JSA #2 Review

JSA No. 2 (February 2025)
Script: Jeff Lemire
Pencils/Inks: Diego Olortegui
Colors: Luis Guerrero
Letters: Steve Wands
Cover: Diego Olortegui 
Editing: Andrew Marino, Marquis Draper, Katie Kubert 

   The new JSA series kicked off with a bang in issue No. 1. Writer Jeff Lemire didn't waste any time getting the action going and in this issue, we get a flashback of how our heroes ended up being attacked by the Injustice Society in separate locations. The Injustice Society is pretty ruthless here and the JSA clearly have their backs up against a wall. It's nice to see Hawkman villains Gentleman Ghost and Shadow Thief showing their stuff. Hawkman (Carter Hall) and Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders) are outside the Tower of Fate and holding back the army from Hell but they are clearly overwhelmed. The issue ends with Jay Garrick smashed by Solomon Grundy, Jakeem still a coma, and finally Hawkman apparently impaled through the chest with a demon's flaming sword. 

   It's still a mystery why Kendra is here instead of Shayera. Carter and Kendra banter a bit in this issue and they seem to have a platonic relationship. Kendra teases Carter about his past lives, which seems to indicate that she is not from the same reincarnation cycle. Maybe Hawkwoman (Shayera Hol) will make another dramatic entrance as she did in the last Hawkman series and save Carter and Kendra. After the mess of Hawkgirl Vol. 2 earlier this year, fans had no reason to expect the Carter-Kendra soap opera toil on, but here we are. If Hawkman survives this, that is. Lemire is too good of a writer to fall back on the tired old Hawkman death trick, so we'll see what he has up his sleeve. 

   As Jade says in the issue, the Justice Society is a huge group, so I'm sure we'll see Silver Scarab (Carter and Shiera's son), Northwind (Carter and Shiera's godson), and Lyta (the mother of the Daniel of the Dreamless, Carter and Shiera's grandson) on down the line somewhere. I would love to see them explore the Silver Scarab and Northwind's relationship with the Hawks, as well as with each other. There are so many Hawk stories waiting to be told.

Here is the solicitation for issue No. 3: 

After sacrificing his reincarnation for one last life with the woman he loves, Hell is the last place Hawkman wants to be right now! With his allies at the Tower of Fate under siege by the Injustice Society, can he escape Wotan's clutches — or is his goose truly cooked?

Issue No. 3 is due out on January 1st. We'll see if the new year ends as quickly as it begins for Hawkman.