JSA Book Club: Virtue and Vice

Clubs & Events Fan Club Discussions
, , , ,
1

image
image1920Ă—1200 280 KB

Hi, this month we are looking at a Thanksgiving crossover with the Justice League. It starts with a Secret Files Prelude. Then it continues in Book 2 starting on page 306.
THE JSABC ROLL CALL

Club Leaders

@JasonTodd428 & @MatthewHetcht

Honorary Member

@Aurora

Standing Members

Abrax, AggressiveIntellectual219, Alec.Holland, anthony.javier3, Applejack, Azrael_Jean-PaulValley14, BatgirlsAmdSignalBookWhenDC, bbzo24, beniac-5, bigblock66, BlueBeetlesAssistant, Bob32571, BobbinIrving, Boswell99, Brenticus_Rex, bromepeter424, Brownliealex1048, CaptainYesterday, CassTheStreet, chintzybeatnik, CrazyQuilt, Daffern, DarcyPeridot, Darkstarz, dave7atgosky, dave_worrell, DC_Community, Deathstroke’sPunisher, deborahma295, december360, djganon, Doctor075, DocterFate1, Don-El, fawsid, finn.p.campbell,frankie.lacy79, l, Frostbite30, ganaoque, harrist, HombreDeMaiz, hotstufflouie, HubCityAnswer, Jay_Kay, jayspice777, Jflow, jlevin, Jurisdiction, kaliym73, lunalane, mbpbinder, _meegs, Meisaj, Midnitehour, MiscellaneousSoup, MisfitCMJ, mitchellbpearson, MoukaYuki, MPMCN86, msgtv, Odbo255, PaintEater, parzival27, ProActress, QuadPen, ralphsix, Ravenrifft, ReaganFan78, Remember5NovEveyHammond, RexRebel, rlynchfamily, Robingames, ROMANLEGION rspezzano, rwm, Ryan22, Schoeswald, Scoop001, Sinestro1,slowp0Ketail, Smallengineerings, SuperBlue Grodd, TheCosmicMoth,TheRealDetectoveChimp, Timmay_Bird, TK52, Tommyskindlefire, TurokSonOfStone, YolandaMontezz, ZacharyLee1995

COME JOIN THE CLUB THAT DEALS IN ALL THINGS JSA RELATED. HIT THE LINK BELOW!

image
image1920Ă—2714 411 KB

Discussion Points

  1. Lots and lots of characters here. Who do you think were used best?
  2. What did you think of the Green Arrow/Dr. Mid-Nite interactions? Sometimes when I read it I hate that part, and other times I love it.
  3. Do you think this has much tie in to Thanksgiving’s themes or is mainly an excuse for a big crossover?
3 Likes
2

Nice, been a while since I read this! Should find some time to do so. :slight_smile:

Also, so you know, DC did recently do a new reprint of Virtue and Vice on it’s own, so it’s possible we might get it on DCUI as well soon.

https://www.amazon.com/JLA-JSA-Virtue-Vice-1999-2006-ebook/dp/B0CKG1F5KX/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1NO8HBVYRCRU6&keywords=jla%2Fjsa+virtue+and+vice&qid=1698809528&sprefix=jla%2Fjs%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-1

1 Like
3

I remember being so excited when this was announced. I also remember rushing to the comic shop on opening day to buy it. Okay, it was a little more expensive than usual because it was a new story told in a hardcover, but I was such a JSA fan I gladly spent the money. Oddly enough, I didn’t read it that night…I wanted to, but I didn’t. I had jury duty the next day…my first run at jury duty, actually. I knew I’d be sitting in that room for a long time, so I waited until the next day to do read it.

Turns out I was right because there was a long wait before they even called anyone. They had this little room with blocked off seats like you’d find in the quiet study areas of college libraries. I saw a seat open up and I rushed towards it, eager to read this story in beautiful silence.

Oh…it was magical!

We didn’t know much about what Virtue and Vice was going to be about when it was solicited. A lot of what happened was kept quiet by sites and magazines. When I say I was shocked at what villains they chose and where they sent the JSA during the battle, I mean I was geniunely shocked. I had to stop myself from gasping out loud or saying certain expletives. I was still in a courthouse, after all. But yes, I was surprised, happy, nervous, and thrilled all at the same time.

Justice League and Justice Society team-ups were a tradition. After Crisis, we really didn’t see that happen. Crisis Times Five gave us a taste of it when the JLA teamed up with the remaining Justice Society members. It was like a backdoor pilot for JSA, and when JSA blew up like it did, I know a lot of people, myself included were wondering if they were going to do the annual team ups again. Virtue and Vice not only gave us what we wanted, but it gave it to us in a unique way.

As you can see, I can gush about this story for a while as it holds a special place in my heart, but yes, I hope everyone reads the book and enjoys it. I know I did!

3 Likes
4

I remember from The Serect Files prologue thinking a Shazam villain would be the main villain so I predicted it would be Mister Mind and Lex Luthor working together. They also have some red herring Darkseid would be involved.

1 Like
5

The release @superby1 mentioned is available on google books (No I did not buy it, as I already have the physical big book that includes it).

6

I know I’m a little late for this one, but I was reading through this story while waiting for the turkey to bake, so I thought I’d put my thoughts down. :slight_smile:

  1. Lots and lots of characters here. Who do you think were used best?

That’s a hard one, because there is a LOT of characters. Obviously, most of the characters who are possessed by the Deadly Sins of Man get a lot of play, like Mr Terrific, Batman and Power Girl. In terms of the heroes not affected, I think Superman, Green Lan–I mean–Sentinel, The Flashes, Wildcat and Stargirl all get some good moments. The reserve members we get in the middle also have some good stuff, like Black Canary (repping for both teams), Zatanna, Green Arrow and Dr Mid-Nite. Speaking of which –

  1. What did you think of the Green Arrow/Dr. Mid-Nite interactions? Sometimes when I read it I hate that part, and other times I love it.

It’s interesting because I think around that time or shortly before this there was some chemistry/dating going on between Black Canary and Dr Mid-Nite, so it’s understandable why Ollie might be a little…annoyed at him. I feel like it almost would have worked better if that was mentioned more explicitly, because at least the subtext would have been text and more substantial. I did like their moment after Despero rips the American flag up to turn it into a cape.

  1. Do you think this has much tie in to Thanksgiving’s themes or is mainly an excuse for a big crossover?

I mean, Shaza–I mean–Captain Marvel was an avatar of gluttony, and that’s a hell of a Thanksgiving theme to me! :rofl:

Seriously, I think Thanksgiving is more incidental to this story. It’s a modern way to do the whole “yearly JLA/JSA get-togethers” without all the dimension-crossing. I still really like the idea of it, though – wish it was used more often.

1 Like
7

Also, thought I’d give this a share – recently a comics YouTuber I like, Casually Comics, did an episode on this book in her series about “Cursed Panels.” As you look at the thumbnail, you can probably guess why it’s considered as such. :rofl:

2 Likes
8

Before Ollie came back to life they were dating.

If you are calling The Star Spangled-Kid “Stargirl” then calling him “Green Lantern” is accurate (this was before she changed her name).

I do not watch many comics youtube channels, since most seem like they are just reading summaries, but I can tell she actually read the whole book. I always pictured Power Girl having a manlier voice than that.

1 Like