In 1997, DC Comics’ Justice League
of America rose to a status the property had not seen for several years, in a
comics series entitled JLA. The closest one could come to describing said
status in one word might be “epic”.
Writer Grant Morrison and artist
Howard Porter quickly became a fan-favorite combination, as they hit the ground
running with a tale of alien super beings coming to earth to make it a
utopia. As they go about solving the
world’s problems, their popularity with the masses increases, as the JLA begin
to fade in the eyes of the public. Of
course, as one would expect, this group of benevolent do-gooders is not all
it’s cracked up to be. Things get
larger-than-life from there.
The ambition of Morrison and Porter
was evident from the beginning. They
were not satisfied with just creating huge scenarios for the characters to be
involved in, thus rising to the occasion.
Instead, they seemed to be tailoring the plots TO these heroes, who they
already considered to be operating on a grand scale. A great example of that would be an addition
to the team roster early in the creators’ run: the angel Zauriel. When the winged denizen of Heaven comes to
earth, he’s pursued by an unfriendly angelic host. Suffice it to say, the JLA does not shrink
from the challenge. Like I said, “epic”.
Morrison’s plots were engaging from
beginning to end, and his handling of the characters somehow managed to make
them seem fresh, despite their long histories.
Combined with Porter’s realism-based artwork, the drama and scale of
which have not been topped since, it produced reading and viewing material that
is a must for any fan of superhero tales.
Issues 1 though 41 of JLA are recommended for teen and adult
readers. Several issues in that run were
fill-ins, but also of high-quality. Find
them at your local comics shop, and online retailers and auctions. But, try your comics shop first.
Review by
Mark Allen
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