JLA – Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Kevin Maguire — Mary Marvel Gets VERY Angry

May 5, 2023 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

Formerly Known As The Justice League #3, November 2003

Mary Marvel beats the nuclear daylights out of Captain Atom in this innovative, and terrific action page, by Kevin Maguire.

Everything about this page works for me: Storytelling, composition, movement, and the absolute rage on Mary’s face.

She’s pissed.

Of course, since it’s comics, and we know Mary is an otherwise lovely person, she’s clearly under some sort of mind control. Everything will eventually be fine, yes? Well, in this reunion of the classic 80s JLA creative team (Writers J.M. Dematteis and Keith Giffen, Maguire, and inker Joe Rubenstein) who can say?

Or maybe she’s just upset that the collection of this Eisner-winning series is unavailable. That annoys me, too.

Mike Sekowsky — Of An Era

June 21, 2022 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

Justice League of America #23, November 1963

Mike Sekowsky’s art and 70s pop music have characteristics in common for me:

As a kid, I didn’t like either of it, and now I look back on both with a sentimental warm feeling.

It’s not easy to explain. But I was warned by one of my older colleagues this would happen.

Sekowsky’s art always felt too loose (and blocky) for me. I realized he could draw any character of course, which made him the perfect illustrator for Justice League, but the end result never grabbed me.

Now as time has passed, and I smile when I see it. Possibly a primal nostalgic impulse. It seems like a perfect fit for the DC comics of the era.

This example, a cool Flash-focused page, with Wonder Woman on deep background, showcases some clear and inventive storytelling.

As for the draftsmanship? Like I said — things change. Now, it seems charming to me.

Excuse me a moment while I flip over Abba’s greatest hits on the turntable.

Dick Dillin — Come Together

August 24, 2021 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

The Atom and Hawkman #45, November 1969

As discussed earlier this year, 1961 is an anniversary for both the Sliver Age versions of Hawkman and The Atom.

Neither character was ultimately commercially viable for his own comic book, so DC tried combining two titles into one.

Unfortunately that didn’t work long either, but as they say, it was fun while it lasted.

Dick Dillin was one of DC”s “B-team” artists who deserves more respect than he typically receives.

Although his draftsmanship may not have been up to the higher levels of some of his peers, his ability to draw with imagination and solid storytelling was pretty on point in my book.

He pretty much drew every issue of Justice League of America for 12 years starting with issue #64 (1968) and ending with his untimely death at #183(1980). Considering all the various JLA crossovers (JSA, Freedom Fighters, etc.), Dillin likely drew hundreds of different heroes and villains during that time.

Just Atom and Hawkman? Piece of cake.

*The final individual issues of the Atom and Hawkman, and the first issue of the “new” title, The Atom and Hawkman.*

Bryan Hitch — Happy (Mostly) Together

April 3, 2021 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

JLA #50, February 2001

I’m not the ideal audience for Zach Snyder’s vision of the DC Universe.

I find it grim and dreary. Pretentious. Soulless.

Ultimately pointless.

These “Elseworlds” versions of the characters are for someone, obviously, just not me.

The four-hour version (“Snyder Cut”) of Justice League isn’t as much as a movie, but a living collection of splash pages, complete with sound effects.

If you’re an art fan, especially, there are indeed some gorgeous images, many conveniently unfolding in slow motion so you can catch all the visual eye candy without pausing the stream.

But, like I said, as a movie, not for me.

Bryan Hitch’s great cover from 20 years ago (!) is the type of iconic image of the team I can embrace. Superman happy. Batman grumpy. Everyone else somewhere in between.

That seems about right.

Fun fact: The JLA has had dozens — if not hundreds — of incarnations during its 60-year run, but here, if you swap Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner version) for Cyborg, you end up with the modern Snyder team.