Justice Society of America #12 (written by Geoff Johns & Alex Ross; art by Dale Eaglesham & Ruy Jose) has a sequence that rocked me to my socks. The first page of the bunch explains the history of the first Amazing Man, Will Everett. Some of it's new information to even longtime readers.
Amazing Man first appeared in All-Star Squadron #23. Created by Roy Thomas, Rick Hoberg and Jerry Ordway, he was positioned as America's first black superhero. (DC had published other black heroes prior to this, but All-Star Squadron's World War II setting put Amazing Man at the front of the line.) Amazing Man soon joined the All-Star Squadron, fighting crime, Nazis and Klansmen with the help of his power to transform into any material he touched.
This week's JSA expands on his history. In a flashback, we discover that he wasn't the first black superhero (although we're not told who was). Instead, he was the first one to step out of the shadows -- the others acted in secret. Essentially, he was the Jackie Robinson of superheroes. There were plenty of black athletes before him, but he was the one who broke the color line.
Everett became an important symbol of civil rights, marching with Dr. King and, later, capturing his killer, James Earl Ray. The flashback fleshes out a period of the history of the DCU that the comics of the time never did.
Which brings me to these two pages, and Will Everett's grandson Markus Clay carries on his legacy. Power Girl and Superman (an alternate-earth version, but that's neither here nor there) arrive in New Orleans to invite him to join the Justice Society. Click to enlarge:
I love everything about this. Clay's speech. His priorities. Superman and Power Girl's willingness to help. And getting that horrible barge out of the city I love. (Yes, it's real, although it's gone now.)
Justice Society of America is the perfect example of DC doing things right. Great job, all around.
Rob
(I also love the design of the starburst when Amazing Man uses his powers; when looked at just right, it's an "A." Neato.)
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Amazing Men
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1 comment:
When I first saw your post title I thought you were talking about 'Mazing Man, who is a true hero for the ages. I do agree with your assessment of Amazing Man. I will be picking up JSA and I will let you know what I think.
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