Reviewer: John Babos
Story Title: Black Reign: Part 4
Written by: Geoff Johns
Penciled by: Rags Morales
Inked by: John Dell
Colored by: John Kalisz
Separations by: Hi-Fi
Lettered by: Bill Oakley
Associate Editor: Stephen Wacker
Editor: Peter Tomasi
Publisher: DC Comics
Where We’ve Been
Our crack reviewer staff at 411 have covered the first three parts of DC’s Black Reign crossover, which you can access by clicking on the following issues: JSA #56, Hawkman #23, and JSA #57.
Black Reign is a multi-part weekly crossover between DC’s JSA and Hawkman titles. It pits the JSA against a team resembling Infinity Inc. – the “junior JSA” team from the 1980s. The new millennium incarnation of this motley crew is lead by perennial Captain Marvel (Shazam!) foil Black Adam with the new Nemesis and some JSA extended family members: Brainwave (Henry King Jr., son of the Golden Age villain Brain Wave, and nephew of the original Star Spangled Kid / Skyman), Atom Smasher (Al Rothstein, godson of the Golden Age Atom), a very Kingdom Come-inspired Northwind (Norda Cantrell, Hawkman’s half-human / half-bird-man godson), and the “new” Eclipso (Alex Montez, cousin of the female Wildcat / Yolanda Montez).
This 21rst Century “dark JSA” has already destroyed the Council (an international criminal organization linked to Manhunter / Paul Kirk), killed super-terrorist Kobra while destroying his organization, and, during Black Reign, has bloodily taken-over Black Adam’s homeland of Kahndaq — regime-change, DCU style!
The media is reporting that the JSA has taken this preemptive aggressive action, as many on the team are former JSA’ers or related in some fashion.
Hawkman has taken over the Chairmanship of the JSA from Mr. Terrific, citing needed experience, and the JSA has traveled headfirst into the “new” Kahndaq.
Where We Are
Hawkman #24 marks the fourth chapter in the Black Reign saga, but also represents the penultimate issue of the Hawkman series helmed by uber-writer Geoff Johns and on-the-rise hot DC artist Rags Morales (whose next penciling gig is DC’s Identity Crisis mega event of 2004, written by hot journeyman writer Brad Meltzer).
In this issue of Hawkman, the JSA’s very public family feud takes a more serious and bloody turn. Highlights include:
>> Hawkman going toe-to-toe with his god-son Northwind.
>> Atom Smasher soundly whipping the collective posteriors of Dr. Mid-nite and Mr. Terrific.
>> Green Lantern tangling with Eclipso.
>> Dr. Fate battling…Dr. Fate???
>> Captain Marvel being trounced in a very creative fashion by Black Adam and Brainwave!! (Very cool.)
>> Hourman continuing the assault on Eclipso, and paying a price at the hands of Nemesis…sorta.
The issue ends with your typical A-grade Geoff Johns’ cliffhanger — a page-turner that many won’t see coming. This is one action-packed thrill-ride folks.
Rags Morales is a solid artist who is finally getting his big break at DC. His work in Hawkman is his career best and his upcoming work with Brad Meltzer will have many readers salivating for more. Hawkman #24 is beautifully rendered by Mr. Morales. Wow.
I can’t wait for next week’s Black Reign installment in the pages of the JSA!
