**JLA**: the Justice League of America.

Alex Ross art from Justice.

My first exposure to the JLA was prekindergarten watching Hanna Barberas Super Friends. This was the first version, with Wendy and Marvin. Having exposure to Superman and Batman at that point and seeing them in animated form with other heroes was exciting and would be for the rest of the 70s to follow. 

the Superfriends had a huge impact on the general public.

I will say, as many people of my generation, the Challenge of the Super Friends was the most exciting of the bunch and the most memorable, closer to the comics, action packed and less 'kiddie'.

Challenge of the Super Friends

I also thought watching Super Friends and seeing Filmations JLA (in reruns from the 60s) appear in solo stories and together, as but a small boy in the 70s rather cool, action packed and less talking to you like a child than Hanna Barberas version did. Although if one were to watch it with modern eyes and ears they may not think it is any better than HB just different. Everything is usually reflective of the times.

Filmation

HOWEVER.....this is about the JLA. That first exposure was given to me in comic book form through the art of Dick Dillin. He holds for drawing the book for the longest period of time right before his death in 1980.

Issues #125 & #133 my first exposure to the comic and Dillin (that I still own).

JLA/JSA crossover,  double spread poster from the Perez run.

To fill such big shoes, what would become the one and only legend George Perez. His style may not have been defined at the time but the writing along with the artwork made for the most memorable of memories of JLA stories.

Justice League of America #200.

 When he left too many artists came and went and, through no fault of their own, just didn't measure up to Dillin or Perez or as competitive as other team books like X-Men, Fantastic Four, the Legion of Superheroes and Perez on his own book the New Teen Titans.

As the years progressed and crisis and continuity would change the JLA just fell to the wayside. Although a huge fan base for the JLI books of the late 80s still holds true. It was more humorous and non-traditional from the what came before, sadly (in my opinion!!). What was not sad was the beautiful art of Kevin Maguire and later Adam Hughes. However for story it was mediocre and humorous at best.

From the Who's Who entry. One last look at the ORIGINAL JLA pre-crisis.

 

House ad from Crisis on Infinite Earths.

 

From the mini series Legends, the first post Crisis crossover book and a final so long to the JLA before a post crisis version were to officially relaunch, even though this was a post-Crisis story.

 

House ad for the Legends series on the left. The artwork of John Byrne gave readers a feeling of great things to come. The first issue to Justice League on the right, which in my opinion was not majestic but entertaining action camp fodder for the fans.

One Shot. The most memorable page from the the late 80s JLI run.

Not until the 90s were coming to an end did we see the JLA return in top form care of Grant Morrison, Mark Waid to name but a few writers. With Howard Porter giving a less than appealing visual** the book still did well.

JLA the Tower of Babel

The next major impact for me was the JL/JLU animated series by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini. This was an amalgamation of many classic and new versions of DC iconic characters taking the former Batman and Superman animated series with the rest of the DC Universe in what may be some of the best JLA stories ever told.

JLA: the JLU in animated form Bruce Timm.

Image from the controversial Cry For Justice series

Although many JLA titles have come and gone and we will continue to see animation and tv shows/movies pump out their own version of the JLA what one can never argue is the power of original 7 iconic JLA members that planted the seeds for one of the most popular and loved teams of all time.

End of the Bronze Age, almost, covers by Perez.

 

The post Infinite Crisis JLA had a softly rebooted pre-crisis continuity like having the original silver age origin with Wonder Woman back into the story. As it should be. What would follow not too long after is the New52 a total hard reboot and slap in the face to long time fans of JLA and DC Comics.

Top 10 JLA in no particular order as of 2015:
1-the Challenge of the Super Friends cartoon
2-George Perez run on the JLA honourable mention to JLA 200.
3-Crisis on Infinite Earths- not specifically JLA but the end of the bronze age and the original DC Earth 1.
4-JLI the first 24 issues, kudos to Kevin Maguire
5-JLA 90s/2000s Morrison, Waid stand out stories Tower of Babel and Crisis of Conscience.
6-JLU animated, by Dini, Timm and team.
7-Justice-Alex Ross and Jim Krueger.
8-Kingdom Come- Mark Waid & Alex Ross.
9-Cry for Justice
10-JLA the Nail/Another Nail by Alan Davis.




 
**a comic book is 50% writing and 50% art. If one of the two is not complimenting the other for me personally I cannot give credit to a book being good. Bad writing with good art is nice to look at. Good writing with less than appealing artwork, has a well written story and unattractive art. Half a book. 'Nuff said.

Alex Ross: Artist

There are certain artists who create waves throughout the comic art community and beyond. These artists may branch out into different fields other than comic books but the impact they leave is felt, influence and touched for years to come. One of those artists was Neal Adams who's influence as the 1960s closed and into the 1970s made a huge impact on many levels. Although post 70s Neal was not seen from or hear in the community his impact transcends time.

Alex Ross is one of those artist:

Flashback! As the 1980s were coming to a close the comic book industry was going through a lot of changes. A lot of the great talent you may have seen or read in 1977 or 1985 seemed to have moved on. You would not necessarily find your favourite talent writing or drawing Batman or Spider-man for example. Art become less evolved if you will. As the 90s blossomed many independent comic lines came and went. Some were successful like Image Comics. However comic book art became sophomoric, flashy, cartoony, anatomically incorrect and just plain unattractive, in my less than humble opinion. Then came Alex Ross, whom took the medium back to a more artist, realistic and serious level. Finding out that Alex grew up, almost the exact same age as me, watching the same shows, reading the same comic books, being influenced by many of the same artist and so on, I found to be fantastic. Although I never pursued a career in the comic field Alex took one of my childhood dreams of drawing/painting comics in a more realistic fashion. And in this case? The message is more important than the message.

Marvels was Alex Ross' first major impact on the comic book industry.

Kingdom Come may be Alex Ross' most recognized work.

Panel from Justice.

Thank goodness for Alex, for the 90s as much as they were needed, as they were a change from the norm, was just an ugly time for comics. The end of the 90s saw things get better, Ross along with other artists, were getting recognition for doing good solid inspirational art.

Now what's wrong with that? Nothing. Nothing at all!

                  http://www.alexrossart.com/

Batman: Guns 'n Death

DC Comics has built a reputation that their most iconic characters such as Superman and Batman don't kill.
The notion being is that they are better than that. They also know once you start killing you become the villain. The concept is a sensitive however it's always a passionate debate among the fans.
However it doesn't negate the fact that the idea of them doing does not go without notice.

The following are articles and examples to contemplate and such:

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2014/04/29/abandoned-love-did-batman-just-kill-that-guy/  and here http://sacomics.blogspot.ca/2005/08/batman-and-guns.html 

10 Nights of the Beast:

  

Batman Year 3:
http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2014/04/29/abandoned-love-did-batman-just-kill-that-guy/

Another interesting article here that looks deep historically from the golden age to the modern age on the topic:

http://www.cracked.com/article_20111_the-6-most-brutal-murders-committed-by-batman.html

Batman Year Two. Trade paperback. Currently out of publication.

Add caption

Detective Comics 710 explains one scenario of his gun expertise training.

Top of image from Batman Year 1. Bottom of image from Batman/Planetary. The reason for Batmans hate of guns.

But just remember Batman all in all does not use guns, it's a liars weapon~!

Jim Aparo!

Jim Aparo Artist. Header. Design by Joey Faraci.

Jim Aparo was an advertising artist in the early 1960s who turned to full time comic artist starting, for the most part, in the late 1960s and for the rest of his career from that point on. He is most famous for his Batman comics which he did for over a period, on and off, for over 2 decades (or a good quarter century!). 

His artwork made an impact on the comic world back in the 1970s on the Brave and the Bold books as he drew Batman teaming up with a different character every issue. 

Jim was heavily influenced by Neal Adams as were many artists of the time. Jim acknowledged this and got the "ok" from Adams to 'borrow' his style if you will. What was special about Jim really was his style. He had the illustrative feel but very hyper animated, almost cartoony in a realistic way.
I recall reading in a magazine or letter column what one person said about his style: It was a cross between Dick Sprang and Neal Adams. That I can accept. I would even say between Adams and Bruce Timm too!

What he also did for a good 10-15 years was draw, as in pencil, ink and even letter his own work. This was usually the job of 2 to 3 people, yet Jim did all this from month to month along with tons of covers on top of a busy schedule.

Jim not only drew Batman but was well known for his Aquaman, Phantom Stranger and the Spectre too.
 

The Phantom Stranger by Aparo, from the Who's Who series.

The Spectre, the Wrath of God by Jim Aparo in a very controversial issue for it's violence is now considered a classic part of Jim Aparos career and the Spectre in comics.

Classic Aquaman by Aparo a more tender moment.

In the 80s as the B&B title came to an end he continued to work on Batman and the Outsiders. His artwork became simpler and less refined than his early to mid-70s style and by the time the 90s came around he seemed to only get decent artwork when he inked himself (however Bill Sienkiewicz and Kevin Nowlan did very memorable jobs embellishing his art). At this point the Bat and Green Arrow books were his only working books, as far as I know.

Batman and the Outsider no.1.

DC Sampler 1983. Spread page introducing the new Batman and the Outsiders book that replaced the long running the Brave and the Bold series.

Batman 534 inks by Bill Sienkiewicz

Legends of the Dark Knight Annual no.1.1991. Inked by Jim.

Even if you haven't seen Aparo in the pages of any comic books you have read, chances are, you have seen his artwork on the cover of hundreds of DC covers from the 70s and 80s.

Worlds Finest 255. Wrap around cover by Jim Aparo.

Adventure Comics 462. Left production art by Aparo. Right final cover off the news stands scanned.

There is a lot more to Jim. For those on Facebook there is an active page called Jim Aparo Artist. https://www.facebook.com/groups/17217745637/


Pinterest Jim Aparo 

Jim Aparo bio from Back Issue magazine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Aparo

Justice League of America #200. DC Comics. 1981

IMPACT! When one single issue leaves an all out impression on the reader. 
Impact! When you one revisits. Recollects. Remembers. Rereads a single comic book issue. That impact was the one and only Justice League of America #200!

Imagine the JLA in their classic Bronze (and Silver Age) prime in an all anniversary issue. With the hottest new artists and classic long time artists all contributing to each chapter as the adventure unfolds.
For me this issue is and always will be the greatest Justice League issue ever published.Period.

Imagine this: George Perez, Jim Aparo, Brian Bolland, Gil Kane and many other amazing artists contributing all in one book. No ads!
Walking into the variety store that cold winter day in Toronto and seeing on the news rack, grabbing it before someone takes it, begging to have it bought for me (no allowance), well that day was a good day indeed! 
Remember this was the early 80s when you could still go into the the variety store and buy a comic book and not know what to expect! No internet. No advertising. No nothing to give any fan the expectations of what would be out that week and what the books were about. It's called the way it should be! Surprise!

Most, if not all, fans of this era who were around to pick up this book all agree this issue is probably the greats issue of them all. 
Here, see for yourself:
http://jlasatellite.blogspot.ca/2011/12/justice-league-of-america-200-30th.html
http://comicsauthority.com/2014/01/16/flashback-issue-bin-justice-league-of-america-200/


The only negative is the reprint of this book in the George Perez Classic Library Edition of the book, http://www.amazon.ca/DC-Comics-Classic-Library-Justice/dp/1401224504/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1428373103&sr=8-3&keywords=george+perez+justice+league does not live up to the same print quality as the newsprint versions, it's like they had a problem with the master files/negatives when they went to reprint them and has this second generation printed look, even though it's on a higher end paper stocks. The thickness of the lines seem to curve different, it has an odd threshold to coin the Photoshop term. Lines have this weird almost oddly curved thing one would achieve using the many Photoshop filters. A real shame this was not reproduced to the standard that the original print achieved.

The original is a must!
Impact! Art! Story! Talents! Icons! Sequential storytelling! 

That's Justice League of America #200!