The Justice Society Is About to Face the One Enemy It Could Never Defeat, So Buckle Up
Warning: contains spoilers for JSA #3!
The Justice Society is about to face the one foe it could never defeat–so buckle up. Since its inception in comics’ Golden Age, the Justice Society has fought all manner of villains, and emerged victorious. Yet across the Society’s 80 + year career, one foe has vexed them, and in JSA #3, the team is set to face this menace once again–and this time there may be no defeating him.
JSA #3 is written by Jeff Lemire and drawn by Diego Olortegui. Hawkman, taken prisoner by the Demons Three, learns they have allied themselves with Wotan, an old foe of the Justice Society. Wotan seeks to take the power contained in the Tower of Fate for himself, and he has enlisted the help of Surtur to do so. As Wotan tells Hawkman of his plan, fans see Surtur in chains, raging and angry. A horrified Hawkman can only look on.
Who Does the Justice Society Fear Surtur?
Surtur Took Valuable Time Away from the Justice Society
It came at a high price: the Society would have to travel to another dimension, fighting Surtur in perpetuity to stave off Ragnarök.
There was good reason for Surtur to strike terror into Hawkman’s heart: he is the one villain that bested the Justice Society. Based on the deity from Norse mythology, Surtur will help usher in Ragnarök, burning the Earth alive. Surtur made his move shortly after the Crisis on Infinite Earths, and the Justice Society opposed him. It came at a high price: the Society would have to travel to another dimension, fighting Surtur in perpetuity to stave off Ragnarök. The Justice Society were eventually freed from their imprisonment, but the scars Surtur gave remain.
DC has reasons for wanting to take the Justice Society off the table. When Surtur attacked, the publisher had just streamlined 50 years of history, creating a single world where all its heroes lived. This created multiple generations of some heroes, such as Green Lantern, the Atom or the Flash. To address this redundancy, DC killed off some during the Crisis, such as the Earth-2 versions of Green Arrow and Robin. Subjecting the Society to such a fate could have been viewed as cold and callous, calling for a kinder, gentler way of retiring them.
Roy Thomas has had legendary runs on The Avengers, All-Star Squadron and Secret Origins.
1986’s Last Days of the Justice Society Special did just this. Written by Roy Thomas, a noted expert on Golden Age heroes, the one-shot was a poignant (if temporary) send-off to the Justice Society. Their battle against Surtur reminded fans of why the Society is considered one of the greatest superhero teams ever. Members of the Justice Society went off to fight Surtur, assuming at the time they would never see their loved ones again. It was also assumed the battle would last until the end of time–a long period for anyone.
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Despite being rooted in the Golden Age of DC Comics, the Justice Society is one of the more overlooked DC teams. Why is the JLA above them?
After their return from exile in 1992’s Armageddon: Inferno, the Justice Society would go on to become one of DC’s biggest teams once again. The Society has had its ups and downs since, most notably being swept away (again) during the New 52 era. Currently, the Society is experiencing turmoil from within: Obsidian, possessed by dark forces, has taken control of the team, pushing them in a more extreme direction. The Justice Society is already fighting a multifront campaign, and now into this comes Surtur, itching for a rematch.
The Justice Society Has Changed a Lot Since Their Last Fight With Surtur
Surtur Is a God–Can He Truly Be Defeated?
It has been years since Surtur fought the Justice Society, and much has changed since their last encounter. The Justice Society’s ranks have grown, encompassing newer and more powerful heroes. The Society has also seen the influx of numerous legacy heroes, such as new versions of Doctor Fate and Doctor Mid-Nite, all of which create a new dynamic in the team not present in their first fight with Surtur. The demon will be faced with new heroes he has never fought before, ones that may be able to defeat him for good this time.
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Yet Surtur is a god, and a very powerful one at that, and this does not bode well for the Justice Society. They failed to destroy Surtur the first time, and the god’s memory is long, and he will most certainly be seeking revenge. Wotan, Surtur’s new ally, is going to use him to crash the Tower of Fate. How the rest of the Justice Society will react to seeing Surtur again remains to be seen. The Society will be confronted with their biggest failure as Surtur returns.
JSA #3 is on sale now from DC Comics!
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