Johns Month(and a half): Next Age.

I actually wanted to talk about Johns' Green Lantern series, but I have to wait for it to be available in the library. So instead, let's talk about the second Justice Society series he wrote, starting with the opening story-arc; Next Age.

After "Infinite Crisis," the remaining founding members of the JSA(Wildcat, Green Lantern, Hawkman and Flash) has decided to make their mission to recruit as many heroes who take up legacies, in order to make sure that they truly know the name that they carry. But someone else is doing the exact same thing. Only, THEY are killing the heroes and their families, in order to end the legacy...

"Justice Society Of America; Next Age" is a well done start of a series, and a lot better than the JLA series that was published at the same time. In fact, I think I will point out the differences that makes "Next Age" superior to JLA's opening arc; "Tornado's Path."

First of all, "Next Age" actually has a better way to get the team together. The old JSA members discuss which heroes to recruit, and who they can help the most, and prioritize the ones with legacies they are the most familiar with(like the Atom, Red Tornado and Starman).

In "Tornado's Path" they might as well have picked their nose than picking candidates. With a team like the League, you would think that well-thought decisions would be of mayor importance, right? But nope, Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman decides to pick the first bunch of guys they just so happens to fight Amazo with. Which means, that the hours of discussion they had spend on arguing about who they should get is worth the amount of:

(... I got to start making video reviews, so that I can use that clip...)

Another thing "Next Age" does better, is the plot. "Tornado's Path" is a mess, it's way more complicated than it needs to be. But "Next Age" is simple, straightforward, and yet; brilliant. The JSA fights Nazis, simple as that! And it's suiting that they should, since the JSA was founded in order to fight Nazis.

And finally, what "Next Age" does better than "Tornado's Path" is introducing us to the leader of the team.

You see, Power Girl was made the new leader of the JSA for two important reasons; A) Mr. Terrific can't, since he also has to worry about his responsibilities for the government agency Checkmate(even thought it apparently doesn't stop him from being on the team all the time), and B) Since the team is going to focus on the heroes of tomorrow, who better to led them than the JSA's very first rookie?
And who became the JLA's new leader? Black Cannery. Why? No idea!
It's wasn't explained, she just became the leader. But I have an idea to why, and it's probably going to make me sound like an ass for saying it. You see, my theory is, that she was made the leader because she was DC's most popular female character.
And normally, I wouldn't have a problem with a woman being in charge. But... there have to be a good reason. But there isn't, she just became leader. Issue six of Justice League Of America shows a hammer with her name on it, and that's it. No explanation, no buildup, no nothing. I'm not saying that the idea was bad, only that the execution was. And unlike Pee Gee, who takes charge of the JSA, we would never have guessed that Black Canary was the leader, if it wasn't because we had been told.
But I'm getting on a sidetrack. Bottom-line is: "Justice Society Of America; Next Age" is a pretty good opening for a team book. Next time, we shall take a look at the JSA storyline that came afterwards; Thy Kingdom Come!
I'm Waezi2, and thanks for wasting time with me.