fight again, the League will still consist of a handful of legacy characters…with Jesse Quick and Jade apparently filling the Flash and Green Lantern slots in the League.
So instead of the Justice League vs. their evil opposites story, this could be the Justice League’s evil opposites vs. generally weaker, less-experienced characters with similar powers, so I guess that could qualify as a new twist. For example, Superman vs. Ultraman may be a ho-hum match-up at this point, but a Supergirl vs. Ultraman match-up at least has a smidgen of suspense about its outcome.
Now, why is Jesse Quick there instead of Wally West, who doesn’t seem to have much going on these days, and why is Jade there instead of one of the other four Green Lanterns who used to be on the JLA…? Other than the fact that it would potentially make the story more interesting, of course.
This concludes Caleb’s most fannish post of the week.
August 26th, 2010 at 9:22 am
Nice fannish post Caleb but ‘it indicates that new-ish Justice League of America writer James Robinson didn’t really have anything new to do with the team other than have them fight the same old villains over and over again’ seems a little unfair. Which superhero book doesn’t have recurring villains, foes that many readers want to see?
And just because it seems one writer ‘said all there was to say’ about the Crime Syndicate doesn’t mean another shouldn’t have a bash. I, for one, wasn’t that enamoured with the Morrison/Quitely take on the old baddies.
August 26th, 2010 at 9:42 am
I recently re-read Tower of Babel and Divided We Stand, and it’s a shame how far the JLA has fallen from its glory days. Second and third stringers, a writer whose best days are long gone, pedestrian stories.
Really, it’s been a bad time for teams at DC. Who ever would have thought that Justice League: Generation Lost would be far and away the best of the lot?
August 26th, 2010 at 10:53 am
Simon – The irony is that I nearly skipped Generation Lost because of Judd Winick’s involvement, but decided to go ahead and buy the thing because Giffen was attached. I’ve dug it so far, and the revelation that Judd Winick is writing the best JL book on the market right now unassisted is making me question a lot of my assumptions.
August 26th, 2010 at 11:12 am
JLA storylines:
Crime Syndicate, something else (problem too small be worth the JLA’s time), Amazo, something else (focus on new JLA member), Injustice Gang/SSV, something else (team up), [new writer comes on] Crime Syndicate, something else (problem too small be worth the JLA’s time), Amazo, something else (focus on new JLA member), Injustice Gang/SSV, something else (team up) [new writer comes on]…repeat indefinitely
August 26th, 2010 at 11:25 am
I just reread the Hyperclan and Tomorrow Woman stories on comixology. Those were phenomenal stories with powerful characters who each had distinct personalities facing real new threats. Not so much for the last several years.
August 26th, 2010 at 11:54 am
It seems like you’re applying a double-standard to Robinson before the book even comes out.
If Morrison uses the Crime Syndicate, he’s making the definitive statement on those characters. If Robinson uses them, he’s just recycling old ideas. It doesn’t seem to matter that these are old characters that were around before either Morrison or Robinson started their comic book careers.
August 26th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
I just miss the days when the JLA was THE team. Whenever they showed up, it was “Relax, the JLA is here.” What team is like that now? I’ve been enjoying Robinson’s run, but there isn’t that “awe” factor.
August 26th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
Just a small reminder: Kurt Busiek also wrote a quite nice (not exactly brillant but nice enough) Arc with the CSA and the Weaponeers of Qward in JLA 107-114 “Syndicate Rules”
On the other hand: JLA hasn’t been good for a long time – expecially after the last reboot. Melzer was okay I guess but it has never reached the standard of Morrison, Waid and Kelly
August 26th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
First it was Titans Of America and then the bad JSA crossover and now probably get destroyed by Crime Syndicate. I wouldn’t mind the d-list jla but it’s the writer that is really just bad. If they needed a speed why take Jessia from JSA and not just wally. Not like he is doing anything.
August 27th, 2010 at 2:02 am
I don’t know about the writing, but the art provided there is just horrendous. What angle are we looking at Ultraman at? Does he have a non-euclidean body? Is that why he’s able to look up at us as even though we see his torso as if standing in front of him? What happened to his left leg? Why is it a stump? Why are his arms so stalky and short? What direction is he flying at to make his cape fly like that?
These problems with Ultraman are only half of my problems I see with that picture.
August 27th, 2010 at 7:43 am
Obviously you won’t see use the words Great and DC Comics in the same sentence these days.
August 27th, 2010 at 10:01 am
Except that’s not even a new twist, because Dan Jurgens and Rick Burchett had the early-90s League (consisting of Maxima, Bloodwynd, and a bunch of JLI-holdovers (Guy, Beetle, Fire) facing off against a dark version of the satellite-era League.
http://www.comics.org/issue/52659/cover/4/?style=default
August 27th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
@Joe H
That’s Ethan Van Sciver, believe it or not.
August 27th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
@Cisco Kid:
Well, I’ve never liked EVS and never thought he was very talented, but even this is below his level of ability.
August 27th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
EVS is the new Rob Liefeld.
December 9th, 2010 at 11:19 pm
Hi
Some excellent points of reference in this page, it makes a change to view information that is not only relevant, but also makes you learn more about the topic that has been written.
Regards
Webmaster @Frontierville guide
January 17th, 2011 at 12:23 pm
I loved reading through this post thanks. I’ll add your blog to my blog reader which means that in the future I’m able to study any more of your articles or blog posts. zwsp2109ewr
January 17th, 2011 at 3:22 pm
This Club will be ruling all the other Clubs next season
April 8th, 2011 at 8:34 pm
excellent site. I’ll be a regular visitor for a long time.
December 19th, 2011 at 6:30 pm
1 potato
December 20th, 2011 at 10:15 am
Awesome post ! Thanks for, writing on my blog mate! I will email you again! I didnt know that.
January 9th, 2013 at 5:07 am
It’s an awesome paragraph for all the web visitors; they will obtain benefit from it I am sure.