Justice League of America

Issue 43 starts out in the past.  Presumably post JLA year one because Green Arrow is a part of the team and he's narrating the story.   We get thrown back to the present where Green Arrow is fighting off the intruders in the Watchtower.  The JLA meanwhile is off fighting (if you could use that term) some villains.  Dick plays the part of Batman very well, standing off to the side, noticing the insane flaws in their attacks, "Bruce Would Be Ashamed."  Is one of the most heartfelt lines in the book, at least to me.  We also basically see the dismantling of the team that was put together, and obviously with The Rise and Fall, we see some reactions to Green Arrow. 
 
The Good
I'm a huge fan of Mark Bagley and I know some people dislike his work, but I love it.  Especially in the flashback sequence in the beginning, he really brings out the differences, especially in Green Arrow.  The writing has been better, not amazing, but good enough for me to actually WANT to finish the issue, unlike past experiences.  
 
The Bad
The team goes from busting with new members down to 4, and only 2 of them are from the the beginning of the arc, I believe.  Whether or not you're building a new team, there are some staples that need to be in the JLA, and having some of these players out, gone, off on another adventure, it's kind of lame. 
 
The Out of Continuity
As far as I'm concerned this is post Blackest Night, and with that being said, after reading Blackest Night #8 this week, Green Arrows comments about 2 members of the League from the past makes not sense continuity-wise.  Especially if you read BN#8.  I'm not a fan of books and writers skipping forward and backwards with continuity, I  understand that at times it's needed and times it's not their fault, but I would think the editors would check with each other regarding continuity and who's alive or dead.  Also, if this is post Blackest Night, Dick would know that Bruce is alive (sorry if that's a spoiler, where the hell have you been?) so his comment, which i loved, is out of place.

When I started collecting comics the JLA was the 3rd title I picked up behind Superman and Batman.  So I have lived through many incarnations of DC's premier superhero team.  I was never impressed or even happy with much of what McDuffy did during his tenure.  I understand that his complaints but still felt that he should have been able to write good stories with what he was given and I don't think he always did his best to do that.  Issues 41 and 42 of James Robinson's run gave me the feeling things were moving in the right direction.  My biggest complaint about those issues was Mark Bagley's art.   
 
Now to this issue: 
 
I loved the opening sequence with Ollie narrating the flash back sequence and yeah the art was improved right off the bat so my heart rose a bit.  We then move to the present and pick up the action with Ollie in the Watchtower.  Good stuff still.  Then down to Earth we go and we get a tandem narration by Donna and Dick.  Yep liked it and the action was good.  One weak spot or overly simplistic dialogue with Donna, Atom, Bill, and Mik.  Just didn't work for me.  I don't think these guys would talk like teenagers.  Even with this we are still moving forward well.  Shortly afterward they all go back to the Watchtower and discover the damage that was wrought by Green Arrow and his confrontation with Hunter, Neon Black, and Dr. Impossible.   
 
Then things turn downward in my opinion.  We see the Flash, Barry Allen, show up and take Hal away then Starfire leaves.  Through monolgue we are told that Mon-el is gone, Dr Light left to take care of her kids, the Guardian is to busy, Black Canary went back to Oracle, Atom is helping his scientist friend, and Cyborg is busy too fixing Red Tornato etc. 
 
We had a team then we are left with four people.  What?  Why?  Starfire is going to REBELS, Mon-el has to go back to the future, the Guardian well I don't know why he's gone (didn't know why he arrived, love him but not for the League) Cyborg is going to play some role with Rise of Arsenal I don't really know, and Dr Light leaving sounds temporary.  Now if these events were going to happen and I assume the editors knew and I'm sure Jame knew why were these people ever put in the League.  The one thing this book didn't need a team change Three issues in.  I like how the book ended and I want to see were this story goes but why oh why did they build a team to take it apart.  Norm Rapmund's inks really work to fix the weak points of Bagley's art which was never and issue for me in this book in fact it held things together with good action and story telling.  Take out the team change and the score may have been higher but this disruption in the team ranks was a deal breaker for me.  Not that I'm dropping it yet but if we don't get a solid core team that isn't changing every few issues I will drop this book and not look back.  DC if you are listening.  Get a core team of trinity analogues  and DCU power houses and stick to it.  Make the stories so good that we don't miss Superman, Wonder Women, Batman (Bruce Wayne), Martian Man Hunter, Aquaman, and Flash.  I could be happy with Supergirl, Donna, Dick, Congo Bill, Mik, a Green Lantern, a Flash, and an archer. Dr Light, and Vixen.  But put them in the book and leave in the book and tell great stories.    

I was extremely disappointed with this issue. I do not like the Teen Titans as the JLA. The story was just so confusing. I really hope that some point the other members will come back instead of the Teen Titans. The only thing I did like about the story was Green Arrow's comparison of the new league and the old one. The big reason I don't like this is because I am not a big fan of Teen Titans. On to the details. The cover was excellent. The only possible thing that could save this issue from getting a .5 out of 5 is the cover. The penciling was good. It was a little above average. The coloring was WTF!! There was way too many colors. It was so hard to look at and follow. I wish they would've toned it down a bit. The overall art was a tad bit below average. I do not know what happened with this issue but I hope the next one is better. I am giving this issue a 2 out 5.

Things seemed to be progressively building with the current, and possibly biggest, line up of the Justice League of America. Unfortunately because it is so large, members of the team begin getting in the way of one another and two new and somewhat mysterious foes manage to escape. In the meantime Green Arrow and a still disassembled Red Tornado battle on the satellite HQ with Dr. Impossible and still more enemies who remain unknown (but closely resemble the New Gods). Arrow and Tornado narrowly survive this encounter and Green Arrow reflects how his time on the League when he first started with the team has only continued to become harder and a more darker path than he anticipated. As this is a " Rise and Fall" tie-in, Ollie reveals that the only reason he was on the satellite because he needed access to the League's computer datebase to gather information on the super-villains he plans on hunting. I'm quickly becoming tired of the continuous DC universe tie-ins with this title, as it seems they're beginning to interrupt the flow of the main story (that of these new god-like beings and the device they're building from parts gathered around the world, something the League has been unable to prevent). But writer, James Robinson, manages to make a smooth transition from Green Arrow's story to that of his teammates. 
 
With it obvious that the League is too big and after the fallout of " Blackest Night" and "Rise and Fall", several members take a leave of absence or permanently resign. I'm not sorry to see a third tier character like Guardian leave, but the absence of Mon-El, Starfire, and Black Canary seems too sudden. There's vast potential for these three in the League and I'm disappointed that they've left before things really took off for this new League. I'm also a little upset that it seems their slots on the team have been taken by bizarre characters like Congo Bill and Mikaal. And on the other hand, my two favorite (former) Titans, Donna Troy, and Dick Grayson (now Batman) are the main focus of this League incarnation and seem determined to make the team to work no matter what. Every character who has a personal narrative this issue seems to be spot on per their personality and I'm very pleased to see that Robinson has such a strong handle on his JLA. 
 
The constant story tie-ins are slightly distracting from what appears to be a building Mutliverse adventure and an upcoming JSA/JLA tale that's introduced this issue. There's also the art of Mark Bagley and various inkers that's holding this book back from getting its full 5 star rating. Bagley's art just isn't up to par from what I've seen of his work in the past and it's not what we were first introduced to when the penciler began on Justice League of America. The art is sketchy, sometimes seeming unfinished or rushed. Then there are a few pages full of dynamism and raw emotion. I'd just like to see some consistency for this favorite comic book of mine to really shine.
 
~ Hype

Story:Green Arrow kills Prometheus,mean while the JLA are fighting this new guys.
The Good:With the murder of Prometheus by Green Arrow there will begin a new era for Ollie because he will be a runaway from the police and the heroes.He gets new series and will be nice to see him against the heroes and to fight even Hal but  I don't think that the last will happen.
Mark Bagley is making the exprssions and everything really well on the heroes.We can get when they are angy,sad or haappy.If he continue with his artwork I may start to like this series again.
The Bad:In the end we have a new team that is from Donna,Dick,Congorilla and Starman.There will be new teammates for them but with every story arc the JLA is going down and in the next arc they are back and with a new team.I don't know what James Robinson is doing but I don't like it.We don't understand who are these guys that look like the New Gods and use New Genesis technology and what are they doing.
We still didn't get any team history and from what I saw I can say that the new team didn't make history.
Overall:A not so good end of a not so good arc.
3/5