🎄[JSA Book Club] Week 21: Have a Holly Jolly Christmas! [Dec. 16-23]🎄e

[JasonTodd428]

Happy Holidays to everyone here at the JSABC!

Because of the holidays we will be having a smaller set of readings than the norm this week. We will only be reading two things and they are both holiday stories that feature the JSA. Also because of this lesser amount of reading this meeting will only be for this week. So sit back, relax and enjoy.

** JSA BOOK CLUB ROLL CALL**

Club Leaders

@JasonTodd428 & @Aurora

Standing Members

Abrax, AggressiveIntellectual219, anthony.javier3, bbzo24, bigblock66, BlueBeetlesAssistant, Brenticus_Rex, CassTheStreet, CrazyQuilt, Daffern, dave_worrell, DCUniverse, Deathstroke’sPunisher, december360, djganon, DocterFate1, Don-El, fawsid, frankie.lacy79, Frostbite30, ganaoque, harrist, HombreDeMaiz, hotstufflouie, Jay_Kay, Jflow, jlevin, kaliym73, lunalane, MatthewHecht, mbpbinder, _meegs, Meisaj, mgeiler, Midnitehour, MisfitCMJ, mitchellbpearson ,msgtv, OldBoyWonder, PaintEater, papaheal27, ProActress, ralphsix, Ravenrifft, Remember5NovEveyHammond, RickTylerHourman, rlynchfamily, rspezzano, rwm, scoop001, TheCosmicMoth, TK52, TurokSonOfStone, YolandaMontezz, ZacharyLee1995.

Readings for the week

* “I Left My Heart at the JSA Canteen” from DC Holiday Bash 2 which starts on page 33

* “Be Good for Goodness Sake” JSA #55

There will be no discussion questions this week. Just let me know below what you liked or disliked about these two stories and maybe a holiday memory of yours if your so inclined.

See you guys and gals next year. We have a lot planned including a crossover with the JLA Book Club so I hope to see you all there.

Join the JSA BOOK CLUB!

[MatthewHecht]

Holiday Bash- Just a rather dull story with a holiday theme. The Mighty Mite was the saving grace (more on that later).

The JSA one was great. I enjoyed Wildcat’s early banter. Green Lantern had many great constructs, and my favorite was the reindeer.

Those poor criminals, an angry Hawkman and Wildcat at the same time.

As a retail worker I really felt it when Green Lantern described his work (otherwise I would have written this a while ago).

Ted said [Rex] Tyler and Al Pratt were the party animals on Christmas. This is foreshadowing that Rex becomes Hourman again in a few issues. It also makes me picture Rex, Wildcat, and The Atom playfully wrestling roughly during Christmas, while Green Lantern is desperatly trying to literally keep the place from falling apart.

I am sure I was not supposed to wonder this but why does Stargirl have a letterman jacket. Did her cheating in the Nebula Man issue (Stars and STRIPE #8) result in her making the soccer team? How can you practically live in New York and being a superhero let you have time for sports? Her costume looks better with the red belt, more patriotic.

Powergirl, that is a horrible way to hold a cat. You have to support its belly. My head canon is that Wildcat saw her horrible form and had sympaphy on his fellow cat.

Those are what I love about this issue and several of the JSA filler one shots. They are entertaining slice of life issues that help to know the characters, offer good humor, and some good action. Even the bad parts are entertainingly bad and only distracting on the third read.

[TheCosmicMoth]

Whoa! I’m a day late! Apologies.

I really like Howard Chaykin and the weird, neo-pulp world that lives in his head even when that world gets weird. Heck, ESPECIALLY when that world gets weird. However, he kept things pretty contained in “I Left My Heart at the JSA Canteen.” It was a nice, nostalgic trip back to the holidays of the 1940’s, though.

I will say, the way that Gordo sniffed out the Nazi spies was the same way that Minute-Man accomplished a similar feat back in Master Comics #11:

So, let it be known: If you suspect Nazi infiltration in your military, check everyone’s stripes!

I also enjoyed “Be Good for Goodness Sake” in JSA #55. However, I have a bone to pick with DC Universe over the issue description. The DC Universe description reads, “…Justice Society head to northern Maine…,” but the story actually takes place in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Londonderry is an hour away from where I live in southern New Hampshire. Please give my home state its deserved props. We don’t get that much.

I am proud that New Hampshire sheltered the original Red Tornado during her time in superhero witness protection. I also like that Geoff Johns did a lot to salvage Ma Hunkel’s legacy and the JSA’s attitude towards her with his time on the JSA books.

You’ve always been great, Ma!

Having worked quite a bit of retail myself, I sympathize with @MatthewHecht and Green Lantern. I would also be one of those “party animals” at the JSA Christmas parties, but my invitations keep getting lost in the mail…

Anyway, Happy Holidays, JSA Book Club! I’m looking forward to all of our reading in 2021!

[JasonTodd428]

@MatthewHecht

The JSA one was great. I enjoyed Wildcat’s early banter. Green Lantern had many great constructs, and my favorite was the reindeer

That reindeer was my favorite too.

@MatthewHecht

Those poor criminals, an angry Hawkman and Wildcat at the same time.

I would not have wanted to be those criminals that’s for sure.

@MatthewHecht

It also makes me picture Rex, Wildcat, and The Atom playfully wrestling roughly during Christmas, while Green Lantern is desperatly trying to literally keep the place from falling apart.

Okay now I can’t get that image outta my head. They’d trash the place and leave Green Lantern standing amidst the rumble still trying to hold it up with a construct methinks.

@MatthewHecht

Those are what I love about this issue and several of the JSA filler one shots. They are entertaining slice of life issues that help to know the characters, offer good humor, and some good action. Even the bad parts are entertainingly bad and only distracting on the third read.

I love slice of life issues myself precisely because you get to know characters better in situations that are sometimes a bit more mundane. I do actually wish there were more of them in more recent comics just for a change of pace.

[JasonTodd428]

@TheChristmasMoth

However, he kept things pretty contained in “I Left My Heart at the JSA Canteen.” It was a nice, nostalgic trip back to the holidays of the 1940’s, though.

Sometimes a nostalgic trip back is just what you need. I was feeling like that and this story fit the bill. Made me think of my uncles who had fought in WWII and how they may have celebrated Christmas in somewhat the same way as was depicted in this issue (without the superheroes of course).

@TheChristmasMoth

I also like that Geoff Johns did a lot to salvage Ma Hunkel’s legacy and the JSA’s attitude towards her with his time on the JSA books.

He did at that. She should have been treated more respectfully by them from the start in my opinion but that’s a discussion for another day.

@TheChristmasMoth

Having worked quite a bit of retail myself, I sympathize with @MatthewHecht and Green Lantern. I would also be one of those “party animals” at the JSA Christmas parties, but my invitations keep getting lost in the mail…

I also worked in retail briefly and can totally sympathize with @MatthewHecht and GL. It’s why I don’t hassle retail workers, do things that make their jobs harder or or walk into a store a half hour before closing time. I hated those things when I was working retail.

Also the JSA must be losing my invites to their parties as well darn them. Or maybe Grundy is stealing from my mailbox…

@TheChristmasMoth

Anyway, Happy Holidays, JSA Book Club! I’m looking forward to all of our reading in 2021!

Happy Holidays @JSABookClub! Hope you have a great holiday.