JSA in the 90s – Justice Society of America #2 (May 1991)

16 responses to “JSA in the 90s – Justice Society of America #2 (May 1991)”

1. 1. jsa series? I’LL DO IT
   2 IT’S gonna be a mini (the JSA IS KINDA powerful for a monthy series)
   3 there’s a framing device where ted grant is giving someone boxing lesson (in the past but long after ww2
   4 There wil stories solo missions of all the really powerful jsaers (and Doctor Ocult) with theme of “these powers would be dangerous if these folks werent SMART”
   5. we end the flashback part with ATom,wildcat, and Sandman fighting Grundy and the Baffler in the very end we see wildcat is teachimg a young Bruce WYANE “Kid johnny THUNDER had a geine an he was a lunkhead, doctor Ocult had magic and he was just a gumshoe Spectre? Left a lot of really smelly bODIES but really what REALLY makes heroes is TRAINING

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2. A JSA-All-Star Squadron series? I’d follow up from the 99 Justice Society Returns series, which I guess you’re gonna be covering later this year. It hinted like it was setting up a post war JSA series set in the late 40s, then pulled a bait and switch by time jumping to the present. I would actually follow through on that.
   With Fawcett now fully intergrated into DC, there’s a lot we could do with those characters since many of tbem hadn’t been used in years.

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3. Heres something interesting for in the teenage mutant ninja turtles universe they have there own version of JSA . The Justice Force . And on there members “Zippy lad is disabled super speedster who uses a wheel chair .”
   They show in one of tmnt cartoons the one where Mikey is turtle titan if that helps it airs on Fox as part of there Saturday morning block . I think they showed up in the original tmnt comics but I’m not sure . Just thought I’d mention it .
   Also my favorite MLj character is the web .
   Has any read mighty crusaders legacy ?

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4. I think that there were a few snarky costumed crime fighters before Spider-Man. The most prominent was probably Robin. In the Bob Kane/Bill Finger early 1940s stories, Dick Grayson was constantly cracking wise as he was beating down gangsters and henchmen, a lot like Black Canary was in this issue. I wonder if those early Batman stories might have inspired Stan Lee when he was formulating Spider-man’s smartass attitude towards his adversaries.

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5. So, a hypothetical “All-Star Squadron” published today?

   First of all, I wonder if DC would even dare print it under that title. An acronym that might have slipped under the radar in the pre-internet age has NO chance of doing so these days… but let’s ignore that….

   One thing I’d need to consider is what separates out an “All-Star” group from any of the existing super-teams available. In the original, it was to give us an excuse NOT to simply feature the JSA, but to grab the lesser-known heroes that might have been forgotten entirely if Roy Thomas hadn’t used them in ’80s. So, obviously, I’d grab my favorites (’cause who wouldn’t?), making Liberty Belle and Firebrand (Danette, of course. Why cares about her powerless brother?) automatic inclusions. I always thought that Amazing Man had an interesting power set and wasn’t used enough, so he’s in. I’d probably want to use Alan Scott, despite his known ubiquity. Unlike Roy Thomas, I have NO attachment to Hawkman, so he’s out (sorry Hawkfans!). Obviously, this is a work in progress (not that I expect ever to complete it!)….

   Finally, you raised the question of what era to place all this in. Even if we grant that the JSA is eternally tied to World War II (a decision that, I think, has come to be a bit of a pain for DC), I see no reason to lock the All-Stars into that. I like the idea of a comic that looks to the past, but I’m not all that interested in putting them so many generations out of reach (let’s face it, the idea that Infinity, Inc. was *only* the “next” generation of Earth 2’s heroes was a stretch even back when they were introduced in the early 1980s!). On the other hand, I’m not sure how well one could make a comic set only as far back as the 2000s look *distinctively* of that era. (Fun fact… if I were to begin such a comic only as many years in the past as All-Star Squadron was when it was introduced. I’d be starting in 1986! But, again, if I want to play with any of these folks having ties to their own next generation, that’s already too far back if I wanted a Jesse Quick equivalent to be a young-ish hero operating in modern stories!) So that’s up in the air… but I think I’d ultimately shoot for JUST before the turn of the 21st century.

   A fun thought exercise, and a fun episode. Keep ’em coming!

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6. I think that there were a few snarky costumed crime fighters before Spider-Man. The most prominent was probably Robin. In the Bob Kane/Bill Finger early 1940s stories, Dick Grayson was constantly cracking wise as he was beating down gangsters and henchmen, a lot like Black Canary was in this issue. I wonder if those early Batman stories might have inspired Stan Lee when he was formulating Spider-man’s smartass attitude towards his adversaries.

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7. It’s always good to hear Billy take a trip from the World of Zany Haney, away from the Mausoleum of Monsters. But I must protest, Billy, we DID do a Christmas podcast last year, even if it was looking at a spooky TV show rather than a comic book.

   This is one of the best issues of the mini-series, Dinah is on fire courtesy of Len Strazewski’s script, and as for Grant Miehm’s art, the layouts and execution are terrific, even if, yes, Grundy is a tad Peppa Pig.

   Given the damage Black Canary did to the mummies we should have had a sequel in which she had to face an Egyptian curse or two.

   Shag, it’s good to hear you’re thinking of doing a reread of the !mpact books, no doubt preparing for the !mpact Who’s Who podcast with Rob.

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8. Great show, Shag! I have also listened to A World on Fire and enjoyed it so it was fun to welcome Billy D to the brownstone. Since I started reading comics in the late 70s and the Satellite-era Justice League was one of the earliest comics I purchased regularly, I always think of Black Canary as member of the League rather than the JSA. Was the Birds of Prey series the first place she was depicted officially as the top female fighter in the DC Universe? Solomon Grundy is a classic character who works as a rampaging villain or a mindless simpleton used by others.

   As far as a new All-Star Squadron, i was thinking along the same lines as Mark Baker Wright. The original came out around 40 years after WWII so 1986 would work being 40 years from now. And now, I’ve made myself feel really, really old. So long as a new All-Star Squadron had Johnny Quick, Firebrand, Liberty Belle, Tarantula, Amazing Man, and Robotman, the setting might not even matter so much.

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9. If I took one thing away from this issue its how amazing Grant Miehm’s art is! The scene where Canary takes on the looters makes me wish we could’ve had a solo Black Canary series set in this time period and dealing with street level crimes. I also love Miehm’s design for Solomon Grundy. A lot artists would make him Hulk-like, but the way he draws his face, especially on page 17, I get more of a decaying swamp zombie. He’s bulky enough to be a strong, credible threat, but he’s also gaunt without being immobile. There’s something about Miehm’s that reminds me of Tom Grummett; no so much in artistic style but having this semi-1980’s animated look. I can picture these images in animation and they would be outstanding, especially the final page with Green Lantern. He gives Alan this heroic pose that makes me want to jump to the next issue. As I’m getting back into Impact Comics, I can’t wait to see what he’s got in store for Legend of the Shield!

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10. I can’t believe I was so busy juggling work, family, and putting together the JSA: Best of 2025 Countdown that I completely missed commenting on the last episode. I’m glad you caught my mention of the show on the list, though. And thanks so much for the shout-out! This podcast feed has been an absolute joy.

    As a kid, I only had one of these issues, pulled from a bargain bin alongside random issues of the ongoing series. When I first read them, I actually merged them into one numerical run without realizing they were two separate series. I figured it out mid-read, which made for a slightly confusing but memorable experience.
    I’m really excited to read the full story straight through for the first time. The artwork in both issues absolutely holds up. The styles aren’t so drastically different that the shift feels jarring, but there’s enough variation to give each issue its own freshness.

    I loved the spotlight on Starman, Flash, and Black Canary, but I can understand why some readers might have been disappointed by the limited Justice Society presence, especially considering this was the first book ever to carry the Justice Society of America title. I was also surprised they didn’t lean into the classic JSA structure: the team assembles, splits into smaller pairings, then reconvenes. That formula worked beautifully in JSA Returns, a story set in the past that paved the way for the 1999 series. Structurally, these two projects have more in common than people might realize.

    Your point about aligning the roster with characters who had active titles at the time is really interesting. If you were reading Starman, maybe this was meant to entice you with another Starman. But if that was the strategy, they could have pushed it further. Give readers bold, unexpected team-ups between modern heroes and their Golden Age counterparts. It had been six years since the last JLA/JSA crossover (an annual tradition that ran for 23 years)! That’s a huge gap.

    Use the new generation as an entry point to the old guard. Send heroes back in time and let us see Wally West teaming up with Jay Garrick for the first time. Show Will Payton meeting Ted Knight. Let both Canaries fight side by side in their prime. Give us Guy Gardner, John Stewart, or even Kilowog partnering with Alan Scott. Imagine Carter and Shiera crossing paths with Katar and Shayera. Those never-before-seen combinations are what made the cover of Armageddon: Inferno #4 so striking.

    I wouldn’t mind seeing a new All-Star Squadron series set within the current “new history” of the DC Universe, especially since the original run was so firmly rooted in pre-Crisis Earth-Two. It’s hard to imagine DC being as continuity-meticulous as Roy Thomas was, but there’s real potential in revisiting that wartime sandbox with a modern lens.

    One of the biggest opportunities would be more fully integrating the wartime Fawcett, Quality, Charlton, and Earth-One characters like the Creature Commandos in one timeline alongside some of the other properties DC has folded in over the years. The WildStorm and Milestone heroes alone could bring fascinating new dynamics to a WWII-era ensemble. Imagine how differently a Squadron story feels when that broader IP library is in play.

    There’s also a wealth of characters created after the original series ended who could slot in seamlessly. Figures like Bobo Bennetti, General Glory, Scarab, or Johnny Sorrow could add unexpected texture. And legacy angles would also be compelling like, introducing one of Bloodwynd’s relatives who once wielded the Blood Gem during the war years.

    Really looking forward to the next issue, and the next episode.

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11. I have a soft spot for the Black Canary. The first comic I ever read was a Justice League starring her. It was a very weird one written as a first person. It kept saying “you look him in the eyes.” No idea what number it was, just that it was either late 70s or early 80s.

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12. It was great having Billy on the show! He’s always fun to hear, and this episode was no exception.

    At first, I was a little worried I’d be negative about the interior artwork, because that Tom Lyle cover of Canary is so gorgeous. If things had gone differently, maybe he’d have gotten to draw a full mini-series of her or her daughter. Ah well, that’s life.

    But getting to Grant Miehm’s art, I was really happy! It was energetic, expressive, and fun! I do take a little issue with the 90s-ish view of Canary’s costume, showing a lot of hip and cheek, but as I said, that’s a product of the time. I thought Grant gave Dinah a powerful showing this issue (minus being clonked from behind), and thankfully my brain let go of the “artist switch” worry.

    Now if only we knew who the villain mastermind was. How long will this mystery be drawn out? (Wait, has that been discussed? I must not have been paying attention.)

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13. Impressive podcast most impressive . Ah the impact line I loved those comics . I got Jaguar , Black Hood and the Mighty Crusaders. Wait kiddy? As opposed to villains pretending to be constrains as the over take an observatory. M’kay. No the JSA story was cool too. But I liked the Impact comics. I only got one issue of the fly but it was good too. As was the Shield.

    And in that and this issue of the JSA the art was fantastic. The story was good too. Ah no Shagg no way Black Canary could ride a hog side saddle, in fact when he turn you have to lean into it. Or away from it. And the opposite on a 4 or 3 wheeler. Or it will fall over.

    Been a while since I road a motorcycle. It’s bad enough she has on no helmet or blue jeans. As she’s rides a bike. Probably an Indian. Or a Harley. Hey the guy could have hair like mine that never behaves. Trust me if ya finally get it to stay and someone ya don’t know messes it up. It can be vexing.

    Yeah her using the artifacts to fight with is not cool. Sadly the hawks are not there to explain this to her. As for Grundy’s nose he’s a zombie maybe the cartilage dissolved. And the bone is all that’s left. His skin in most forms is real strong. But, maybe the cartilage in this one isn’t .

    As for them not meeting before. Well they gave her daughter WW’s JLA founding membership. So maybe because crisis she has Huntress old fights with Grundy now? Since Helena Wayne is currently nonexistent.

    They could have given her time line to Canary. Sigh would fit. First they have her daughter beat the second huntress. Then they gave her past to Canary. Oy Vey. Sorry was annoyed when she became the girl Bat Man and the left huntress in the dust.

    It Dee’s fault, yep I called Ms. Lance Dee. Moving on. Anyway I like Black Canary I even cosplayed as her once for Halloween.

    Any way yep Judo can be that effective. Been years since I practiced Judo and latter Aki Jujutsu. But, yeah you can toss around a much bigger foe using their own power and momentum against them.

    Lots of Judo players are great at that. And with a Brown belt Canary should be awesome at it. Oh wait that was her daughter. Dee here is probably a black belt. As for the guy hitting her. Well, she was busy fighting Grundy. A giant Super strong Zombie.

    So sh may have been a bit detracted so it could happen. Heck before he became captain prep time. Bats got knocked out all the time. Bane beats him the first time cause he’s to tired. Tons of hero’s get knocked out from a lucky shot. Aunt Maya once took out Spider Man. With a vase. After he beat Doc Ock.

    Huntress was made unstable in a big fight and Lady Black Hawk took her out. Bats was once almost killed by the Squid in the BMTAS. So it happens. Cool seeing Scott come to save the day. Anyway can’t wait to hear the next episode.

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14. Another fun episode reminding me why I loved these comics when I bought them in the first place. And, since I now feel contractually obligated to mention the Impact line of comics for every episode of this mini-series, I have to once again give them the praise that I thought they deserved with regards to both art and story! This was a solid Black Canary spotlight. I’ve always been a fan of Dinah and her fight with Solomon Grundy proved why. As for Rocco the looter goes, remember “nobody musses his hair!”

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15. Great discussion gents! Always a pleasure to have Billy D on the network. I think an All-Star Squadron series would work well set in the late 40s/early 50s with maybe a secret organization plot running in the background, building to a big kerfuffle in an annual or something. Definitely rope in the JSA, but give Johnny, Libby, Shining Knight, Robotman, etc. plenty to do.

    As for JSA #2, I always dug Grant Mihem’s artwork, so I was happy to see him on the art here. The only downside is one minor coloring gaff that drove me nuts then and does so now: Black Canary’s yellow belt. It was always colored blue in the Golden and Silver Ages. It sticks out like a sore thumb here and I just want to take a marker and re-color it. I know, it’s a minor thing, but it’s like when they draw Alan’s ring on his right hand. Just sets off my comic OCD!

    I do like the reading of how Ted’s mental breakdown could play into this. Robinson showed Ted was in and out of mental facilities throughout the late 40s and 50s. So it wasn’t just a done-in-one incident. You could fit this right in there.

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16. It’s funny but you don’t really think of Black Canary with the JSA because she wasn’t in the 70’s All Star Comics or All Star Squadron. That said The Canary did get a nice spotlight here against a foe in Grundy that you wouldn’t think she could beat. So all in all Good issue.

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