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Episode 1460 Talkback - Top 5 JSA Members
Adam_Murdough
Posts: 506
The Geeks go for the gold in this episode, as they list and discuss their favorite characters, vintage and recent, who have served as members of the world's first superhero team: the Justice Society of America! (1:35:03)
Listen here. Keep 'em flying!
Listen here. Keep 'em flying!
Comments
My top 5:
* Star-Spangled Kid
* Dr. Fate
* Flash
* Wildcat
* Power Girl :-)
Dr Fate
Flash
Green Lantern
Spectre
Hourman
I really appreciated Murd's short talk on the history of Captain Marvel. Those Fawcett stories aren't any more or less whimsical or goofy than anything else published at the time. The few issues of Captain Marvel Adventures I have contain stories that are down right Morrisonesque. It's only the 20 year gap in publishing that has caused the character to become mired in the perception that he's for kids.
As for Johns' use of Cap in the JSA, I'm not much of a fan. I don't like the super-billy take on the character.
As for a top 5, the first three are easy
1a. Green Lantern, Allen Scott - The Brians
1b. Wildcat, Ted Grant - The Heart
1c. The Flash, Jay Garrick - The Soul
The other pieces are interchangeable.
I really liked Kendra as Hawkgirl. Hector Hall as Doctor Fate was interesting, and I loved the slight changes to the costume. Using Hippolyta as Wonder Woman at the beginning of the JSA run. Making sense of Hawkman!
I also need to mention beautiful old school designs like Dr. Mid-Nite & Hourman.
I also need to mention my favorite Elseworld story, Liberty Files. Not only is it a great story, but the redesigns for Hourman (The Clock), Dr. Mid-Nite (The Owl), Mr. Terrific, Batman (The Bat), Superman are just fantastic.
Can't remember who said it, but Ioved the description of Wildcat's powers as "using nothing more than his own two fists and buckets of grit."
And, finally, nice touch with Lionel Richie at the end, gentlemen.
1) Sand/Sandman
2) Starman (Jack Knight...a brief stint on the team, but awesome nonetheless)
3) Dr. Fate
4) Dr. Midnite (I loved the modern day origin story. I have it in trade and it was amazing)
5) Mr. Terrific (Michael Holt)
Runners up: Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, Atom Smasher, Star Girl, The Spectre, Hourman
Stargirl
Powergirl
Hourman
Dr. Midnite
Black Canary
Wildcat
Doctor Fate
Stargirl
The Specter
Dr. Mid-Nite
Hawkman
Captain Marvel
Flash (Jay)
Wildcat
Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance)
Dr. Mid-Nite (Pieter Cross)
Mr. Terrific (Michael Holt)
Honorable mentions:
Starman (Ted... Jack's involvement with the JSA was so limited I don't think of him as really being a member)
Hourman (the "intelligent machine colony from the 853rd century)
Cyclone
Green Lantern (Alan)
Black Canary (the original, Dinah Drake)
Power Girl
Robin (Earth 2)
Huntress (Helena Wayne, Earth 2)
4. Flash
3. Liberty Belle
2. Cyclone
1. Powergirl
Doctor Fate
Powergirl
Captain Marvel
Green Lantern
Wildcat
Captain Marvel
Flash
Stargirl
Powergirl
Black Panther
She Hulk
Spiderman
honorable mention: Ghost Rider
Captain Marvel
Hawkman (specifically Johns' return to glory for Carter Hall)
Hawkgirl (Kendra)
Jessie Quick/Liberty Belle
Honorable Mention: Jay Garrick
Top 5 in no particular order
Hawkman (with hawk mask, not the yellow face,
Mask)
Power Girl
Hourman (the robot)
Doctor Midnight (the classic)
Black Adam (loved that dynamic)
Star Girl
Hawkgirl
Huntress
Jessie Quick/Liberty Belle
Top 5 JSA (ladies only version)
#5) Power Girl — My favorite of the Super Squad characters introduced in the All-Star ’70s relaunch, PG is one non-original to make the list. Like everyone else on this list, my initial attraction to the character was the visual. I love her design: the short hair, the simple white with the blue and red accents, the low-slung belt, the cape over one shoulder, and, yes, the “window”—a very distinctive look. That was the hook, but the sinker was her attitude. I always enjoyed her interactions with Wildcat and Huntress in particular.
#4) Wildcat — Again, I love the costume. And as @JamieD mentioned, I love his rough-and-tumble, down to earth nature. And unlike a lot of the Golden Age heroes, his early stories are actually pretty good. One of my favorite convention sketches is a color marker sketch of Wildcat done by his co-creator Irwin Hasen.
#3) Dr. Fate (Kent Nelson) — This one is almost entirely down to the costume design—and for the record, I loath the half-mask. Worst. Idea. Ever. It took away everything about Dr. Fate that made him cool. If you go back and read the Golden Age stories (and I have), please just stop reading when you get to where the mask is changed (which occurs far too soon)—those stories are terrible. The earliest stories though, while a bit rough, have a weird Lovecraftian vibe, where he’s fighting evil wizards and mad scientists and ancient underwater races—cool stuff. And Howard Sherman’s art on those stories really fits the mood.
Dr. Fate also holds a special place with me because he’s what got me going to the comic shop regularly after a few years of being mostly out of comics. A promotional poster for the DeMatteis/MacManus series from the late ’80s drew me in like a moth to a flame.
#2) Hawkman (Carter Hall) — Reincarnated Egyptians, ancient weapons of history, and a super-cool costume—what more do you need? I’ve loved Hawkman since I read his origin in that treasury when I was 5. I mean, I like the sci-fi Hawkman too, but I prefer the original. Plus, his Golden Age strips featured some of best artists All-American (and later DC) had to offer—Dennis Neville, Sheldon Moldoff (even if he was blatantly swiping Alex Raymond), and especially a young Joe Kubert.
#1) Sandman (Wesley Dodds) — The pulpiest of the JSA heroes, and the coolest looking outside of Hawkman. It intrigued me that he would leave poems with his victims as his calling card. I got a book when I was fairly young that featured nothing but Golden Age covers, and one of the Adventure Comics covers featuring Sandman was included. It was one of my favorite covers in the book. Something about it made me want to know more about him. And those Golden Age stories were pretty decent, and the artwork was well above average, particularly Creig Flessel’s stuff. The Sandman Mystery Theater series is one of my all-time faves, which doesn’t hurt.
The cover I was talking about:
1. Hourman: Oh, yeah, it's stupid to take a pill that only lasts 1 hour, but hey that costume is AWESOME. The hood, the hour glass necklace, etc.
2. Wildcat: I was only 11 years old, so when I first saw this character I thought that Batman had lost his cape! But then I liked his simple origin and the fact that he was a boxing champ, relying on his skills and as someone above mentioned, "his grit."
3. Mr. Terrific: "Fair Play" I thought it was so usual to have a character wearing a uniform with a slogan on it. So golden age style!
4. Hawkman: Personally, I like the yellow-face mask. It's what separates him from the Earth-1 Hawkman. I like Hawkgirl also, but she's not on the cover.
5. Johnny Thunder and T-Bolt: Yeah, he played a large part of the story in JLA #55 and I liked how he helped defeat the orbs that kicked the other superheroes butts....
http://www.comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/21/13877_20051129231705_large.jpg
Great show, guys. I always love the top 5 lists.
Flash - Jay is the heart of the team in my opinion. You have to have Flash on the team, or it isn't even a JSA.
Star Girl - She brought an innocence to the team that I loved. Watching her grow into her role was one of the things I liked most about the team in recent years.
Red Tornado - Here's where I may get some nay sayers. It's not Ma Huckle, but the CURRENT Red Tornado from Earth-2, Lois Lane. (Spoilers. Sorry if you didn't know) I think this is a very fun idea full of potential and I can't wait to see how they flesh this one out. I loved this idea from the first second.
Dr. Fate - As many have said, this character is visually awesome. I've loved every version of this costume (including the current one) and I think the character is great as well.
Superman (Kal-L) - For all the reasons that Murd described. He Is everything a hero should be. He is a leader because the others respect him so much. He's a hero because it's right and he can be. He is the first!
If you want to see my list of honorable mentions, just look at the membership roster on Wikipedia. :).
2. Power Girl
3. Hawkman (Golden Age)
4. Dr. Midnight
5. Sandman