The Good
James Robinson successfully meshes the Justice League characters with members of the Justice Society in this issue. The two teams are well represented and interact well with one another. Robinson draws on elements such as the " Starheart" and incorporates them into the storyline virtually effortlessly. I found myself thinking that the writer must have had new readers in mind when he wrote this considering how organized the issue is laid out. Alan Scott is well represented in this issue, and readers are given a brief introduction to his character as well as the significance of the "Starheart." If you haven't been reading up on the series, this issue is a good place to start since it acts as a prelude to a new story arc that will feature Alan Scott. However, is this the Alan Scott we know and love?== TEASER ==
While he appeared rather briefly, I really enjoyed the portrayal of Mr. Terrific's character in this issue. I thought his dialogue was, well, terrific. Yeah, I went there. Often times in major team books I feel certain characters are neglected, but Robinson really brings Mr. Terrific's character to the forefront as the representative of the JSA.
While I have never been much of a fan of Jade's character, I really enjoyed her portrayal here. Prior to this issue, I always felt that Jade was simply Kyle Rayner's ex girlfriend, and I really felt that Robinson tried to define her character here. In this issue, Robinson delves considerably into Jade's character by addressing her present situation- in fact, at times it seems she is almost psychoanalyzing herself. Robinson is defining her character by giving her a personality while simultaneously setting up for a major event that is sure to impact her tremendously.
Mark Bagley not only draws some stunning pictures, but he captures the full momentum and emotion of all of the characters in this issue. The two side by side pages of Alan Scott and Jade two pages into the issue really stood out to me and it felt almost like a foreshadowing of things to come.