Justice #1
Justice was one of a raft of new titles created for Marvel's New Universe. Back in the 80s, Jim Shooter wanted to create a more "realistic" line of superhero titles. How well he succeeded I leave to the individual reader to judge. Regarded as a failed experiment by many, I have a real soft spot for these comics (and Shadowline, but that's another review entirely).
Writer/creator Archie Goodwin was paired up with artist Geof Isherwood, giving Justice a distinct, solid art style right out the gate. Psi-Force and DP7 competed for status as my favorite team book in Marvel’s New Universe, but Justice was probably my favorite solo NU hero. All kinds of influences permeate Justice’s debut issue, making it a surprisingly readable distillation of all that is pure 80s. There are shades of Miami Vice, MTV, The Terminator, Robocop and I Come In Peace (both of which Justice predated), tons of other vigilante flicks, and more.
Justice sort of randomly appears in a dilapidated tenement, disoriented and confused by our world, but all too ready to punish evil. His name is Tensen and he comes from another dimension that is more fantastical than our own, filled with magic, evil wizards, and Justices like himself. His right hand projects a destructive force he calls the sword. His left hand projects defensive energy referred to as (you guessed it) the shield. His enhanced senses allow him to see men's auras, ensuring he punishes only the guilty. So armed, Justice moves through the mean streets of the city.
A lot of fans enjoy Peter David’s re-imagining of Justice, which brought the story more in line with the “realistic” conception of other NU titles. For some, the premise of a mystically-powered lawman stalking the streets of earth did not jive with the push toward realism. I always preferred the original fantasy warrior vs. street crime concept. It reminds me a little of Stephen King’s Gunslinger, especially The Drawing of the Three, which I didn’t discover until years later. I see no reason why the White Event, which transformed and empowered many of the heroes in other books, could not also have created a temporary rift between the dimensions, one which Justice passed through.
Best line in the comic: “Dresses like a rock star, talks like an evangelist!”
I picked up a very nice copy of this first issue for cover price when I bought a stack of back issues at Retro Reboot, a fun little store in the mostly abandoned shopping mall of Waycross, GA.
Love me some good ol Tensen. I like the Gunslinger comparison, I hadn't thought of that but it makes perfect sense. The grittyness of issue 1 is pretty cool. I love that he just simply vaporizes people with evil auras and then doesn't even ask questions later, lol. There is an interesting tonal shift after #1 with a new writer but I do really like original recipe Justice and his weird winterlands/springlands dimensional backstory.