Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #24 - A Review

As Zeus stands poised to destroy Superman once and for all, Highfather of The New Gods intervenes.Will the clash between Man and Superman end in a battle between Old Gods and New Gods? Or will peace of a kind be preserved... for now?


This final chapter of Year Four of Injustice proves a satisfying conclusion. Brian Buccellato ties up all of the loose ends, including the depowering of Billy Batson and Harley Qunn's crush on his alter ego. Yet he also introduces some new complications for the upcoming Year Five series.


Of all the fine artists to work on this book, I think Bruno Redondo is my favorite.There is a unique clarity to his work, even among the fine details that lesser artists might lose in the background. I particularly like the soft smirk on Shazam's face as Harley Quinn tackle hugs him. His art is well enhanced by Juan Albarran's inks and Rex Lokus's colors.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #21 - A Review

As Zeus declares war on all other religions and the United Nations ponders extreme actions against Olympus, the political pundits ask one question - where has Superman gone? The answer lies on the planet of Apokolips.  For it is there that Superman finds the true architect of his recent troubles... Darkseid, the New God Tyrant!


Brian Buccellato's script for this issue is a thrilling one. There's a good sense of balance between all of the players and it's gratifying to see the world's response to recent events after so many extended fight scenes over the past few issues. My only quibble lies in some of the character responses. I find it hard to believe, for instance, that Hippolyta and Billy Batson - both captives on Apokolips - would be so quick to abandon Superman as they escape through a Motherbox portal.  Harley might, but definitely not a warrior like Hippolyta or an idealist like Billy.


I have similar issues with aspects of the artwork by Tom Derenick.  Derenick is a fine artist and the action scenes of this issue, where Superman fights Darkseid, are spectacular. Yet there are some little background details that bother me, such as Billy Batson not seeming at all bothered by the cold of the Himalayan mountains where he and his fellow escapes arrive on Earth, despite being in a t-shirt and shorts.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #20 - A Review

As the gods themselves clash in the sea near Themyscira, Batman and his team try to evacuate the Amazon people to safety. But Artemis - general of the Amazons - is not one to run from a fight, even when the enemy is a wave of magical water horses that threaten to engulf her and her elite guard! And unbeknownst to all a greater manipulation than that plotted by Ares, God of War, plays out under their noses...


One of the more gratifying aspects of this series under Brian Buccellato's pen has been his willingness to shift the point-of-view away from the major players of the conflict between Superman and Batman. In this case, we get a wonderful scene of Artemis - the Amazon who briefly replaced Diana as Wonder Woman - reflecting on the battle around her and her responsibilities to her people. It is a brief moment but it is simultaneously powerful and grounding, putting the battle in perspective.


The artwork by Bruno Redondo and Juan Albarran remains as glorious as ever. The action is well-played as Redondo is given a rare chance to show off his skills in pacing a story solo. This issue features a larger number of pages with no dialogue than usual and Redondo does a fine job of letting the art tell the story.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #19 - A Review

Condemned to the prison plane of Tartarus (more like Tartar-ASS, given the way it smells), things are looking bad for Billy Batson and Hippolyta. Luckily, they've got an expert in escaping from prison with them - the ever-lovin', blue-eyed Harley Quinn!  Unluckily, they're being closely watched by the architect of their imprisonment - Ares!


After several issues of doom and gloom, it's a real treat to see an issue centering upon something as silly as the idea of Harley Quinn escaping from Hell. And yet, despite the humor of the concept, Brian Buccellato does not belittle Harley's competence while mining the situation for its obvious comedic potential. Quinn is a stone-cold badass in this issue and holds her own alongside the queen of the freaking Amazons in a brawl to say nothing of being willing to throw down with the God of War himself!


Would that the artwork equaled the concept!  Xermanico's work on this issue is uncharacteristically sloppy and the issue's action sequences suffer for it. The colors by Rex Lokus, however, remain a high point of the series as does Wes Abbott's lettering.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #18 - A Review

Poseidon is determined to save the World of Man from Zeus' control and a massive tidal-wave stands poised to destroy the Amazon island of Themyscria. As Batman and his allies try to evacuate and Lex Luthor monitors the activities of Ares, a new player enters the battle-field. Another sea-king who stands ready to fight the gods themselves to defend the oceans from harm...Aquaman!


Aquaman is probably the most disrespected superhero in popular culture yet serious comic fans know that he's a far cry from his portrayal on Superfriends.  Brian Buccellato's script is a love letter to the awesomeness that is Aquaman.  There's also a respectful amount of equally awesome ass-kicking involving his queen, Mera, as the two of them take on the God of The Seas and more than hold their own.


The artwork is equally entertaining. Mike S. Miller's thin-inked style proves effective in capturing the aquatic environments that dominate this issue. Though the art does appear rushed in a few panels, the fight scenes are incredibly well-blocked and the panel flow works well despite a number of unusual layouts.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #16 - A Review

The latest chapter of Injustice is primarily focused upon Ares, as he ponders his past, the natures of conflict and humanity and how he came to be The God of War.  This flashback serves as a prelude to the most recent events in the battle between Superman and The Ancient Greek Gods, as Ares plots with Superman and Lex Luthor as Wonder Woman confronts Batman.


For an issue focused on the God of War, this issue is surprisingly light on action. Yet Brian Buccellato's script does a fine job of exploring Ares motivations. And the final scene between Wonder Woman and Batman suggests plenty of action in the next issue to make-up for the lighter pace of this week's comic.


Tom Derenick was the perfect artistic choice for this particular chapter. Derenick's style lends itself well toward the epic scale and one doesn't get much more epic than dealing with the ancient gods!  His inks are a bit heavy at times but these moments are few and thankfully far between.  The color art by Rex Lokus and lettering of Wes Abbott prove equally skillful.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #13 - A Review

With Superman unconscious (and in orbit!) and Wonder Woman in the death-grip of the legendary Hercules, things are looking bleak for The Regime. But Ares, God of War, has no wish to see the battle between Gods and Supermen concluded so swiftly. Thus he has unleashed the mightiest of mortals, who wields the powers of six beings of legend - SHAZAM!


Whether you call him Shazam or Captain Marvel, Billy Batson's alter ego has rarely gotten the respect he deserves in modern times. Brian Buccellato's script for this issue is a love letter to everything that The Big Red Cheese is. The only flaw - and I will admit this is a personal quibble - is that hearing Billy Batson use the phrase "badass" is a bit jarring, though I'm sure this is meant to evoke the more modern take on Billy Batson's character.


The artwork for the issue is top-notch.  Bruno Redondo returns to deliver his usual stellar job on the pencils, with Juan Albarran backing him with his excellent inks. And Rex Lokus' color art perfectly completes them both, crafting one damn-fine looking book.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #12 - A Review

There has been a break in the conflict between Superman's Regime and the Greek Gods. But the fighting begins anew as Wonder Woman defies the orders of Zeus to join his side in the conflict. Now they will have to face the wrath of Hercules - strongest of the demigods!


Despite being largely compromised of one epic battle scene, this issue of Injustice feels like little more than set-up for a larger battle, which is hinted at on the final page. Yet Brian Buccellato's witty script keeps this issue from feeling entirely like padding. If nothing else, it's amusing to watch Hal Jordan go up against Hercules and Harley Quinn throwing herself into the fight with unpredictable results.


Mike S. Miller's contribution to this issue brings us some amazing splash-pages and wonderful close-ups. His artwork grows somewhat weaker when depicting long distances, but the action scenes are very well choreographed. And the palettes utilized by J. Nanjan are well chosen.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #11 - A Review

As the stand-off between Superman's Regime and The Greek Gods backed by Batman's Resistance continues, Superman sends out a call for help to all of his allies not yet arrived at the battle. But Superman's allies have concerns of their own. And some of them are having second thoughts about assisting Superman in forcing peace upon the world.


This week's issue is light on action but that's just fine. Brian Buccellato does a masterful job of exploring the emotional states of the supporting cast with this interlude episode, particularly in the short sequence involving Raven's thoughts and feelings in the wake of her father Trigon's death. There's also an enjoyable flashback, where we learn how Superboy Conner Kent came about in this reality where Lex Luthor and Superman have been fast-friends since their days together in Smallville, even as Lex ponders the need for another Superman clone.


Mike S. Miller's artwork remains a high point of the series. His work loses some fine detail in the distance and middle shots, but his splash pages and close-ups more than make up for this minor incongruity. And the colors by J. Nanjan are vivid and visually enticing.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #7 - A Review

Injustice: Year Four #7 is made up of a number of vignettes, showcasing earlier scenes that were cut short before the stand-off between Superman's Regime and the Amazon armies started. The issue concludes with a fateful choice, as The Gods agree to let the matter be settled by a trial by combat rather than all out war.


Brian Buccellato is in his element here. These brief scenes offer a fair bit of exposition but they also offer some surprising glances into the souls of our cast.  Lex Luthor, in particular, gets a much-needed defining moment.  And, as always, Harley being Harley proves a welcome humorous catharsis who clears the plate just before things become truly serious.


The artwork is equally excellent. Mike S. Miller turns in his usual wonderful work this week. And the colors by J. Nanjan prove lively and exciting. Even the lettering by Wes Abbott is of notable quality!

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #4 - A Review

The battle between Rene Montoya and Superman continues, promising dire consequences for both Superman's Regime and Batman's Resistance. Meanwhile, the gods of Ancient Greece watch the Earth and plot. For the time may be right for the gods of old to return and claim their dominion over the Earth...


Mike S. Miller's artwork for this issue is amazing.  Not only are his action sequences laid out incredibly well but his command of facial expressions is impressive.  The sequence near the end in which Clark and Bruce - not Superman and Batman - face each other seems all the more powerful for the emotion Miller displays so perfectly.


Brian Buccellato's script, too, is worthy of note.  This is an emotional chapter, to put it mildly, yet all of the characters seem true to form despite this being a highly unusual circumstance for all involved. For a brief moment, we see the World's Finest heroes again, as it seems a crack has broken in the wall between them... only for the cement of distrust to plug the hole again.  Powerful stuff!

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #1 - A Review

In the three years since the destruction of Metropolis and the death of The Joker, Superman has overcome many challenges in his efforts to build a more peaceful world. He repelled the whole of the Green Lantern Corps. He survived the combined might of Earth's magical community. And he's subdued many of the costumed heroes who stood against him, though Batman still eludes him and many - such as Hal Jordan - have begun to rankle under his leadership. But can even Superman face the wrath of the gods themselves?


This first issue of Injustice - Year Four does little beyond resetting the chess pieces on the board for the next conflict. That being said, Brian Buccellato does a masterful job of establishing the current status quo and revealing the state of Olympus in the Injustice universe. We already know something of Ares' motivations - the world Superman seeks to create will leave little conflict for a god of war to draw upon for power - but the nature of his current game remains an intriguing mystery.

The best aspect of this chapter, however, is the new sources of conflict that Buccellato mines for drama and the resulting character moments. It makes sense, for instance, that Hal Jordan - never the best soldier - should grow resistant to taking orders from Superman. Particularly now that Hal wields a fear-empowered ring that may be further fueling his paranoia and distrust of authority.

Buccellato's take on Wonder Woman is particularly gratifying, given that the Wonder Woman of the Injustice world has often been portrayed as being one step away from Frank Miller's faux-feminist "hates all men but wants to make babies with Superman" portrayal of the character.  Buccellato writes Diana as a warrior who believes in Superman's goals but wisely cautions him against hubris.


The usual gang is still at work on the art for this series and it looks as great as ever.  Bruno Redndo's character designs are appropriately striking. Juan Albarran's inks are evenly applied. Rex Lokus' colors are as vivid as ever. And Wes Abbott's letters are easily read.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Three #16 - A Review

Spying a Sinestro Corps Ring on the unconscious Superman's hand, Wonder Woman - herself recently awakened from a magical sleep - assumes the worst. But the Man of Steel is down but not out! And with his fiercest and most stalwart ally by his side, he is ready to take the fight for the Earth to Batman.


I have mixed feelings about Brian Buccellato's script for this issue.  On the one hand there are many nice touches, such as Wonder Woman being the one to convince Superman that he should not need to depend on an artifact powered by fear. But there are also some things that leave me confused, such as the revelation that Superman doesn't need to sleep and that it was only his enjoyment of his dream of a better world that kept him from waking sooner. Yes, I know there is a case to be made based on past stories that Superman doesn't need to sleep but it still seems a bit jarring. Particularly when you consider that Batman of all people would have accounted for this in any plan to disable Superman!

The script is also unclear about whether or not Superman woke through his own power or if, as Hal Jordan says, Ares was responsible.  Indeed, last week's comic had Ares claiming he lacked such power and that it was Hera who awakened Diana. Perhaps this inconsistency is meant to signify Ares is up to something (indeed, I'd be willing to bet it since earlier in this series he was working to stop Superman from conquering the world) but it's very unclear if that is the case.


The artwork by Sergio Fernandez Davila is similarly unbalanced.  Davila's work is largely competent but many of his facial expressions and body positions are odd.  Another problem is story flow and word-balloon placement within panels.  At one point, John Constantine is seen shouting in surprise before Doctor Fate - who just appeared in the room - can say the words that surprise him.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Three #15 - A Review

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Three #15 is a problematic comic for a number of reasons. None of these are the fault of writer Brian Buccellato, who I fear has taken over the writing duties on this series at the worst possible moment. For this issue centers upon the return of Wonder Woman, whose portrayal was one of the few bad things about both the Injustice video game and the Injustice comic books.

As problematic as the idea of Superman going mad with power and taking over the world was for some readers, the Wonder Woman of the Injustice universe proved a more bitter pill to swallow. This Princess Diana was simultaneously a war hawk who wished to force peace upon the world and a simpering co-dependent who wanted nothing in the world more than Superman's love. To say that both of these ideas are anathema to the core of what Wonder Woman should be is an understatement!


The opening of the book is a prime example of how badly Wonder Woman is portrayed in the Injustice universe. In the last two issues, we saw Superman's dreams of a perfect world as he was trapped in magical slumber.  He dreamed of a world where he was happily married to Lois Lane, they had a daughter who was better at being a superhero than he was, the world was at peace and he finally had some time to relax and enjoy a simple life.

What is Wonder Woman's dream of a perfect life? Being on a beach alone with Superman, as he talks about how beautiful the sun is, how he wishes everyone could see it as he sees it with his super senses and how the sun isn't quite the most beautiful thing he's ever seen as she tells him she will be whatever he wants her to be with a devotion that can only be described as slavish!

The hell of it is that Brian Buccellato writes all of this well and Superman's speech about the sun is a damn good speech, evocative of Grant Morrison's similar writings on how Superman must perceive the world. But that doesn't change the fact that this portrayal of Wonder Woman is deeply flawed and owes more to Frank Miller's portrayal of the character than Gail Simone, Greg Rucka or indeed any other writer who has ever worked with Wonder Woman!


Despite this one glaring problem, the issue is still a good one.  As Diana is brought up to speed on how things have changed while she's been gone, so too are the readers informed of the current status quo as we see how things stand with Superman's captured allies and Batman's resistance movement.  All of this is awesomely illustrated by the always outstanding Mike S. Miller and J. Nanjan.

Is this issue of Injustice a step down from what we've seen recently?  Yes, but it has nothing to do with the creative team and everything to do with the universe itself.  Hopefully Brian Buccellato can find some way of turning around Diana's portrayal so that it matches the rest of this series in terms of quality. As is, this is still a book to watch but it is one I may be watching through a side-eyed glance.