JLA/Avengers (DC) [collects #1-4]
w. Kurt Busiek; a. George Perez
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This book is seventeen kinds of awesome. Decades in the making (mostly due to wrangling between DC and Marvel), Busiek’s love for the characters here is matched only by Perez getting the chance to draw every single Avenger or JLAer to date, and in many of their different costumes. With Krona and the Gamemaster starting things rolling with lethal cosmic bets, there are plenty of opportunties for the heroes of both Earths to go toe to toe with each other, until they eventually fight side by side against all their erstwhile foes.
This makes the geeky fanboy in me so happy, I bought the overside “Collector’s Edition.” Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates comics the way they use to make ’em, dagnabbit. And, clearly, still can.
Justice League Elite, Vol. 1 (DC) [collects #1-4, JLA Secret Files 2004]
w. Joe Kelly; a. Doug Mahnke, John Byrne, Tom Nguyen
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(For some odd reason, Vol. 1 isn’t listed at Amazon.)
JLE was an odd experiment in the DCU, an outgrowth of the movement (with Joe Kelly in the fore) to make DC’s glossy heroes more grim and gritty (in the post-Authority era). Some more activist heroes from the JLA decide to join with Vera Black’s Elite to infiltrate a super-powered assassination ring under deep cover. Insert moral dilemmas and “what lines will you cross for the greater good” here.
There’s some good stuff involved here, some real chances to take a different look at heroism and what lines should be crossed, and by whom. Not spectacular, but some solid writing and decent enough art.
Listening to: Edmonson, Greg, “Out of Gas – Empty Derelict” (Firefly – Original Television Soundtrack))
JLA/Avengers was the perfect book for me. I was a bigger Marvel fan than DC when I started collecting, so I knew all of the Marvel gizmos but only about half of the DC ones. I liked everything about it, and having a universe crossover that I could firmly put into continuity (both of them!) was the icing on the cake.
Guess what I had Busiek autograph at ECCC 2008? 🙂
Hey Monitee! I’m still around. I’m getting out of the house for a bit, but I’ll still be checking email very regularly. Let me know if you need anything. You’re doing great!
Thanks, Judy.
Yeah, Avo, if I were getting a Busiek (or Perez) autograph, that’s what I’d bring with me.
Of course, was it really continuity? Was there ever a moment where either team’s roster was what showed up there? I suppose, but … that’s nitpicking compared to the “let’s reboot the universe every six months” attitude of both companies these days. In a sense, JLA/Avengers was the final icing on that cake, before everything changed.