Booknote: Justice, Inc.

Michael Uslan, Justice, Inc. Mt. Laurel, NJ; Dynamite Entertainment, 2015. ISBN: 9781606906620.

Genre: graphic novels and comics
Subgenre: pulp heroes
Format: e-book galley
Source: Provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

This comic is a crossover title of pulp-era superheroes: The Shadow, Doc Savage, and The Avenger. These characters were first introduced in the pulp magazines of Street and Smith. 75 years later they get to team up to save the world. Michael Uslan, the author, is also the author of The Shadow/Green Hornet: Dark Nights (link to my review).

I've been a fan of The Shadow comics for a while, so I was interested in this title right away. Though I am not as familiar with the other two heroes, I can say that I definitely enjoyed this book. You don't need to be very familiar with the characters, but if you are it does help in understanding some of the references in the comic. Still, I feel encouraged to seek out Doc Savage and The Avenger comics down the road. I had heard of Doc Savage but have not gotten to reading his comics. The Avenger is new to me. I am curious to read more, and for me, wanting to read more is always a pleasant takeaway from any book I read.

In this adventure, a passenger jetliner from our time gets caught in what turns out to be a wormhole. The plane reappears in 1939 New York City. It briefly lands at the airport, and Doc Savage gets it back on the air before authorities seize it. However, it turns out this event is part of a larger scheme by the Voodoo Master and his allies where the master seeks world domination by controlling time with a device. Our trio of heroes have to stop them.

As in previous Uslan works, this story has depth, action, and it keeps the pulp adventure feel. As readers, we are drawn deeper into the tale as the plot moves forward. In addition, we get the historical element; this tale features a few brief appearances by historical figures such as Howard Hughes and J. Edgar Hoover. That historical element adds a nice layer to the overall story. The story itself has a pretty good pace, and it should appeal to fans of pulps.

The volume collects the complete Justice, Inc. series by Michael Uslan. It also features covers for the comic issues by Alex Ross; this is another reason to get this book. Additionally, the volume includes a series of endnotes to explain the historical details Uslan integrates into the story, which I am sure trivia fans and history buffs will enjoy (I know I did). Finally, we get a covers gallery to round out the volume.

I really, really liked this one, and I would highly recommend it. I'd even add it to my personal collection. I'd say it is a good choice for libraries. It is a good entertaining fun tale that draws you in.

I am giving it 5 out of 5 stars. 

This book qualifies for the following 2015 Reading Challenges: