Review: ‘JSA’ #1

Jeff Lemire's debut issue on the new Justice Society of America series, part of DC’s All-In initiative, marks a new chapter for the team. Unfortunately, it stumbles out of the gate by being bogged down with too much happening too soon. Picking up after DC’s Absolute Power event, Lemire dives headfirst into the team’s internal conflicts. While Lemire's intentions are clear and reflect a deep knowledge and respect of DC Comic history, the conflicts feel manufactured for the sake of plot, lacking organic tension unless you have an encyclopedic memory of nearly 80 years worth of character histories.

Therein lies the issue’s biggest misstep, its quite inaccessible to readers without prior knowledge of the large cast of characters and their relationships. Lemire's writing assumes a level of familiarity that may not exist for many readers, myself included. Many of the scenes meant to capture dramatics fell flat for me because I had no idea why certain characters were acting the way they were. The reliance on prior storylines from Absolute Power and its tie-ins, as well as the JSA’s decades-long history, creates a barrier for the average reader. Editor's notes would have made navigating the multitude of interpersonal relationships that drive the issue’s drama a lot easier.

Diego Olortegui's artwork, paired with Luis Guerrero's colors and Steve Wands' lettering, yields mixed results. Some panels shine, while others feel average. Character designs and action sequences are decent, but the overall visual tone was underwhelming and felt more like the art you’d find in a independent miniseries.

Rating: 6/10