Johns and Goyer open this book on a strong note, picking up a loose thread left over from the regular JSA series. Before long, though, the plot focuses on some fun but straightforward super-hero action and the somewhat forced establishment of the founding premise of this limited series. The real treat here, though, is the return of the one-time Black Panther art team of Sal Velluto and Bob Almond, who, not surprisingly, handle the large cast of characters and the action sequences with seeming ease.
Sand finds himself face to face with the new Injustice Society, but fortunately, his teammates from the Justice Society are on the scene in moments to back him up. The gathered villains have more than a metahuman mix-up in mind, though, as they've been charged by their new employer/leader with a specific mission, and it involves the original JSA members who were active during the team's early days in World War Two. The newer members are left high and dry, and they learn that in order to help their friends and mentors, they have to first help themselves.
Velluto and Almond's collaborative efforts here really reminded me of the style of M.D. Bright, and the Neal Adams influence still shines through as well. There's a more human quality to their portrayal of Solomon Grundy that I enjoyed as well. They bring power and energy to the book as well. The plane crash sequence was well done, and the Justice Society's double-page splash entrance was dynamic. Kalisz adds energy with his colors as well, but he also maintains a darker look that helps to prop up the sense of mystery and foreboding that the script attempts to establish.
The exchange between Icicle and Sand at the book's outset is the strongest scene in the book, as it not only touches upon the theme of legacies, but it's a character-oriented moment that bucks super-hero conventions. Instead of just fighting and jailing the bad guys, Sand tries to reach out and get one of his enemies to turn over a new leaf. I also enjoyed the brief exchanges between Hawkman and Hawkgirl here. Goyer and Johns tap into their anger to amusing effect.
The writers use cosmic elements -- the Spectre and a new villain -- to establish the premise, but the attempt falls flat. The plot devices stretch suspension of disbelief too far. That doesn't mean the series is a write-off, though. No, there's still potential in solo stories set in the present and the past, and I expect that these writers can provide some strong, character-oriented stories that hold up well on their own, independent of the clumsy uber-plot.
