The JLA are going back into the past to find Aquaman, lost in the wake of an interstellar war, with the help of some of the most powerful mages on the planet. Sounds like heady stuff, doesn't it? That's why I'm so disappointed that the book is so dull and uninspiring, possessing very little of the spectacle that made Morrison and Porter's take on the JLA the industry darling of the time. Instead, we have some convoluted continuity and story points and a plot that requires the reader to swallow a lot of questions and just ride along, mixed with some unfortunately weak artwork from Manhke and Nguyen. I'm still impressed by the potential of this story, and I must admit that Kelly has given the book a sense of humor that it has been sorely lacking, but the prelude to the "Obsidian Age" doesn't fill me with confidence for the rest of the bi-weekly storyline.
There's just something missing in terms of making this story an epic, although the basic elements are there. Kyle Rayner's prophetic dreams, the discovery of a message carved into Atlantis and the gathering of the worlds' magic-users all point to something big going on. Unfortunately, the only adversary we glimpse in this issue are a pair of second-rate Aquaman villains, which doesn't help the sense of menace. And the explanation of what happened to Atlantis and Aquaman is made more complicated than need be to try and hide the big surprises, which makes the read a little frustrating at times. It's never really confusing, it's just needlessly complex.
One thing I do like about the book is that the JLA seem to be having a little more fun in their job. Leaving aside Plastic Man, who has always been the comic relief, even folks like the Atom and Batman get into action with a few quips. It seems a little out of character at times, but it does make the book more enjoyable to read as well. Kelly can't quite convince me of the epic feel that belongs to the JLA, but he has convinced me that it would be cool to be part of a big super-powered club, which is another part of the appeal of the team.
Aside from an all-too-brief stint by Bryan Hitch, this book has never been as impressive artistically as it has been in the scripting department. Mahnke's work was great on quirky, weird stuff like The Mask and Major Bummer, but his work seems a little too grotesque at times to work for this kind of four-color widescreen adventure. There's nothing technically wrong with it, as he has a good handle on staging, storytelling and action, but the style feels a little rough and dark for the book. I must also confess that his take on some of the DC characters, particularly Wonder Woman and Superman, seems a little too human and ugly for supposed personifications of good and nobility.
I've been of the opinion for some time that the JLA needs to be reinvigorated in some way, as mimicking the style that Morrison brought to the book isn't working anymore. Kelly's "Obsidian Age" sounded like the shake-up that the book needed, but so far it remains the same old thing.
