Justice Society - with or without these characters?

[SiegePerilous02]

The huge majority of people who are going to buy this comic are not intimately familiar with the Golden Age and don't particularly want it to be re-created in detail.

What's important for this comic is product positioning. Alan and Jay are different enough from their modern counterparts, but if you put Wonder Woman, Superman and Batman in a JSA title too, then the comic will look and feel too much like the Justice League.

Keep the personnel in the Justice League and the Justice Society different, visually and otherwise.

The Trinity don't even have to be regular members of the JSA. Use Alan, Ted, Jay, Dr. Fate, Sandman, etc. and have them be the main group and just establish that the Earth-2 versions of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are members but not featured in every story. Or members at one time but not currently, and are just recurring guest stars (if that). Their main reason for existence on Earth-2 should even just be to provide a means for Power Girl, Huntress, adult Robin and Fury to exist.

This wasn't detrimental to the JSA/Infinity Inc before when it operated this way, why should it suddenly be now?

[Jim Kelly]

People must think I’m incredibly old if they believe I knew everything there was to know about 1940s comics when I first picked up an issue of JLA featuring the JSA. It was a total surprise. I had no idea who these cats were and it was exciting to discover all this stuff that I had no concept of.

Same when I picked up issue 100 with these guys called the Seven Soldiers of Victory. That was a thing? Wow!

This is what I call fun. Not knowing anything about something and then discovering what all there is. Maybe not everyone feels the same. I’m sure others want to know everything ahead of time and don’t like surprises. But among comic book fans, I would bet there are others like myself.

And for the people who want the 411, there’s a handy device that gives you access to all that info.

I want a JSA where the writer can do a deep dive and retrieve some long sunken story as the springboard for new adventures.

[vartox]

This wasn't detrimental to the JSA/Infinity Inc before when it operated this way, why should it suddenly be now?

Pre-Crisis DC and Infinity Inc were 30+ years ago when DC didn't feel as strong a desire to shove the Trinity into any and everything, Earth 2 is much more recent and they were incredibly detrimental to that IMO

[Zero Hunter]

I say without. If they are around then it is just to big a temptation for lazy writers to focus on the Trinity yet again. That was one of the biggest draws of the Earth 2 series for me was the Trinity were dead on that Earth. I liked the original stand ins they used with Val Zod, Thomas Wayne, and Fury because they were not just the same old same old. I have always had more interest in the JSA characters that were not the same as their Earth 1 counterparts. That to me is why characters like the Alan Scott Green Lantern and the Jay Garick Flash have always worked better than the golden age Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.

[SiegePerilous02]

Pre-Crisis DC and Infinity Inc were 30+ years ago when DC didn't feel as strong a desire to shove the Trinity into any and everything, Earth 2 is much more recent and they were incredibly detrimental to that IMO

Well, when Robinson was on the title, it was hard for them to be detrimental when they were dead and the focus was on Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl and Dr. Fate after the fact, along with Sandman, Atom, Steel and plans for Wildcat, etc. . Bringing in Val-Zod and (ugh) Thomas Wayne was unnecessary and bad, but that's not the actual Trinity.

That's about the extent I think a lot of us want them to be involved: they existed on Earth-2, but for whatever reason are not the focus. Either they were founding members of the JSA and they stepped down as regular members, or they were killed beforehand and the JSA formed to step up to the plate, or it's set in the legacy period with Power Girl, Huntress, etc. and they are either retired or dead. So, if they aped the setup from 30+ years ago (when the setups for their fictional universe made much more sense), it wouldn't be about shoving the Trinity into it even if they were part of the team at some point.

[md62]

If on Earth 2:

1. Superman - no.
2. Wonder Woman - Occasional guest star.
3. Batman - no.
4. Robin - no.
5. Aquaman - no.
6. Green Arrow - no.

[MajorHoy]

. . . Agree too about Earth-2. I've recently starting trying to read it again because I dropped it so early and just want to know about it. But I do NOT want any of the New 52 E-2 characters mixed up with the real JSA. That whole series was one of the greatest missteps of New 52, replacing characters that are rich because they are classic with new takes on them. That's counter-intuitive. JSA is special because they were first and for their rich history. E-2 was the opposite of everything that was special about the JSA.

I actually came to enjoy the early Robinson Earth 2 series and Levitz's Worlds' Finest books, though not as "replacements" for the original Golden Age JSA and its later expansions. Judging the New52 Earth 2-related titles as separate from the previous JSA-related history, it was more like an Elseworlds alternate reality. But it eventually got so doom-and-gloom heavy, it made the typical Batman plot seem more like My Little Pony.

The huge majority of people who are going to buy this comic are not intimately familiar with the Golden Age and don't particularly want it to be re-created in detail.

Is this something that has previously been studied in detail with specific proof?

[vartox]

Well, when Robinson was on the title, it was hard for them to be detrimental when they were dead and the focus was on Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkgirl and Dr. Fate after the fact, along with Sandman, Atom, Steel and plans for Wildcat, etc. . Bringing in Val-Zod and (ugh) Thomas Wayne was unnecessary and bad, but that's not the actual Trinity.

Once Robinson left it felt like every following writer couldn't resist filling the "hole" that the Trinity's absence left (that nobody actually wanted to be filled). Lois, Jimmy, Dick, Huntress and Peej became major players and while it wasn't Diana, Bruce and Clark we still got a new Wonder Woman stand-in, a new Superman and another Batman who all got way more screentime than they deserved IMO. It did not feel like it was even pretending to be a JSA book after a while, it centered on the new trinity and their supporting cast while Alan, Jay, Hawkgirl would only get to do anything very occasionally.

So the less trinity involved AT ALL the better IMO, unless they find a writer who can resist the trinity siren call

That's about the extent I think a lot of us want them to be involved: they existed on Earth-2, but for whatever reason are not the focus. Either they were founding members of the JSA and they stepped down as regular members, or they were killed beforehand and the JSA formed to step up to the plate, or it's set in the legacy period with Power Girl, Huntress, etc. and they are either retired or dead. So, if they aped the setup from 30+ years ago (when the setups for their fictional universe made much more sense), it wouldn't be about shoving the Trinity into it even if they were part of the team at some point.

I suppose the trinity either being retired/dead or having minimal involvement with a few legacy characters would be okay but again, I really don't trust any writers NOT to shove the trinity into it as much as possible these days. I'd personally prefer cutting them out entirely.

[SiegePerilous02]

I suppose the trinity either being retired/dead or having minimal involvement with a few legacy characters would be okay but again, I really don't trust any writers NOT to shove the trinity into it as much as possible these days. I'd personally prefer cutting them out entirely.

If they're going to be on the main Earth, you'll probably get your wish.

But clutter Earth has its own problems that, IMO, are just as annoying. JSA on their own Earth without a Trinity in sight would probably be the best solution for most people, but they'd have to get a little creative with Karen, Helena and Lyta. Kara Zor-L can be the only survivor of Earth-2's Krypton I guess, but Huntress and Fury are a little more difficult (but not impossible) to pull off without a Batman, Catwoman and Wonder Woman to precede them.

[WonderScott]

The huge majority of people who are going to buy this comic are not intimately familiar with the Golden Age and don't particularly want it to be re-created in detail.

What's important for this comic is product positioning. Alan and Jay are different enough from their modern counterparts, but if you put Wonder Woman, Superman and Batman in a JSA title too, then the comic will look and feel too much like the Justice League.

Keep the personnel in the Justice League and the Justice Society different, visually and otherwise.

IDK, if that were totally trur then we wouldn't have Super, Bat, and Wonder duplicates and pastiches galore running amuck in the Multiverse.

I think this makes sense if the JSA return to Prime Earth, but not necessarily a new Earth 2.

Whatever happens, they're going to introduce the originals and some of their descendants based upon the popularity of the former JSA title. I'd expect some new character introductions as well, just like that title did.

If we got a new Earth Two concept, it'd be easy enough to sideline Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman somehow for Green Lantern, Flash, Wildcat, etc. having prominence and have the Trinity only guest star occasionally.

Part of my concern in not having them is my hope that we preserve a classic Earth Two version of Huntress, Power Girl, and Fury somehow. Those characters as part of the JSA become less intriguing thematically without their parentage or familial relations involved.

[WonderScott]

The Trinity don't even have to be regular members of the JSA. Use Alan, Ted, Jay, Dr. Fate, Sandman, etc. and have them be the main group and just establish that the Earth-2 versions of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are members but not featured in every story. Or members at one time but not currently, and are just recurring guest stars (if that). Their main reason for existence on Earth-2 should even just be to provide a means for Power Girl, Huntress, adult Robin and Fury to exist.

This wasn't detrimental to the JSA/Infinity Inc before when it operated this way, why should it suddenly be now?

Yes, this - please, and thank you.

[WonderScott]

People must think I’m incredibly old if they believe I knew everything there was to know about 1940s comics when I first picked up an issue of JLA featuring the JSA. It was a total surprise. I had no idea who these cats were and it was exciting to discover all this stuff that I had no concept of.

Same when I picked up issue 100 with these guys called the Seven Soldiers of Victory. That was a thing? Wow!

This is what I call fun. Not knowing anything about something and then discovering what all there is. Maybe not everyone feels the same. I’m sure others want to know everything ahead of time and don’t like surprises. But among comic book fans, I would bet there are others like myself.

And for the people who want the 411, there’s a handy device that gives you access to all that info.

I want a JSA where the writer can do a deep dive and retrieve some long sunken story as the springboard for new adventures.

I agree - I like the wonder and mystery of new characters that play out over time.

[Flash Gordon]

Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin—that’s where all the fun is. Not that the JSA really needs them—with the exception of Diana who was vital to the team—but the crazy cool thing was their counterpart nature opposite the JLA. That was what made me love the concept.


It’s all about the heads.

Green Arrow was a Seventh Soldier. And Aquaman stayed away from everyone except Hot Lips Lois Lane.

Yeah, I agree completely.

I'd like Wonder Woman to lead the JSA on Earth-Two and be pivotal to their identity and place in the world. Dick Grayson/Robin should be a member, also.

Batman and Superman can intersect with the adventures of the JSA but don't always need to be present. Superman is very busy. Hell, he might have actually made some honest change to the society of Earth-Two. Batman might be a different person. Power Woman and Huntress sit in their seats.

I'd like to see what Golden Age Aquaman is up to on Earth-Two, but he wasn't ever a big part of the JSA.

It's all about those heads. It's up to the creators to differentiate the characters/concepts between worlds.

[Trey Strain]

Some folks seem to think this comic will be set on Earth 2 instead of here.

If that's true, then what's going to happen to that "other" Justice Society?

No way that will happen. The "other" Justice Society will be left alone over there on Earth 2.

[The Darknight Detective]

Yeah, I agree completely.

I'd like Wonder Woman to lead the JSA on Earth-Two and be pivotal to their identity and place in the world. Dick Grayson/Robin should be a member, also.

Batman and Superman can intersect with the adventures of the JSA but don't always need to be present. Superman is very busy. Hell, he might have actually made some honest change to the society of Earth-Two. Batman might be a different person. Power Woman and Huntress sit in their seats.

If they're on their own Earth, then that version of the Trinity should be around for the big world events. It's silly not having them there, frankly. For the "small" stuff, however, they can sit them out.