Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Tag: JSA

Alex Ross — Justice Is Served

Original Art and The Artists

Giclee, Warner Brothers Store, 1997

Concluding our three-week tribute to the 80th anniversary of the JSA, with one special bonus post.

Alex Ross presents pretty much the entire classic Justice Society of America (16 heroes) in one fantastic image.

As noted earlier, I rarely post anything other than actual originals, but this piece is so great, it deserves its own showcase.

Other than perhaps the irony of Superman and Batman in the forefront (they barely appeared in the Golden Age JSA), this is everything you want, and more, in a exceptional photorealistic painting.

There seem to be many versions available of his image; mine is the large canvas, which I believe was limited to either 10 or 100. Unfortunately, the numbering was handwritten in sharpie marker, and like my Mickey Mantle and Sandy Koufax autographs (seriously), the numbering has faded into oblivion.

I sure hope I find that “certificate of authenticity” someday.

(A smaller version of the image is available for purchase here, and other versions have appeared in auction at Heritage and other houses.)

Superman and Batman make their rare cover appearance in the original All-Star Comics, and Alex Ross paints a gorgeous “modern” incarnation of the JSA, with none of the “big three” (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman) in sight.

Tony Harris — 60 Minutes

Original Art and The Artists

Hourman #22, January 2001

Continuing our celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Justice Society of America, with each new post featuring a different classic JSA character.

Hourman’s third incarnation becomes trippier in the amazing hands of Tony Harris, who drew this issue as a fill-in for series regular Rags Morales.

I’ve discussed my appreciation for Harris’ art previously, and his Starman and Ex- Machina series are definitive achievements. I also love his cover work, and this is a fine example, with a rare hand-drawn logo.

As for this incarnation of Hourman? He’s not Rex Tyler, the original version of Hourman, nor his son, Rick Tyler. He’s Mathew Tyler, and android from the future who has incorporated Tyler DNA… and well, you have to read it for yourself.

Hourman has also had a bit of a TV career, appearing on Justice League Unlimited and Legends of Tomorrow. Both the Rex and Rick Tyler versions will apparently appear in the new Stargirl series as well

Hourman swings into the Golden Age in his first ever appearance, and, like many of his JSA colleagues(including Doctor Fate), returns during the Silver Age superhero revival. All three “Hourmen” appear together in JSA #65 in 2004.

Alan Davis — There Goes The Neighborhood

Original Art and The Artists

JSA #19, February 2001

I have a sweet spot for the Spectre, and I love the way he dominates this Alan Davis cover of this issue of the Justice Society. Despite the fact that I am an enthusiastic fan of Davis’ work, this is the first (and only) cover he drew that I own. I should rectify that one of these days.

As a young teen, I was the perfect age for the crazy, but brief, Bronze Age version of the character written by Michael Fleisher and wonderfully drawn by Jim Aparo, which featured woeful fates for the character’s antagonists. This version of Spectre arrives  (early 1974) at nearly the exact same time as does another anti-hero, the Punisher, across town at Marvel comics.  

Justice is served, indeed.

Comic book historian Les Daniels discussed the origin of this version of the character in DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World’s Favorite Comic Book Heroes:

“Joe Orlando was mugged and decided the world needed a really relentless super hero. The character came back with a vengeance … and quickly became a cause of controversy. Orlando plotted the stories with writer Michael Fleisher, and they emphasized the gruesome fates of criminals who ran afoul of the Spectre. The Comics Code had recently been liberalized, but this series pushed its restrictions to the limit, often by turning evildoers into inanimate objects and then thoroughly demolishing them. Jim Aparo’s art showed criminals being transformed into everything from broken glass to melting candles, but Fleisher was quick to point out that many of his most bizarre plot devices were lifted from stories published decades earlier.”

I had only recently discovered the classic EC Comics horror tiles, and these gruesome fates seemed to meld together the supernatural, horror and superhero tropes into one wonderful blended margarita of storytelling.

Definitely worth my 20 cents.

Fun fact: 1974 is indeed the year of the anti-hero. Wolverine appears for the first time a few months later. It took a while, but in 1982, a catchphrase summed up his personality. “I’m the best there is at what I do, but what I do best isn’t very nice.” Snikt!

The Spectre appears… and reappears. First appearances, Golden Age, Silver Age and Bronze Age.

Mark Bagley — Green Energy = Clean Energy?

Original Art and The Artists

Justice League of America #43 (2006 Series), May 2010

The super-talented Mark Bagley has only spent three years (so far, at least) of his 30-year career at DC. But during that tenure, he worked on the weekly Trinity book as well as JLA/JSA, so he drew many of the DCU’s mainstay characters — some with multiple versions. On this great splash page, we see Alan Scott, the Green Lantern of Earth 2 having a power surge issue. (With terrific inks by Norm Rapmund, and ultimately when printed, great colors by Pete Pantazis.) I love the “camera angle” that Mark chose, enhancing the drama.

Earth 2, Earth 3, Earth Prime, Earth 616, whatever. Bring them on. I’ve been fascinated by the multiverse concept ever since I purchased my first JSA/JLA crossover annual event off the racks in the summer of 1967. Even when it gets confusing, I’m still a fan.

And while we are at it, bring back Fringe, too.

  • This started my journey down the rabbit hole…
  • …and I’m still down there…