by Randy Lander

JSA #33 "Stealing Thunder 1 of 5: Wish Fulfillment" Highly Recommended (9/10) DC Comics Writers: David Goyer & Geoff Johns Pencils: Keith Giffen & Leonard Kirk Inks: Al Milgrom & Keith Champagne Colors: John Kalisz & Heroic Age Letters: Ken Lopez Editor: Peter Tomasi Price: $2.50 US/$4.25 CAN I'm a sucker for alternate reality stories, especially the kind where the villains have won and the heroes are fighting a more desperate battle. Johns and Goyer, along with four new artists, have an interesting take on this familiar type of story, using a few familiar faces and some new ones and starting off the "Stealing Thunder" arc with a bang. This also marks the third issue in a row that is a good jumping-on point for the JSA, and I would once again recommend that readers take the opportunity. I'll be honest, when I first saw Giffen's Kirby-style artwork in the opening pages, I flipped a few pages deeper to make sure it wasn't that way throughout the work. However, once I learned that it was being done for a very specific purpose, I was able to really enjoy this rare glimpse of his work, and it fits perfectly into the story at that point. Aside from that brief prologue, though, the rest of this issue belongs to new regular penciller Leonard Kirk and inker Keith Champagne. There are some truly impressive visuals from these guys, including a two-page splash of the altered world, a Matrix-esque look at the capture chambers of the Ultra-Humanite and some stunning character design work on the new JSA and Black Lightning. Champagne's inks make Kirk's work seem a little darker and grittier than I'm used to, and I'm not entirely certain I like the softer focus it gives, but it does have the effect of making Kirk's work reminiscent of Peter Snejbjerg's work on the title, and the darkness works for this particular story quite well. Ever since the early days of this title, I've been interested in Sand, the former sidekick of Sandman, and he gets a bit of a spotlight this issue, teaming up with a most unexpected ally. Sand has some great moments in this issue, showing why he was once the leader of the team, and Johns and Goyer do a great job with the banter between Sand and his Ally. I'm also surprised by how much I've come to enjoy Jakeem Thunder since his transition from JLA guest star to JSA regular. One of the aspects of this story that I enjoy is that the creators haven't taken the easy route of making the Ultra-Humanite's world dark, horrible and noticeably rotten for everyone. Instead, it's a technological paradise where most of the citizens seem happy, albeit not terribly free. The dystopia approach, rather than the post-apocalypse approach, makes a lot of sense, and provides a creepier and more dangerous vibe. I particularly enjoyed the view of the Thunderfront and the description of the Mindsweepers. Probably the best part of this issue is that it's just the tip of the iceberg. We've now been introduced to the basics of this world and gotten a glimpse of the heroes who have to save it, but where the plot is going from here is a mystery still. It seems that for the last few months, the creators of JSA have been keeping me on the edge of my seat, anxiously awaiting the next chapter of this book. Email Randy Lander comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.