The New Golden Age

Last updated
"The New Golden Age"
Publisher DC Comics
Publication dateNovember  2022  –October  2024
Genre
Title(s)
The New Golden Age #1, Stargirl: The Lost Children #1–6, Justice Society of America (vol. 4) #1–12
Main character(s) Justice Society of America
Huntress (Helena Wayne)
Stargirl
Red Arrow
Green Lantern (Alan Scott)
Flash (Jay Garrick)
Sandman (Wesley Dodds)
Legion of Super-Heroes
Creative team
Writer(s) Geoff Johns
Artist(s)Various

"The New Golden Age" is a crossover event in DC Comics publications. Written by Geoff Johns, the story follows the Justice Society of America unraveling a mystery following the Golden Age heroes and villains and the untold stories that come with it. The story comprises an eponymous one-shot and the central storyline in the ongoing Justice Society of America, as well as tie-in limited series like Stargirl: The Lost Children, Alan Scott: The Green Lantern, Jay Garrick: The Flash, and Wesley Dodds: The Sandman.

Contents

The event received highly positive reviews from critics.

Publication history

In August 2022, DC Comics announced "The New Golden Age", [1] an event meant to reintroduce readers to the Justice Society of America and other Golden Age characters, [2] as well as explore the past, present and future of the DC multiverse. [3]

The New Golden Age was expanded to three new six-issue miniseries: Alan Scott: The Green Lantern by Tim Sheridan and Cian Tormey, Jay Garrick: The Flash by Jeremy Adams and Diego Olortegui, and Wesley Dodds: The Sandman by Robert Venditti and Riley Rossmo. The crossover event is also part of the "Dawn of DC" initiative. [4]

Plot

Prelude

In Star City, Green Arrow is training with Red Arrow as he tells her about the time when he and Speedy were transported to the Golden Age of Superheroes and joined the Seven Soldiers of Victory, consisting of Vigilante, Star-Spangled Kid, Stripesy, Shining Knight, and Crimson Avenger. The two are approached by Jill Carlyle / Crimson Avenger, who states that Lee Travis needs their help. The three battle the Clock King and learn that Travis is still alive, but he is killed when the Clock King's time machine explodes. [5]

Meanwhile, Rip Hunter is informed that the Time Masters' capsules containing various missing Golden Age superheroes (consisting of the Thaddeus Brown version of Mister Miracle, the original Aquaman who predates Arthur Curry, the Legionnaire of the Golden Age, Betsy Ross, Molly Pitcher, Ladybug, Quiz Kid, Salem the Witch Girl, Cherry Bomb, Harlequin's Son, Steel's great-uncle John Henry Jr., Jay Garrick's daughter Judy Garrick, and the original Red Lantern) have shut down, returning their captives to their own time. [6]

Main plot

The New Golden Age

In an alternate timeline, Helena Wayne becomes Huntress to avenge her father Bruce's death. Meanwhile, the Stranger kills Doctor Fate's 30th-century descendant, the present-day Khalid Nassour meets with Detective Chimp and Deadman to exorcise Nabu from his helmet, and the Justice Society search for the missing sidekicks. [7]

Justice Society of America

While searching for Doctor Fate, Huntress forms a new incarnation of the Justice Society consisting of Power Girl, Solomon Grundy, Gentleman Ghost, Harlequin's son, Icicle II, Mist, and Red Lantern II. The Stranger transports Huntress to 1940, where the original Justice Society find her. However, Huntress is soon returned to the present and meets with Fate, Detective Chimp, and Deadman. [8] [9] [10]

Madame Xanadu informs the Society that Per Degaton made a deal with the Lords of Chaos and intends to kill the original Justice Society. However, Fate summons alternate universe variants of the Society to stop Degaton. Afterwards, Fate travels to the 31st century to assist the Legion of Substitute Heroes. After they persuade Solomon Grundy, Red Lantern II, Icicle, and Harlequin's Son to join up with them, the Society recruits Legionnaire, a young heroic version of Mordru. However, the Legion of Super-Heroes arrive to stop them, believing that Mordru will inevitably turn evil. During the fight, Eclipso bursts out of Wildcat. With help from Legionnaire, Huntress fires an enchanted arrow at Eclipos' black diamond. As Wildcat is restored to life and Legionnaire has Eclipso's black diamond locked away on Gemworld, the Legion of Super-Hook Legionnaire and Huntress up with the JSA of their time period. [11]

Subplots

Stargirl: The Lost Children

While investigating the missing sidekicks, Stargirl and Red Arrow discover that they have been kidnapped by the Time Masters and Childminder, who seek to protect them from Doctor Manhattan's alterations to the timeline. Unable to return to their time, the sidekicks are instead adopted by various present-day heroes. Amidst this, Dan the Dyna-Mite crash-lands on an island in the Diablo Triangle and is mysteriously de-aged. Most of these missing sidekicks are held captive by a being called Childminder who is planning to sell them to the Hourman android. After Childminder is defeated and Wing is sent back to his own time, the Hourman android states that the Lost Children can't be returned to their own time due to paradoxical reasons causing them to be brought to Stargirl's time instead. [12]

Wesley Dodds: The Sandman

In the 1940s, Sandman battles crime, guided by his prophetic dreams. He occasionally experiences nightmares, such as his father's experiences in World War I, but learns to overcome them. After investigating the theft of his anesthetic gas, Sandman encounters a mysterious evil doppelganger of himself who he dubs Fog. He then defeats him. Then he finds out that Wheeler Vanderlyle was behind what has been happening and manages to defeat him with Vanderlyle being shot by Dian Belmont. After he meets Dian's nephew Sandy Hawkins, Dodds is invited to join the Justice Society. [13]

Jay Garrick: The Flash

The Flash battles Doctor Elemental while he and his wife Joan struggle with their inability to remember their daughter Judy Garrick, also known as Boom. In flashbacks to 1941, the Justice Society battle robots, Doctor Elemental, and his creation Ro-Bear in Wutach Gorge. In the present, Jay learns that Elemental is Professor Hughes, a scientist who conducted the experiments that gave him his super-speed and created the robots as part of efforts to recreate Jay's powers. Elemental attempts to activate the meta-genes of everyone on Earth before Jay stops him. While hiding in a cave after getting away, Doctor Elemental is approached by a mysterious person. [14]

Alan Scott: The Green Lantern

Alan Scott is imprisoned in Arkham Asylum for being homosexual. After escaping, he is involved in a train accident that kills his friends Jimmy, encounters the Starheart, and becomes Green Lantern. He then becomes an enemy and occasional ally of Red Lantern (Vladimir Sokov), a Russian soldier who wields an artificial lantern ring. [15]

Titles

Prelude issues

TitleIssuesWritersArtistsDebut dateConclusion date
Stargirl Spring Break Special1 Geoff Johns Todd Nauck
Bryan Hitch
Fred Hembeck 		May 25, 2021 [16]
Flashpoint Beyond 0–6Geoff Johns
Jeremy Adams
Tim Sheridan		 Eduardo Risso
Xermánico
Mikel Janín		April 12, 2022 [17] October 18, 2022 [18]

Main issues

TitleIssuesWritersArtistsDebut dateConclusion date
The New Golden Age1 Geoff Johns Diego Olortegui
J.P. Mayer
Scott Hanna
Jerry Ordway
Steve Lieber
Todd Nauck
Scott Kolins
Viktor Bogdanovic
Brandon Peterson
Gary Frank 		November 7, 2022 [1]
Justice Society of America (vol. 4)1–12Geoff JohnsMikel JanínNovember 29, 2022 [1] October 2, 2024

Tie-in issues

TitleIssuesWritersArtistsDebut dateConclusion date
Stargirl: The Lost Children1–6 Geoff Johns Todd Nauck November 15, 2022 [1] May 9, 2023 [19]
Wesley Dodds: The Sandman Robert Venditti Riley Rossmo October 10, 2023 [20] March 12, 2024
Jay Garrick: The FlashJeremy AdamsDiego OlorteguiOctober 17, 2023 [20] April 16, 2024
Alan Scott: The Green LanternTim SheridanCian TormeyOctober 23, 2023 [20] May 21, 2024

Critical reception

On Comicbook Roundup, The New Golden Age #1 received an average review of 8.1 out of 10 based on 13 reviews, [21] the main The New Golden Age story received an average rating of 7.8 out of 10 based on 76 reviews, [22] and Stargirl: The Lost Children received an average rating of 8.6 based on 59 reviews. [23]

See also

Golden Age of Comic Books

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "DC Announces The New Golden Age With New JSA, Stargirl Series from Geoff Johns". DC. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  2. ↑ McGuire, Liam (2022-11-08). "Geoff Johns Interview - The JSA And The New Golden Age #1". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  3. ↑ "Geoff Johns paints DC's New Golden Age line as a great murder mystery bridging the past, present, and future of DC Omniverse". Popverse. 2022-11-11. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  4. ↑ "The New Golden Age Adds Three New Series". DC. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  5. ↑ Stargirl Spring Break Special #1. DC Comics.
  6. ↑ Flashpoint Beyond #6. DC Comics.
  7. ↑ The New Golden Age #1. DC Comics.
  8. ↑ Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #1. DC Comics.
  9. ↑ Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #2. DC Comics.
  10. ↑ Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #3. DC Comics.
  11. ↑ Justice Society of America Vol. 4 #4 - #12. DC Comics.
  12. ↑ Stargirl: The Lost Children #1 - #6. DC Comics.
  13. ↑ Wesley Dodds: The Sandman #1 - #6. DC Comics.
  14. ↑ Jay Garrick: The Flash #1 - #6. DC Comics.
  15. ↑ Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #1 - #6. DC Comics.
  16. ↑ "STARGIRL SPRING BREAK SPECIAL #1". DC. 2021-04-26. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  17. ↑ "FLASHPOINT BEYOND #0". DC. 2022-03-25. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  18. ↑ Newsarama StaffContributions from Michael Doran (2022-07-22). "All of DC's October 2022 comics and covers revealed". gamesradar. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  19. ↑ Mears, Hayden (2023-05-09). "Syndicated Comics". The Beat. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  20. 1 2 3 "The New Golden Age Adds Three New Series". DC. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  21. ↑ "The New Golden Age (2022) Reviews". ComicBookRoundup.com. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  22. ↑ "Justice Society of America (2022) Reviews". ComicBookRoundup.com. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
  23. ↑ "Stargirl: The Lost Children". ComicBookRoundup. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
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