Ghost in the Castle
JSA #87
Cover Date: September 2006
Released: 5th July 2006
- Writers: Paul Levitz
- Pencilers: Jerry Ordway / Luke Ross
- Inker: Jerry Ordway / Dave Meikis
- Colourists: Tanya Horie / Richard Horie / Rob Schwager
- Letterer: Rob Leigh
- Editors: Stephen Wacker / Harvey Richards
Continued from JSA #86.
The rules of ghost fighting are a little vague here, mostly so the JSA can fight hoards of ghosts Craddock’s Army as it’s called here. Basically the majority of this comic is a series of fight scene’s with the groups in both New York and London (and for a change not London, though Windsor isn’t London by a few miles). Even though everyone has been punching ghosts left and right to stop the Gentleman Ghost it needs the right kind of punching!
It also means that there’s less to say here, because say it with me fight scene’s are great to look at but terrible to describe to everyone!
In London the fight against Gentleman Ghost, on his ghost horse (who story I really want to hear), with Wildcat and Green Lantern getting taken down. Pee Gee options to take them to safety, telling Jakeem, that only Thunderbolt can harm the Ghost, even though her punches seem to have at least some effect on the ghosts, something she’ll do through out the issue. Still it another chance for Jakeem to show his chops managing to temporary take down the Gentleman Ghost, though he’s quickly taken down himself. Quickly the story begin to turn as in another quick conflict Wildcat discovers that he can seriously harm Gentleman Ghost.
Mister Terrific also figures this out, but at this point a horde of ghosts attack the JSA headquarters. Ma Hunkel, who’s the best, decides that the best thing to do is et Green Lantern here and have someone go tell Wildcat about his heritage as a descendent of nobility. The person she tells to go do this task is Stargirl, who she assures Gentleman Ghost won’t be able to harm her, as she tells the others this is because Stargirl is a virgin. Now I’m not deep into my ghost law so I can’t confirm if this a real world thing, but it’s treated as a major revelation so I guess it’s a thing?
In our last real cutaway Gentleman Ghost meets the ghost of his mother, who apologizes for setting him on this path, before again he affirms he’s going to get back his life. It’s a weird scene because it doesn’t tell us anything we didn’t know, and unlike the normal apologetic mother she doesn’t try to convince him to atone for his sins, instead implying that she’s gathering up ghosts and forming them into an army for his benefit. But she then doesn’t play any part of the scenes to come, so it’s weird that she has any part here.
The battle then moves to Windsor Castle, where it’s applies the Queen is in residence though we don’t see her or any other royals. The fight move into St George’s Chapel, not named here which is the home of the Order of the Garter, which is important here that when things look pretty bleak for the JSA (though Pee Gee is still fighting) a bunch of ghost knights turn up to fight off the army of ghosts Gentleman Ghost has been using to hassle out team. As Kara says here, now I’ve seen everything!
We then get a sword fight between Wildcat and Gentleman Ghost, that results in Wildcat finally defeating the ghost and banishing the threat to the JSA. It’s nicely done but a smidge anticlimactic after the set up of the previous issues. Then we get a few epilogues, the first Pee Gee giving a little pep talk to Stargirl, telling her that she did good and not to shed a tear over the JSA Headquarters as it’s just bricks and mortar. According to her only men are worth crying over, but it’s worth the pain for the good parts. She then begins to tell about her encounters with a reporter, I assume it’s Andrew Vinson though they never say his name. Pee Gee then tells Stargirl it’s the start of a beautiful friendship…
We then get the rest of the team back in JSA headquarters where Joan has to talk sense into Jay telling him that whilst the building is destroyed the JSA can still do some good and to basically get his act together and start helping out. We end with the true hero of this story, Ma Hunkel declearing what a mess the place is and begins to clean up, something we’re assumed will be done by the time the series relaunches!
In some ways it’s hard for me to judge this one fairly, as it’s obviously the ending of a run, that due to how I split the runs up to mix and match, I don’t get the scope of this ending. And knowing another run is coming th writers (thankfully) choose not to kill anyone off, but that means with hindsight i means there’s no tension with things like Alan Scott being seriously injured. I wonder if this hit better at the time, when people wouldn’t know just what would happen to any of these characters. It’s not like they’ve got rid of the JSA before.
I could go on about Gentleman Ghost never felt like a threat, but it feels churlish as mostly I enjoyed this run, one that has a good showing for JSA, especially Pee Gee who get’s many moments to shine.