Justice Society of America #4
	Story Title: ‘The Next Age’ (Chapter 4) Writer: Geoff Johns Penciller: Dale Eaglesham Inker: Ruy Jose Colorist: Jeromy Cox Cover by: Alex Ross and Dale Eaglesham & Ruy Jose Letterer: Rob Leigh Asst. Editor: Adam Schlagman Editors: Eddie Berganza Published by: DC Comics
	Reviewed by: Bruce Logan

Another month, another issue and another ‘ho-hum’ moment for me. Even though it is levels above the headache inducing emo-fest that is the current JLA (thank you Mr. Meltzer), even at four issues in I haven’t been able to find anything worth ‘connecting’ with this Post-IC Post-Old Series Kingdom Come-fetished JSA (thank you, Mr. Johns). Not only do I not find anything exciting about the new characters, that they are related/derived from a lackadaisical Elseworlds story turns me off so much that I don’t feel any inclination to get to know them better.

As for the issue itself, well let’s see, we have a fight, and then we have another fight, and then yet another one. Oh, wotta development. After last issue’s revelation about Vandal Savage being behind the whole ‘kill the JSA families’ shebang, this month’s reasoning as to why is he doing what he is doing comes across as incredibly mediocre and contrived. Its on the level of taking a android, making him ‘human’ only to turn him back into an android at the end of the story just to prove that he doesn’t need to be physically human to be alive, human or whatever you call it. What that means for the JSA is while Savage might be killing the physical/blood relatives of the JSA members he doesn’t understand that the ‘family’ aspect of the JSA doesn’t come from blood but from a feeling, a calling, (once again) call it whatever you like. Damn it Vandal, older than dirt (having done so many things) and still you didn’t get that tiny teensy-weensy bit. Oh, the irony. And as for the Fourth Reich, they are about as relevant here as would be any no-name ragtag bunch of metas.

Lest I forget, there is the start of yet another 'legacy line'. At this point, not only is it getting old, this mass-scale 'handing down of the mantle' is dead, rotten and flogged down past the bone and down to the marrow.

Dale Eaglesham’s artwork is as impressive as it was three issues ago and although there are a few panels where the characters appear just too, what’s the word, butched up (both male and female) especially around their neck and shoulders, overall of the two (writing, art) the artwork scores higher.

Conclusion: As with the JLA with the JSA too I am just going through the paces in getting the issues. However, while in the past I would have continued to get them like a zombie, thanks to the lesson I learned from my 616 Marvel flushing, I am not against letting go either of both of DC’s top 2 flagship titles. One year later, DC’s IC/OYL gamble/changeover hasn’t been a very enjoyable experience for this particular fan.

RATING: 7.5/10