http://www.newsarama.com/comics/120817-JLA-McDuffieB.html
Looks like time for a new lineup.
This reminds me of two other JL eras.
1. Detroit, after the Satellite era disbanded.
2. International, which brought us out of the Detroit disaster.
Writer Grant Morrison showed us how good a JLA based on the founding team could be. Joe Kelly reminded us that if the story focused too much on the lesser heroes, the feeling was lost. Brad Meltzer came in and showed us that the team could be great with most of the founders and a few others thrown in for character development, similar to the Satellite era.
While I love the secondary characters, a Justice League without Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern really makes no sense. I know its been done before, but I bet any issue of JLA with those 3 on the cover outsells any other grouping on the cover.
So, if its time to pick new members, who would I, a fan since the mid 70′s put on the team? Wow, my first several picks are not available. In fact many are currently dead. Maybe the Justice League Unlimited cartoon is a place to look for ideas. Old line ups certainly are too.
Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman gone.
Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Elongated Man, Blue Beetle, Rocket Red, Aztek, the New Gods – all dead.
Hal, Ollie, Ray Palmer, Batwoman, Supergirl, Shazam in the other JL book. – I’d just put Barry and Dinah here as well.
Black Lightning, GeoForce, Metamorpho in Outsiders.
Flash Wally and Red Arrow are in The Titans. Kyle logically goes in this group.
Hawkgirl goes back to Hawkman and the JSA.
Red Tornado has quit.
Booster is out in time.
Captain Atom is now a villain.
That leaves us with:
Green Lantern – Stewart.
Vixen
Firestorm
Zatanna
Plastic Man
Steel
Fire
Ice
Wow. Not much star power there.
Not enough star power means low sales. Batman was pulled in to salvage the Detroit team. The JLI got Batman, a GL (Guy) and Captain Marvel to start. The Outsiders makes sense when Batman leads them and Superman leads the League. To me, No Superman and No Batman makes no sense. (Then again, a Young Titans without Tim, Bart, and Connor makes no sense either.)
Thanks to www.comiccovers.com for the pictures.
You forgot Icon and Dr. Light in your final line-up. I’m just sayin’……
-R
I’ve been out of the loop for a while, I didn’t realize half those characters were dead,although you know they’ll all come back.To me the JLA is the big 7, maybe substitute Jonn for Hawkman and throw in robin as an honorary member with guest appearances by the atom and Ollie, since I was raised on superfriends.
Why isn’t anyone giving the new JLA a chance to tell stories without the big 3? (or J’onn, Aquaman, and Hal, as well.) While I appreciate the classic 7 JLAers, and I thought Morrison’s run was wonderful, I don’t feel that they should keep reverting to that lineup- remember, the previous JLA title was for the majority of its run- the big 7 and Plastic Man, not exactly much variety there.
My favorite has been the satellite era, with this new lineup a very close second.
Variety is good.
I think Firehawk would be a great candidate… She’s totally untapped potential…
With Birds of Prey cancelled they could snag the Huntress, and I think it’s time for Gypsy to make a return now that she has more experience…
I somewhat agree. Not sure where they are going with this, but I don’t see why you can’t use characters in multiple groups (they do it with Batman). Bring a few JSA’ers into the group. Bring in Nightwing. Grab a GL…and toss in Supergirl (or someone now from the Krypton storyline). They can still put a decent group together, and tie them in with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman Characters. Will I buy it? As long as the story is good. And that’s what matters to me. Over my time as a comic collector…I have quit buying Superman, Batman, and JLA books before because the story flat out blew. If they want to do a JLA book without Supes, bats and WW…get Geoff Johns to do it, and it won’t matter…good stuff.
I think it needs to be the right balance.
The Big 7 have to be there along with some more members that play off of them.
Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Flash Barry Allen, Aquaman Arthur Curry and Martian Manhunter.
Plus: Green Arrow, Black Canary, Vixen, Firestorm, Hawkgirl, Plastic Man and Red Tornado.
I’ve been thinking for a few days now and I think their best solution would be to establish a new core ‘trinity’ within the league; Dinah, John Stewart, and Barry. While I too, think Dinah and Barry would fit in with Hal’s league, it seems McDuffie has invested in establishing Dinah as taking her role as JLA chair very seriously. As far as Barry goes, he’s coming back after a 20 plus year hiatus. What better exposure to a new fanbase, than to be a core member of DC’s flagship team? Also, it seems like Robinson is excited about writing his team just the way it is. John Stewart? No reason for him to go anywhere.
To this mix, hopefully add the real Aquaman if he comes back in Final Crisis. It also seems that Carter/Katar may be joining again. That’s a pretty solid core with some good League history.
We also know Dr. Light is joining and isn’t Icon supposed to join as well? (Not a huge fan of either character, but I’m not in charge, so there you go.)
Don’t care for Vixen much, 2 hawks is redundant so ship Kendra back to the JSA and without her, there isn’t much of a reason for Roy to stick around, plus he has the Titans.
As for other members:
Zatanna, Firestorm, the new Batman (c’mon, we all know its gonna be Dick), and why could Black Lightning not be on two teams? I would be thrilled to see a resurrected Ted Kord join as well.
Anyhow, that would give us: Flash (Barry), Black Canary, GL (John), Aquaman, Hawkman, Firestorm, Batman (Dick), Zee, Black Lightning, Blue Beetle, Dr. Light, and Icon.
Is it a great lineup? No, but its not horrible.
-R
I have never liked Stewart. He was okay in JLU. Hal all the way. Two Hawks aren’t redundant if they are MARRIED. It was an interesting dynamic in the seventies and early eighties.
I love Vixen and think she has her place on the team. I also like Gypsy a lot but there cannot me too many women on the team (to sell comics). JLofA will not sell without Batman and Superman on it. I think they should go with a core of 14 with 8 reserves who are used frequently.
Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern (Jordan), Flash (Allen), Aquaman, Hawkman (Hol), Green Arrow, Black Canary, Black Lightning, Dr. Light, Vixen, and Gypsy
*Reserves – Red Tornado Hawkwoman (Hol), Firestorm (Raymond), Atom (Palmer), Zatanna, Firehawk, Plastic Man, and Animal Man.
Kendra can go back to JSA and Carter Hall can join her. There are a billion GLs you cannot tell me two hawkmen are not possible. Then we can have the real crossovers like in the Silver Age. I can dream, can’t I?