The “New” History of the JSA: *New Golden Age SPOILERS*

[kcekada]

Not difficult, just really dumb.

The best suggestion for retaining the original JSA and not having them be close to 100 years was that they were trapped in Limbo for a longer period that they were in real time. The only change would that they were trapped before they got old and had children -- so that it could be established they were always released 20+ years ago -- so are all in their 40s and 50s -- 60s max. That wouldn't depend on them being on Earth 2 -- even though that is my preference -- as JSA and JLA both being on same Earth always seemed redundant.

But this new timeline feels much stupider than time being slower on Earth 2.

[Robanker]

I don't think we need Power Girl somehow debuting before Superman in-continuity. I don't even need Wonder Woman in the JSA.

Also not sure what the point of Golden Age Aquaman is.

For what it's worth, I think the dates are tied more to the idea that CoIE happened so they're showing the time relative to the omniverse as opposed to current continuity. At least that's the only way I can make sense of it.

[Refrax5]

I don't think we need Power Girl somehow debuting before Superman in-continuity. I don't even need Wonder Woman in the JSA.

Also not sure what the point of Golden Age Aquaman is.

I think having the original version of Aquaman back is fun. Also, him throwing polar bears at his enemies is also back in continuity. What's not to like?

[Frontier]

I think having the original version of Aquaman back is fun. Also, him throwing polar bears at his enemies is also back in continuity. What's not to like?

I dunno...I'm usually fine with DC Legacy but this feels like a bit much to me. Maybe because I have no emotional or historical connection to GA Aquaman versus Arthur Curry.

[Jon Clark]

I'd rather they preserve the JSA published history rather than the sliding timeline. The team debuted in 1940 with the shown members. You can insert new stuff like the All-Star Squadron where new characters, adventures, or connections are fit between panels but nothing that makes major changes to the published stuff.

I'll take trying to figure out how Power Girl was there in 1976 before Superman appeared any day over scenes of Hippolyta being pasted in for Diana just to preserve the fiction that the Trinity have to modern heroes.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I dunno...I'm usually fine with DC Legacy but this feels like a bit much to me. Maybe because I have no emotional or historical connection to GA Aquaman versus Arthur Curry.

This would be the big issue with a lot of retcons. People start to think the retconned version of history is the 'correct' one because that's what they're most familar with. So, you've got some fans who think WW shouldn't be in the JSA or the founding JLA, despite being a major part of their history, because Mike Carlin had a hard-on for sticking to Post-Crisis continuity, regardless of how dumb some of the retcons were.

To be fair, there are plenty of great retcons that have greatly improved characters, but I simply don't understand pretending vast swaths of a character's history didn't happen because of an editorial edict from decades ago.

[Stanlos]

Because until the Jason Mamoa movies, Aquaman was treated as a joke. "This looks like a job for Aquaman!" - Super Friends.

Making him more like Namor might have been to try and make him more badass? Especially in more recent times where Namor has been depicted as a villain (he's even the villain of the Black Panther film, even though in the comics he's actually currently an Avenger!), Aquaman can be seen as a more heroic take on the Atlantean king (Black Panther 2 has even given Namor a different kingdom to rule, to avoid looking like an Aquaman knock-off, even though it's Aquaman who's actually the copy).

You don't make Superman more "bad ass" by making him like some other Joe. By the same token, you don't do Aquaman any favors by making him like character X. That is like shunning what makes him great in favor of some other Joe's traits. Worse, it can read as a vote of No Confidence in the character. I don't like when people do that. It is how we got to Wonder Xena, Iron Spider, and other bizarre bits. Unless I am misremembering there was even a WW suit with Wolverinesque stabby things. #No! What's there is already cool--use it, I say.

[Factor]

This is a joke, right? This is the original Aquaman, and that was his official origin up to the day they gave him that weird Namor-inspired origin. He was confirmed to exist separately in All Star Squadron 59/60 (the last issues before the post-crisis universe set in, so he was immediately erased and his origin given to obscure Golden-Ager Neptune Perkins)

The timeline in this comic is giving me a headache.

I know that was his first origin, but the character evolved into the version we know now. Both versions aren't distinct enough like GA Flash or Green Lantern for it to make sense to include them both on the history of the same Earth.
Like Aquaman, originally Superman had a slightly different costume, wasn't from Krypton and wasn't adopted by the Kents. Doesn't make it a good idea to have that original version debut in the 30s of the main Earth while keeping the current one as a distinct character.
It would be completely fine to have a Golden Age "Adam Waterman" Aquaman on Earth-2, but to have him alongside modern day Arthur Curry, who looks just like him and yet has a totally separate origin just makes the main Aquaman look derivative.

[HsssH]

Well technically he is a derivative, but yeah, I'm not sure how it helps anyone.

[Mantis-Ray]

All things considered if ya wanna make it work you could prolly just give GA Aquaman a more distinct design or something

[Triniking1234]

This Aquaman convo is confusing.

[Will Evans]

Funny that now future Helena Wayne Huntress is a legacy to present day Helena Bertinelli Huntress.

[Frontier]

This would be the big issue with a lot of retcons. People start to think the retconned version of history is the 'correct' one because that's what they're most familar with. So, you've got some fans who think WW shouldn't be in the JSA or the founding JLA, despite being a major part of their history, because Mike Carlin had a hard-on for sticking to Post-Crisis continuity, regardless of how dumb some of the retcons were.

To be fair, there are plenty of great retcons that have greatly improved characters, but I simply don't understand pretending vast swaths of a character's history didn't happen because of an editorial edict from decades ago.

In fairness I don't think there's a lot to be gained by Diana on the JSA now other than publicity.

[HsssH]

In fairness I don't think there's a lot to be gained by Diana on the JSA now other than publicity.

If I remember right Robinson in Earth-2 book had Diana being the first hero and superheroes being called Wonders on that Earth due to that. So I feel like if they actually do WW in JSA before Batman or Superman then it has to lead to various such changes. Otherwise she is again shown to be just another hero and not a real member of Trinity.

[Frontier]

If I remember right Robinson in Earth-2 book had Diana being the first hero and superheroes being called Wonders on that Earth due to that. So I feel like if they actually do WW in JSA before Batman or Superman then it has to lead to various such changes. Otherwise she is again shown to be just another hero and not a real member of Trinity.

And considering DC's usual treatment of Diana...yeah.