Justice Society of America 80-page Giant #1 - DC

This issue is really kind of a cautionary tale for this group. I have a feeling that these stories are kind of set up to be a segue from the main Justice Society title, to it's JSA All Stars spin-off. Things are changing for the Justice League, and they think that it's all revolving around an orb that Dr Fate created, the previous Dr Fate. It contains some kind of spell, and they're thinking that the new Dr Fate somehow switched it on. However, I think that it's just magnifying and shining a light on the cracks in the team that are already there. That's basically the story that Matthew Sturges and Freddie Williams II frames all the other stories in. The story is kind of set up like a House of Secrets story. Basically something is happening to the mansion, and while exploring in teams, different things are happening to it's members. The first story is about Maxine and Mr America, the new one. They kind of end up in a room together and they give each other a little information into their backgrounds. It's by James Robinson, Neal Edwards and Wayne Faucher. Next we have a story about Steel . Somehow he ends up on the roof, in the garden, and he finds out that he can talk to the statues of his mother and brother. Whether it's really happening or not . . I don't know. But he believes it is. It's by Flicia D Henderson and Renato Guedes. Next Amazing Man is confronted by some of the elementals that give him his power. We learn a little bit about him, and they teach him that he can transfer his powers to others, for a short period of time, to save them. That could be a useful piece of information. This chapter is by Kevin Grevioux and Roberto Castro. Next Wildcat, the younger one, finds himself going through his father's past . . literally. I'm not sure what he's supposed to learn, but he doesn't take the information very well. In fact after this . . I think he kind of hates his dad. We also see the original Huntress in this story. Jerry Ordway writes and draws this one. Then Maxine ends up in the roof-top garden with Power Girl. There they have to help Wildcat fight Icicle. Maxine ends up stopping him, but then . . Wildcat, Power Girl and Icicle all disappear on her. This story is by Jan Van Meter and Jesus Merino. Finally we get a little story about Damage. In it Dr Midnite helps him find out that the cancer that's growing inside of him was put there by his parents. Not literally, but figuratively. They are the ones that created all of this doubt and confusion in his mind. He also has to confront some of his worst fears . . Vandal Savage, Zoom, Splatter and Gog. In the end I think Grant realizes that even though he want to get rid of this baggage . . it's still part of what makes him him. He tells Midnite, 'D..doc? Th..those foreign bodies . . p..please Doc . . bring 'em back.' I thought it was a very moving tale by Zander Cannon and Scott Hampton. Anyways, JSA All Stars comes out in a couple of weeks and I have a feeling that most of these storylines are going to lead directly into it.