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Rating: 
Summary: More please!
Review: Alex Ross's art, as usual, is gorgeous and a joy to behold. I have framed posters of his Wonder Woman and Aquaman hanging in my gym as testament to my admiration of his work. Alas, the pages in JLA: Secret Origins relating to Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman have been reproduced from previous books (Superman: Peace on Earth, Batman: War on Crime, Shazam! Power of Hope and Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth) - all of which I already own. That made me feel a little cheated, but I guess I'll just have to wait a little while for his upcoming new JLA project. However, the full spreads of the JLA assembled still make this book well worth another look. Buy this book by all means if you do not already own the afore-mentioned books.
Rating: 
Summary: The Return of the Silver Age.
Review: Fans of the Silver Age DC Universe will enjoy this really modern look at the characters from Paul Dini and Alex Ross. Enjoy the rich painted look and text of the origins of all the JLA members; Superman, Batman, Wonder-Woman, The Flash, Green Landern, Martain Manhunter, Aquaman, Green Arrow and Black Canary, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Shazam, the Atom, and many others.
Great Book.
Rating:
Summary: The Return of the Silver Age.
Review: Fans of the Silver Age DC Universe will enjoy this really modern look at the characters from Paul Dini and Alex Ross. Enjoy the rich painted look and text of the origins of all the JLA members; Superman, Batman, Wonder-Woman, The Flash, Green Landern, Martain Manhunter, Aquaman, Green Arrow and Black Canary, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Shazam, the Atom, and many others.
Great Book.
Rating: 
Summary: Alex Ross fan here....
Review: I got back into comics a few years ago after a LONG time away and
it was for one reason: Alex Ross. His realistic portrayals of Superman and the rest got me excited about reading comics again. Ross' detailed work is even easier to appreciate in a large format book such as JLA: Secret Origins. The artwork is beautiful and the characters seem to jump off the page. Sure, the book may seem a little thin, but for the price it's definitely recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Cool perspectives of the Matrix world!
Review: My initial impression upon reading this book is that it keeps you over the edge for its exploration of the virtual world spun by the machines (since most of the stories take place in the virtual world). This also corresponds to the movies, which I think took a freefall once we were taken to exlore the "real" world. The strength of the Matrix story and its "sub-stories lies in the telling of the virtual world, which is why the first movie remains my (and others') favorite of the trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: MORE GREAT STUFF FROM ALEX ROSS
Review: The award-winning team of Paul Dini and Alex Ross unite once more to bring their unique talents to this excellent 48-page one-shot history of the JLA. Labeling the glossy, oversized book a "history" is actually stretching the term a bit. Only part of the history of DC's most popular heroes is told. In the fifth book of their "oversize" series, Dini focuses on the Golden Age of comics, when personal histories and events in the DC universe were less convoluted than they have become in recent years. While the previous four books by Dini and Ross were original stories about the DCU's foremost heroes, JLA: Secret Origins is basically a retelling of the origins of the major members of the JLA. It's a smart move on Dini's part. For those who love their heroes and their stories as they were in a simpler time, the book is a trip down memory lane, and a happy one at that. Ross' art has never been better. You want him to have been the premiere artist of that golden time, so closely does he capture the spirit and flavor of the originals. Dini's narration-style format is pitch-perfect here, neatly summarizing in eight pages the origins of Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Black Canary, the Atom and Plastic Man, plus a five-page nod to Zatanna, Zatarra, Adam Strange, Metamorpho, the Elongated Man, the Phantom Stranger and Red Tornado. Also included are double-page origins reprinted from Batman: War on Crime, Superman: Peace on Earth, Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth and Shazam: Power of Hope. Secret Origins is a very loving look at the best era that comics enjoyed. The simplicity of the origins and the eye-catching artwork might do wonders for those who cannot quite "get" the true nature of comics from the movies, yet want to understand more about who these heroes truly are. While narration-style storytelling may bore some readers, Secret Origins is a perfect entrance for the uninitiated who need to know more and a shot in the arm for veterans who long for the good old days, not to mention an absolutely fantastic visual treat for fans of great graphic art. Books like this remind me of why I continue to buy comics. They're heroes, pure and simple, and purely and simply is how their story should be told. This is truly a labor of love, and it shows in every page. Included is a behind-the-scenes look at the heroes of the JLA, a five-page sequence focusing on the team's commitment to protecting humankind, and interviews with the creators and reprints of Ross's previous works. Don't pass it up.
Rating:
Summary: MORE GREAT STUFF FROM ALEX ROSS
Review: The award-winning team of Paul Dini and Alex Ross unite once more to bring their unique talents to this excellent 48-page one-shot history of the JLA. Labeling the glossy, oversized book a "history" is actually stretching the term a bit. Only part of the history of DC's most popular heroes is told. In the fifth book of their "oversize" series, Dini focuses on the Golden Age of comics, when personal histories and events in the DC universe were less convoluted than they have become in recent years. While the previous four books by Dini and Ross were original stories about the DCU's foremost heroes, JLA: Secret Origins is basically a retelling of the origins of the major members of the JLA. It's a smart move on Dini's part. For those who love their heroes and their stories as they were in a simpler time, the book is a trip down memory lane, and a happy one at that. Ross' art has never been better. You want him to have been the premiere artist of that golden time, so closely does he capture the spirit and flavor of the originals. Dini's narration-style format is pitch-perfect here, neatly summarizing in eight pages the origins of Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Black Canary, the Atom and Plastic Man, plus a five-page nod to Zatanna, Zatarra, Adam Strange, Metamorpho, the Elongated Man, the Phantom Stranger and Red Tornado. Also included are double-page origins reprinted from Batman: War on Crime, Superman: Peace on Earth, Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth and Shazam: Power of Hope. Secret Origins is a very loving look at the best era that comics enjoyed. The simplicity of the origins and the eye-catching artwork might do wonders for those who cannot quite "get" the true nature of comics from the movies, yet want to understand more about who these heroes truly are. While narration-style storytelling may bore some readers, Secret Origins is a perfect entrance for the uninitiated who need to know more and a shot in the arm for veterans who long for the good old days, not to mention an absolutely fantastic visual treat for fans of great graphic art. Books like this remind me of why I continue to buy comics. They're heroes, pure and simple, and purely and simply is how their story should be told. This is truly a labor of love, and it shows in every page. Included is a behind-the-scenes look at the heroes of the JLA, a five-page sequence focusing on the team's commitment to protecting humankind, and interviews with the creators and reprints of Ross's previous works. Don't pass it up.
Rating:
Summary: They look great in painted form.
Review: This is actually a great book to read largely due to the text by Paul Dini which goes into detail about each hero and then the painted versions by Alex Ross which make every hero look more like flesh and blood human beings (something you can not get with regular drawn artwork in the monthly comics). It's also kind of good to see what these heroes would look like in live action form. The best looking ones are Wonder-Woman, The Flash, and Green Landarn, and they would certainly make good movies if Warner Brothers would get their act together and treat them seriously.
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