I’ve literally waited for JSA: STRANGE ADVENTURES for more than half a decade, because that’s how long it took DC Comics to get around to collecting the 2004 six-issue miniseries in trade paperback. Turns out, it wasn’t quite worth the anticipation, however grounded.
The main reason I wanted to read it was because it’s written by Kevin J. Anderson, a sci-fi novelist who loves his pulp, and this is a tribute to that. All the elements are there: The World War II-set story has Nazis, robots, aliens, zeppelins and even Jack Williamson as a pivotal character. What it doesn’t have is a spark of real excitement.
Justice Society of America historian Johnny Thunder takes the lead role in this tale, and he’s rather vanilla — the Jimmy Olsen of this gang, right down to the bowtie. Other Silver Age heroes in play include The Sandman, Dr. Fate, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Wonder Woman, Wildcat, Green Lantern, Starman and The Flash, but they all exist on the periphery, not getting much to do when they do appear.
For all its ambition, STRANGE ADVENTURES is just too narratively overstuffed. —Rod Lott
OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS AUTHOR:
• DEAN KOONTZ’S FRANKENSTEIN: BOOK ONE – PRODIGAL SON by Dean Koontz and Kevin J. Anderson
• THE EDGE OF THE WORLD by Kevin J. Anderson
• ENEMIES & ALLIES by Kevin J. Anderson
• THE LAST DAYS OF KRYPTON by Kevin J. Anderson
• THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN by Kevin J. Anderson
• THE MARTIAN WAR: A THRILLING EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF THE RECENT INVASION AS REPORTED BY MR. H.G. WELLS by Kevin J. Anderson
Related posts:
- In Odd We Trust
- Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein: Prodigal Son — Volume One
- Your Heart Belongs to Me
- The Darkest Evening of the Year
- Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein: Book One – Prodigal Son
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey, I’ve got a question for you about this one, since I haven’t read it yet.
If you were to place it on a timeline (from the narrator’s point of view) does it take place around the other books coming out in 2004 or does the whole thing take place back in the golden age? I’d rather read it near golden age stuff and other retcon books if that’s the way it works.
I can’t speak to how it ties in to other JSA / DC books of 2004, but this one takes place in World War II.
Is Johnny’s narration taking place from that perspective as well, or is he writing this many “years” later or something?
Thanks for the info!
I didn’t keep it, so I can’t check, but I believe it was all WWII-set. I don’t recall any present-day narration.