Writers: David S. Goyer & Geoff Johns Artists: Stephen Sadowski (p), Michael Bair (i), John Kalisz (c) publisher: DC Comics
Plot: the JSA’s seemingly unwinnable battle with Extant continues, and a possible winning strategy is revealed
This issue opens with Metron and a team of the JSA’s less experienced and several of its less powerful members in battle with Extant’s agents on a dark world of his creation. The team is outnumbered, and no one’s powers work normally. All seems lost.
However, it is revealed that the rest of the JSA, whom Metron and Extant had believed dead, has actually escaped and taken refuge in the world inside the amulet of Fate. We see that the JSA’s big guns have joined Dr. Fate and the Nelsons in reflecting on a way to beat Extant. Extant has the Worlogog discarded by Hourman, and can now see all space and all time, and therefore cannot be surprised. Fate visits Mordru, whom he has earlier entombed within the amulet, and obtains from him the possible answer: when Hourman discarded the Worlogog, he retained a tiny fragment. Thus, Extant’s “map” of space and time has a tiny blind sport of flaw that might be exploited against him, if he can be distracted.
As Extant prepares to wipe out the remaining JSA team, he is surprised first that he cannot “see” their next move, and second that they disappear and are replaced by the JSAers he thought dead. As the issue ends, Courtney and Mid-Nite track down the means of the real distraction: the imprisoned Dove (the second, female one), whom Extant (formerly Hawk) has reincarnated and imprisoned.
A great deal develops in this issue, and it’s a wildly enjoyable ride. Better still, where issue 13 was predictable, this one packs a couple of surprises. At the same time, the characterization, which seemed a little off last issue, is for the most part bang-on this time.
The art, as always with this team, is simply beautiful. I hope and expect Sadowski will join the ranks of “hot” pencillers before too long.
