Customer Reviews

JLA/Avengers: The Collector's Edition

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Picture the one great meeting a superhero reader would enjoy,
and many an enthusiast across the decades will tell you that
a book featuring the best characters from both DC and Marvel
Comics would be a fan's delight.
Those fortunate enough to be enjoying the comics of the past
few years know that Marvel -thanks to Editor-In-Chief Joe
Quesada- has not only been putting out some of their best
efforts in 25 years, but has been in a cooperative mode
with DC which is unlike anything that either company has
shown towards the other.
The ultimate payoff can be summed up in one phrase - JLA/
AVENGERS: THE COLLECTOR'S EDITION by Kurt Busiek
and George Pérez! Those who thought this pair to be
superb in the recent AVENGERS ASSEMBLE will find their
work on this summit conference to be utterly exceptional.

Pérez, the original artist slated to render this historical meeting
in the early 1980s, finally gets to do his dream project, and
all who suffered through the corporate nonsense which
derailed this book for over 2 decades will be thrilled to
learn that JLA/AVENGERS was well worth the wait. Not only do
we have the finest all-around illustrator of Sequential Art
since Jack Kirby at the heart of his game, but now the pictures
have one well-told, meticulously written story which more than
brings the art forth with stunning eloquence.
Beginning his career at Marvel in the 1970s, and establishing
his degree of excellence in helping to forge the DC juggernaut
which defined much of the 1980s, Pérez offers sheer delight in
his stunning, unerring depictions of each and every character,
in every type of action sequence, adventure motif, and
quiet interlude imaginable.
When you see body language as distinctive as one's
facial expression, a capsule history of the many costumes
worn by The Wasp, or the changes endured by the indomitable
Henry Pym, you know it's George Pérez at work. No one else
would be wild enough to try that! Always game, the artist
continues to be one daring adventurer.
Busiek, having proven his depth at depicting superheroes with
topical pertinence and adventurous zeal, has the time of his
life here. A proven master at drawing upon the Thomas/Englehart/
Stern runs to produce a rich AVENEGERS legacy all his own,
Busiek wastes no time in delving into the deep pockets of DC
continuities forged by Julius Schwartz, Gardner Fox, John
Broome and more across the span of some 65 years, showcasing
a tale from one who has placed his own stamp on superheroics
as he has done with MARVELS and, even more significantly,
ASTRO CITY.

Producing a masterpiece which all but defines the term, Busiek
and Pérez deftly weave a colossal tale of parallel universes,
delicious time/space dilemmas, all that's at stake, and how
the best must overcome even their own suspicions of one
another's style to prevail against all odds.
The authors plays the myriad nuances of character play and
personality clash as only these narrative masters can,
magnifying the traditional focal points of each group.
Pinpointing the long-perceived differences between each
company's approach to superhero storyline, Busiek and
Pérez forge a magnum opus which celebrates the diversity
of the heroic ideal, and the vast contributions made by
both DC and Marvel to contemporary myth and folklore.

There is so much to recommend about this handsome slipcased
hardcover 2-volume set. For those who want the story of
what happened to JLA/AVENGERS the first time around, we
get the skinny from each company in the second volume,
set for you to decide who told the truth, and who fumbled
the ball. Those who collected JLA/AVENGERS in its celebrated
mini-series form will be floored by its collection into
Sequential Novel form in Volume 1. Its larger size gives
the reader ample opportunity to fully appreciate just
how precise and imaginative Pérez really is.
Those who bemoan that the artist has "slowed down" because
he's not churning out multiple titles a month any more are,
quite simply, missing the point. The man who helped put
THE TITANS on the map, and brought WONDER WOMAN
to full fruition as a major icon, is far deeper, and far
more creative now than ever before.

Anyone looking at his colossal wrap-around cover for the
third chapter (Damn near featuring a century worth of
characters!) can see how he developed Tendonitis at
the time. That Pérez was able to overcome the stress,
bring it all together, and finish the project with his
finest work is a miracle, and provides some major
profile in courage, considering that Busiek's finest
characterizations of the saga strike deep in the final
chapter.
For all the eye-popping wonder of the saga's many battles
(The Mighty Thor mixing it up with a certain Man of Steel
is a particular must!), the ensuing dialogues are even
richer in dynamic content, and the contexts for each
moment prove to be staggering.
Picture Superman and Captain America having a quiet
confessional about what each is most afraid of, or
the munition-making Iron Man exchanging sensibilities
with the gun-despising Batman, and one begins to warm
to the task of tackling such a rewarding, sumptuous
read.
Many decisive conversations take place, and the creative
duo deliver the sheer drama & humanity of the tale in its
poignant reflections from people who will not be the same
at tale's end. Note the talk between loving couples,
knowing that victory will mean tragic personal loss,
and marvel at how each courageously arrives at the
decisions they feel compelled to make.

Watch for one particular conversation between two old
friends -both categorically deceased- discussing their
lives, their choices in living, and what they must do
even at the cost of having a second chance. Anyone
curious about why this idiom still holds so much wonder
and quality, even after years of hackery and corporate
disdain, are advised to read the talk between
one Barry Allen and one Hal Jordan, poised at the
most essential of crossroads.
If you don't know why such characters are so vital to the
legacy of the superhero, and the mandates of Sequential
Fiction for over 50 years, reading this sequence will
provide a sharp, clear, and moving education.

JLA/AVENGERS. The heroic ideal at its very finest.
Sequential literature that is not to be missed.

The boxed set comes with a second book which features art from and the story behind the ill-fated first attempt at this team-up. I remember feeling very bitter back then that company politics had derailed such a dream crossover. Now, however, I have to say I'm happy it happened. If the JLA/Avengers crossover had happened as planned the first time, would we have this treasure? Busiek was the perfect choice to capture the wonder, the history, the majesty and the personalities of these two teams. Perez remained the perfect choice to visualize it.

In fact, company favoritism seems completely absent from this story. Busiek uses a pure fanboy approach to realistically address the situation. Sure the JLA big guns are more powerful than their Avengers counterparts. But the Avengers are no stranger to being underdogs and here, as they always have, they fight harder.

The story is well paced, mixing history from both companies, great dialogue, very humorous situations and, of course, the fights we want to see.

My only complaint is not a valid one. I wanted to see more of some of the characters. But with so many characters they could have easily made this story four times as long. Which would have been fine with me but perhaps not what the companies were looking for in a crossover event. My all-time favorite characters are Iron Man and Wonder Woman. They are prominent enough to make me happy.

I highly recommend the oversized hardcover boxed edition. This story, this art, deserves to be enjoyed in a larger, more vibrant format.

JLA Assemble!

The book starts off well enough, but by the end it dissolves into the kind of visual muck you might find in a "Where's Waldo" book. But let's start with the good. There haven't been many crossovers between DC and Marvel, and those that have come before Busiek's story have usually been of very questionable quality (I'm looking at you, DC Versus Marvel Comics). Busiek is a decent writer--probably one of the best B-List writers in superhero comics today--and during the first two and a half issues he manages to keep a pretty solid handle on the narrative.

The first two issues notify the reader that villains from the opposing universes are crossing over and causing trouble in their respectively alien worlds. Here is also set up what will be a short-lived quest narrative that sends the DC and Marvel heroes on a hunt for a dozen or so macguffins, during which the heroes (who have met many times in the aforementioned crossovers but seem to have forgotten this) get into brawls about who takes better care of their earth, who is more respected by non-powered civilians, and whose mother is ugliest. Superman and Captain America act like jerks for no good reason (though I recall it is explained by something concerning cosmological differences), and the JLA and Avengers simply go out of their way to find fault with the other party. Are they this rude when visiting superheroes on other planets in their own universes?

Issue three is the "mash-up" chapter, imagining what the DC and Marvel histories might have been like if they had enjoyed decades of regular and entertaining crossovers, rather than crossovers that were spotty and soul-deadening. At least, this is the first half of the issue. The last half is sparked by even more extreme rudeness from Superman and Captain America, leading to a realization that their universes were never meant to be this close together because of an inherent incompatibility. Insert meta-commentary here. Then the heroes are led to a moral dilemma which isn't really a moral dilemma (split the universes or be annihilated, which would you choose?), and is actually an excuse to have a multi-page spread of panels depicting the least enjoyable story lines from both publishers over the last few decades.

Issue four, by all rights, should have been the ultimate cosmic climax of any superhero narrative. Here we have the two greatest superhero teams from the two greatest comic publishers, fighting the villain who pridefully caused the greatest destruction ever in the DC universe, in his citadel built on the bones of one of the greatest Marvel villains. Instead we are treated with an all-out brawl featuring a constantly shifting cast of heroes against an bizarre cast of lesser villains. Don't these villains wish to prevent their own annihilation? I guess not. The big villain is defeated in a disappointing occurrence that can only be likened to a child demolishing a skyscraper with a pebble.

Parts of the story are thoroughly entertaining: the imagined history of team-ups, a bit of the commentary by the heroes about the opposing earths, Krona's wager, Metron's interference, the delicious art by George Perez. These things keep my review at three stars.

Still, the deficits are galling. Why is Krona still drawn like a blue pudgy man? Why do the heroes need to hate each other at the start and then switch to brown-nosed fawning at the end? Why is Krona's ultimate cosmic weapon so easily destroyed? Why did every single member of the JLA and Avengers have to make an appearance, including multiple versions of the same character, when sticking to just the "present" versions would have made for a more readable and enjoyable story? Still, kudos to Busiek for remembering that The Phantom Stranger was once a JLA member.

All in all, it's a fun read, but probably not worth paying full price to read.

I enjoyed this series. Probably as much becuase I had been waiting for so long and the fact that George Perez penciled the entire series. I'll admit, as far as the plot line went, I wasn't bowled over. And I feel strongly that the Avengers got the short shrift in the story. But I was happy to finally get to see these two teams go toe to toe.

I honestly don't collect comics anymore and have stopped collecting since the price went for 65 cents to 75 cents, which for those who have been in the collecting stages for the long haul, know how long ago that was.

I would collect a short series here and there: Starlin's Infinity Gauntlet, The Marvel DC crossover which spawned the Amalgem offshoots and when Perez returned to the Avengers. When he stopped penciling, I stopped collecting.

It disappoints me to hear that fans didn't like this series becuase it wasn't dark enough or goth enough or simply violent enough. This whole "comics aren't for kids anymore" mentality, doesn't mean every comic book story line has to have an NC-17 warning on it.

I wanted more from the story line. I wanted more fight sequences and longer battles. I would have liked to have seen the Avengers pitted agianst the JLA for longer than essentially one book. Being a Marvel Fan and especially an Avengers fan, I would have liked to have seen exactly what Thor had in store for Superman had they got to tangle again, as he shared with Aquaman in book four. What I wanted was at least 2 or 3 more issues to see Perez wield his magic.

I also would have liked to have seen a bit more respect paid to the Avengers in the story, but I can live with the route they went as I always felt that the Avengers WERE more realistic and the DC charecters were more "Comic book-ish". And I mean that in the sense that DC Charecters seemd to stretch the boudaries in what their powers could do. Where as the Marvel Charecters DID have limits and had reasons and explanations why certain charecters could do what they did. Example: How does Superman Fly? Thor has his Hammer, the Vision lowers his density, IronMan has his boot jets, the Hulk jumps. But Superman can just "fly"? Can I get an explanation or is it: He just can.

I guess that Beyond Beleif aura or mentality that DC had was pitted agianst the more "realistic" Avengers and their non hero-worshipping world. And THAT Clash was as big as the actual physical Clashes. That seemed to be more of Busiek's focus than anything else. And while I understand that to a point, it still left me wanting more in the way of actual battles.

For those who have been waiting for this story like I have and for those who still like there comic books to be, just that: Comic books. You willenjoy this story. If you are DC fan, you will enjoy it more. If you enjoy George Perez, you will LOVE it.

I would like to see a paperback compilation at a bit more "ahem" affordable price. I stopped Collecting Comics when they went to 75 cents. $75.00 is just a bit out of whack if you ask me.

I still remember as a boy how I thought that it would just be too cool if the Justice League and the Avengers met. However, I also knew that since DC and Marvel where fierce competitors that that was never going to happen. Even 40 years later when it was announced that it really was going to finally happen I was still somewhat apprehensive, since most previous crossovers between the two companies had been mediocre efforts at best. Well, this is the exception- this is really good. In fact, if I was a life-long comics fan on my death bed, this is the story that I would choose for one last magnificent read. It is not only drawn to the highest standards, but it actually has a plot worthy of heroic myth.

This isn't waterered-down pap without a viewpoint. Superman makes it very clear that he doesn't think much of the Avengers or their chaotic version of earth. He comes right out and says that the Avengers aren't heroes- or if they are then they are failures. This points out a fundamental difference between between DC and Marvel. When Marvel always tried to "humanise" their characters and show all their faults and warts they lost something of the archetypical quality of the true hero. DC remained true to the ideal. That is why their world is orderly, clean, and optimistic. The DC heroes remained true to what heroes should be- and kept the respect of the people. In contrast, the Marvel heroes with their flaws barely manage to contain things in the corrupt and chaotic world that they serve- and the people often have little or no respect for them. While Captain America tries to justify this as defending the peoples' freedom- while calling Superman a f*scist - this doesn't ring true. Of course I could be biased here, I always did prefer DC over Marvel.

The action is virtually nonstop, dynamic, and purposeful. Plus, you not only get the JLA and Avengers, but you get practically every character of major and minor significance of either universe- and all their variations down through the years. It is a great way to measure just how comprehensive your knowledge of comics really is.

This is a big story- it could be a grand opera. What could be bigger than the fate of not one, but two universes? This really deserves a deluxe, prestige format.

By the way, the cover shown is not the actual cover of this edition (they used the wrap-around cover of issue number three.)

I judge comic books simply on 3 criteria:

1) Did it keep my attention?
2) Do I like the art work
3) Can I follow it? Does it make sense?

And on a scale of 1 - 5 (5 being best)

1. 4 for keeping my attention
2) 5 for art work
3) 3 for being to understand and follow the storyline

1. The novel kept my attention, it's a story line that makes sense peppered with some cheesy dialogue (like when the Avengers 1st arrive in the JLA universe and that entire getting old diatribe of JLA being Nazis and stuff), some funny dialogue (love the Hawkeye and Green Arrow barbs) and some over the top stuff, especially from Thor and all his "thoust!" "foul fiends" comments make this graphi novel for actually an entertaining read.

2. The graphics are great, I'm a huge fan of realistic art (that's why I never got into Manga and stuff with their big ol eyes and huge heada) and Perez doesn't fail to deliver.

3. I have to admit there were points were it got a lil confusing to read, or there was too much going on, on 1 page and there are few times where they simply left things out and you're like, "what just happened?" So in that sense, I had to re-read it a few times and then stare exceptionally long on 1 page to figure out who's who doing what and et cetera.

Overall I think this is a good buy and I'll have no problem re-reading it as I handle my business on my throne.

Absolutely breathtaking. It's been years since I've bought a comic book but debates with co-workers over DC and Marvel hero battles prompted me to do a little research. After reading numerous fanboy rants on several sites, I decided to check out some crossover action firsthand. I purchased DC Versus Marvel Comics and decided to grab JLA/Avengers at the last minute. I can't put this comic down. I've been away for a long time but George Perez is still amazing. I used to love his artwork in The New Teen Titans series and some of them pop up in this book. In fact, there are countless cameos by many of DC and Marvel's finest and I love it. Let's get back to the artwork though. I start reading and I end up flicking pages and salivating over GP's renditions. Tom Smith's inks are on point as well. This may be the greatest comic in my collection and it more than makes up for many books that I've lost or were destroyed. This one goes in plastic as soon as I finish it but that may take some time. I just can't put this baby down.

A lifetime in the making, this was the dream project for George Perez - one of comics' giants. JLA/Avengers is bound to disappoint someone - Kurt Busiek is not my favorite writer and Perez is popular but still a polarizing artist. If the dialogue is often overwrought, it hits the nail on the head when the timelines start to shift and we start to see the different eras intersect like only a fanboy could dream of. Perez is known for giant spreads and this large format hardcover really lets that work shine. Not all of the pencils for the characters work (the She-Hulk's facial features in particular wash out noticeably) but taken as a whole, this is a must-have for die-hard fans of either/both teams. (It would however, be nice if Marvel & DC would put out an AFFORDABLE softcover trade now that they've made their money. It's cheaper to buy up the original miniseries than to get this edition!)

Busiek to me is hard to pin down. Some of his astro city stuff is great. His Superman: Secret Identity easily stands with the best in the genre. And his work on Marvels was very well done. His Avengers work with George Perez, on the other hand, has always left me flat. I haven't liked it at all, and for many of the same reasons sited in the negative reviews here. His Avengers work always seemed trite and childish to me, with weak characterizations, throw away dialogue, throw away characters, and pedestrian plots. In fact, I barely made it through the recently released Avengers Assemble hardback Marvel released collecting Busiek and Perez's old Avengers work.

But for some reason I loved JLA/Avengers. I understand a lot of the criticisms. I too would have liked it to be another couple of issues longer to allow more detailed battle sequences and greater characterization. I also find myself wondering how someone like Brian Bendis or Mark Millar would have handled the same project, writing it more to today's audience. But sitting in my living room on a sunny afternoon reading it earlier today, I remembered what it was like to read boooks like Crisis or Secret Wars when they first came out. And while it is definitely a throwback to a simpler time (I really felt like I was reading an 80's comic, but with much higher production values and much better coloring,) it did have some affective scenes. My only real complaint was how rapid and vague the final defeat of the main villain was -- Busiek could have done much, much better there. The hero's finally reach the villain and then -- boom -- it's over and what exactly happened?

Anyway, I would love to see a JLA/Avengers done by the Ultimates team (with Millar writing,) or by the the guys doing Avengers now (with Bendis writing,) or heck, with Joss Whedon and Sean Cassidy from Astonishing Xmen -- in truth there are a lot of writers I'd like to see tackle it -- but this book still felt historic to me, still reminded me of my childhood, and still gave me a fun, nostalgic afternoon of reading. And while it was definitely a throwback to the eighties, I again want to stress that the coloring and production values were vastly better than they ever could have been in the 80's.

Oh, and the second vollume in the collection, collecing the behind the scenes story of why this book took over twenty years to come out, was very intersting as well. Overall I have to recomend this collection to any long time comic fan.

This is a reason I have refused to return to comic collecting on any large basis. I have the softcover magazines of this (JLA/AVENGERS) series, but $75.00 for a hardcover? Someone at both companies has got to be freakin' kidding. Even if I were single, had plenty of disposable income, I wouldn't pay this much for a hardcover like this. Are Marvel and DC trying to PREVENT fans from buying collections? The recent ETERNALS hardcover from Marvel is also priced like this -- I can hear my wife now .. "You spent WHAT?" Hey, I loved the book, but not at $75.00!!