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Mild Mannered Reviews - JSA Comics

Justice Society of America #14 Justice Society of America #14

Justice Society of America #14

Scheduled to arrive in stores: April 9, 2008

Cover date: May 2008

"Thy Kingdom Come: Gog"

Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Dale Eaglesham
Inker: Prentis Rollins

Neal Bailey Reviewed by: Neal Bailey

Click to enlarge



Sandman struggles with his inability to sleep in the wake of the gravity of his work. Power Girl appears with charred dirt from the Gog fight, and asks if Sandman can still talk to dirt, as he used to. He takes the vial.

Gog and Infinity Man fight in the jungle. Infinity Man falls in the wake of Gog's onslaught, and we learn that Gog is the last remaining god of the Third World (where Kirby's New Gods are the Fourth World).

The heroes meet to discuss who will go to confront Gog, with the older heroes wanting to leave the kids behind due to the level of danger. Gog appears, negating the point, with Sandman hanging from his staff.

The battle spills out into the streets, with all of the heroes throwing their all into the battle. Amazing Man, with Mr. America's help, turns his skin into the staff's metal. With the Kingdom Come Superman they attack, but Gog gets the better of both. As he does, Green Lantern and Obsidian appear (the Kingdom Come versions).

5Story - 5: Is it Alan Scott in cool armor? Who knows. Either way, this is what the story should be right now. There are still a million characters running around (as I have painstakingly pointed out, and as Geoff Johns himself mocks with the table scene), but at least it cuts straight to story now without sacrificing character. There's a nice scene for Sandman here that, if it didn't relate, would have seemed tacked on, and it's not to add a new character, it's to enhance the existing ones and get the show on the road.

I dig Gog as a third world diety. I really do. I also like the team working together, fighting Gog. It seems that things are really kicking into line, as I kind of figured they would. Johns is now meeting my exceedingly high standards again and kicking it out. In other words, SOP for JSA.

5Art - 5: I've had nothing but praise for Eaglesham since Villains, and I keep saying he's getting better, but this issue is simply iconic at times. If you look at the page where the JSA spills out into the streets, that's just one throwaway panel, but it could be a poster. It's that kind of art that, while subsuming the artist's flash and arrogance, tells and amazing story. Dale is distinctive, amazing, and yet he doesn't push himself onto you. Great stuff.

5Cover Art (Scorched Earth) - 5: Hidden picture in the background, metaphorical piece that covers what the issue's dilemma centers upon, vivid colors, strong poses. Amazing.

4Cover Art (Bus) - 4: Great pose, a good scene from the book, but not focal as much on what the book is about. A good variant.


Mild Mannered Reviews

2008

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.

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