So lets try this again. Lets be honest, since John’s left, this book hasn’t been close to accomplishing the tone or feel the book was once great for. In hope of finishing an issue and having that love for these characters, I gave the new creative team of Guggenheim and Kolins a shot.

The issue starts off with Jay finding out that he’s been voted in as Mayor of Monument Point and quickly turns for a split second and introduces a mysterious new villain, who by the way looks like a metal head version of Zsasz, breaking out of “black” prison. There is a scene between Jay and Alan, where Jay tells his long time partner of his new status and his plan of retiring. At first this scene seemed very lame to me, but by the end of the issue REALLY seemed to be the most impactful scene in the issue. This is just the first of many times throughout this issue that Guggenheim does an AMAZING job of showing what good friends these two guys are and how well they know each other. The exchange is interrupted and the JSA is called to action because this new villain has escaped and is reeking havoc on the city. This whole issue to me felt like a one and done up until the last page, which isn’t a bad thing at all. Guggenheim does a great job with these characters and showed some really emotional sequences between Alan and Jay.

Emotional is the only way i can describe Scott Kolin’s work here. It’s awesome. His facial expressions are what made this issue. There is a ton of action, but it really is the emotion of the characters that is portrayed so well.  The only downside to the art in this book, in my opinion is the colors. I really feel llike colorist Mike Atiyeh dropped the ball. This almost looks like an amature paint job. Not my cuppo.

This is a great issue of a great series and i have high hopes Guggenheim and Kolins can bring this team to the forefront again.

oh…yeah…i think there are some bat books coming out in November 2010.