I've got all four issues of the Avengers/JLA limited series. I've got an old Focus on George Perez book from the 1980s that shows several pages of the original artwork from the two publishers' aborted first attempt at this super-hero crossover. So what do I need this high-end reprint collection for? Well, I am a George Perez fanboy of the highest degree; have been ever since first glimpsing his work on New Teen Titans #2 two decades ago when Dad brought it home to me as a little gift. But there's something more to this slipcase edition: history. And I don't mean the characters' origins. I mean industry history. While the introductions by Stan Lee and the late Julius Schwartz in the main book are understandably light and full of the playful hucksterism the two men are known for, the Compendium acknowledges the road to this fun milestone in super-hero comics has not only been a long one, but a rough one as well. The fierceness of the rivalries between the two comics companies takes center stage in this dense and ultimately entertaining companion volume.
The cosmic beings known as Krona and the Grandmaster play an other-dimensional game of chance and skill when they pit the heroes of one world -- the Justice League of America, beloved by those they protect -- against the heroes of another -- the Avengers, who strive to save the lives of people who distrust and malign them. And in a story that was never -- and will never -- be fully told, time-travelling villains Kang the Conqueror and the Lord of Time manipulate their frequent foes -- the Justice League and the Avengers -- into fighting one another in order to retrieve a prize vital to the origin and survival of two universes.
The most interesting aspect of this book for me, since I'd already read the main story, was seeing a different sort of conflict unfold. One could describe it as a pissing match between the two men who were guiding the best known super-hero properties through the 1980s: Marvel's Jim Shooter and DC's Dick Giordano. Marvel's perspective is told through an uncredited column printed in Marvel Age and reprinted here, and DC's, written by Giordano, follows. I found this not only to satisfy my curiosity about the behind-the-scene politics of the 1980s project, but it shows that those presenting this new story and the retrospective are well aware that things were not always rosy. This look back at creative clashes balances the hyperbole and hullabaloo of the more celebratory tone of other aspects. I also appreciated the brief references to the history of the original artwork Perez did for the aborted 1980s story.
Busiek provides not only the plot and script of the limited series, but a good deal of commentary. He identifies characters, settings and even little nods to past creators hidden in the art. I also appreciated and enjoyed the effort made to identify every Justice Leaguer and Avenger featured on the cover of the third issue (which also serves as the art adorning the slipcase itself).
This book isn't just the celebration of the title teams, or a look at the fun that can arise when the two powerhouses of the comic-book industry work together. Ultimately, these books are a celebration of the career of George Perez, who build a stunning reputation not only illustrating team books, but on illustrating stories that boasted a dizzying and diverse array of characters. The detail Perez pours into every panel is overwhelming. It's interesting to compare Perez's work from 20 years ago and what he's doing today. Perez grabbed my attention and fired my imagination two decades ago, and he's still dazzling fans -- new ones and "experienced" ones such as myself -- today.
