Justice Society of America #12 – Geoff Johns, Writer; Todd Nauck, Artist; Matt Herms, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: Before I get into the bold new era of DC, it feels fitting to look at the last comic of the old era in more ways than one. Geoff Johns has defined DC for over twenty years, starting with the character of Stargirl – who is very personal to him. But now Geoff is off to begin a wild new era as an indie comic showrunner, shepherding the entire Ghost Machine line at Image. All that’s left to do is say goodbye – which he does with this Stargirl-focused issue with art by iconic Young Justice artist Todd Nauck. This run essentially finished up last issue (a little messily), so there’s no major plot threads this issue – just an emotional coda, as Stargirl finally takes the last steps into her new journey. She’s been “the kid” of the JSA since Johns began his run, so it’s only fitting that we return to where it all began – Blue Valley High School, as Courtney faces an old enemy and reflects on how far she’s come.
Courtney narrates the entire issue, discussing the curveballs that have come into her life – accompanied by gorgeous double-paged spreads that spotlight the different eras of the JSA, featuring hundreds of characters. It’s not until the end that we realize why – this is her graduation speech, truly marking the end of an era for one of DC’s most iconic young heroes (she even gets her braces off!). It’s a wonderful way to send Geoff Johns off, and I love seeing the tributes to the unconventional family she’s wound up embracing – including Pat, who became her father in a way her biological one never did. I couldn’t ask for a better way to say goodbye to this era of DC Comics. I’m not sure what’ll come next for Stargirl – hopefully another writer will have the love for the character that’s needed to keep her a mainstay in the DCU. But for now, this one perfect issue is the ideal send-off.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
