Stars and STRIPE Vol 2 by Geoff Johns

[samurainoir]

I just started reading this and I'm enjoying it a great deal! I had read the 1st trade paperback of Stars and STRIPE and I have to admit that I found it a bit too precious and given that it was Geoff Johns first work in comics, you can tell he's still finding his feet as a writer.

It might have been that he was collaborating so closely with James Robinson and David Goyer, but he really comes into his own as a solo writer with the second volume of Stars and STRIPE focusing much more on the "legacy" aspect of the character.

I can see why they have published this under the JSA PRESENTS banner given the fact that it starts to fill in the gaps between Robinson's Starman and JSA. Particularly in it's exploration of the relationship between Starman Ted Knight and the original Star Spangled Kid. We even get a glimpse of Jack Knight's Punk days that Robinson aluded to in the pages of Starman.

Also... Seven Soldier's of Victory!

Check it out if you're into JSA and Robinson's Starman!

[Earth 2 Chris]

I need to get these. I did buy the zero and 1st issues, and read the bit with Ted and Sylvester. It's been so long its kind of difficult to remember how JSA basically spun out of Starman.

Chris

[samurainoir]

I need to get these. I did buy the zero and 1st issues, and read the bit with Ted and Sylvester. It's been so long its kind of difficult to remember how JSA basically spun out of Starman.

Chris

And The Golden Age!

I hadn't realized they had put the JSA logo on the latest printing.


Interesting that they kept the "Elseworlds" logo on it given the fact that Johns, Robinson and others have been treating it as being "in continuity" and even mentioned events from The Golden Age within the pages of JSA, Starman and other titles.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Wow, that's a switch!

Yes, Golden Age is most definitely "in continuity" as far as Robinson was concerned. He referenced Ted Knight's nervous breakdown quite often.

Golden Age is a fantastic series, with one HELLUVA twist to it that I don't think anyone saw coming. What a great read.

Chris

[samurainoir]

Is there anything particularly "out of continuity" with the Golden Age?

I know it doesn't paint Atom Al Pratt, Johnny Thunder or Robotman in particularly good light, but I actually think that works to make the characters that much more interesting. Keeping in mind that it's often characters within the context of the book itself that are expressing some of the derogatory things about them. I think it says more about the characters saying it and their own conjecture than anything else.

Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle's tumultuous relationship was certainly reflected in the contemporary DCU.

I don't remember Infinity Inc too much, did the addictive qualities of Miraclo start in The Golden Age or was it started with Rick Tyler in the pages of Infinity Inc?


One thing I've just noticed with the Stars and STRIPE vol 2 trade... in the splash page with Infinity Inc, Power Girl is colored as a brunette with a red and blue costume. What's up with that?

[Earth 2 Chris]

One thing I've just noticed with the Stars and STRIPE vol 2 trade... in the splash page with Infinity Inc, Power Girl is colored as a brunette with a red and blue costume. What's up with that?

That goof was in the original story. Don't ask. Some comic colorists apparently never look at the things. It's why no one has colored Dick Grayson's Robin costume right in 20 years.

I think there are elements in "The Golden Age" which didn't jibe with established continuity at the time. And maybe Robotman going totally knackers was one of them. Most of it was established by Roy Thomas, and slowly Robinson, and then Johns, took over for him as the keeper of the JSA flame, so it didn't matter as much later.

Chris

[Riffster]

What's the deal with GL and Jay and Wildcat going out of thier way to keep her single? they scared off Billy/Shazam, and now Damage is told to dump her for her own good? huh?

[The Toyroom]

What's the deal with GL and Jay and Wildcat going out of thier way to keep her single? they scared off Billy/Shazam, and now Damage is told to dump her for her own good? huh?

Damage or Atom Smasher? I know they're similar but I don't recall Damage and Stargirl having any interest in each other...whereas Atom Smasher and Stargirl did. Last I knew, Damage and the new Judomaster were making googly eyes at each other.....

[The Toyroom]

Yes, Golden Age is most definitely "in continuity" as far as Robinson was concerned. He referenced Ted Knight's nervous breakdown quite often.

Golden Age is a fantastic series, with one HELLUVA twist to it that I don't think anyone saw coming. What a great read.

James Robinson was ON FIRE with Golden Age.....what the heck happened though? His Superman stuff SUCKS now!

[Riffster]

Atom smasher then, but the last page when the 3 of them said it was for the best... Is she supposed to be alone or something?

[samurainoir]

What's the deal with GL and Jay and Wildcat going out of thier way to keep her single? they scared off Billy/Shazam, and now Damage is told to dump her for her own good? huh?

Not sure what's going on with Damage, but I think the built in drama around Captain Marvel was the fact that the elder statesmen of the JSA did not realize that his alter ego of Billy Batson was really around the same age as Stargirl. So for a grown man to be behaving in such an inappropriate manner with a young teenage girl, it makes perfect sense for them to have objections in those earlier issues since they weren't privy to Billy's secret identity as Stargirl was.

[bobws]

i always loved the S&S book and loved the writing. i'm so glad courtney is a major player in the JSA.