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67 of 82 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Summit Conference., September 13, 2004
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.
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A worthy tribute!, July 28, 2005
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!
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
For the Sake of Two Universes, June 11, 2006
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.)
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