Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

JSA vs. Kobra # 5 (of 6)

By Koppy McFad
October 23, 2009 - 23:41

The Justice Society takes the fight to Kobra, destroying his bases and capturing his key leaders.

But these victories may all be meaningless as Kobra appears to have something bigger planned.... something the JSA has not prepared for.

This issue feels strangely unimportant.... almost like filler. Although the Justice Society is on the offensive this time, they don't seem all that intimidating. Maybe because you have the entire team going after a bunch of thugs-- fanatical thugs with weird costumes, but just thugs nonetheless. Maybe if the villains put up more of a fight, or maybe if the JSA split into teams to attack various Kobra bases simultaneously, their assault would look more impressive. The only guy who really shines is Mr. America, who gets to punch out a Kobra henchman in a very superheroic mannger.

The heroes also seem to be pretty careless, first letting one of Kobra's henchwomen escape from jail (shouldn't they have known better than to put her in an ordinary cell), then letting Kobra himself get away, even when the entire team was on hand to grab him.

One good thing is that the mood and atmosphere of the story is well-maintained, all throughout. Regardless of their seeming lack of resources, the Kobra cult do look dangerous simply because they operate in dark and mysterious places, in a secretive, malicious manner. Quite different from the typical comicbook private army who walk around in full uniform where everyone can see them. The art team deserves a lot of credit for this mood. The cultists' faces are always enflamed with murderous intent and their bodies seem almost animalistic. It is a convincing portrayal of what a terrorist group would be like in a comicbook universe.

Rating: 6.5 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12