:jsa_book_club: :justice_league_book_club: Two Worlds, Two Teams, One Mission [February 2021 JSABC/JLBC EVENT]:jsa_book_club:

Hello @JSABookClub and @JusticeLeagueBookClub members and welcome to the first JSABC/JLBC crossover event!

A note to JSABC Members

Be aware that for the duration of this event we will be running this month’s sessions a bit differently than usual because of a four week schedule this go around. Instead of our usual setup I will be posting discussion questions every week. Also be advised that this month will be handled in true JSA/JLA crossover style with readings across JSA & JLA titles but discussions will be held in a single topic rather than two. So let‘s bring this special meeting to order and welcome our guests to this here shindig.

:jsa_book_club:THE JSABC ROLL CALL :jsa_book_club:

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, parzival27, ProActress, ralphsix, Ravenrifft, Remember5NovEveyHammond, RickTylerHourman, rlynchfamily, rspezzano, rwm, scoop001, TheCosmicMoth, TK52, TurokSonOfStone, YolandaMontezz, ZacharyLee1995

:justice_league_book_club: And Our Guests :justice_league_book_club:

@Vroom and members of the JLBC.

What to read

WEEK ONE: JSA/JLA Crossovers

WEEK TWO: JLA & JSA Classified

WEEK THREE:.Lightning Saga

Reading Order

  • JL #8
    JSA #5
    JL #9
    JSA #6
    JL #10
    JSA #7

WEEK FOUR: Brightest Day: The Dark Things

Reading Order

  • JL #44-46
    JSA #41
    JL #47
    JSA #42
    JL #48
    JSA #43

And that’s all for now.

Join the JSA BOOK CLUB for all your JSA related needs and meet other JSA fans.

Join the JUSTICE LEAGUE BOOK CLUB as well for even more team shenanigans.

Next month we of the JSABC are back to the norm. We’ll have a second tale from the JSA Classified and also a bit more from the All Star Squadron.

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And before I forget here are the questions for Week 1. :grin:

  1. What did you think of the first crossover between these two teams presented in JLA #21+22?

  2. What about the one presented in JLA #82-83?

  3. Which story was your favorite and why?

  4. Who were your favorite characters?

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Apparently I jumped the gun rereading The Lightning Saga on the 31st

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  1. I enjoyed the story. I have always liked the team -ups between the JLA and the JSA. It was interesting to see the villains pull a switch on them.
  2. I didn’t like the villains of this second story as much. They were pretty forgettable.
  3. The first was my favorite. The villains were more interesting.
  4. I liked the Green Lanterns the best. It is always fun to see Hal and Alan together.
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This story is one of my favorites and I really liked the villains here as well. I agree that the second stories villains were not memorable at all.

Alan has long been a favorite GL of mine and seeing him an Hal together here was great. I also like seeing Jay and Barry together.

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This better be adapted in the upcoming Hawkman movie (I heard they Scorpion King an some unimportant side character).

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Have you read this team up?

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I will have to read it to be sure. I may have read a reprint of it a long time ago.

  1. This was an entertaining popcorn read. Pretty stupid, but it really kept my attention, and it was fun especially Hawkman!

    My main gripe is I think the JSA should have gone after the JLA villains and vice versa for some variety.
  2. More hard to understand than anything with the Spectre being the saving grace, and I enjoyed Thunderbolt and Johnny’s banter. That is why I prefer him to Jakeem.
  3. The first one of course. The fight were still very good, and I liked the wacky villain plans.
  4. Obviously Hawkman and Spectre. I also enjoyed how mean Starman was compared to everyone else.
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It was a good read on my lunch hour one day.

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  1. The first JLA/JSA crossover is a true classic even if it doesn’t completely hold up to the times. I think these stories were the first to use the word “Crisis” in relation to the mutiverse: “Crisis on Earth-One” and “Crisis on Earth-Two.” These days, when I think “Crisis,” I think grim, cataclysmic events. “The Crime Champions” are really just stealing things and trying to get away with it. Also, “magic” gets used a lot to explain away the impossible situations the heroes are put in. Still, this is a classic that helped expand the concept of the multiverse and started the annual JLA/JSA team-ups. The characters are iconic and the idea of traveling to another Earth to evade capture is pretty clever (if they could’ve only just stopped stealing…). You can’t fault the imagination that brought this story into being. Also, I enjoyed this moment of possible foreshadowing:

  2. Here’s the thing about Denny O’Neil’s Justice League stories: They’re all pretty uneven. The JSA/JLA crossover from Justice League of America #82-83 is included in that statement. On the one hand, you get some pretty great character moments for certain characters (more on that later). Also, the near-destruction of two Earths is definitely a catastrophe befitting the two greatest superhero teams of all-time. However, the plot mechanisms of O’Neil’s Justice League stories always tend to be pretty vague. Like, I get why Earth-One Supes goes down when his Earth-Two double goes down… but from there things get tricky. I can maybe head-cannon defend why Barry goes down after Jay does (they’re both Speed Force users) or why Katar clonks out after Carter Hall (that whole Hawkman reincarnation thing). But… why does Batman go down with Dr. Mid-Nite…? (Head-cannon conspiracy theory: After “retiring,” the Bruce Wayne of Earth-Two occasionally steals Dr. Mid-Nite’s identity whenever he yearns for the old days). Also, as @scoop001 mentioned, O’Neil’s Justice League villains tend to be REALLY disposable. Case in point:


    “Nugat” and “Karmeel???” It’s like Denny looked to a candy bar for inspiration while writing this. Which brings me to my point: It is hard for me to completely enjoy Denny O’Neil’s Justice League because I kind of think he never gave these stories his all.

  3. Out of the two stories, the crossover from #21-22 is my favorite. I’m a sucker for the Silver Age and Gardner Fox. Also, as I said before, it’s a classic…

  4. Hands down, Black Canary had the best character moment from these issues:
    Simply Cease
    I mean, she gets to the suicide decision pretty quickly, and she is still probably not being characterized as a woman her age (remember, this pre-retcon Black Canary is in her late 30’s/early 40’s). Still, this is a beautifully tragic moment. Ollie’s reaction was on point, as well, which probably tells you who O’Neil’s favorite characters were. Also, as always, I feel for Red Tornado. He’s a whiny chump, but… so am I. You’ll be a great hero someday, Reddy!

That’s it from me. Interested to hear what the Justice League Book Club thought…

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Badass!

Also, Michael Turner’s Power Girl is :ok_hand:t2:.

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Well hello there JSA and Justice League Book Clubs. Tally-ho. :wave: :sunglasses:

Thank you @JasonTodd428 and @Vroom for putting this together for the month. :clark_hv_4:

For sure I’d say an exciting, historical meeting takes place. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

JLA #21+#22 Summary

It was fun reading about the JSA taking on The Fiddler, The Wizard, and The Icicle since it reminded me of the first season of Stargirl. :stargirl:

Also a pretty smart strategy in moving to another earth to enjoy their winnings from their crime exploits. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

I found Felix Faust’s incantations to be pretty amusing. :joy:

Reading about a great sphere of vibratory energy on the rim of twin earths is very interesting. It also made a lot of sense that the Fiddler would recognize the pitch needed to vibrate to different earths. :nerd_face:

Catching both Barry and Jay in vibratory prisons was a good plan. :flash_hv_5:

Hourman having a radio belt is very interesting. Nice counter to The Fiddler’s violin playing. :hourglass_flowing_sand: :violin:

Seeing Wonder Woman tunnel her and Batman out reminds me of the times that Superman has also tunneled his way out of a predicament. :wonderwoman: :batman: :superman:

I find that Superman with his time puns are funny. :superman_hv_4:

Not sure if the Crime Syndicate of Earth 3 would be very welcoming for these crime champions since they might think they would be stepping onto their turf. :eyes:

JLA #82-83 Summary

It’s funny that we learn what the cause of Superman’s “sickness” is before the heroes do and pointed out by this caption panel. I find it always fun reading captions like these. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Black Canary from Earth 2 coming to live on our earth is interesting considering from the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover on the CW that is exactly what Black Siren did. :0_black_canary:

Her wanting to end herself because she thought she was the cause of the problems between the two worlds was tough since we knew she wasn’t the cause of it. :fearful:

Having The Spectre show up as one of the characters was nice since from our rewards program I started reading more about The Spectre. :ghost:

I like both stories as they had fun moments I could pick out from both. If I had to go with one though… I’d have to pick JLA #82-83 only by a small margin. :sweat_smile:

The story seemed to be on a much larger scale with the implications of the worlds colliding together rather than breaking out of the traps set by the Crime Champions in the first story. It also reminded me of parts of Crisis on Infinite Earths where the worlds did actually come together for a bit of time. :globe_with_meridians: :globe_with_meridians:

I would have to say it’s a tie between Felix Faust and his incantations and Jay. :mage: :flash_hv_3:

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Hello yourself and welcome to the party. :wave:

My pleasure. Nothing quite like a good ole club crossover.

It reminded me of that as well. :stargirl: Love that show.

So long as no heroes should happen to follow you anyway.

It amuses me every time I read these issues.

Who said music isn’t a useful skill set to have?

It reminded me of that as well. Gotta love the Trinity though. Always watching each other’s backs in a fight even if they all aren’t together. Also Batman at this point doesn’t mind having help out of tight situations.

I’m going to say they would not. Best not to even go to E3. Probably safer for everyone that way.

I’m not a big fan of those myself to be honest. :man_shrugging:

I can see why she would do so if E2 held to many sad memories for her and I think that probably Black Siren crossing over in the CW Crisis was an homage or reference to Black Canary having done the same in the comics. I love it when tv shows do that because then I feel like whomever is in charge of them knows the history of the property they are using.

The Spectre and the supernatural types are some of my favorite characters. I really got into Phantom Stranger a few months back.

As much as I love big scale, high stakes stories I do love a small scale, lower stakes ones more. A lot of modern comics are the first almost all the time in my opinion and it gets a bit exhausting at times to have every story be earth shattering.

Good choices. I loved those Jay panels in particular.

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It is nice to see the word “crisis” not mean that for once. It does throw me for a loop seeing it’s use here for a second though even though I know these stories are not that kind of “Crisis”.

I would have to agree with that.

:man_shrugging: Ya got me there, friend. It’s a real head scratcher.

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@TheCosmicMoth @JasonTodd428
Maybe the Batman/Dr. Mid-Nite connection is just a pun on the phrase “Blind as a bat.”

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Ugghhh… a pun!!! You may be right… but I hope not, lol!

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Thank you. I had meant to read more JSA books (as I have a nice stack in one of my lists) so glad to join the party. :tada: :partying_face: :tada:

Yes! Very much looking forward to season 2. Also because of reading a bit about the villain for season 2 here. :smiley:

Those episodes from Justice League the Animated Series were a lot of fun watching as well. :sunglasses: :+1:

Very true! :rofl:

So true. I very much enjoy listening to my playlists when reading. :musical_note: :musical_score:

That’s cool. Yeah, I could think of some reasons not to like them. Usually captions like those I tend to read them as an announcer or commentator at a game would. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Yes! :100:

Nice! Yeah from watching Swamp Thing I’ve also been meaning to dig into The Phantom Stranger stories as well. :tophat: :ghost:

Hmmm. Can’t say I’ve run into feeling like this yet. Still pretty new in reading comics and when I do I have been enjoying most of them when I do. :thinking:

Could definitely see though how if the whole world was at stake all the time how that would be exhausting and having a smaller story would be good to read to take a break from that. :clark_hv_4:

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Could be but I agree with @TheCosmicMoth in that I really hope it wasn’t.

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Come back any time or join up if you’d like. Either way you’d be welcome.

Me too. Can’t wait!

thinks the above caption with a local sports announcers voice

Ya know that might just work. I’ll have to try that whenever those types of captions come up again.

I had a Phantom Stranger discussion last October in one of my other clubs:

I would start with this Phantom Stranger book and work you way forward.

Yeah, I can see how you wouldn’t necessarily feel that way but I’ve been reading comics for decades at this point. :man_shrugging: I do still get excited about the “big” stories on occasion, especially if they are from other companies but I have a tendency these days of avoiding most of them in the Big Two and sticking to the more 'fringe" titles there.

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