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Rating:  -
I like older comic books, written back in the day when things were simpler. For this reason, overall, I have enjoyed the Essential series from Marvel, and I optimistically decided to try out one of the similar Showcase volumes that DC is publishing. My first experience was with the Justice League of America, and sadly - contrary to many of the other reviews expressed here - I cannot give it a positive review.
The Justice League consisted of the all-star lineup of the DC universe: Superman, Batman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, Flash, Wonder Woman and the Martian Manhunter. Joining the group later would be the Green Arrow and the Atom. Also, part of the team was one of the more annoying sidekicks in comics history, Snapper Carr, a finger-snapping teen with a tendency to speak in pseudo-hepcat language.
The artwork is consistently nice, but the writing has its problems. I understand that these comics were written in a different era and with kids as the key demographic, but compared to the work of Stan Lee and company just a year or so later with Fantastic Four, this material is very weak. The personalities of the superheroes are almost exactly the same; outside of references to superpowers, you could mix up the speech bubbles for the characters and never know the difference (I suppose this is the only thing that makes Snapper stand out).
In addition, the same plot seems to be recycled issue after issue, with just the villain changing: each story has a villain threatening the world; the Justice League splits into smaller groups to deal with individual threats and being overcome until they reunite as a team to stop the bad guy.
I suppose the big problem is that these comic books were never meant to be read as a set, but rather as individual stories read a month or two apart. It's kind of like of cookies: if you eat too many at one time, you'll get sick, but eaten at separate times, you can enjoy each one. Because of this cookie concept, I am giving this book a low three stars although it probably really rates only two. This set has more historical value than entertainment value.
Rating:  -
As I began to read Showcase Presents the Justice League of America I soon quickly came to the startled realization that in my thirty plus years as a comic fan, I had never read the first appearance by the JLA in Brave & The Bold #28. This came as a surprise as I had read, in some form or another, the first appearance of just about every major superhero or team: Superman, Batman, The Avengers, Spiderman, The Fantastic Four, etc..., but never the Justice League. It came to me that growing up I had read many of these DC first appearances in those old, oversized, Famous First editions, and read many of the Marvel first appearances in Origins of Marvel Comics collections. But somehow I missed on the Justice League. Thankfully DC continues to produce these affordable and jam-packed Showcase editions. With over 500 pages, this book collects Brave & the Bold # 28 - 30, Justice League of America # 1 - 16, and Mystery in Space # 75, the formative years of DCs greatest super team. All of the stories in this book were written by Gardner Fox with art by Murphy Anderson, Mike Sekowsky, and Carmine Infantio, all with great Anderson covers. Murphy Anderson was as much the artistic face of DC comics in the 1960's as Kack Kirby was at Marvel in the same period.
Interestingly, in Brave & the Bold #28, we get virtually no origin at all. In fact the league is already established with members The Flash, Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Superman, and Batman. It's obvious they've already worked together as they have communication devices to signal each other when needed, which Aquaman does when he discovers the threat of Starro the Conqueror, a giant, intelligent starfish from space. Only Superman fails to answer the call as he is deep in outer space battling a meteor swarm. Then in Brave & the Bold #29, the team goes up against the Weapons Master Yotar from the year 11960 who travels back in time with his futuristic weapons to destroy the JLA. In Brave & Bold #30, professor Ivo creates the synthetic humanoid known as Amazo who has the power to steal the powers of the heroes.
Superman would see his first action in Justice League of America #1 as the team would meet for the first time one of their greatest enemies, the tyrant Despero from the planet Kalanor. Other long time JLA villains also make their early appearances in this volume including Doctor Light (the lighting rod for the Infinite Crisis storyline) and Felix Faust. Green Arrow would gain membership into the team in issue #4 and the Atom would join in issue #14. One of the very first issues of the title I remember seeing and reading was #7. This one has the famous funhouse mirror cover with distorted images of the team including the hefty Wonder Woman which I always got a kick out of.
By today's standards the stories may seem a bit simplistic and they are but this was, after all, the very early 60's, pre-Beatles and Viet Nam and it was a simpler time. The running theme of teamwork is present in many of the stories as the team learns to work together to best utilize their abilities. Yes the comics are in black & white and printed on low-cost newsprint paper. But in color this book would be three times as much and that's what the hardcover Archive editions are for. This is great stuff. Vintage Silver Age comics at their finest!
Reviewed by Tim Janson
Rating: -
similar to the marvels essentials this volume includes
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD 28 to 30 - 1960
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA 1 to 16 - 1960 to 1962
MYSTERY IN SPACE 75 -1962
Rating: -
These *Showcase* tpb are an excellent addition to any comic book fans library. They're much along the lines of Marvel's *Essential* books. Affordable & collecting a plethora of material from the golden age era of super heroes. These are enough to catch up on & learn about all that has come before. Some people have complained they hate the black & white but honestly, I think it makes the artwork look alot better & brings to mind the indie comics scene from back in the day. The lack of the original coloring in no way takes away from the superb storytelling. Hopefully DC puts out collected books from The Doom Patrol, The Demon, Teen Titans, etc.
Rating: -
Blame Amazon for not listing the book as having a B&W interior, but if you know ANYTHING about Marvel's ESSENTIAL line or DC's SHOWCASE collection, you should know what to expect. You're getting 500+ pages of comics for less than $12... how can anyone complain?
That aside, these are all the classic JLA stories from dawn of the Silver Age of comics. The stories are very corny and silly by today's standards, but they are still fun to read. With the grim and grit of comics these days, these SHOWCASE books are perfect for younger readers as well. If nothing else, it is the world's greatest coloring book.
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