Injustice 2 #29 - A Review

As Kara, Damian Wayne and Black Adam launch their plan to rescue Diana - the former Wonder Woman - from her Themiscyran prison, Diana is visited by an old foe with an odd request...


I can't show any images from this week's Injustice 2 issue. Partly because Tom Taylor has put enough surprises in this issue relative to the description above that I don't want to spoil anything and partly because all of this issue's failings lie in the artwork.  I'm not saying that Mike S. Miller is a bad artist, but his bright, detail-driven style is a poor match for the tone of Taylor's story here. Some of moments which are meant to be dramatic look goofy as rendered by Miller and the scene depicted on the cover does not happen, even in a metaphorical sense. Fans of the Amazons will want to read this issue anyway, particularly for the final page.

The Final Analysis: 7 out of 10. Good, but not great. 

Injustice 2 #26 (Digital Edition) - A Review

Confined to the royal palace of Khandaq, Kara Zor-El is totally ignorant as to what life on Earth is like beyond what Black Adam has told her. Damian Wayne - currently guesting in the same palace while trying to convince Black Adam to join the cause of Ra's Al Ghul - plans to show her the world. What is Damian's real agenda? Or does he have one beyond trying to offer friendship to another teenager in a tough situation?


Off-hand, I can't recall having read any stories that teamed Superman and Batman's primary teen sidekicks. Batgirl and Supergirl, yes. Robin and Superboy, certainly. But Supergirl and Robin? I can't believe this is the first but I'm certain this issue of Injustice 2 is probably the best.

Tom Taylor's most amazing feat in this series and the previous Injustice comics has been inspiring sympathy for those characters the original games painted in a primarily villainous light. Opinion is divided on Damian Wayne in the fandom but Taylor's portrayal of the character here breeds uncertainty as to the believe that his Injustice incarnation is wholly irredeemable. Of course this could all be a ruse but it is a credit to Taylor's skill as a writer that he can inspire such uncertainty and the character moments featuring Kara and Damian confiding in one another are the high point of the issue.

Mike S. Miller and J. Nanjan are an equally excellent art team. There is a certain sense of clarity to Miller's pencils and inks that is hard to define and Nanjan's colors are bright and lively. Ironically, this is the only flaw of this issue - things look too bright and streamlined for a comic that is primarily set at night.

The Final Analysis: 8 out of 10. 

Injustice 2 #12 - A Review

The capsule which carried Kara Zor-El from Krypton has arrived on Earth... but in this reality, on this Earth, it is a different caped figure who has recovered the teen who will be Supergirl. Now, as the newly awakened Kara copes with the trauma of having watched her world die, Teth-Adam - the dictator known as Black Adam - must repel the invasion of a neighboring country who would claim Kara and her ship for themselves.


What Injustice 2 #11 lacked in originality (being a basic retelling of Supergirl's origin story with a few more scenes expanding upon the House of El beforehand), this twelfth issue more than makes up for. Taylor's conceit of having Black Adam save Supergirl and tell her of her famous cousin is a brilliant one. I must balk somewhat at Adam describing Wonder Woman as Superman's love (I don't believe their relationship ever became a mutually romantic one in the original comics or game) but that may be presumption on Adam's part rather than the truth of things.

I wish Mike S. Miller's artwork was entirely the equal of the story this time around. Miller's artwork isn't bad and he does present some truly breathtaking visuals, such as the page above which ironically depicts Black Adam as an angelic figure. Unfortunately, several pages seem severely under-inked and some of of the facial expressions just look odd.

The Final Analysis: 7 out of 10. A serviceable issue, but not without some minor flaws.

Injustice: Ground Zero #12 - A Review

Things were looking bad for Harley and her gang when Black Adam showed up. Then Billy Batson got his gag off and transformed into Shazam! Will The Big Red Cheese be ready to forgive and forget his alter ego's kidnapping at the hands of The Bombshell Buffoon? Or has Harley just traded one world of hurt for another?


It's a fact few people remember these days, but originally Captain Marvel was an independent personality from Billy Batson. In modern times, the magic of Shazam usually transforms Billy into an idealized adult version of himself but originally the two just traded places.

I mention this because I know Geoff Johns played with the difficulties posed by Billy Batson perusing young love in the pages of JSA (Jay Garrick caught the glances exchanged between Shazam and Stargirl and put two and two together.) Yet to the best of my knowledge this is the first time anyone has played with the idea of Captain Marvel looking for love independent of his alter ego.

Okay, calling what exists between Harley and Shazam "love" is a bit of a stretch. Yet the relationship between them  s an amusing and surprisingly sweet one. And kudos to Brian Buccellato and Christopher Sebela for finally establishing that Harley Quinn - for all her other sins - isn't a pedophile by clarifying that - in this world at least - Captain Marvel and Billy are different people. I also like the reasoning Shazam gives for staying on Team Superman in spite of his misgivings over The Regime's mission.


As great as all the artists on Injustice: Ground Zero have been, I think this particular pairing of creative talents may be the best overall. Granting, I'm a bit biased, having been a fan of Daniel Sampere since his work on Batgirl, yet there's a clarity to his character designs that appears smooth and streamlined even in scenes where the line work should clutter the finished art, as in the scenes of Harley and Shazam chatting in the rain, Juan Albarran's inks and J. Nanjan's colors partner up to provide the perfect finish to an amazing issue.

Injustice: Ground Zero #11 - A Review

No sooner is Harley free of The Batcave with a "recovered" Batmobile, then she has to head back. Batman and the Justice League of a parallel Earth are there, unaware that they're walking into the ambush Harley just evaded! Unfortunately, Black Adam has just arrived on the scene and seen the very conspicuous Batmobile in the streets of Gotham...


The artwork in this issue is fantastic. Marco Santucci crafts a dark, moody atmosphere befitting the Gotham City setting and the Gothic aura of the abandoned Wayne Manor. This aesthetic is further aided by J. Nanjan's wonderful colors.


The use of humor continues to be the best quality of this series' writing. Strangely, considering the focus on Harley Quinn, nearly half of this issue centers upon Batman and The Justice League. There is humor here as well, yet the characters are written as true to form as Harley and Black Adam in their fight scene. And Christopher Sebela crafts what may be the single greatest summation of Harley Quinn's character with this line - "I think I need my head examined sometimes. Then I remember how fun it is to be this kind of crazy."

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Five #29 - A Review

In the wake of Barry Allen's rebellion against Superman following Alfred Pennyworth's murder, questions are being asked in both The Regime and The Resistance regarding their leadership's actions. As Hal Jordan investigates Zsasz's escape from Sinestro's super-prison and Batman enacts another desperate plan, Superman begins to check in on those few superhumans he has allowed some degree of autonomy, staring with Black Adam.


Xermanico's artwork is well-suited towards depicting this chapter where a dark world becomes a shade dimmer, with what little trust still exists between Superman and his followers eroding even further. Xermanico boasts a Film Noir aesthetic of heavy inks and deep shadows that capture the mood of this chapter perfectly. Rex Lokus colors the final art appropriately to match, with even the usual bright golds and reds of Superman and Black Adam's costumes seeming somewhat more shaded than usual.

Brian Buccellato continues to find new drama, even as this series enters into its climax. It's good to see that in spite of how much things have changed, Sinestro is still Sinestro and enjoys needling his former, fallen student for his own sick amusement. And the battle between Black Adam and Superman is one of the best in the series to date.

Arrow: Season 2.5 #12 - A Review

I have only one word to say after the latest issue of Arrow: Season 2.5 - More!


The recent Suicide Squad: Crisis In Khandaq Special has proven superior to every Suicide Squad comic since the New 52 reboot and I would love to see this as a regular feature alongside the regular Arrow and The Flash comics.  Like John Ostrander before them, Marc Guggenheim and Keto Shimizu have drawn upon real world events to tell a tale that takes advantage of the setting of the DC Comics Universe while still being grounded in a gritty reality.

And yet there are a number of little touches that are offered up with surprising subtlety, such as Deadshot showing the outrage only a father could at the thought of little girls being endangered.  And Khem-Adam - this world's version of Black Adam - proves a frightening foe even without magical powers.  It spoils little to say that not everyone makes it out of this issue alive but hopefully Khem-Adam will return someday... perhaps even on Arrow itself.!


The artwork by Szymon Kudranski is as excellent as ever.  Comparable to Tony Harris in his photo-realistic style and use of shadow, Kudranski's also an excellent caricaturist who perfectly captures the likeness of the actors from the show.  This book has never looked as good as it has under his pencils.

Arrow: Season 2.5 #11 - A Review

About the last thing John Diggle wants to do is go back overseas in the company of Deadshot - the man who killed his brother. But when the alternative is his pregnant ex-wife going overseas in the company of the man who killed his brother (i.e. the very last thing John Diggle wants), he didn't have much choice but to volunteer and lead Task Force X into a war zone. He may be signing his own death warrant but that's why they call it The Suicide Squad.


I asked for it. And boy did I received it!  A full-length Suicide Squad special worthy of the name! I said in Arrow Season 2.5 reviews past that the back-ups by Keto Shimizu and Szymon Kudranski needed to be their own full-length book.  And what we see in this issue more than justifies my belief in the creative team.


I'm reluctant to say more about this issue save this: if you're a fan of the classic Suicide Squad comics of John Ostrander, you'd do well to check out this issue even if you're not normally an Arrow viewer.  Fans of military adventure fiction will likely enjoy this comic as well.  And Arrow-heads?  You'll like it too, especially for the cameo at the end.

Arrow: Season 2.5 #5 - A Review

When the suspect in Laurel's latest case begins spouting off about a leather-masked god named Blood, it hits too close for comfort.  The rest of Team Arrow agrees it bares investigation, even though it's impossible for Sebastian Blood to have returned from the dead.  Meanwhile, Malcolm Merlyn - who would be faintly amused to hear anyone say that the dead don't come back - begins his training of his daughter Thea.

Meanwhile, in Khandaq, the terrorist leader responsible for kidnapping a number of schoolgirls gives the public a name.  He calls himself Khem-Adam - the ancient Egyptian phrase for Black Adam.  More, he claims to be a conduit for the ancient gods and to feel no pain...


The script for this issue by Marc Guggenheim and Keto Shimizu is fast-paced and feels just like a storyboard for an episode of the show.  The dialogue is crisp and hilarious and the action scenes well-played.  As before, I find the Suicide Squad back-up story to be as interesting as the main story and wish more space was being allocated for it, particularly in the wake of this issue's revelation that the terrorist leader for the group we've seen in action so far is Black Adam. Time will tell if we're about to see the first proof of magic in the unified DC Television Universe or if this is just another bone for the long-time comic fans.


The artwork is just as good as the scripts. Joe Bennett and Craig Yeung offer up some fine heroic artwork that is reminiscent of the works of Mike Grell, though not so heavily inked. The equally wonderful work of Szymon Kudranski in the Suicide Squad story is grittier and more realistic by comparison, in keeping with that story's darker aesthetic.