Jordan League of America

In case you hadn't heard, there's a new Justice League book coming out. Brian Bendis recently pulled this same shtick with "Mighty Avengers" of mixing a few headliners with third-stringers, driven partly by their being among the only Marvel heroes to work as Republicans (in contrast to the criminally liberal "New Avengers.") Unless this new Hal Jordan-led outfit is going to use lethal force or find themselves shedding numbers ala Suicide Squad, I fail to see the point of staffing the team with so many bottom feeders. The DCU has always suffered from a dearth of viable super-teams, with only the League, Titans, and Legion seeing consistent respect and usage. This new outfit as launched seems likely to be a failure on its own, and as an added bonus could harm Jordan and Queens only recently respectable reputations. Perhaps I come off pessimistic, but after reading James Robinson's interview at CBR, I found only more cause for concern.

• "Robinson’s concept for “Justice League” is fuelled by the notion that while some of the world’s greatest heroes react in perhaps a more methodical and pensive way to the murder of a DCU character in “Final Crisis,” others, namely Hal and Ollie, are ready to strike down with great vengeance and furious anger as if Samuel L. Jackson was calling the shots." Has this sort of hardcore, pro-active approached ever worked with established heroes? "Extreme Justice?" "The Elite?" And their motivation for going this route is Martian Manhunter? Way to honor his memory, asshats.
• “I have a theory about certain characters. They are meant to be supporting characters. They are meant to be backup characters. The moment you give them books, it never completely works." How many ways can I call bullshit on this? James Robinson only long term major critical and commercial success was "Starman," a character and concept that failed to connect with the public for nearly fifty years before the strength and sincerity of the creative team made it work. Why would that be any less true of characters he singled out for shame with his statement, like Hawkman and the Atom, who've performed better and more consistently than Starman for most of their existence?
• "I defy you to tell me what Ray Palmer’s personality is? There has never been a personality. So that’s one of things I am going to do with him as well, is give him a personality." Bullshit. I've been a fan of the sophisticated, subtle characterization of Ray Palmer since the 80's, whereas the overblown Jordan and Queen have mostly left me cold for as long as I've been reading comics.
• For years, I loved Hal Jordan's look, but never read his series. Meanwhile, I was disinterested in the Flash on every level. In the 90's, I got my hands on a fat chunk of Flash & GL back issues, only to realize that I really liked Barry Allen's laid back charm, while Jordan was kind of an flaky idiot jerk. I still like the Green Lantern Corps and am disinterested in the Speed Force, but both Barry and Wally West are just much more palatable and heroic individuals than Hal Jordan. That said, I'd take Ray Palmer over the lot of them. If Ray Palmer doesn't have a personality, neither does Alan Scott. He's the only reason I would buy this book.
• I discussed my issues with Ollie Queen a week or so back in "The Bane of Multiversalism." When you team-up Ollie with Hal, he becomes Hawkeye, and I don't read Hawkeye comics.
• “Geoff and I have made a solemn vow in terms of the Superbooks, that it’s not two books that we are doing " ‘Action Comics’ and ‘Superman’ -- it’s three, with ‘Supergirl.’" So does that mean they're going to carry Puckett via crossovers, or override him with this new book as leverage? I flippin' hate the Jeph Loeb/Michael Turner anorexic bimbo Supergirl. This character's continued existence sets back her entire gender, and if everyone's being written in character, Hal totally has to fuck her. It's the Arisia thing all over again, and that was disturbing enough the first time. Alternately, they can kill her yet again, in which case I have a bitchin' reboot premise already in mind...
• So there's finally going to be a Batwoman series? “To be honest with you, I am a little hands off with that character. She’s Greg Rucka’s character. She’s in the book to give the book a ‘Bat’ emblem. I don’t really have the greatest handle on her. She’s going to be more off to the side." So the dyke sits on the bench, useful only for notoriety? How progressive...
• “Do you know the whole thing with Captain Marvel Jr. and Elvis Presley?" Yes we do, but you're to tell us anyway, pretty well undermining anyone's ability to take the new "Shazam" seriously. Not that there was much hope to begin with.
• Congorilla? Anyone remember Grant Morrison's Liefeld parody "Doom Force?" DC seems to be killing off all its Silver Age super-chimps, so smart money's on Bill buying it next.
• In case you missed it, the book is actually called just "Justice League." Confusing much? Diluting the brand any?
• At least they got Mauro Cascioli for this, who seems poised to become DC's Gabriele Dell'Otto. Let's hope his schedule isn't comparable...