Customer Reviews

Justice Society of America: Thy Kingdom Come, Part 3

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Thy Kingdom Come part 3 is epic comic storytelling at its best. It has a clear beginning, middle and end, and concludes fully and satisfyingly in the last issue of the story. The art by Dale Eaglesham, Fernando Pasarin and of course Alex Ross is exceptional, right down to the amazing way each artist is able to maintain a distinct visual rendering of the Kingdom Come Superman and the "real" one. As a monthly series, I can relate to why many readers would have found the story to be plodding or overlong. In trade form, its length is actually one of it's strengths. The story unfolds organically, and since there is no wait between chapters, a clear tension builds that ultimately has a satisfying resolution. The collected version of the story also has the benefit of including all the related chapters inbetween two covers which as monthly or single issues, would have been frustrating for readers to keep up with.

There are some weaknesses. To be sure, Gog's eventual turn is predictable. The central conflict driving the issues is a fairly cliche, retreaded idea we've seen a thousand times before. What makes it interesting here is that, beside the cliche, character interactions take some surprising turns and the factions that develop in the team prompt a genuine sense of dread and concern from the reader. After all, the JSA is supposed to be above these types of conflicts, and yet they manage somehow to be more human than many a stick figure currently being published by both DC and Msrvel. Gog's failure to provide a miracle for Commander Steel is never directly addressed and is distracting. Gog performs miracles for a number of other characters but for some reason, Steel's particular predicament is ignored. This is a glaring problem which the writers draw attention to, and then apparently chose to ignore. I'm sure there's a good explanation in their minds that makes sense, but from a reader's point of view, the plot point actually takes you out of the story, and distracts from the dramatic tension.

But there is also some admirable execution by Johns and Ross. They do make a convincing try for instance, at making Gog seem the encapsulation of benevolence in the early stages, so that when he eventually turns, as the reader knows he will, the change is dramatic and still a little surprising. It's a testament to Johns that he can evoke an emotional response of disappointment from you even from something you knew was coming.

By far my favorite aspect of the story is its universe sweeping scope. In TKC part 3, we are taken to alternate worlds, see two versions of the man of steel, see glimspes into parallel worlds and meditate on the future of these heroes we love. The surprising turn for Lance Corporal David Reid gives the story a sense of tragedy beyond the confines of those issues immediately dedicated to telling it. In fact, the whole story is fraught with a sense of foreboding for the future that gives it a level of gravitas and consequence. As a monthly story, I think the length and breadth of the tale is difficult for readers more used to shorter arcs that give quick action, albeit with ambiguous resolutions. But as a trade which collects six or seven single issues, the volume satisfies both for its substance as an exciting tale and because of its length.

Finally, the story enables Ross to put a poignant cap on the tale of one of the most compelling characters to come out of DC in the last fifteen years; the Kingdom Come Superman. I have always felt that the end of Kingdom Come, and the epilogue to the story which was included specially for the collected editions, rang a little hollow. For a story which had dealt with such weighty issues, an epilogue involving a conversation between the three principles in a superhero themed diner seemed to undercut the seriousness of the tale as a whole and even trivilialize it a bit; in fact I think Kingdom Come's original ending seemed trite and misjudged, probably more the fault of Mark Waid than Alex Ross, who is a co-plotter here and was the major genius behind the original KC.

In TKC 3, Ross returns the focus to what it should have been in the first place, the fate of that Superman, who was, for all intents and purposes, who KC was really about. At the end of this volume, Ross gets to send the character off, and give a fitting ending to the character that should always have been. Given the pain the character endures through much of KC and TKC, his redemption in the final pages of TKC part 3 is hopeful and inspiring, the way the end of every truly great story about Superman should always be. I'm glad I waited for the trade for this one, and I recommend owning it.

This book didn't felt like a "Soap Opera", like other review say, rather that I felt this JSA story a magnificent Kingdom come Companion.

I just LOVE the way the book end, as so how it develops. You get great action and more Alex Ross goodness.

Give these 3 part story a chance, get loads of fun and get more used to the JSA and their role on the DC Universe.

Worth every penny in your pocket.

Welcome back, my friends, to the story that never ends, as it finally ends. JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA: THY KINGDOM COME, Part III clamps down a resolution to the thing, and after a seemingly endless salvo of issues published, it turns out it's not worth the wait. And I can't help but think that the sheer length of this arc plays a significant reason.

Last we left the JSA, assigned members (along with the JLA) were tracking Gog as the mysterious horned deity strode across Africa, performing miracles left and right and vowing to make the world better (and, really, if that last part doesn't raise your hackles, then you're not caught up on your Big Bads). No one quite knew what to make of Gog, what his true intentions are. But the most cautious was the Superman of Earth-22 (the Kingdom Come reality). He grew even more skeptical when Gog transformed a descendant of FDR into his herald Magog, and it's detected that Magog's power levels now threaten to rival that of the Kingdom Come Superman's. And, for this aged Man of Steel, this is merely one more signpost that his worst fears are coming to pass, that this Earth is veering nearer to the course of events which destroyed his own world. Superman begins to unravel just a bit.

Meanwhile, Power Girl, thanks to Gog's "largesse," is currently trapped in an Earth-2 that, as it turns out, isn't quite the same Earth-2 from which she came. She finds herself regarded with suspicion by that Earth-2's version of the Infinity Inc. and the JSA (both teams having combined as the Justice Society Infinity). It doesn't help her case that there's already another Power Girl in place (and this one without a boobage portal on her costume). Kara's last hope to get back home rests on a brilliant physics professor named Michael Holt.

Back to Geoff Johns and Alex Ross flogging that dead horse, as Gog keeps on trudging thru Africa, we note a conflicted Justice Society. Gog has made huge inroads in gaining acceptance from the JSA's younger generation and from Hawkman. Unprovoked, Gog had granted wishes for several of the JSA: Damage's good looks are restored, Dr. Mid-Nite gets his sight back, Starman regains his sanity, and Sandman's nightmarish visions are banished. But there's always this Monkey's Paw effect to these things. Soon, the miracles go sour, but not before the JSA is divided into two hostile factions. Weird, but what really strikes me in this whole "contention within the ranks" subplot is that it demonstrates just how much of a self-absorbed jerk Damage is. Anyway, on the seventh day, we finally learn what's really up with Gog.

This arc just went on forever, and it's gotten so bad for me that I'm rendered apathetic when the end finally comes. The Kingdom Come Superman stepped thru Starman's dimensional rift way back in the end of issue #9, and his story isn't fully chronicled until #22, the last issue in this particular trade. Speaking of, JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA: THY KINGDOM COME, Part III collects issues #19-22 of the ongoing series and the three special one shots: KINGDOM COME SPECIAL: SUPERMAN, KINGDOM COME SPECIAL: MAGOG, and KINGDOM COME SPECIAL: THE KINGDOM. Of all these issues, the one which contributes least to the main story arc is the Magog special, unless you're somehow a fan of him (and, really, why would you be?).

One of the main strengths of this title has always been that theme of the old founders taking a new generation of mystery men under their wings. But, instead, I get the sense that Geoff Johns, during this 13 issue run (14 issues, if you count issue #9), was simply going along with what basically is Alex Ross's vanity project. This whole arc basically centered around Gog and the Kingdom Come Kal-El. For significant portions of the story, the rest of the large cast are given short shrift. This particularly holds true for the new recruits, excepting Magog. We hardly hear from newbies like Amazing-Man, Cyclone, Mr. America, Wildcat II, Lightning, and Judomaster.

Interior art-wise, Dale Eaglesham does the heavy lifting and his illustrating mojo remains strong. Jerry Ordway handles the Earth 2 segments, and is it just me or has the quality of his stuff fallen off these past few years? Alex Ross does a panel here and there, and he does take on the entire interior art chores for (and also fully writes) the KINGDOM COME SPECIAL: SUPERMAN and that issue typically looks terrific. And his covers are masterpieces. One of the things which I did really like out of this whole convoluted mess is Ross's coda for the whole Kingdom Come arc. The last five pages of issue #22, they glow.

Geoff Johns has already ended his legendary stint on JSA. Right about now, dude's busy shaking things up with the Blackest Night mega-event. He's done fabulous work for so many other titles, but the JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA is the series to which I'll associate him most closely, even with how great Blackest Night is turning out to be. Regarding the JSA, he collaborates with Jerry Ordway in the next story arc (which features Black Adam & Isis - Justice Society of America: Black Adam & Isis HC (Justice Society of America (Unnumbered))), and that would've been a sad way to go out on, because that story arc doesn't improve on the Thy Kingdom Come saga. Thankfully, Johns's swan song is issue #26, and it's one of those "a-day-in-the-life" stories, and it stars probably my favorite JSAer, Stargirl, who is having her birthday. Unlike Thy Kingdom Come, the spotlight on Stargirl offers an engrossing read with wonderful character moments, and it doesn't last for six thousand and thirty-three issues.

...but that means it's better than 95% of everything out there.

I can only agree with the other reviewers' comments that the resolution *is* rather forced and anticlimactic in this rather long story arc.

That being said, Johns really shines as he slowly but surely works through the bright side of Gog's "gifts" and then in a deft reversal shows the dark side which eventually reveals the dark side of Gog himself. The artwork in this volume is also superb. Having just previously read New Mutants Classic 4 with its butt-ugly art maybe I'm being too effusive in my praise.

I came to this story not having read Mark Waid's influential "Kingdom Come" story but familiar with its plot. I don't really think it's necessary to have read that story to enjoy "Thy Kingdom Come". It's a sequel, to be sure, but it works just fine all by itself. Don't let that put you off.

Finally, I've never been happy with the decision to make this into the "four old timers from the original JSA help all the super powered teenagers in the DC universe become heroes" book. The JSA is starting to resemble the Legion of Super-Heroes. I like the Legion and all; I just don't think we need a 20th century incarnation.

Geoff Johns' Justice Society of America "sequel", Thy Kingdom Come, comes to a conclusion with this third collection, which wraps up Johns' run on the series, as well as includes work from Kingdom Come co-creator Alex Ross, which in itself is worth checking this hardcover out for alone. The story picks up with the JSA, now featuring the Kingdom Come-era Superman, apparently losing some team mates, only to have them saved by the mysterious Gog, whose plans of chaos are unseen to those he has saved. Naturally, it's up to the rest of the JSA to save the day, as we witness Reid's transformation into Magog in the process. The biggest problem with Thy Kingdom Come is that Johns, who is still the best superhero writer in the business today, wraps things up way too quickly and easily considering everything that has been set up thus far. Though the DC universe as a whole seems to be gearing towards what we've seen in Kingdom Come, the whole series just feels like it just doesn't amount to much. All that aside, there's more solid artwork from the great Alex Ross, as well as the Dale Eaglesham, who may be the best artist to take on the JSA in the modern era. All in all, the conclusion to Thy Kingdom Come may be a bit anti-climactic considering everything that has been set-up until now, but it's still a worthwhile endeavor, and is worth checking out just for the fact that it's Johns' swan song to the series.

It's an interesting idea: a nested sequel to Kingdom Come, using the ol' parallel-universe trick to tell a story in one reality which takes place in the blink of an eye in another reality. Using the Justice Society of America was also an interesting choice, and not entirely successful.

Frankly, the current JSA is overstuffed with B-list heroes from the DC universe, and though I do like many of them, and can appreciate the whole "legacy" theme--many of the characters are descendants of previous superheroes--I thought too many of the cast here were shorthanded into one-dimensionality. It's a common problem with "ensemble" shows, and even Joss Whedon trips over it sometimes.

I am, however, a sucker for a good happy ending, and this arc puts a nice bow on the whole Kingdom Come storyline. I can recommend it for that reason, if nothing else.

An exceptional addition to the Justice Society of America library. There is some beautiful artwork by Dale Eaglesham as well as a fully painted Superman issue by Alex Ross in here.

If you're interested in the original Kingdom Come story or good, epic storytelling this is the book for you.