JSA: LIBERTY FILES
A familiar trio defend god and country during WWII

Writers: Dan Jolley and Tony Harris
Artists: Tony Harris and Ray Snyder
Colorist: Matthew Hollingsworth
Letterer: Ken Lopez
Two-issue prestige format miniseries
Published by DC Comics1999-2000
$6.95 each

Reviewed by Brian Domingos

DC's Elseworlds invoke an interesting premise. Elseworlds comics take everyday DC heroes out of their normal environment and shake them up a bit. They put radical twists on the heroes that we know and love. JSA: LIBERTY FILES was no different.

Dan Jolley, Tony Harris and Ray Snyder did a bang-up job on their latest contribution to the DC mythos.

The basic story revolves around special agents during World War II named the Bat, the Clock and the Owl (Batman, Hourman, and Dr. Midnight, respectively) and their mission to stop the Nazis and Hitler's new super soldier, a certain 'super' man.

The story, narrated by the Bat, follows the three heroes around the globe as they try to stop a homicidal albino arms dealer, Jack the Grin (the Joker), and a horrific strong man called the Scarecrow. Mr. Terrific joins our protagonists in book two. Book one shows Jack the Grin apprehended by authorities, only to escape shortly thereafter. The Bat meets up with the Clock and the Owl, and they leave in Jack's pursuit. There's an appearance by the Black Canary as a spy/ lounge singer, talks to The Clock making references to "The Cat" (Wildcat of the JSA). After countless battles, the trio manages to find Jack.

"The Bat is still Bruce Wayne; only now, he's taken crime fighting on a global scale."

The second book starts with an injured Owl in the hospital. The Bat and the Clock start searching for Hitler's super-soldier, or 'Uberman'. They go after an informant who has unfortunately already met up with the Scarecrow. Their mission finally leads them to Northern Africa to hold off the attack of Hitler's super-soldier. The story is very like an INDIANA JONES film; the heroes are tough, and the villains fight dirty. It's just a lot of fun to watch.

What really caught me was how well the characters are written. The Bat is still Bruce Wayne; only now, he's taken crime fighting on a global scale. He's just as cocky, clever and secretive as his 'real' caped crusader counterpart. The villains are twisted and devious, just as they usually are. Jack the Grin is a great character. He gains amnesia in book one and carries a timid demeanor, unaware of his actual psychotic personality. The Scarecrow is portayed in the most clever way I've seen in a while. This creature's rotting, corpse-like appearance brings fear to his victims (just as the 'real' Scarecrow does, albeit somewhat differently), but he can also emit a chemical which doubles as a truth serum as well as a fear toxin. This is a great move on the writers' part; it really adds to the mood.

The dialogue is tight and works very well. It's not only entertaining to watch the Bat interact with others in battle, but also in everyday situations. He constantly changes his outward appearance, including his hair colour, to disguise himself from everyone, even his allies. There's a classic scene in book two where Scarecrow attacks the Bat, the Clock, and Terrific on a train. The Bat jumps at him, opening his suit jacket to reveal a bunch of grenades. Terrific asks, "You have grenades in your jacket? But we were just having dinner!" To which the Bat replies, "Yes, and now we're fighting one of the undead. So move your ass." Classic Batman. Truly classic.

"Harris' photo-realistic penciling style really helps bring the story alive."

Tony Harris and Ray Snyder do some of their best work yet. Harris' photo-realistic penciling style really helps bring the story alive. The civilian scenes are tight, as the characters are appropriately dressed for the time of WWII, and the fight scenes are energetic and demand the reader's attention.

My only warning is the price tag. JSA: LIBERTY FILES was released by DC as two 48 page prestige format book. Each had a cover price of $6.95. The price is a bit steep but worth it. I bought the first issue for the creative team and stuck around for the storyline. If you're at all a fan of the JSA, INDIANA JONES movies, or Jolley and Harris, do yourself a favour and pick up this pair of books.

Recommended

Brian Domingos is a regular contributor to PopImage.

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