JSA Appreciation 2021

[achilles]

The JSA should focus on their more unique members and not the ones with JL counterparts. Dr Fate, Hourman (Rex and Rick), Wildcat (Ted and Yolanda), Dr Midnight, Mr Terrific, Stargirl, Cyclone, Atom Smasher, Sandman…etc

JSA should focus on the most important members, the fan favorites and the ones that held the spotlight before. Other criteria shouldn't matter. Some of those should be included, and some shouldn't, at least initially. Sort of like how the MCU Avengers first movie went, then with Endgame exploding the roster, all along gradually increasing the number of heroes they used. That's how any JSA project, comic book or movie or streaming series, should go.

[Sutekh]

The JSA should focus on their more unique members and not the ones with JL counterparts. Dr. Fate, Hourman (Rex and Rick), Wildcat (Ted and Yolanda), Dr. Midnight, Mr. Terrific, Stargirl, Cyclone, Atom Smasher, Sandman, etc...

I kind of agree. I like Alan Scott, but there are already so many Green Lanterns on Earth, he'd need to go full Starheart and become something unique to himself, IMO. I'm not even sure what route to take with Jay Garrick, as I kind of liked Max Mercury and Johnny Quick for 'old-time speedsters' better than Jay.

[MajorHoy]

I kind of agree. I like Alan Scott, but there are already so many Green Lanterns on Earth, he'd need to go full Starheart and become something unique to himself, IMO. I'm not even sure what route to take with Jay Garrick, as I kind of liked Max Mercury and Johnny Quick for 'old-time speedsters' better than Jay.

Well, Alan's gay now, so that's sort of different.

Max Mercury was never a member of the JSA in the past (that we know of), and while Johnny Quick was involved with the team during the 1992-1993 series (which DC was suppose to be releasing a collection of, but . . . ) Jay is really an important part of the Justice Society of America.

Hell, Jay and Alan are the only surviving members of the original team who haven't gone through umpteen reincarnations . . .

[Samm]

JSA should focus on the most important members, the fan favorites and the ones that held the spotlight before. Other criteria shouldn't matter. Some of those should be included, and some shouldn't, at least initially. Sort of like how the MCU Avengers first movie went, then with Endgame exploding the roster, all along gradually increasing the number of heroes they used. That's how any JSA project, comic book or movie or streaming series, should go.

So which members would you use? The JSA would lose all its uniqueness and become a poor mans JL to the general audience if all you did was use characters with JL counterparts

[achilles]

So which members would you use? The JSA would lose all its uniqueness and become a poor mans JL to the general audience if all you did was use characters with JL counterparts

Only if you make the mistake of conflating characters with power or skill sets. They are NOT the same. Uniqueness from unique characterizations is different and probably more important than uniqueness of power sets.

[John Venus]

I kind of agree. I like Alan Scott, but there are already so many Green Lanterns on Earth, he'd need to go full Starheart and become something unique to himself, IMO. I'm not even sure what route to take with Jay Garrick, as I kind of liked Max Mercury and Johnny Quick for 'old-time speedsters' better than Jay.

Alan is already unique. His ring is magic based and he doesn't work for the Guardians of the Universe. His power manifests as green flames and his 'old timey' look works because he's literally from that era. He also has the best explanation for his longevity in that overuse of his ring made him effectively immortal. Plus the man married two of his former villainesses and he has two children one of whom is gay and bi polar while the other adjusted but green. That's before getting into the fact that he is gay and was in the closet for a quarter of a century.

Alan is easily the most intriguing JSA member.

[achilles]

Alan is already unique. His ring is magic based and he doesn't work for the Guardians of the Universe. His power manifests as green flames and his 'old timey' look works because he's literally from that era. He also has the best explanation for his longevity in that overuse of his ring made him effectively immortal. Plus the man married two of his former villainesses and he has two children one of whom is gay and bi polar while the other adjusted but green. That's before getting into the fact that he is gay and was in the closet for a quarter of a century.

Alan is easily the most intriguing JSA member.

I find it somewhat surprising that people who comment on this particular thread sometimes don't seem to get that. Alan is unique among GLs and always was. And...he was the FIRST GL. And it's also DC, who seems to lump him into the standard GL mode without understanding their own character. They rarely take advantage of all his story idea these days. I mean they can even work a story arc on his weakness...and why he has it.

[Samm]

Only if you make the mistake of conflating characters with power or skill sets. They are NOT the same. Uniqueness from unique characterizations is different and probably more important than uniqueness of power sets.

I don’t want to see the DCU over ran with a bunch of copy and paste characters that have the same powers and similar origins. It’s a current problem with the Titans. Having character similar to the JL on other teams makes the team seem less important/ less unique, personality/motivations be damned. Do you really want the JSA to come off as a Jr JL or should I say senior citizen JL?

[John Venus]

Aside from GL and Flash, is there really that much overlap? The JSA has Dr Mid-nite who is a superhero MD, something the League doesn't have. They also have Dr Fate, who is different from Zatanna. Sandman/Sandy Hawkins, Jade, Obsidian, Jakeem Thunder, Mr Terrific, Power Girl, Hourman, Liberty Bell, Amazing Man all of whom are different from the JL both on a visual and character level.

Plus, JLA is more of strike force and their team dynamics is closer to co-workers in an office. The JSA sells themselves as the old generation of heroes training younger heroes and becoming this sort of found family of heroes.

[RobinGA]

This is a moot question right now. But I'll play the theoretical exercise.
I think that the older generation has come to really be seen as the JSA.
Unless you are talking about rebooting them, they have to be there. Even
the rebooted version needs to be around: Flash, GL, Hourman, Hawks, Fury,
Power Girl, Huntress, Robin, Wildcat, Dr. Midnite, and of course, Dr. Fate.

I don't know if you need more after that. If we can't have the Golden Age Wonder
Woman, we need someone sort of like her, such as Fury. But I'm amenable to other ideas.
The problem if you have too many people it just becomes lots of people standing around
talking too much.

[BatmanJones]

The problem if you have too many people it just becomes lots of people standing around
talking too much.

Sounds like my favorite part of every single JLA/JSA team up, by far.

[achilles]

This is a moot question right now. But I'll play the theoretical exercise.
I think that the older generation has come to really be seen as the JSA.
Unless you are talking about rebooting them, they have to be there. Even
the rebooted version needs to be around: Flash, GL, Hourman, Hawks, Fury,
Power Girl, Huntress, Robin, Wildcat, Dr. Midnite, and of course, Dr. Fate.

I don't know if you need more after that. If we can't have the Golden Age Wonder
Woman, we need someone sort of like her, such as Fury. But I'm amenable to other ideas.
The problem if you have too many people it just becomes lots of people standing around
talking too much.

The traditional way to handle large team casts is simply a rotating focus, wherein certain characters get the focus in certain issues, and then others get it in other issues. It largely seems to work as it's simple enough for writers to do.

[Digifiend]

Alan is already unique. His ring is magic based and he doesn't work for the Guardians of the Universe. His power manifests as green flames and his 'old timey' look works because he's literally from that era. He also has the best explanation for his longevity in that overuse of his ring made him effectively immortal. Plus the man married two of his former villainesses and he has two children one of whom is gay and bi polar while the other adjusted but green. That's before getting into the fact that he is gay and was in the closet for a quarter of a century.

Alan is easily the most intriguing JSA member.

Married TWO villainesses? I only knew about Molly, aka Harlequin. She was his second wife? I thought he only dated the mother of Jenni and Todd, but never married her and never knew she was pregnant until the kids had grown up.

Also, he was in the closet for over three quarters of a century. Around 80 years!

[Timber Wolf-By-Night]

Married TWO villainesses? I only knew about Molly, aka Harlequin. She was his second wife? I thought he only dated the mother of Jenni and Todd, but never married her and never knew she was pregnant until the kids had grown up.

Also, he was in the closet for over three quarters of a century. Around 80 years!

You thought wrong. Roy Thomas revealed that Alan married the Golden Age Rose & Thorn while she was in her Rose Canton identity, unaware she was a villain. Her split personality was triggered during their honeymoon and she attacked him, then left, both unaware that she was already pregnant. This all happened in the pages of Infinity, Inc., during the 80's.

[Nomads1]

You thought wrong. Roy Thomas revealed that Alan married the Golden Age Rose & Thorn while she was in her Rose Canton identity, unaware she was a villain. Her split personality was triggered during their honeymoon and she attacked him, then left, both unaware that she was already pregnant. This all happened in the pages of Infinity, Inc., during the 80's.

That also revealed that Alan wore a wig, so I'm gonna take it with a grain of salt.

Peace