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JSA #86

The Gentleman Ghost origin sequences continue to overwhelm the scenes featuring the stars of the title. I've really enjoyed the Ghost's story-- though I have to admit I have a good deal of fondness for the 'grayer' Ghost who'd sometimes help heroes and innocents. The 'newEarth' Gentleman Ghost is now a much more linear villain. It seems odd that he hates the JSA characters more than anyone else, when there isn't a Hawk character participating in the current team. Making sense of villains' motives is always best done with a squint, I guess.

It's a shame that the current volume of the series is ending with so little focus on the characters who've populated it for 86 issues (and counting). The blinding ascendance of IC, 52, etc. has really made the focus of *this* title fuzzy and very much on the sidelines.

I loved the cover, by the way.

Well didn't they give Gentleman Ghost a new origin over in Hawkman recently? James Robinson I think? Strikes me as wierd that Levitz would go through all this trouble for a GG story.

I'm enjoying it and dream of Levitz writing again though.

JSA 87:

Wonder if Gentleman Ghost will retain the ghost-summoning bit next time he appears. Which we all know we he will.

I liked the origin scenes- but there's something still missing. I don't know what, but *something*...

Wildcat has royal blood? Courtney's virginity-status as a plot point? I was expecting the Thunderbolt to ride a unicorn in to save the day-- with a coronation scene for Ted.

All in all, a disappointment. Mainly because this series-- a favorite since #1-- is concluding and really should've gone out with more of a bang (and I don't mean the sound the brownstone made as it was destroyed). Too bad-- Levitz, Gentleman Ghost and the cast that appeared were all ingredients which should've made a hearty stew. Maybe if it'd been an issue or two shorter...

I question DC's timing for the new JSA book. And the JLA one, too, for that matter. Wouldn't things have been less confusing all the way around if they'd started over just after INFINITE CRISIS?

Would that have overshadowed 52, etc?

I thought #87 was at best an incoheret mess and and worst complete and utter rubbish. The earlier parts of the story were interesting, although mostly for the Gentlemen Ghost flashbacks, but the final chapter was just awful. The convenient plot points just came fast and furious without havign any kind of set-up (Wildcat having royal blood, Courtney's virginity having any kind of relevance, the 'good' ghosts) and there were huge plot holes. In earlier parts of the story PG could touch the Gentleman ghost at points and then she couldn't and it was never explained. Why on earth did Courtney faint when she did? That made no sense whatsoever. The stuff in the brownstone was just filler that served no purpose and even with the cosmic staff how on earth did Courtney fly from New York to Windsor in a matter of minutes? The art was lacklustre at best and was incredibly confusing in places where it was nigh on impossible to tell what the hell was supposed to be going on. Ok so it wan't as bad as the utterly excerable Vandal Savage JSA: Classified arc which had no redeeming features but it was still pretty poor.

It's a huge shame that the series went out on such a bum note for me. We still have no idea what's happened to characters like Sand or the two Hourmans and it just felt like they'd thrown the story together without any real idea as to where it was going. If the aim was to up the power levels of Gentleman Ghost then i guess it did to a certain extent but only by making him a complete mess even while explaining his origin (the only good bits of the whole arc imho). If it was supposed to reaffirm the JSA as a major player in the DCU then it failed to do that miserably. The codas at the end were just naff, even if I did quite like the friendship between Kara and Courtney.

I'm really not sure if I'm going to bother keeping the title when it restarts. I love most of the characters involved but the last few arcs I've just not felt like it's a comic I can be bothered to read. Maybe that was just because tehre was so much rubbish tying into IC but I've felt for a while that Geoff Johns seems more interested in trying to sort out continuity or bring back old characters than he is in actually telling a good story or bothering with anything other than entirely superficial characterisation. The art has been hit or miss for ages and I'm just not feeling enthused about the title. In all honesty I should probably have dropped it ages ago but I keep getting it for the characters. I'll probably give the new series a coupel of issues but if it doesn't wow me straight off the bat then I don't think I'll bother with it any more.

A great big ditto from me, ML and Bevis.

I hate to say it, but I think all that time in corporate has greatly muddled Levitz' storytelling skills. The story was way too drawn out and then rushed to completion with way too many plot contrivances.

The Wildcat thing didn't bother me too much -- except for how they used it.

And the ghosts rising up in the church? If good ghosts can just rise up whenever they want to, why didn't they come to help anywhere else?

And the thing with Courtney's virginity was so bizarre. I've read a lot of ghost lore, and I've never heard of any special protections it affords anyone from ghosts. And are they saying Jakeem isn't a virgin since the ghosts could hurt him? He's awfully young. It's almost like someone at DC (and since Levitz is at the top, maybe he just sent a memo to himself) said, "We've been getting a lot of complaints about our teenagers having sex, so be sure to squeeze in somewhere that one blonde, at least, is a virgin."

Definitely a very disappointing end to a formerly enjoyable series.

Backup story in TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED from what I hear.

I have to agree it was too drawn out. I am sick of Gentleman Ghost and his origin. He's not that big a villain or interesting to have a arc this long revolve around him.

Levitz had a tight story...his X's and O's were on...intricate...just boring.

I am looking foward to the new series. Hourman, Powergirl, Stargirl, Starman, Damage, Jesse Quick/Liberty Belle...and all the young guns!

Gentleman Ghost is one of my favorite villains- though he was moreso when his motivations were murkier (he'd help out various heroes from time to time). JSA wasn't a book I expected him to turn up in, or certainly one where I would've thought to read his origin. But that's a good thing, really.

I think the timing of the title's demise, and excitement about whatever changes we'll be seeing really hurt this somewhat drawn-out storyline.

I want to see the folks on your list and also (and especially) SAND! And Doc Mid-nite!

I find it very interesting that Gentleman Ghost was more interesting being a "supporting"/mysterious role in Hawkman than the one being a villain in JSA book. Hmm? Myabe he should have remain a Hawkman foe, instead of JSA baddie?

Which makes me wonder (again)...James Robinson gave GG a new origin in the latest Hawkman series. Which has nothing to do with this.

I guess it's one of those IC changes.

I was sad to see this title end..and I know it continues as a new title. I too felt that the GG story drug out way too long.
Does anyone know if JSA Classified is getting axed as well?

I haven't heard anything about either of the Classified titles being cancelled.

Which means they'll have a higher number than the main books when those reappear.

When does the new title launch? I've seen the first cover, and I guess I didn't realize that it hasn't been solicited yet.

Here's a spoiler for anyone who is keenly interested in Gentleman Ghost:

"TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED #1
Written by David Lapham and Brian Azzarello
Art by Eric Battle & Prentis Rollins and Cliff Chiang
Cover by Mike Mignola Variant cover by Neal Adams
David Lapham (Stray Bullets, Batman: City of Crime) and Eric Battle (Batman) follow the weird and horrific exploits of the reborn instrument of God’s wrath in a new 8-issue miniseries! As the personality of recently murdered Detective Crispus Allen recedes into the shadows, the strange entity known as the Spectre spans both interstellar cosmos and the crime-ridden back alleys of Gotham on his eerie quest to brutally punish those who choose to do wrong.
Plus, here begins the 6-part backup feature in which strange forces threaten to tear asunder the very fabric of the DCU’s past, present, and future! Dr. Thirteen rounds up the unusual suspects — Anthro, I…Vampire, Genius Jones, Primate Patrol, Gentleman Ghost, Captain Fear, Freedom Beast, Tracie 13 and others — for an adventure by the team of Brian Azzarello (100 BULLETS, BATMAN) and Cliff Chiang (DETECTIVE COMICS, HUMAN TARGET)!"

Hmmm-- should JSA comments be posted on this board now that the crossover's complete?

Or does Starman's continued presence in the title mean that JSA-related threads should be posted on the S&LSH board?

In any case, what'd you think of CITIZEN STEEL's debut and origin?

Or of the Thom/Superman scene? And those two little letters... XS and her big ol' crush on Supes?

The last scene was very effective-- slightly manipulative in set-up, but effective nonetheless.

I vote we rename this thread to reflect the current series and discuss the LSH points of interest in the main forum thread only. Kinda cumbersome to go back and forth, I know... even with linkage. But I wasn't really a fan of the thread moves in the first place...

I just got issue # 8 yesterday. It's good to see Jesse so happy. I really hope that she and Rick are allowed to stay together. This is really her first chance to shine since she became Liberty Belle. As I've said before, I'd love to see her and Rick share an arc in JSA Classified, seeing how this book is so crowded and tends to focus mostly on about seven or eight of its members.

I **love** the whole "happily married superheroes" take on these two. It rawks.

And it looks like Johns has convieniently forgotten that whole TITANS mess with Jesse as a mother's-boyfriend-stealing drama queen. A good choice, I think.

I like that Jesse has finally become the person she was meant to be. I like that poor Damage, scarred both physically and mentally, has her to look up to. I had forgotten until just now that they were both TITANS together during the pre-Johns run.

Hmmm ...

A JSA:Classified arc featuring Rick and Jesse with Damage could be good... What writer should I pitch this to?