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Justice Society (collected editions) #62
JSA vs. Kobra
The new lord of Kobra has shown his true face of evil, and now the JSA stands ready to face Kobra. But the old tactics may not work against this new terrorist network. Conspiracy mastermind Eric Trautmann (Checkmate, Final Resist) and artist Don Kramer (Detective Comics, Nightwing) take you inside the mind of Jason Burr, the diabolically clever Kobra leader whose goal is nothing less than bringing the world into the age of Kali Yuga. Set throughout the major cities of the DC Universe, this graphic novel sets the stakes higher than ever before for the Justice Society!
144 pages, Paperback
First published August 3, 2010
2 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Eric Trautmann
259 books16 followersEric Trautmann is a comic book writer, editor, and graphic designer also know as Eric S. Trautmann.
For several years, Eric was a writer and editor for West End Games' acclaimed Star Wars roleplaying game line. After leaving dice-and-paper gaming behind, Eric then moved into videogames, an early recruit into Microsoft Game Studios' nascent entertainment licensing apparatus.
While at Microsoft, Eric wrote and edited in-game dialogue, story bibles, marketing materials, and original fictional content for the web.
Among the titles that Eric helped develop were the smash-hit HALO: Combat Evolved (including editing chores on the first three HALO novels for Ballantine / Del Rey, as well as writing The Art of HALO, also for Del Rey); Crimson Skies (creating a strongly immersive in-universe website for the pulpy, two-fisted adventure setting; editing weekly serialized online pulp novellas; and editing and contributing to Del Rey's mass-market paperback fiction anthology based on the setting); MechWarrior 4; and Perfect Dark Zero, acting as a story consultant to the property and helping to develop a fiction publishing program in support of the game.
In addition, Eric has consulted on videogame properties for EPIC (drafting a story bible for the Gears of War franchise), story development for Radical Entertainment, and delivering talks on the craft of writing in games to various publishers (notably, Blizzard Entertainment).
After leaving Microsoft, Eric wrote a six-issue miniseries for Perfect Dark (titled Perfect Dark: Janus' Tears), published by Prima Games, as well as editing and lettering an original graphic novel prequel to the hyperviolent videogame Army of Two, titled Army of Two: Dirty Money (written by John Ney Rieber and illustrated by Brandon McKinney).
While developing Perfect Dark Zero's novel program, he edited Perfect Dark: Initial Vector and Perfect Dark: Second Front, scribed by Greg Rucka (and published by TOR). The collaboration proved fruitful, and Eric was later invited to write a fill-in issue of Greg's DC Comics superhero/espionage title, Checkmate (which led to a half-year stint as co-writer on the title, ending his run with issue #25).
Checkmate led to several other DC Comics projects (as both writer or co-writer), including Final Crisis: Resist, JSA Vs. Kobra: Engines of Faith, The Shield, Mighty Crusaders, Adventure Comics and others.
Eric currently writes the continuing adventures of classic sword-and-sorcery heroine, Red Sonja, for Dynamite Entertainment.
In November 2010, Eric's debut issue of a revitalized Vampirella (also published by Dynamite Entertainment) was released to widespread critical praise and excellent sales (Vampirella #1 was the best selling non-premier publisher title for Diamond Comics Distribution in the month of its release).
In addition to writing comics, Eric is a graphic designer and marketing consultant, through his Fedora Monkey Studio, which offers (among other services) logo and branding design, intellectual property development, and viral marketing (such as the infamous "Montoya Journal" to promote the DC Comics' series The Question: The Five Books of Blood).
Eric splits his time between Raymond, Wa (where he resides) and Lacey, WA (where his wife runs the best comic shop ever).
For several years, Eric was a writer and editor for West End Games' acclaimed Star Wars roleplaying game line. After leaving dice-and-paper gaming behind, Eric then moved into videogames, an early recruit into Microsoft Game Studios' nascent entertainment licensing apparatus.
While at Microsoft, Eric wrote and edited in-game dialogue, story bibles, marketing materials, and original fictional content for the web.
Among the titles that Eric helped develop were the smash-hit HALO: Combat Evolved (including editing chores on the first three HALO novels for Ballantine / Del Rey, as well as writing The Art of HALO, also for Del Rey); Crimson Skies (creating a strongly immersive in-universe website for the pulpy, two-fisted adventure setting; editing weekly serialized online pulp novellas; and editing and contributing to Del Rey's mass-market paperback fiction anthology based on the setting); MechWarrior 4; and Perfect Dark Zero, acting as a story consultant to the property and helping to develop a fiction publishing program in support of the game.
In addition, Eric has consulted on videogame properties for EPIC (drafting a story bible for the Gears of War franchise), story development for Radical Entertainment, and delivering talks on the craft of writing in games to various publishers (notably, Blizzard Entertainment).
After leaving Microsoft, Eric wrote a six-issue miniseries for Perfect Dark (titled Perfect Dark: Janus' Tears), published by Prima Games, as well as editing and lettering an original graphic novel prequel to the hyperviolent videogame Army of Two, titled Army of Two: Dirty Money (written by John Ney Rieber and illustrated by Brandon McKinney).
While developing Perfect Dark Zero's novel program, he edited Perfect Dark: Initial Vector and Perfect Dark: Second Front, scribed by Greg Rucka (and published by TOR). The collaboration proved fruitful, and Eric was later invited to write a fill-in issue of Greg's DC Comics superhero/espionage title, Checkmate (which led to a half-year stint as co-writer on the title, ending his run with issue #25).
Checkmate led to several other DC Comics projects (as both writer or co-writer), including Final Crisis: Resist, JSA Vs. Kobra: Engines of Faith, The Shield, Mighty Crusaders, Adventure Comics and others.
Eric currently writes the continuing adventures of classic sword-and-sorcery heroine, Red Sonja, for Dynamite Entertainment.
In November 2010, Eric's debut issue of a revitalized Vampirella (also published by Dynamite Entertainment) was released to widespread critical praise and excellent sales (Vampirella #1 was the best selling non-premier publisher title for Diamond Comics Distribution in the month of its release).
In addition to writing comics, Eric is a graphic designer and marketing consultant, through his Fedora Monkey Studio, which offers (among other services) logo and branding design, intellectual property development, and viral marketing (such as the infamous "Montoya Journal" to promote the DC Comics' series The Question: The Five Books of Blood).
Eric splits his time between Raymond, Wa (where he resides) and Lacey, WA (where his wife runs the best comic shop ever).
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 10, 2015
The JSA (Justice Society of America) isn’t the Justice League of America but it’s a team that blends really old superheroes with the new. It’s nice that old guys like Green Lantern Alan Scott and the original Flash, Jay Garrick have something better to do than be greeters at Walmart. The leadership is divided between brain box, Mr. Terrific and my imaginary superhero girlfriend, Power Girl, the leader in the field.
It seems that Kobra, an international terrorist organization are everywhere, including infiltrating Checkmate (sort of DC’s version of SHIELD) all to bring about Kali Yuga (an age of chaos) and Jason Burr, the crazy leader doesn’t care how who gets caught in the cross fire. So it’s the JSA (let’s assume the Justice League were in space fighting Darkseid or something) who have the task of smacking around some terrorist goons and saving the day.
This is a nice mix of conspiracy, puzzle solving and kicking ass Power Girl style (she’s on the cover and she features heavily in this, hence the Super Woman reads banner).
March 15, 2021
This collected the mini-series from 2009-2010.
The title could easily be Mr. Terrific vs. Kobra. Mr. Terrific was also running Checkmate along with the Green Lantern (Alan Scott) at the time of the series, so there are a few references that new fans may not pick up on immediately. Fortunately, the creative team kept these to a minimum and not knowing any of them should not detract from enjoying the tale.
Except for (maybe) his latest series, this is the best Mr. Terrific story DC has published. Michael Holt's incredible intellect is center-stage along with his physical and engineering skills. It is always interesting to see him deal with magic as 'unknown science' and find a way to turn it all to his advantage.
The ending is solid, but left open the doors to another series. I wish DC had followed up on it, but the next set of universal reboots was already on the horizon by this point. Still, it is an enjoyable read that any fan of the JSA or Mr. Terrific should enjoy.
Find it! Buy it! READ IT!
The title could easily be Mr. Terrific vs. Kobra. Mr. Terrific was also running Checkmate along with the Green Lantern (Alan Scott) at the time of the series, so there are a few references that new fans may not pick up on immediately. Fortunately, the creative team kept these to a minimum and not knowing any of them should not detract from enjoying the tale.
Except for (maybe) his latest series, this is the best Mr. Terrific story DC has published. Michael Holt's incredible intellect is center-stage along with his physical and engineering skills. It is always interesting to see him deal with magic as 'unknown science' and find a way to turn it all to his advantage.
The ending is solid, but left open the doors to another series. I wish DC had followed up on it, but the next set of universal reboots was already on the horizon by this point. Still, it is an enjoyable read that any fan of the JSA or Mr. Terrific should enjoy.
Find it! Buy it! READ IT!
August 16, 2021
De vuelta al Universo más clásico de DC, y de vuelta al más clásico de los equipos del universo clásico de DC, entre la salida de Geoff Johns de la serie, la participación de James Robinson en los números relacionados con La Noche Más Oscura, y un breve interludio obra de James Conway antes de la llegada de Bill Willingham desde Fábulas para hacerse cargo de esta serie, se dedicó una serie limitada al enfrentamiento entre la JSA y los terroristas de Kobra. Estos ya habían tenido sus más y sus menos con la JSA en los tiempos de Johns, y a posteriori, había aparecido un nuevo Kobra, el hermano del anterior, y con incluso más mala baba de la que este había tenido en la serie Faces of Evil: Kobra. Y para terminar el batido, tenemos a Eric Trautmann a los guiones, que había colaborado con Greg Rucka en Jaque Mate y que de hecho, se había encargado de poner fin a esta serie, así que no es de extrañar que fuera el elegido para desarrollar esta saga corta, acompañado por los lápices de un más que eficiente Don Kramer.
Total, que aquí tenemos como Kobra comienza a golpear diversos puntos estratégicos, entre ellos el propio cuartel general de la JSA en Battery Park, lo que hace que el equipo decida tomarse el enfrentamiento con Kobra como algo personal en lugar de dejarlo en manos de Jaque Mate. Pero cuando hablamos del equipo, y ese es uno de los motivos por el que no le pongo más estrellas a este tomo, es que no es verdad que el enfrentamiento sea de la JSA con Kobra. Sí, es cierto que la JSA está ahí, claro. Power Girl, Centinela y Flash tienen hasta frases más o menos importantes; Stargirl, Magog, Mister América, Liberty Belle, Hourman, Ciclón... son más figurantes que otra cosa. El protagonista único de la saga es Mister Terrific, en su doble categoría de miembro de la JSA y de ex miembro de Jaque Mate (aquí me falla un poco la continuidad mental, ojo, no recuerdo si incluso seguía siendo el Rey Blanco). Ojo, no me quejo por el personaje, que me encanta, pero es cierto que no aprovechar todas las oportunidades y perspectivas que podrían haber dado los múltiples personajes de JSA para una historia de este calibre me parece pecado.
En fin, JSA sigue siendo una de mis series favoritas, así que la sigo disfrutando...
Total, que aquí tenemos como Kobra comienza a golpear diversos puntos estratégicos, entre ellos el propio cuartel general de la JSA en Battery Park, lo que hace que el equipo decida tomarse el enfrentamiento con Kobra como algo personal en lugar de dejarlo en manos de Jaque Mate. Pero cuando hablamos del equipo, y ese es uno de los motivos por el que no le pongo más estrellas a este tomo, es que no es verdad que el enfrentamiento sea de la JSA con Kobra. Sí, es cierto que la JSA está ahí, claro. Power Girl, Centinela y Flash tienen hasta frases más o menos importantes; Stargirl, Magog, Mister América, Liberty Belle, Hourman, Ciclón... son más figurantes que otra cosa. El protagonista único de la saga es Mister Terrific, en su doble categoría de miembro de la JSA y de ex miembro de Jaque Mate (aquí me falla un poco la continuidad mental, ojo, no recuerdo si incluso seguía siendo el Rey Blanco). Ojo, no me quejo por el personaje, que me encanta, pero es cierto que no aprovechar todas las oportunidades y perspectivas que podrían haber dado los múltiples personajes de JSA para una historia de este calibre me parece pecado.
En fin, JSA sigue siendo una de mis series favoritas, así que la sigo disfrutando...
August 25, 2010
Thriller writer Greg Rucka was one of Eric Trautman's mentors, and Trautman has learned some lessons well. Pretty good use of different pov for the story telling, and as should be the case in any thriller dealing with religious cults/extremes there is not a nice tidy ending. Oh the world doesn't end, but the danger can be lurking anywhere. I enjoyed that Michael Holt, the titular hero, maintains that they must rely on brains not brawn throughout the story.
September 10, 2023
This was a decent JSA tale which would have been better served if it was part of the ongoing series. Eric Trautmann tells a story about Kobra's changing of the guard so to speak and their new methodology. It was actually a meeting of the minds as Mister Terrific goes head to head with Kobra. The cult has always been interesting and they were here as well. The issues with the book is that it was overlong (4 issues would have worked) and very exposition heavy. The final issue drug on so much. Don Kramer's art was solid but the inks were heavier than they probably should have been. Overall, a book with a ton of potential and only sees half of it.
August 9, 2012
First, the negatives. The art whilst functional and competant has a painted effect which actually dulls the quality of the pencils. Also the story doesn't end on a conclusive note. Whilst that is more of a real world ending, mostly I'm reading superheroes to get definitive and less depressing conclusions.
That said, this book excels at fictionalising and giving a glimpse at the mindset of one of the evils of the modern world, fundamentalist terrorism. There are no recognisable 'faiths' being demonised here, just something that has run around the back streets of the DC universe for quite some time. Kobra. It shows the lengths the 'faithful' are prepared to go(and in a sequence that skims over the topic briefly, also their antagonists - our heroes), the hypocrisy/callousness of the people in charge and the bodycount that ensues. And it's all done through allegory, something superhero comics used to be great at before the intrusion of 'reality'.
I like the JSA (and Checkmate which this ties into) so I' say this was well worth reading.
That said, this book excels at fictionalising and giving a glimpse at the mindset of one of the evils of the modern world, fundamentalist terrorism. There are no recognisable 'faiths' being demonised here, just something that has run around the back streets of the DC universe for quite some time. Kobra. It shows the lengths the 'faithful' are prepared to go(and in a sequence that skims over the topic briefly, also their antagonists - our heroes), the hypocrisy/callousness of the people in charge and the bodycount that ensues. And it's all done through allegory, something superhero comics used to be great at before the intrusion of 'reality'.
I like the JSA (and Checkmate which this ties into) so I' say this was well worth reading.
December 3, 2012
Enjoyed this a lot. It ultimately didnt fully live up to its early promise, but had an excellent plot and very good art. I also thought it was more a Mr Terrific mini than a JSA one, as most characters barely cameo. Kobra was nicely reinvented as a terrorist organisation, rather than just a nutty cult, and it works well.
It reads like a thriller and, despite said flaws, well worth picking up
It reads like a thriller and, despite said flaws, well worth picking up
November 21, 2015
I love the JSA! This one isn't my favorite JSA books for a few reasons, but the story is strangely applicable to the real world of today. The pencilling was good, but I found the book to be very dark and the colors could be flat at times. It was still an interesting book and for JSA fans a must read, but for the casual fan it does not display the best that the JSA has to offer as a whole.
January 25, 2021
Not quite the JSA I remember, but not bad at all. Interesting mix of new heroes with the old in this iteration of the JSA. Always a sucker for a good evil organization with nefarious plots getting whooped up on by the good guys. Nice twist and turns plot wise. I definitely recommend if you like the JSA or super team books in general. Good stuff, Maynard
February 10, 2016
I love the golden age superheroes from DC and the new JSA brings these original heroes back into the modern age along with their legacy namesakes. Well above average art and plot keep these 70 year old comic characters interesting and entertaining. Very recommended
July 30, 2012
A good book, but continuing a dead story line is just plain sad.
October 28, 2012
The first book I read where Kobra and his minions are scary. 4,5 stars? Kobra has some brilliant one-liners...a second book on the subject would be appreciated.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews