Justice Society of America Kingdom Come Special: Thy Kingdom #1

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA KINGDOM COME SPECIAL: THE KINGDOM
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Fernando Pasarin

While this JSA Kingdom Come one-shot shares many of the same problems as the previous specials, I found I enjoyed it far more than those previous offerings.

In fact, this read a lot like it would be the next issue of JSA as opposed to a random one-shot filling in unnecessary details, as the previous two one-shots did.

However, that is both a blessing and a curse, as, while I'm enjoying the current JSA, it reads painfully slow as the story taking baby steps forward with every issue. This issue is no different as it takes its time exploring the changes in personality of the recently beautified Damage and the other worshippers of Gog. It is the sixth day of Gog's walking the Earth and he is taking a day of rest. While resting, he asks these followers to spread the word of his good deeds to counter those of the non-believing JSA members.

Damage is more than happy to do this for Gog and, while speaking with media, is confronted by Atom Smasher and Star Spangled Kid, which leads to the typical super hero conflict. After some lengthy talk between Atom Smasher and Damage, it appears Damage is beyond redemption and full enthralled with Gog at this point, even going so far as to destroy his father's former home and all the remaining mementos of said father, much to Atom Smasher's dismay.

Just as Atom Smasher is about to take revenge for this, the JSA and, shortly after, Magog show up to put an end to the fighting. Gog has summoned everyone back and Magog teleports Damage away before anything can come of the JSA's arrival.

However, to mark the seventh day of Gog's labours, he demands that all that follow him kneel before him and worship him as a god, leaving everyone in shock, mouths gaping open and unable to fathom the change in Gog.

Verdict - Check It. While I did enjoy the issue more than previous Kingdom Come specials, it still suffers from the extreneous nature of these stories and whether or not they actually needed to be told. Much of this issue could have been summed up in 3-4 pages in a regular issue of JSA as opposed to forcing us to pay for this extra issue. JSA fans will still enjoy this issue and, again, I did, too. For everyone else, there's little point to picking this up.

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