Justice League 7 is better than the first 6

[madmarva]

After being fairly unimpressed by Justice League 1-6, except for a few character interactions, I have to say Justice League No. 7 was quite good.

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This isn't the JLA we all feel in love with in the past on a lot of levels. They are supported by a unit of the military tagged A.R.G.U.S., of which Col. Steve Trevor is the chief.

Evidently, the organization not only provides tactical support for the Justice League, but also PR, communication with Congress and free eats. Hal Jordan continues to be the biggest mooch and jerk in comics. Notice who doesn't get an umbrella.

On first impression Trevor has the makings of an excellent character, perhaps the best I've read in the relaunch. The DCnU's Etta Candy is also introduced.

As for the first installment of the Shazam story, it's pretty interesting, too. You can tell Geoff Johns has seen "Boys Town" and Billy Batson is somewhat like Micky Rooney's role in the film. Sivana is introduced and he's physically the opposite of what he was, other than still being bald. Again, this isn't the Captain Marvel we all know, love and prefer, but it wasn't bad for 8 pages of setup.

[The Toyroom]

I dumped this book after the initial 6... I didn't want to get sucked in with more nonsense...and I had the feeling the new spin on "Shazam" would just make me sad...

[samurainoir]

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On first impression Trevor has the makings of an excellent character, perhaps the best I've read in the relaunch. The DCnU's Etta Candy is also introduced.

As for the first installment of the Shazam story, it's pretty interesting, too. You can tell Geoff Johns has seen "Boys Town" and Billy Batson is somewhat like Micky Rooney's role in the film. Sivana is introduced and he's physically the opposite of what he was, other than still being bald. Again, this isn't the Captain Marvel we all know, love and prefer, but it wasn't bad for 8 pages of setup.

you pretty much captured my thoughts on the issue.

I really like the return of return of the soap opera to the Wonder Woman characters and look forward to seeing her in what could potentially be a complex adult relationship with Trevor. Although I did like Gail Simone's Etta Candy in the previous run.

I was taken aback by Sivana given that they probably should avoid grafting Luthor onto the character, but I can roll. They do seem to be writing for the movie here.

[Random Axe]

The only way I can see myself reading any future Shazam books is if they bring the respect level to where it needs to be and make him fully Supermans equal. If this new universe is indeed permanent then Supes will need someone counterto himself.

[The Toyroom]

The only way I can see myself reading any future Shazam books is if they bring the respect level to where it needs to be and make him fully Supermans equal. If this new universe is indeed permanent then Supes will need someone counterto himself.

It's only as permanent as the next reboot...Which is inevitable at some point when sales slide. That's been DC's modus operandi for close to the last ten years.

[madmarva]

^You're right about Sivana. His whole schtick was to be opposite of Captain Marvel — old, crabby, feeble, ugly and sinisterly smart, with Cap being young, brawny, happy and optimistically naive while still having the wisdom of Solomon.

Luthor and a clean-shaven Hugo Strange were my first thoughts when seeing the character. Bad choices at first look on Sivana.

I did kind of like the tough-kid attitude of Billy. In the golden age, he was a male little orphan Annie type, but his portrayal here is more realistic of a kid who grew up in foster care. Making him tough and a little bit of a con man on the exterior isn't a bad choice, and doesn't mean that he won't eventually show the heart that makes Shazam a hero.

Perez and Simone both made Candy a likable, viable character. I never took to Steve Trevor as a character. He was a less-interesting male Lois Lane, to me. But this characterization I like.

I know DC sold a boatload of copies of JL 1-6, so it's tough to question its decision, but it might have been smarter to start the title with a story like No. 7, which told me a whole lot more about the way this new world sees the JL and how the team really is than the entire first arc.

I can understand why Anthony and others might be dropping JL because I'm still on the fence. I was really more interested in the Shazam reboot than the JL story before reading the comic, but if Johns and whomever the artist is delivers more issues like 7 and fewer like 1-6, I'll be more likely to stick with it. That's not a criticism of Lee, either. His art will keep the book selling at a certain level, but it will Johns that either does or doesn't make the book worth reading.

[thunderbolt]

Love the title of this thread, its like saying Police Academy 7 is better than 6.

[madmarva]

It's only as permanent as the next reboot...Which is inevitable at some point when sales slide. That's been DC's modus operandi for close to the last ten years.

I would think at some point the re-boot would have to kick Didio in the butt and out the door. He wanted a reboot after Infinite Crisis, but Levitz wouldn't allow it. I kind of wish he had because it might not have been as harsh as this current one and this one might not have been deemed necessary.

[boynightwing]

I didn't realize this was the Shazam story. I didn't pick it up. So far I've been less then impressed with the new Justice League. At first I thought "Hey! Jim Lee and Geoff Johns! How could this be a bad team up?" but then I remember a few years ago thinking "Hey! Jim Lee and Frank Miller! How could this be a bad team up?", so there you have it...

I like a good many things about the "New 52". Aquaman, Wonder Woman, various Bat titles but JLA didn't do it for me.

Count me in as being a Didio hater. That dude is full of himself and I don't think he has a clue what he's doing. He wanted Nightwing to die in one of their stupid Crisisisis. Crisisease? And he's lost my confidence permanently. Though he never had it. I had no clue who he was until that moment...
He's got to go.

[boynightwing]

I might have...downloaded it.

Here's my question. How can Geoff John's bring Hal Jordan back from the dead, writes all these amazing Green Lantern stories which literally redefines the character, but he can't figure out how to write him in a group dynamic with the Justice League? I don't get it...if you want a silly fun character, you need only bring Wally West back. He did it with style and didn't come off looking like an a hole.