In this review of JSA #23, a decade after the JSA is disbanded, a few of its former members are called back into action.
JSA #23
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by TEDDY KRISTIANSEN
Main Cover: DIEGO OLORTEGUI
Variant Cover: TEDDY KRISTIANSEN
Page Count: 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 9/2/26
This review contains spoilers
As JSA #23 begins, the year is 1951, and thanks to the argument of “good Americans don’t need to cover their faces”, the JSA is disbanded. Ten years go by, and we catch up to Ted Grant. The years and the boredom of civilian life have taken a toll, but he’s soon approached by a government operative who wants to recruit The Wildcat.
We swtich to Tyler Chemicals. Rex Tyler, similarly bored with his life, gets a similar recruitment visit, knowing him as Hour Man. Same recruiter as with Ted, as well.
Then we come to Dr. Charles McNider. He’s given the same pitch, but Dr. Mid-Nite wants no part of it.
Ted and Rex meet a couple days later, and the government agent says he’d asked a third who declined. But he fills them in on the reason they’re there: someone had been sent in a while prior to spy on the Soviets, but they’d lost contact and they’re sure something’s gone horribly wrong. But they’re soon joined by one more figure: Dr. Mid-Nite, who’s changed his mind.
They’re flown out to the Soviet Union/Poland border, but nobody—not even the guy who recruited him—knows exactly who they’re after. Just that they’ll know him when they see him.
After jumping out of the plane, they go to stake out the enemy camp, and they can see this missing operative. He’s not in great shape, and he is, in fact, someone they know: The Atom.
So, if I knew absolutely nothing about the JSA as a whole, or any of the members, JSA #23 would honestly be a great starting point. Overall, it’s an intriguing story on its own, but it can be enjoyed both with and without having caught up on the series thus far.
When each man is recruited, we get the names of both their civilian and JSA identities. With that, newcomers don’t need to do much research, but it makes a narrative sense beyond mere exposition because here’s this G-Man telling them: “I know exactly who you are, and that’s just what we need”.
That opening scene in where the JSA is at the hearing, for example, we see the main members depicted in this story, so that reveal at the end is easy enough to pick up on. At the same time, it’s a slightly richer experience for those that have been keeping up with the title.
The art style for JSA #23 stands out to me. It’s got a somewhat sketchy, somewhat painterly look to it that fits the vibe of the story. It’s not of the save-the-whole-universe variety, but it’s a Cold War-era thriller that just happens to have out-of-retirement Mystery men. It stays toward a cooler color palette. Going too bright with the color would go rather against the vibe.
This being a 2-part story arc, I imagine part 2 being a bit more action-based. After all, they intend to get their old friend out of there. JSA #23 set up the stakes, so part 2 would be the payoff for that.
In terms of the main thread in this part, where it’s clear the former Mystery Men are bored with civilian life, that was pretty well done, I think. We’ve got those subtle tells, like how despite having a gym, Ted’s let himself go. You get the feeling that he drags himself out of bed in the morning to go to a job that he’d hoped would fill the void, but it doesn’t. He doesn’t get quite the same adrenaline rush.
Rex’s life since the disbandment, he’s apparently running a successful company. He’s got a product set to come out whose name is an homage to the identity he’d been forced to leave behind. His own way of hanging onto that. But looking at his face, you just know he’d rather be out there, fighting the good fight.
It’s no wonder that Ted and Rex jump at the chance to relive their glory days. As for Charles, it makes sense that he’s hesitant to rejoin that. He’s a physician, and been able to help people that way. It may not be the same sort of excitement as going into a fight, but he’s able to do some good. Also love that his rationale behind changing his mind is that if this operative is alive, they may need medical attention and he’s perfectly qualified for that.
Final Thoughts
JSA #23 serves as a great introduction to a short-but-tense story, and as an excellent introduction to the characters for the uninitiated. The artwork perfectly fits the tone, and if someone’s new to this title, it’s a great place to start reading.
