As I previously stated my issue with reading DC comics was that it was set apart from real world events, unlike the Marvel Universe where such events are addressed.  In a recent interview with IGN this issue is slightly touched upon writer Geoff Johns.

IGN Comics: Let’s talk about the new characters you introduced in this arc. How did you come up with characters like Amazing Man, Lightning, Lance, and so forth? Was that something you and Alex both came up with, or did you always have them in your head.

Johns: Well with Amazing Man, my wife is from New Orleans, and I have a lot of family back there. When 9/11 happened, there were a lot of comics referencing it, but with Katrina, not so much. And I felt that a hero should have risen out of that. So that’s where Amazing Man came from. And I really like the idea that Amazing Man would have that legacy that tied back to Civil Rights. I think that’s an important thing.

IGN Comics: What was the idea behind linking Lance to FDR?

Johns: The whole idea was to introduce more reality based heroes, so dealing with things like Katrina and a soldier who is related to FDR and is out in Afghanistan is just a touch of reality. I wanted people to be uneasy with them. Because sometimes when DC books deal with reality, people get uncomfortable with them. And I wanted this new crop to make people think that something is wrong here. Because things in the JSA aren’t as smooth as they should be.

You can catch the interview in it’s entirety here.