Justice Society of America #16 Review

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #16
Written by Geoff Johns and Alex Ross
Art by Dale Eaglesham

I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this issue, despite the fact it was basically just a talking heads issue after months of what amounted to filler in my eyes and having the rug pulled out from under us last month (more like a couple weeks wasn't it?) with the non-fight from Alan Scott, in Kingdom Come Green Lantern armour, Obsidian and the fake Gog. As you can guess, I've been less than impressed by the snail's pace Johns has employed on this Thy Kingdom Come arc, as if he was milking it for all its worth.

But this review is about the current issue and my former misgivings have no bearing on how good this issue was, and it was damn good, and the real Gog is one creepy Third World New God. That smile of his gives me the creeps everytime I see it.

He spends the majority of this issue delivering on his promise that he comes in peace, going so far as to cure a village rife with disease from water pollution and, by issue's end, he even restores Damage's disfigured face, another sign of goodwill to one of the more outspoken protestors to the supposedly peaceful Gog.

If you came in expecting head cracking and god slaying or more Kingdom Come references, you'll find very little of that here. I don't think a single puch was thrown this issue outside a flashback to Damage's father. It's very much the talking heads issue I describe it as and my favourite scenes were with Mr Terrific attempting to communicate with Gog and Gog completely ignores him.

Amazing Man steps in, claiming Mr Terrific is a man of science talking to a god and he should let someone with a little more faith speak to him. Mr T is incredulous of the suggestion, but relents and, as if on cue, Gog responds to Amazing Man. They have a few scenes making jokes about Mr Terrific's lack of faith and Gog's responses that were some of the highlights of the issue for me.

Finally, the best part of the issue, for me at least, was the return of Black Adam! He was laying in an open coffin in the Tomb of Isis as some would-be grave robbers came looking for treasure. Adam grabs one by the throat and shouts Shazam. Johns spares us the gruesome death scenes I had grown accustomed to in Black Adam's recent mini-series, but he does go on to try and explain why he gave Mary Marvel his powers, which was an attempt to have her 'change' his powers through her use of them, hopeful they would change in a way to help him revive Isis, knowing full well she would eventually reject them. Unfortunately for him, the powers returned to him unchanged and he's been left in despair.

Verdict - Must Read. Very enjoyable issue and this Gog story has taken a strange twist that has me wanting to find out more. Obviously, this Gog must be faking his goodwill, but why and what's it all leading to, outside the rebirth of Magog? Oh, and did I mention Black Adam was in this? Yeah, that almost makes it a Must Read by itself. The rest is just gravy.

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