Written by: Jeff Lemire
Art by: Rafael De Latorre
Colors by: Luis Guerrero
Letters by: Steve Wands
Cover art by: Jorge Fornes (cover A)
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: May 7, 2025
JSA #7, by DC Comics on 5/7/25, mourns the loss of Ted Grant as the JSA struggles to make sense of how to move forward, where to find their lost members, and who may be a traitor in their midst.
Is JSA #7 Good?
Recap
When we last left the team in JSA #6, Wildcat paid the ultimate price when he stayed behind in the Tower of Fate to give Dr. Fate the cover he needed to hold back an invading demon army. In the end, Ted's heart wasn't enough when the Injustice Society arrived to claim Dr. Fate's helm for their grand plan. Meanwhile, Yolanda's anger turned lethal when she led the charge into a KOBRA facility to find Dr. Mid-Nite. The issue ended with everyone returning to Earth and the JSA base with one dead Wildcat and another Wildcat accountable for murder.
Plot Synopsis
In JSA #7, members of the JSA assemble for the funeral of Ted Court, aka Wildcat. Tears are shed, feelings remain raw, and regrets bubble to the surface. The situation becomes tense when the Holy Trinity (Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman) arrive for a private meeting to offer aid, subtly suggesting the JSA hasn't been handling their business.
The issue ends with an epilogue in the demon dimension as Hawkman, Hawkwoman, and the ghost claiming to be Kid Eternity walk along the brimstone path to find a way out. Suddenly, "Kid Eternity" receives a summons through a nearby portal. When she enters the tunnel, she's greeted by the original and deceased members of the JSA who ask for her help.
First Impressions
Jeff Lemire's pacing is killing this series. After the previous issue, which showed promise due to the increase in urgency and the decrease in multiple threads, there was hope that Lemire's return to DC was bearing fruit. JSA #7 isn't a cooldown issue. It's practically glacial.
How’s the Art?
Rafael De Latorre steps in as the guest artist from main visionary Diego Olortegui, and the results are solid enough to be an improvement. Granted, De Latorre doesn't have much to do as the entire issue is focused on interpersonal conversations, but the art is presented in such a way as to give you as much drama and impact as possible.
What’s great about JSA #7?
For what it's worth, Lemire creates several moments of emotional depth. Yolanda wrestles with the shame of killing someone, convincing her she's not worthy of the Wildcat mantle. The living JSA doesn't receive the offer of help from the Justice League graciously. Khalid feels the grief of Ted's passing because Wildcat died protecting him. It's heartache on top of heartache.
What’s not great about JSA #7?
Why are we taking a timeout when the adventure was just picking up steam? I criticized Lemire's approach in the earlier chapters of trying to juggle too many subplots at once, but now, the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction. Nothing is moved forward, and nothing is resolved. We don't know where Dr. Mid-Nite and the real Obsidian are. We don't know what the ISA is up to, and whatever the Hawks are doing in Hell is moving as fast as a snail in Winter.
If Lemire has a story to tell, he needs to get to it because this title didn't even rank in the ICv2 Top 50 for April.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Final Thoughts
JSA #7 takes all the progress and urgency of the last issue and pushes the Pause button. Jeff Lemire's script hits a few emotional beats during Ted Grant's funeral, and the guest art is solid, but what little momentum the last few issues built up is now gone.
5/10
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Okay, help me out. Last I read, the original Hourman returned to the land of the living after the Android Hourman from the 853rd century time traveled back to Zero Hour and sacrificed himself in Rex's place. So when did he die again? I assume everyone noticed he was among the dead JSAers.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I thought Wildcat had nine lives. When did he lose the other eight?
And are Rick and Jesse married again? And what happened to their baby they had before Flashpoint?