...on leaving JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA

[Geoff Johns]

There will always be a JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA book in the DC Universe.

I take a lot of pride in that fact because it wasn’t always true.

It’s hard to say this but officially, I will be leaving the title after JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #26, which is a single-issue story entitled “BLACK ADAM RUINED MY BIRTHDAY.” Following the Black Adam arc with Jerry and I, #26 will be my last issue, Dale’s last and our fantastic editor Michael Siglain’s last. I think we’re going out on one of my favorite stories to date and I’m glad we are all going out on this together.

I’ve been writing JSA nearly my entire career. The book has steadily gained new and old fans and, with the re-launch two years ago, fixed itself as one of the staples of the DC UNIVERSE. Since then we’ve remained one of the top monthly books at DC alongside JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA and BATMAN. A book starring characters like Jay Garrick, Stargirl, Mr. Terrific and Citizen Steel. Heroes that, I think, most people had written off. But not all of them did.

We got Dr. Mid-Nite from the talented Matt Wagner. And the new Mr. Terrific first appeared in THE SPECTRE under the pen of one of my favorite writers John Ostrander. I brought in Stargirl, who will always be a character I write in one form or another – no matter if I’m on JSA or not. And, above all, I think James Robinson’s run on STARMAN opened the door for the JSA on a different level.

How’d I get involved in this? Peter Tomasi and David Goyer.

I was asked by them to come on and co-write JSA back in 1999 right when I got into comics. James had left the book after issue #2. David wrote #3 himself and I came in and wrote #4 with him, but without a credit. I got a special thanks to, but that was enough for me. David then wrote #5 and I came on officially with #6, which featured Black Adam way back when. Over the next two years, I worked with David on the book steadily until he left with #25 and returned later through #51.

The JSA to me represents everything good about life, work and superheroes. In life, generations past, present and future all provide different viewpoints. There can be something magical when it’s past from grandfather to father to son or from mother to daughter or son to grandfather. There’s nothing more important than family – and family means a lot more than just blood relatives. That’s what my very first book, STARS & S.T.R.I.P.E., was about and that’s what JSA, and life, is about.

So why am I leaving?

I have more stories to tell, and the characters are endless, but that’s also true for the DC Universe. I’m ready to move on to some other challenges like returning to THE FLASH and SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN. And I am also obsessed with making sure that GREEN LANTERN, BLACKEST NIGHT and everything around it is the absolute best it can possibly be. …and that’s only part of 2009. There are some new projects on the horizon.

I have to thank Dale Eaglesham, Fernando Parasin, Alex Ross, Steve Sadowski, Leonard Kirk, Don Kramer, Jerry Ordway, Michael Bair, Alex Sinclair, Jon Kalisz, Michael Siglain, Steve Wacker, Harvey Richards, Eddie Berganza, Adam Schlagman, Peter Tomasi, David Goyer, James Robinson, Carlos Pacheco and the creators that inspired me – Paul Levitz, Grant Morrison and Marv Wolfman.

And although he’s never read the book, Roy Thomas. He held the torch for a long time and did a wonderful job. I wish we could've done a project together.

I’m sure I’ll return to the JUSTICE SOCIETY in some form or another some day, but for now I’m passing them off a new creative team – one who is already working on the book (job’s taken, sorry guys – and it’s someone who’s never worked with these characters before). I really look forward to reading it.

Thanks for all your support and I'll see you all soon!

Geoff

[sylpemberton]

Thanks Geoff. You will be missed. And although I've been vocal about my dislike of some recent stories, my love for the Justice Society remains high.

All the best. And thanks for some bloody amazing stories.

[PyroTwilight]

Black Adam and birthday partys. Sounds like a great issue already! I'd say we'll miss you and it would be true but you'll come back to the title eventually like you said...so...good luck with all the projects you're gonna be doing!

[MattDiCarlo]

Geoff,

I know we're all running off potential ideas on who'll take over in the other note, but don't think that it's because we're already forgetting about you on it.

It's because it's such a hard intellectual challenge to try to figure out someone else who could do even half as good a job as you did with JSA.

A couple of years back, when I came back to the States after being away in England getting a Masters for a year, I had a year's worth of maybe 12 comics that were my absolute favorites on my pull list, and the very first one I went to read was JSA. It was the first comic I looked forward to for many, many different weeks over the last decade.

Thanks for all the hard work and the great stories. And on to the next book for the lot of us, right?

[Pureclint]

Geoff, thanks for the fun reads and kick ass stories the last few years. Both you and Dale leave some big shoes to fill for the next creative team.

[Doug Zawisza]

Well done, Geoff.

[stephbarton v.2]

Wow, Geoff thank you so much for the amazing run. I picked up JSA around issue 66 (The Spectre three issue arc) and feel in love with it then and there. I grabbed every back issue and trade of your run I can get and am still loving this book. Thank you to introducing me to so many wonderful characters and telling so many great stories.

You'll be missed, but I'm glad that there always will be a JSA and you are definatly the biggest reason for that.

[Aquarius]

Mr. Johns,

Thank you for all the wonderful tales over the years. I grew up with Roy Thomas on All-Star Squadron. After the Crisis, I didn't think that I would find any meaningful tales with this group of characters ever again. You not only recaptured the glory of the remaining originals but also brought in the next generation of heroes to the JSA.

When I finish reading your last issue on that future day, I will raise my glass and have a toast to you and the JSA.

Thank you!

[therealssjlink]

Thanks Geoff.

I ahd actually written off JSA as book of "has-beens" created for the fans of the golden/silverage. It didn't seem like something for me, but I gave it a chance because of the Lightning Saga crossover.

Well...I ended up liking JSA better than JLA by A LOT. Actually, because of other circumstances, I also got into Green Lantern. Let's just say....it's one of my favorites now.

So, even though I am sad that you are leaving (it was going to happen eventually; for the record I like all of the Kingdom/Gog stuff), I'll continue to read Green Lantern and will possibly pick up Flash Rebirth and Superman Secret Origins. As long as you keep on writing good stories, I'll keep on reading them.

Of course, I'll still be reading JSA as well.

[Terry Sloane]

Thanks Geoff for all your work on this title! And I would not want to be around when Black Adam blows out the candles.

[bookwriter]

Geoff,

Thanks for a great run on JSA and Justice Society of America. Sorry to read that you will no longer be writing the title, but completely understand why you are moving on. Looking forward to your new stuff!

[Kiryu]

JSA is the first and foremost superhero team in my head when I think of DC thanks entirely to you. Black Adam and Captain Marvel are some of my favorites thanks to you. Same goes for just about everyone on the cast.

Great work.

[Astro]

It's been quite a run, Geoff.

It's been quite a run.

[TheCompass]

Sad to see you go, but I look forward to whatever you write next.

[RJ Squires]

Lemme guess,
Black Adam comes to Courtney's Birthday party and orders an Egg Cream Soda....

I have also been vocal about the over-length KC arc, but I have as a whole for the past 10 years made this a MUST get book thanks to you. See you on Flash!

[diablo]

Helluva run, Geoff. Sorry as I am to see you go it's not like I'm gonna miss you. I'm definitely buying and reading all your other stuff!

You've set a very high bar for your successors. As a JSA fan I look forward to seeing what they bring to the table and hope they've got the "right stuff".