Black Reign Reading Guide

Overview:

JSA: Black Reign is a crossover storyline from JSA and Hawkman comics, published by DC in 2004. The arc is primarily written by Geoff Johns, who was well into his run as a key writer for DC’s Golden Age heroes at the time. The art is handled by Rags Morales and Stephen Sadowski, both known for their detailed, expressive styles that capture the characters’ gravitas.

The story centers on a moral clash between the JSA and Black Adam, a major adversary. Black Adam, a former villain, has turned toward his own vision of justice, recruiting a group of metahumans to take over his native country, Kahndaq. His approach is radical, and his actions challenge the JSA’s traditional values of justice and restraint.

The storyline’s focus on philosophical differences about how to handle power and justice struck a chord with readers. It received a generally positive reception, with fans praising the character development of both Black Adam and JSA members like Hawkman. However, critics noted that some elements felt rushed, given the high-stakes nature of the conflict. Overall, the arc deepened the tensions between heroic ideologies in the DC Universe.

Best Way To Read:

• JSA: Black Reign
  • Collects: JSA #56-58; Hawkman #23-25

For crossover and significant events, I typically only read the main story the first time I encounter it. Trying to read all of the tie-ins with the story tends to make them increasingly convoluted and are not crucial to the main narrative. However, I think they are important to read, as many series-shifting plotlines can happen.

For the tie-in issues, I only read them as they come up in the reading guide that I am working through. This can become problematic because the tie-in issues are not always included in collected editions of the event. So you may need to hunt for them.

Reading Order:

References:

• Wikipedia
• Comic Book Herald
• Comic Book Reading Orders

Feature Image from JSA #56 cover art by John Watson