JSA Massacre?

[JonathanD.Gordon]

Seriously after reading this weeks JSA I thought the same thing that was mentioned on IFanboy. A lot of these guys are going to die soon. This smacks of an attempt to make new or obscure characters deaths mean something by naming them "Members" of a hallowed team like the JSA.

My guess is Crisis will see an epic battle where the JSA will lose tons of team members that will mean more because of the legacy and JSA name attached.
This used to happen a lot in X-men. If all of a sudden lots of new mutants show up at school you should know that sentinals are coming and going to kill said mutants just so they could slap death of an x-men on the cover.

Not that there is a problem with this. However, with the lack of action to this point if this was just issues of loading up a team and giving a bit of back story to fringe characters just to help crisis mean more I will be a bit sad about the lack of subtlety in event building.

[Six Gun]

I will be a bit sad about the lack of subtlety in event building.

get back to me when this hurts JSA's quality one iota

[JasonTodd]

I agree with Six, this month's JSA was fantastic.

Johns can do no wrong.

[JonathanD.Gordon]

get back to me when this hurts JSA's quality one iota

I would argue that it already has to agree. Yes its good, maybe even great, but I wish they would stop putting out new issues focusing on new characters and pick seven characters to focus on and give us stories about.

If this does end up just set up to kill off characters that were shoehorned into mattering than Johns has done about as good of job as possible entertaining us on the way to that.

[kahunablair]

Complaining about the Team building part of the new JSA is like complaining that an orange is too orangey.
You don't get the feeling that that's the point of the whole book? While I can see some of these guys getting killed off, I don't think it's the reason behind the building up the Society.

[piscespaul]

I think Johns has done an amazing job and the cast has made the book a great read. In this case the massive cast works and if any were to die it would me a shame. I don't see it as event building at all.

[JonathanD.Gordon]

I think Johns has done an amazing job and the cast has made the book a great read. In this case the massive cast works and if any were to die it would me a shame. I don't see it as event building at all.

If you think any of the new five are alive by november your crazy. The book is good/great. All I am saying is that if this was just building a huge team as cannon fodder for crisis It will change my feeling on the books upon re-read.
I'm not saying this is the case. I hope not.

[flakbait]

Maybe I'm just weird, but the thing I keep thinking is "spin-off." Build up a bunch of new characters, then make a whole new team out of them and give them their own base. Include an older JSA member to draw in the JSA audience. Call it the new All Star Squadron or something.

[JonathanD.Gordon]

Maybe I'm just weird, but the thing I keep thinking is "spin-off." Build up a bunch of new characters, then make a whole new team out of them and give them their own base. Include an older JSA member to draw in the JSA audience. Call it the new All Star Squadron or something.


What like the West Coast avengers of the JSA world. It would never work. cause Johns would spread himself too thin writing another book, Put another writer on the book and nobody would buy it. Can you say Justice League International.

[Labor_Days]

get back to me when this hurts JSA's quality one iota

Complaining about the Team building part of the new JSA is like complaining that an orange is too orangey.
You don't get the feeling that that's the point of the whole book? While I can see some of these guys getting killed off, I don't think it's the reason behind the building up the Society.

Quoted for the truth.

A) The largeness of a team is irrelevant to quality.

B) More people should die in comics. Surprised people don't die every issue actually.

C) JSA is about bringing heroes into the fold. That's what they do.

[Jon_Samuelson]

get back to me when this hurts JSA's quality one iota

Going a step further even than Six, I think we should revisit this when any of these predictions come true. JSA is pretty darn good, and complaining about something you think MIGHT be on the horizon seems a little pointless.

If it winds up that all of these newly introduced characters wind up being cannon-fodder and all get whacked? I'd agree, that's pretty lame. But let's wait it out and see before we start bitching about it shall we?

[ConorKilpatrick]

Going a step further even than Six, I think we should revisit this when any of these predictions come true. JSA is pretty darn good, and complaining about something you think MIGHT be on the horizon seems a little pointless.

If it winds up that all of these newly introduced characters wind up being cannon-fodder and all get whacked? I'd agree, that's pretty lame. But let's wait it out and see before we start bitching about it shall we?

Stop inserting logic and reason into this thread! :D

[Jon_Samuelson]

Touche.

[Jon_Samuelson]

And if we're gonna speculate wildly my bet would be that he's gonna whack some of the brand-new people, and some of the old guard too. To introduce all these new characters just to kill them would be stupid, and Johns seems far too talented a writer to do something that lame.

[paper]

You realize that posting a JSA-centric thread during my absence is akin to switching on the Bat Signal, yes?

Ok, so let's roll with this massacre idea. What characters should remain standing when the dust settles?

[kahunablair]

If there is going to be a death or deaths, I think I'd prefer it being the new people.
What would be more exciting?
A)Watching everyone mourn over an old heroes death.
B)Watching the old heroes question not only the Society's purpose, but their own ability to lead the younger heroes, once they have lost a large number of the rookies in their charge.

I'd go with B!

[Labor_Days]

So long as these people stay alive: Liberty Belle, Hourman, Jay Garrick, Wildcat, Alan Scott, Powergirl, Stargirl, Cyclone, Wildcat II and Citizen Steel- I'm cool with anyone dying. Unless it's KC Supes.

edit: or Damage. He's gotta stay.

[paper]

I'm gonna laugh so hard when Magog joins the team.

[JasonTodd]

So long as these people stay alive: Liberty Belle, Hourman, Jay Garrick, Wildcat, Alan Scott, Powergirl, Stargirl, Cyclone, Wildcat II and Citizen Steel- I'm cool with anyone dying. Unless it's KC Supes.

edit: or Damage. He's gotta stay.

What about Starman and Mr. Terrific? They can't die can they?

Edit: Or Hawkman?

[paper]

If he kills of Starman it had better be a really cool death. I secretly hope that he never regains full sanity, but still goes out as a hero.

I'm sort of surprised at how okay I am with this Kingdom Come business. Given my hangups with the original.

[Jon_Samuelson]

I never read the Kingdom Come sequel (The Kingdom). I was sort of under the impression that Gog (the guy who kills Supes over and over in the sequel) and Magog were two different people. Is that the case or not?

And I'm a new enough guy to the DC continuity that I'm not really that attached to anyone. So other than KC Superman and probably Green Lantern, I'd be fine with anyone dying.

[Labor_Days]

What about Starman and Mr. Terrific? They can't die can they?

Edit: Or Hawkman?

Shit, you're right. Add them to the "can't die" list.

[piscespaul]

I was wondering when paper would show up in this thread:D

[kahunablair]

I never read the Kingdom Come sequel (The Kingdom). I was sort of under the impression that Gog (the guy who kills Supes over and over in the sequel) and Magog were two different people. Is that the case or not?

You are correct, sir. Gog was a guy who lost his family when Magog blew up Kansas in Kingdom Come.

[JasonTodd]

Shit, you're right. Add them to the "can't die" list.

Ah good

[DoomLobster]

Well, my guess is that if Gog is going around killing superpowered people posing as demigods, Jay Garrick is in line for a bodybag. We all know his costume is a nod to the Greek/Roman god Hermes/Mercury (whichever you prefer to call him), and he's had a good nearly-70 years in comics. This would make his death important to JSA history and would be much more interesting to read than Jay dying of old age.

I think it would be a huge mistake to kill any of the newer characters, so the ones that have been around a very long time will be the best to kill off, viewing from a logical standpoint. It's not that I dislike the old members (I actually love them), but I just think they're the most obvious to-be casualties.

[JasonTodd]

I agree... if someone has to go, it should be Allen, Ted, or Jay. I like all 3 of them, but their deaths would be extremely meaningful.

[paper]

Wildcat will never die.

The comics industry would not make that kind of decision knowing I would then become their enemy.

[Euchre0]

Wildcat will never die.

The comics industry would not make that kind of decision knowing I would then become their enemy.

Indeed. He is too valuable of a character in that, like the Thing, he is a gruff but lovable Jimmy Durante kind of "palooka." I imagine that he is too much fun to write for any writer to kill him off.

Out of curiosity, is it explained why Gog or Ma'Gog took their names? I know there is some biblical reference there. Do either of them ever articulate it?

[horatio616]

Out of curiosity, is it explained why Gog or Ma'Gog took their names? I know there is some biblical reference there. Do either of them ever articulate it?

I think the answer is that Alex Ross is not very subtle with his metaphors.

[target242]

Well, my guess is that if Gog is going around killing superpowered people posing as demigods, Jay Garrick is in line for a bodybag. We all know his costume is a nod to the Greek/Roman god Hermes/Mercury (whichever you prefer to call him), and he's had a good nearly-70 years in comics. This would make his death important to JSA history and would be much more interesting to read than Jay dying of old age.

I think it would be a huge mistake to kill any of the newer characters, so the ones that have been around a very long time will be the best to kill off, viewing from a logical standpoint. It's not that I dislike the old members (I actually love them), but I just think they're the most obvious to-be casualties.

omg! You are so right! It seems that with every Crisis a Flash has died of sorts. Is this an ominous sign that Mr. Garrick is not so long for this world in Final Crisis?! Imagine if DC did kill off Jay or Allan...they are two of the oldest DC stalwarts! It would be significant. I pray they keep them around...this book is time and time again about Legacy...if Jay, Allan, or Ted bite the big one, there's not gonna be much 'original' JSA legacy left.

[CAM!]

omg! You are so right! It seems that with every Crisis a Flash has died of sorts. Is this an ominous sign that Mr. Garrick is not so long for this world in Final Crisis?! Imagine if DC did kill off Jay or Allan...they are two of the oldest DC stalwarts! It would be significant. I pray they keep them around...this book is time and time again about Legacy...if Jay, Allan, or Ted bite the big one, there's not gonna be much 'original' JSA legacy left.

Hmmm, but Jay doesn't tap into the speed force, so I don't think he has the same sort of Crisis bullseye.

[esophagus]

I'm picking this up in trade, so fill me in. Is it just "May"-Gog and KC Superman that show up, or is basically the entire universe (or at least more than those two) appearing every so often?

[Labor_Days]

Just Supes and Magog at this point.

[Jon_Samuelson]

Ah, but is it Gog, or is it Magog? Because there's a pretty big difference. Magog, though a badass, could probably be taken by even just the KC Superman. No need for the whole JSA to beat him. Gog on the other hand would probably be able to hold his own against the whole JSA and take a few of them with him.

[Labor_Days]

Figured since KC is Earth-22, Magog slipped through with Supes when Starman created the wormhole.

Supes said he was taken at the moment the bomb went off. Gog would come after the blast at the final battle. Gog hadn't yet lost his mind.

[Six Gun]

So long as these people stay alive: Liberty Belle, Hourman, Jay Garrick, Wildcat, Alan Scott, Powergirl, Stargirl, Cyclone, Wildcat II and Citizen Steel- I'm cool with anyone dying. Unless it's KC Supes.

edit: or Damage. He's gotta stay.

Hawkman!

[Chopchurch]

The new character of "Lance" appears to be the future Magog, the hand device he uses was made to look exactly like Magog's. Also Geoff Johns announced a JSA spinoff called JSA Infinity which is probably where all the new characters including Amazing Man III and Lightning (Black Lightning's youngest daughter with ex-wife Lynn Stewart).

The article where JSA Infinity is mentioned.
NRAMA: You’ve mentioned Action Comics, Green Lantern and JSA – is that saying that for the foreseeable future, you’re going to be staying on the books you’re on with the characters you’re known for?

GJ: Right now, I see myself staying on those books…I can’t say exactly for how long, but it will be at least through ’08, and probably into ’09. With Action Comics we have Brainiac this year to start. In Justice Society of America we have the conclusion to “Thy Kingdom Come” – the team’s about to go through some rough growing pains. You’ll see the “society” splintered by Gog, an attack on the Rock of Eternity gone horribly wrong and you’ll meet the Justice Society Infinity mid-year.
http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=145926

Wikipedia stuff on new and not so new guys.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakeem_Thunder
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazing_Man
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Lightning
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judomaster
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mister_America_%28DC_Comics%29