JSA 1999 Appreciation 2021 - Essential Members

[caj]

As much as I love Courtney, I really wish Jack would have had more of a chance in this series.

I agree, although Robinson had other plans for him.

I viewed the initial group as three categories:

The Veterans: Flash, Sentinel, Hippolyta, Wildcat, and Sand

The Next Generation: Dinah, Jack, Al, Hector

The Newbies: Courtney, Matthew, Pieter, Michael, and Kendra

I was most interested in the first two groups. That didn't mean I didn't like the Newbies, because I did. But I was more vested in the characters I already knew.

[caj]

I know that Power Girl eventually joined the group but I think they waited too long to make it happen.

I can't remember if there was still question marks about her origin at that time but I wish she had been a member from the beginning.

[MajorHoy]

I know that Power Girl eventually joined the group but I think they waited too long to make it happen.

I can't remember if there was still question marks about her origin at that time but I wish she had been a member from the beginning.

I'm not sure I understand this comment.

What do you mean by "from the beginning"? Are you talking 1940, about 35 years before her first appearance?

[Will Evans]

I know that Power Girl eventually joined the group but I think they waited too long to make it happen.

I can't remember if there was still question marks about her origin at that time but I wish she had been a member from the beginning.

Once Black Canary was going to be used more in the revived Green Arrow’s ongoing (she was already in Birds of Prey), they were decided to remove Dinah, but needed an experienced female to replace her on the team.

[caj]

I'm not sure I understand this comment.

What do you mean by "from the beginning"? Are you talking 1940, about 35 years before her first appearance?

No, I'm only talking about the 1999 JSA book.

[MajorHoy]

No, I'm only talking about the 1999 JSA book.

By the way, when the JSA book started in 1999, did she have any history at that time as being a previous member of the Justice Society? After CoIE, when her back story was changed so that she was a descendant of Arion/Atlantis rather than a Kryptonian, would she have had a reason to previously be a JSA member? (I wasn't actively reading back then, and Power Girl's Kryptonian heritage wasn't restored until 2005-2006's Infinite Crisis.)

[Will Evans]

By the way, when the JSA book started in 1999, did she have any history at that time as being a previous member of the Justice Society? After CoIE, when her back story was changed so that she was a descendant of Arion/Atlantis rather than a Kryptonian, would she have had a reason to previously be a JSA member? (I wasn't actively reading back then, and Power Girl's Kryptonian heritage wasn't restored until 2005-2006's Infinite Crisis.)

At the same time JSA # 1 came out, a JSA Secret Files & Origins book came out that set up a definite JSA timeline.

It was said Powergirl came to Earth and met Superman. Later Superman set her up with the JSA to help her after it was discovered that she was not Kryptonian like they originally thought.

[caj]

At the same time JSA # 1 came out, a JSA Secret Files & Origins book came out that set up a definite JSA timeline.

It was said Powergirl came to Earth and met Superman. Later Superman set her up with the JSA to help her after it was discovered that she was not Kryptonian like they originally thought.

I did not know this. Thanks for sharing this, Will Evans.

As I said earlier, I wish they had included her in the initial group of heroes when they came back together in 1999. They needed another powerhouse female IMO.

[MajorHoy]

With 25 people having voted so far,

* Wildcat - Ted = 19 votes
* Flash - Jay = 18 votes
* Mr. Terrific - Michael = 18 votes
* Dr Midnite - Pieter = 18 votes
* Sentinel - Alan = 17 votes
* Star Spangled Kid - Courtney = 16 votes
* Sand - Sandy = 15 votes

All others have less than 15 votes each.

[Immortal Hulk]

Can't see a team without Jay and Alan. They get my votes.

[John Venus]

I agree, although Robinson had other plans for him.

I viewed the initial group as three categories:

The Veterans: Flash, Sentinel, Hippolyta, Wildcat, and Sand

The Next Generation: Dinah, Jack, Al, Hector

The Newbies: Courtney, Matthew, Pieter, Michael, and Kendra

I was most interested in the first two groups. That didn't mean I didn't like the Newbies, because I did. But I was more vested in the characters I already knew.

These are my picks as well.

Though I excluded voting for Jack since I can barely remember him on the team and I excluded Courtney since I found Maxine to be a more interesting newbie character.

[Cat]

I know that Power Girl eventually joined the group but I think they waited too long to make it happen.

I can't remember if there was still question marks about her origin at that time but I wish she had been a member from the beginning.

I love Power Girl, she's an essential JSA member to me, and a great chairwoman, but I think the timing of her joining was just about right. IMO the last thing they wanted to do was heavily frontload the team, making any threat minimal and having to constantly write silly ways to take out all the heavy hitters, as happened much later on. I think the power levels of the starting team was just about perfect, and then they started ramping it up, and including the more powerful characters more often.

Even though it was basically unplanned in that she was a replacement for Dinah iirc, that timing turned out to be the perfect time period to introduce someone of her calibur to the book. It really worked out well, and didn't disrupt the book.

[caj]

I love Power Girl, she's an essential JSA member to me, and a great chairwoman, but I think the timing of her joining was just about right. IMO the last thing they wanted to do was heavily frontload the team, making any threat minimal and having to constantly write silly ways to take out all the heavy hitters, as happened much later on. I think the power levels of the starting team was just about perfect, and then they started ramping it up, and including the more powerful characters more often.

Even though it was basically unplanned in that she was a replacement for Dinah iirc, that timing turned out to be the perfect time period to introduce someone of her calibur to the book. It really worked out well, and didn't disrupt the book.

Great points and in hindsight, you're probably right.

[MajorHoy]

With 29 people having now voted,

* Wildcat - Ted = 22 votes
* Flash - Jay = 22 votes
* Mr. Terrific - Michael = 21 votes
* Dr Midnite - Pieter = 21 votes
* Sentinel - Alan = 21 votes
* Star Spangled Kid - Courtney = 18 votes
* Sand - Sandy = 17 votes
* Atom Smasher - Al = 15 votes

All others have less than 15 votes each.

And quite a few of them (but not all) are pictured in the latest teaser for an upcoming Justice Society . . . something or other.

[MajorHoy]

from JSA Secret Files & Origins #1 (August 1999)