From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up–In early years, the Justice League was called the Justice Society, and Green Lantern, Hawkman, Atom, Flash, and the rest of its members lived openly in society and were called on to aid authorities whenever needed. This title is the last in a series of bound volumes reissued by DC Comics. The Society goes to a college graduation and meets up with Mr. Alpha, a science wizard who uses his understanding of all things technical to wreak havoc. There are many interesting episodes contained here, such as men made of diamonds who are nearly impossible to fight. Also, an amusing scene has Hawkman and Atom travel back in time and end up in a gladiator ring, and when they refuse to kill the startled battlers, the emperor gets so mad he runs down from the stands to attack them himself. Early comics are good because the story and language are so dated that they seem refreshing, and no comics reader thinks that heroes saying Great gosh! is poor writing. Some readers may dislike the stylized renderings of all square-jawed men and narrow-waisted women. Also, the hand-colored panels may take some getting used to or possibly turn off browsers, since the less sophisticated artwork is really noticeable with a first look. Retro comics are great titles for pleasure-reading patrons who tire of contemporary moral ambivalence. Get this for a change of pace in your comics collection.–John Leighton, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
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Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
This volume completes a series reprinting all 55 comics featuring the Justice Society of America, an amalgamation of some of DC Comics' lesser superheroes, including the Flash, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman. The JSA's exploits in All Star Comics made an immediate splash when launched in 1940 and led the way for numerous other superteams that followed from DC and other publishers. By the time the stories reprinted here appeared, 10 years on, the concept was showing its age, and the superhero genre was being superceded by fresher concepts, such as the crime and horror comics that shortly came to dominate the medium. Five years later, however, DC introduced new versions of some JSA members, and superheroes enjoyed a renaissance that continues to this day and fuels continued and new interest in these tales from half a century ago. Today's fans may think them rather drab and unsophisticated, compared to their modern counterparts, but also fascinating as progenitors of contemporary costumed crime fighters. Gordon Flagg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
