Rating: 
Summary: even superheros have a soft underbelly
Review: I gotta tell you -- I don't know superheros from a hole in the ground. But with Mark at the helm, it doesn't really matter. With Mark at the helm, superheros are just... people. And, oh, how refreshing that is!This here's the story of the JLA teaming up for the very first time. There's camradarie. Flirting. Sexual tension. Misunderstanding. Identity crises. Two-timing. An Aquaman that mumbles -- sorta. All wrapped up in an "aliens are taking over THE WORLD!" story that's not [bad]. It's a lot of ground to cover; in fact, each of the five principles has their very own story arc. In less able hands, there might be some floundering. But Mark's been blessed by the divine storytellers; he executes this complex tale with skill and grace. Barry Kitson's art adds much dimension to the tale, and he's a wonderful storyteller in his own right. One of Mark's many talents is that he can take a girl like me and make her care about characters that she ordinarily wouldn't give two shakes to read about. JLA:YEAR ONE is a fine example of this talent in action.
Rating: 
Summary: JUSTICE LEAGUE YEAR ONE IS A FUN READ!
Review: Justice League: Year One has two goals. Goal #1 - Take the core members of the "post-Crisis" Justice League of America and make them into actual characters. These being: Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lantern, Aqua-Man, and Black Canary. Goal #2 - Tell a fun story that can be intertwined with old JLA stories without rewriting history. IT ACCOMPLISHES BOTH GOALS. Now, many readers may complain at the lack of Superman or Batman in this story. But let's be honest...we already know plenty about them. The five core members of the JLA have been around since the 1960's and what do we actually know about their characters? Not much beyond the stereotypical hero adventures that they were placed into. Writer Mark Waid does a nice job of fleshing out who these people are. Some key strengths of the twelve chapter (i.e. 12 issue) trade-paperback: The Flash taking the leadership role of the JLA, Aqua-Man's introduction to land-dwelling life, Black Canary's continual acknowledgement of the JSA and her possible relationship with The Flash, a great villain conspiracy that works well into the JLA mythos and does not overtly change anything that fans may already know about the team. Sometimes retrospect storylines don't work because we (as readers) already know what becomes of these characters. However, sometimes they are just a fun read that can remind us about our love for the history of the heroes and their team and what we miss in today's comic book environment. I recommend JLA - Year One and I also believe that Brave & The Bold - Flash and Green Lantern makes an excellent sequel of sorts. CHECK THEM OUT HERO FANS!
Rating:
Summary: JUSTICE LEAGUE YEAR ONE IS A FUN READ!
Review: Justice League: Year One has two goals. Goal #1 - Take the core members of the "post-Crisis" Justice League of America and make them into actual characters. These being: Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lantern, Aqua-Man, and Black Canary. Goal #2 - Tell a fun story that can be intertwined with old JLA stories without rewriting history. IT ACCOMPLISHES BOTH GOALS. Now, many readers may complain at the lack of Superman or Batman in this story. But let's be honest...we already know plenty about them. The five core members of the JLA have been around since the 1960's and what do we actually know about their characters? Not much beyond the stereotypical hero adventures that they were placed into. Writer Mark Waid does a nice job of fleshing out who these people are. Some key strengths of the twelve chapter (i.e. 12 issue) trade-paperback: The Flash taking the leadership role of the JLA, Aqua-Man's introduction to land-dwelling life, Black Canary's continual acknowledgement of the JSA and her possible relationship with The Flash, a great villain conspiracy that works well into the JLA mythos and does not overtly change anything that fans may already know about the team. Sometimes retrospect storylines don't work because we (as readers) already know what becomes of these characters. However, sometimes they are just a fun read that can remind us about our love for the history of the heroes and their team and what we miss in today's comic book environment. I recommend JLA - Year One and I also believe that Brave & The Bold - Flash and Green Lantern makes an excellent sequel of sorts. CHECK THEM OUT HERO FANS!
Rating:
Summary: Much Fun
Review: Retroactive continuity is frequently a buzzword these days in the comics milieu. While the Justice League of America has been around since the late 1950's, this collection updates their beginnings and first year for the new century. Mark Waid, for many, a definitive JLA chronicler and a master storyteller, enchantingly and with loving respect, reworks early JLA adventures and lore together with contemporary plotting and characterization into a grand reading experience for new readers as well as for longtime fanboys and continuity geeks. The League here is the Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Black Canary, and the Martian Manhunter, but there are tons of guests from the original Doom Patrol, the Blackhawks, the Challengers of the Unknown, and a pre-beard Green Arrow. DC's Big Two, Superman and Batman, also appear briefly. Traditional League lore such as the Secret Sanctuary, the JSA, Snapper Carr, Amazo, Despero, and Kanjar Ro are all present, but cleverly entwined with new, additional concepts such as the insidious Locus, the original Blue Beetle, Maxwell Lord, and an incipient and flirtation between the Flash and Black Canary. Waid is also an expert of the bon mot and clever conversation: Flash (speaking of Green Lantern): "Besides, of course, he's going to get all the attention. He's the prettiest." Black Canary: "Well, you have me there. He is cute, isn't he?" Flash: "Actually, I was joking, but I'll take your word for it." As with so many of these collections, there is something here for even the newest comics readers and tons of delight for the eternal fanboys. Most highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Justice League of America: The Beginnings Revisited!
Review: Retroactive continuity is frequently a buzzword these days in the comics milieu. While the Justice League of America has been around since the late 1950's, this collection updates their beginnings and first year for the new century. Mark Waid, for many, a definitive JLA chronicler and a master storyteller, enchantingly and with loving respect, reworks early JLA adventures and lore together with contemporary plotting and characterization into a grand reading experience for new readers as well as for longtime fanboys and continuity geeks. The League here is the Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Black Canary, and the Martian Manhunter, but there are tons of guests from the original Doom Patrol, the Blackhawks, the Challengers of the Unknown, and a pre-beard Green Arrow. DC's Big Two, Superman and Batman, also appear briefly. Traditional League lore such as the Secret Sanctuary, the JSA, Snapper Carr, Amazo, Despero, and Kanjar Ro are all present, but cleverly entwined with new, additional concepts such as the insidious Locus, the original Blue Beetle, Maxwell Lord, and an incipient and flirtation between the Flash and Black Canary. Waid is also an expert of the bon mot and clever conversation: Flash (speaking of Green Lantern): "Besides, of course, he's going to get all the attention. He's the prettiest." Black Canary: "Well, you have me there. He is cute, isn't he?" Flash: "Actually, I was joking, but I'll take your word for it." As with so many of these collections, there is something here for even the newest comics readers and tons of delight for the eternal fanboys. Most highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Poor rewritten origin of the JLA?
Review: The JLA have at times come off as weak players compared to the Avengers from Marvel Comics. Here this recounts their first adventure as a team. or maybe I should lack of a team. I mean let's face it, if you have Superman or Batman around, what's the purpose of the rest of the JLA...Nothing.
Rating: 
Summary: Justice Lame of America
Review: This was a fine attempt to tell a story that could have been good. The problem is that the writers don't tell us one NEW thing that fans of the Justice League need to know. Why not tell us how Black Canary manages to keep that blonde wig on? Instead of making details of the DC Universe more clear, the book actually creates more inconsistencies. Superman and Batman are so distanced from the league that it's hard to imagine them ever becoming involved. A half-hearted attempt to make Green Arrow a more important player is made but this branch of the story is left undeveloped. The most troubling problem has to do with the time period that the story does/does not take place in. Since so many of the revised versions of the league take place in contemporary periods then shouldn't that put this one about twenty or thirty years before other incarnations? If you're a fan you'll probably still buy it, but you'll feel a littled cheated. Don't say I didn't warn you!
Rating:
Summary: Much Fun
Review: Waid is one of the best of the retconners around, and this actually makes you feel as if something was ADDED to the great Silver Age stories (rather than taken away). It's nice to have Snapper and Kanjar Ro and the Appellax aliens still around, but it's great fun for some of us to have Waid add an early encounter between the League and the Doom Patrol (and especially have them in a scary and ingenious battle with the Brotherhood of Evil). And because DC has killed off so many of the original Leaguers (Barry Allen, Hal Jordan, Oliver Queen) it's great to see them again, and written by someone who knows how to write them. A final comment: I greatly enjoyed how much sunnier this work was then Waid's usual ouevre, and wish he'd do more work like this--not everything has to be all dark and gloomy to be intelligently done or mature!
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