When Jeff Remia and Diego Orotegui began running for the JSA, they returned to the core of their team, the legacy of generations. However, they did not talk about the different perspectives of the younger generation compared to the older generation. Instead, Lemire and Olortegui focused on how both groups dealt with the same issue. The young heroes ultimately appreciate the experience and wisdom of their old counterparts. Similarly, older heroes have come to understand the importance of encouraging their younger counterparts to become the best heroes they can be.
In the penultimate issue of the “Ragarök” storyline, both generations of JSA heroes are reunited to confront an injustice society that currently owns the fate and the Doctor’s fate’s spear. The Injustice Society appears to be successful in their goals, but the beat hits in JSA #11 are not a battle of good and evil, but rather a complicated emotion that both heroes and villains experience. This is best captured by the interaction of Ruby Sokov and Alan Scott, especially considering the latter’s history with his father.
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One of Lemia’s strengths as a writer through his first JSA story arc is his ability to capture the complexity of relationships, whether between young people and old people, heroes and villains. One thread that Lemire continues from Geoff Johns’ JSA Run in Issue #11 is Alan, Alan and Red Lantern, Vladimir Sokov, aka “Johnny Ladd.” As he explored in Tim Sheridan and Cyan Tohmy’s Alan Scott: Green Lantern Miniseries, despite learning ominous plans during World War II, Alan never stopped him from loving “Johnny.”
In Lemia’s story, the complicated relationship between Alan and “Johnny” is manifested in his desire to still help the latter daughter in a way that goes beyond Helena Wayne’s desire to rehabilitate her. The latter went outside of time and space for the Justice League: Dark Tomorrow event, not JSA. Alan shows legitimate concern over Ruby’s sudden heel turn. This is not only captured through Olortegui’s pencils, as well as the writing of the two characters of Lemire.
More specifically, Oroltegui concisely captures the regrets that both characters experience through facial expressions due to the decisions they made separately. Oroltegui shows that Ruby’s regret is betraying the JSA as part of his quest to find her missing father, and Alan appears to regret not doing enough to help her. This is especially true because he originally refused to reject Huntress’ desire to hire Ruby in his team at the American Justice Association.
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Another relationship Lemire and Olortegui explore a detailed investigation on previous pages of JSA #11. This is the falling marriage of Rick Tyler and Jesse Quick. Like Ruby and Alan, Lemia and Orolutegui present Jesse and Rick as two emotionally complicated individuals who don’t know how to deal with marriage issues. Rick is very clear to be with Jesse, but the latter is not sure she is still in love with Rick like in the past. The emotional depth of these two characters is best captured by Orolutegui’s art, which emphasizes Rick’s sadness over the possibility of losing his marriage and Jesse’s regret over hurting him over his regret. Olortegui’s art also speaks to the strength of Lemire’s script.
The only drawback of Jesse and Rick Sub Arc is that it feels like a storyline suitable for a miniseries, not the main JSA storyline where the team is fighting a rigged society. In that respect, this subarc feels completely out of place. The only other drawback for Lemire to investigate this relationship in detail is that readers must already be familiar with the storyline of the two heroes of the 2000s JSA Run. For fans who are already familiar with how these two characters were developed 20 years ago, this feels like a continuation of their story. But for readers who have jumped around without prior knowledge of development from 20 years ago, they may suddenly have a married couple’s problem.
While the penultimate issue isn’t actually a climax, Lemire and Olortegui still make up for the lack of a big shakeup by continuing to focus on the characters that drive the JSA. Lemire and Olortegui not only limit this to the heroes themselves, but their villains, but both creators do an exceptional job to show how the villain’s actions inform their growth and how the heroes they fight. The storyline is unlikely to end in an epic battle, but this is ultimately unimportant as the strength of “Ragnarok” is not the destination itself, but the actual journey.
“JSA” #11 reunites heroes but offers better
JSA #11
JSA #11 Justice Society and Injustice Society, but the strength of the story lies in the emotional depths of the heroes and villains.
Jeff Remair offers an emotionally driven story with a powerful script.
Diego Ortegui’s artwork is dynamic and conveys emotional depth.
I feel that Jesse Quick and Rick Tyler’s storyline is a bit off, and blue may make you feel sick for readers who are not yet familiar with the JSA run of the 2000s.
