A Modern JSA Villain Finally Gets a Major Tie to the Past

JSA has returned and DC fans couldn’t be happier. The Justice Society of America is one of DC’s greatest teams, and their latest series has shown the multi-generational team in battle against their greatest foes, the Injustice Society. Things haven’t been easy on the JSA — their most powerful members were trapped in Fate’s Tower in Surtur’s Realm, and Wildcat ended up dying in the battle. Meanwhile, the remaining JSA members had a traitor problem, one that is still slowing down their actions. The newest issue of JSA, issue #8, is a flashback issue tied into the current story, as the Justice Society is called to Germany at the end of WWII. They think it’s to retrieve the Spear of Destiny, but they’re soon battling another enemy — Johnny Sorrow.

The Justice Society fighting supervillains during the WWII years isn’t exactly uncommon — the Injustice Society existed back then and there were plenty of supervillains — but it’s strange for Johnny Sorrow to appear in a story back then. Sorrow first appeared in the ’00s JSA series. This appearance in JSA #8 is unique in that respect. Johnny Sorrow is one of the best Justice Society enemies of all time, and this newest appearance is a cool addition to his story.

Johnny Sorrow’s History Is More Interesting than It Seems

Johnny Sorrow first appeared in Secret Origin of Super-Villains 80 Page Giant #1. Sorrow was a silent film actor who was put out of the business when “talkies” started to become more popular and technically feasible. He got his hands on a machine that allowed him to teleport, and fought the Justice Society. Unfortunately, the machine was somehow related to the Subtle Realms, and when Sandy the Golden Boy (Sandman I’s sidekick) shot the backpack, it exploded, pulling Sorrow there. The Subtle Realms are home to Lovecraftian monsters and they transformed Sorrow into their perfect servant. While he was wearing his mask, he was completely intangible, and when he took it off he would become solid, killing with a glance. Sorrow returned in the present, attacking the new JSA alongside the Injustice Society. He’d later team up with Despero, taking over the Rock of Eternity, and freeing the Seven Deadly Sins. The Justice League and Justice Society had to team up against the two villains, were able to defeat them. Johnny Sorrow would fight the Justice Society again, and died in JSA All-Stars #6 in 2010.

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The New 52 would dawn not long after, and Sorrow would make the crossover to Earth-2, the book that would deal with Justice Society related characters in the new continuity. He’d return in the Justice League vs. Suicide Squad crossover during DC Rebirth. Nothing about his origin was revealed — the Justice Society wasn’t actually in continuity at this point because it was still the New 52 DC Multiverse with some additions from post-Crisis DC — but it was revealed that he was a prisoner of the Suicide Squad. His powers changed as well, with him gaining the power to teleportation powers, prehensile snake hair which he could summon, physical invulnerability, energy powers, and illusion casting. Before reappearing in JSA, he was the villain of the Power Girl shorts in Action Comics in 2023, trying to break the Earth-Two Kryptonian. Unlike a lot of JSA villains, Johnny Sorrow was a modern creation, and has gone on to be one of the most dangerous enemies the team has ever faced. Sorrow has been trying to call on the King of Tears, the dark god who gave him his powers, in most of his attacks on the JSA, and JSA #8 shows him doing that as long ago as WWII. It also changed his history a bit as well, as the Justice Society had never fought Johnny Sorrow in his current form in the old days.

Johnny Sorrow’s an A-Lister in the Making

Johnny Sorrow’s appearance in JSA #8 saw him trying to summon the King of Tears in World War II, with the help of Wotan. In fact, the two of them were able to actually summon the dark gods back then, but they were stopped by Wildcat and Doctor Fate, which informs the fact that the hero died in the present day while fighting Wotan. With Wildcat dead and Fate’s helmet in the hands of the Injustice Society, it may be impossible for the Justice Society to save the day in the present.

Showing Sorrow back in the old days of the Justice Society was a big change for fans, who had only seen him in the modern day, other than when he first fought the JSA. It’s actually pretty rare for modern day JSA villains to appear in the WWII. Sorrow’s newest story is looking to be a big change for the character. He’s a great villain, and hopefully he can ride this story to the top.