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May 01, 2009 Web Exclusive By Kyle Lemmon

This fourth JSA volume collects Justice Society of America #19-22, and the Thy Kingdom Come specials Magog, Superman, and The Kingdom. Picking up where part two left off, the Justice Society begins to disintegrate as Gog vows to bring peace to Earth. Some are terrified by this course of events, while many heroes are optimistic, after being healed of their ailments by Gog. Thom Kallor (Starman) is no longer a schizophrenic, Grant Emerson’s (Damage) scarred face is restored, and Sanderson Hawkin’s (Sand) night terrors have ceased. Gog’s helping hand comes with a moral price tag as the old JSA squares off against the new.

DC is obviously milking the sacred cow that is Alex Ross’ Kingdom Come but after 10 years this arc ends well. Alex Ross’ painterly grace in the final few panels of #22 is poignant and worth the bumpy road during some of the clunky stretches with artists Jerry Ordway, Fernando Pasarin, and Nathan Massengill. Homogenized comic art aside, this slowly unfolding storyline ties up several loose ends with its special one-shots: Magog’s origin (Peter Tomasi’s Magog) and the death of Lois Lane from Earth-22 at the hands of the Joker (Ross’ Superman). The former may not be entirely essential but the latter is perfectly heart-rending.

The final chapter of Thy Kingdom Come doesn’t do any disservice to Geoff Johns’ great run at JSA but readers won’t be exactly begging for more. And who can forget Ross. He’s doing some of the best work of his career, but it’s a shame it’s sandwiched in between such run of the mill art. (www.dccomics.com)

Author rating: 7/10