23- I just have to say this. In the previews for this in a previous issue Hawkman was there with them. Knowing Johns this was intentional misdirection.
I am overanalyzed this image too much. One was to answer who would win a fight between Star and Hawkman (I said this proves Star is faster and would win). Based on it I presume Star gave Hawkman the bad news, which further illustrates to me why she is going to join the all-stars soon, she is stuck doing all the dirty work like this for the older members and then they pull the Atom Smasher move on her.
I just noticed in this panel Jay is holding Star back from attacking Hawkman
In scenes like this I can see how close Green Lantern and Hawkman are. They really do have a great relationship presumably bonding over trying to connect with their sons.
Most of this scene comes off as an epilogue to Thy Kingdom Come, but it does go into the theme of forgiveness and second chances. It starts as pros and cons of keeping somebody vs being burned by them again. Notice it at times turns into who actually offers something.
You can see Stargirl and Green Lantern are the most talkative and emotional due to their own pasts of being burnt vs given an opportunity.
Atom Smasher is our actual protagonist. He wants forgiveness for himself and not Damage. Emotionally reasonable since Damage did attack his future wife (and I maintain my past stance that she baited him to play damsel in distress).
This is my first time reading since I read 52 a week ago so this Adrianna stuff is no longer confusing, but I just do not find it that interesting compared to Black Adam and Atom Smasher’s relationship. In fact I am starting to wonder if Black Adam just needs an Atom Smasher.
I love the gag that Wildcat thinks Star is torturing Billy for information.
Flash discovering he was not a pedophile this whole time.
24- Earlier Wildcat supported kicking out Mr. America (loyal), keeping Tommy (disloyal), and kicking out Atom Smasher (very disloyal). It shows how much keeping or sticking with somebody is about personal attachment than reason and consistency.
Some very good fights.
I read this before Final Crisis, so this was very confusing.
Stargirl and Billy rekindle their romance. Early on Stargirl just looks bored watching him and slowly sees more of his vulnerability and wants to kiss him again. Honestly it is pretty similar to JSA 48.
I think the previews for the post Johns/Ordway/Eaglesham days are not handled well. It clashes with the tone by taking itself too seriously, bad comedy, and it really shows how inferior at writing the new guys are.
25- I think Atom Smasher’s narration is a call back to Stargirl’s narration in JSA 15. They both focus heavily on their relationship and Atom Smasher’ family issues.
As weird as this is to say I think Ordway did a bad pencilling job. Many expressions look off.
In this image Star looks way too peaceful.
After this the issue picks way up. Atom Smasher previously learned just how flawed Al Pratt was and now really honors him not by being the ideal hero, but by being the redeemed hero. He gets Black Adam to relinquish his power giving a nice end to the Black Adam and Atom Smasher long going arc.
This is a crucial act of redemption by Atom Smasher and Black Adam who both do it for family’s mental health, and that leads to Green Lantern switching and keeping everybody around.
In a nice callback to issue one everybody now gets a chair. Stargirl is still the only one smiling in group shots, and this is actually mentioned right after.
I think this is the first time it is shown that Atom Smasher has romantic interest in her (though it is alluded to in Black Reign).
Overall I think this is a satisfying ending to Black Adam vs JSA but the weakest of the storylines about them.
I think their is some writer miscommunication between Johns and Ordway
Here it looks like Flash’s speech bubble was just removed.
In 24 Billy is snatched up and later Stargirl says he ran off.
26- That cover is so great, all of Johns’s team is there in some form except Black Adam (cannot exactly invite him to Stargirl’s birthday). Moder street is a nice easter egg to Stars and STRIPE.
Did the last issue foreshadow it was her birthday? Well she had other things to worry about like keeping people on the team. This team really has been held together by nothing but everybody’s mutual love of her.
I never noticed Cyclone goes airborne. With how often Star glomps people the favor is returned. Charlie the owl is there. Only Mike does not look happy. I just love that Green Lantern wears the party hat.
Every panel is so great (except the close up of Damage’s butt). Starman’s jokes, Star calling Pat “Dad,” Wildcat’s speech, Jakeem’s speech.
I love that Green Lantern’s constructs show how different artists draw her. He is then proud Al makes sure his future wife is sung to and is clearly proud (such a contrast to what he does next storyline). By this point I do not find their romance weird due to the age difference. It is a number, and being a superhero has made her grow up quicker.
This is probably my second favorite panel. It does bring the secret identity to mind. For one he was probably already needed to fix her teeth after a fight once and figured out she was hit by Grundy or something. In addition he is probably worried if he tells that Jakeem will wish to turn him into a dung beetle.
The dentist is Sheldon Fox. I know Fox is a reference. What about Sheldon?
Back to Wildcat he earlier talked about being a father. In the attempt to make Star smile he uses that to be the one who succeeds after Flash and Green Lantern could not do it.
I know why Starman had to get the last word for that joke, but why Jakeem? Did Johns know with him gone he would get really badly sidelined.
Anyway the perfect end for the perfect decade long run.
Time to see if I missed any questions in this 1069 word essay.
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Talking to them might have been the next step. It makes perfect sense to discuss things like universal agreements and methods first. In addition you all have issues you have to talk about now.
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Better discussed in shorter detail elsewhere.
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Yes, he had to save his family just like the JSA have to do.
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Lactose intolerant maybe.
Wow, I only answered 1 of 5.