Injustice 2 #31 - A Review

The war between the Amazons is begun, with Antiope and her rebels fighting against the new Wonder Woman, Nubia, and Hippolyta's loyalists. They will not have an easy time freeing the princess Diana, but they do have one advantage - the Kryptonian Kara Zor-El is on their side.


This should be an epic issue and with a different artist it might have been. Tom Taylor writes some great action sequences, as per usual, but Mike S. Miller seems to have phoned it in this week. The artwork in this issue is full of forced poses and Escher Girls, making a farce of the whole thing.



The Final Analysis: 5 out of 10. That's purely for the story.

Injustice 2 #30 - A Review

The plan to free Diana from her prison on Paradise Island has hit a snag. Kara has been discovered by the new Wonder Woman and subjected to the Lariat of Truth. Thankfully - for Black Adam and Damian Wayne, at least - they are not alone in wishing to free the Amazon princess.


Those who enjoyed the Wonder Woman movie this past summer and wished to see more of The Amazons would do well to read this issue of Injustice 2. Tom Taylor runs through an all-star list of prominent Amazons and handles them all with his usual skill. This is particularly gratifying given that the Injustice version of Wonder Woman - who seems to be motivated by an unrequited love of Superman and little else - is far and away from the Diana most fans admire.

Sadly, Mike S. Miller's work this week isn't up to his usual standard. It is not that his artwork is bad but many of his character poses seem forced and awkward. There's also very little sense of continuity between panels, such as the above sequence where Diana is suddenly standing and in a defensive pose after having been sitting with her hands around her knees in the previous panel.

The Final Analysis: 6 out of 10. It's a solid story, but Miller's artwork is a little awkward this time around.

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: Gods Among Us - Year Five #40 - A Review

The wolf is at the door for Batman and what remains of his Insurgency. The Regime has discovered the location of his last refuge and Bruce Wayne is cornered by Superman, Wonder Woman and the Yellow Lantern Hal Jordan. Now the only hope for the world rests on Batman's ability to stall for time as Barbara Gordon tries to activate the portal that will summon reinforcements from another Earth...


The final chapter of Injustice: Year Five is somewhat muted. Brian Buccellato does the best he can to push the suspense but there's only so much you can do when the reader already knows how the story must end. Mike S. Miller's art is unusually off-kilter, with a variety of forced poses and one laughable sequence in which Superman is somehow able to slap the mask off of Batman!

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Five #40 - A Review

The wolf is at the door for Batman and what remains of his Insurgency. The Regime has discovered the location of his last refuge and Bruce Wayne is cornered by Superman, Wonder Woman and the Yellow Lantern Hal Jordan. Now the only hope for the world rests on Batman's ability to stall for time as Barbara Gordon tries to activate the portal that will summon reinforcements from another Earth...


The final chapter of Injustice: Year Five is somewhat muted. Brian Buccellato does the best he can to push the suspense but there's only so much you can do when the reader already knows how the story must end. Mike S. Miller's art is unusually off-kilter, with a variety of forced poses and one laughable sequence in which Superman is somehow able to slap the mask off of Batman!

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Five #39 - A Review

The war between Superman's Regime and Batman's Insurgency has cost both sides many lives. In a desperate bid to end the fighting and save the man she loves, Catwoman offers to reveal the location of Batman's final hideout to Superman in exchange for his life. Little do they all realize that Batman and Lex Luthor are moments away from their own master-stroke to end the war...


This is a powerful penultimate issue for what has always been an enjoyable series. While there is little sense of suspense at this point, Brian Buccellato still wrings every bit of emotion he can from the proceedings. And Mike S. Miller and J. Nanjan bring that emotion forth in every panel of this book - from the tears in Catwoman's eyes as she betrays the only man she ever loved in a bid to save him to the determination in Batman's face as he faces his former friend in battle one more time.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Five #36 - A Review

Zasaz has turned up dead in his cell - a mystery that further convinces Hal Jordan that Sinestro is hiding something within The Regime's new super-prison. Meanwhile, Deathstroke encounters some unexpected resistance in his mission to steal a Motherbox from STAR Labs. It seems The Regime has recruited Metamorpho as a secret security guard and he's more than willing to give the world's greatest mercenary a beating.


I want to like this issue of Injustice more than I did but it suffered from a serious case of deja vu. Sinestro's playing dumb with Hal regarding the constant security breaches around Zasaz has become a running gag.  The problem is that Sinestro playing dumb seems horribly out of character for the former Green Lantern whose biggest crime was arrogance.

I think the ultimate problem is that we're close enough to the ending now there's little room for the sudden surprises that have made this series a delight. So while it's nice to see Metamorpho, the fight between him and Deathstroke falls a little flat since the action of the battle isn't clear. Mike S. Miller illustrates it well enough but there's no explanation for some of that happens. A little more narration might have smoothed things over.  In the end, this comic is merely acceptable rather than excellent - still worth reading, but a disappointment compared to what we're used to seeing on this series.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Five #35 - A Review

Lex Luthor and Batman have come up with a plan to recruit a Justice League from another dimension to help them fight The Regime. To pull it off, they'll need to steal a Motherbox from the most secure armory in the world. And to pull that off without exposing Batman will require the services of the world's greatest mercenary - Deathstroke!


I can't recall off-hand if Deathstroke has appeared in the Injustice comic or not before now. In either case, his appearance here is well handled and - much like the earlier appearances of Green Arrow and Harley Quinn - reflects the character as he was before The New 52. This is the principled mercenary Slade Wilson as written by Marv Wolfman and Brian Buccellato does a fine job capturing that voice.


Mike. S. Miller does an equally fantastic job on the artwork. The artwork for this series has rarely been anything worse than average but I believe Miller is probably my favorite of all the many fine artists to work on Injustice. He has a great eye for detail and always finds the perfect balance between merely outlining the original pencils and enhancing them. Talking of enhancements, the color art by J. Nanjan is impressive.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Five #26 - A Review

Lured into the open by the death of Alfred Pennyworth, Batman still managed to overcome Superman in single combat. Will he finally end the conflict between them with an act of murder? How will Damian Wayne - now calling himself Nightwing - respond? And what of the rest of the Justice League, who are already en route to save their leader?


There is little I can say about this chapter of Injustice: Year Five that would not spoil the story completely. I can say that Brian Buccellato has crafted an amazing fight scene, which Mike S. Miller and J. Nanjan bring to life perfectly. Beyond that, you'll have to read this issue yourself, if only for the touching coda at the end.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Five #25 - A Review

Batman has apprehended Victor Zsasz - the serial killer who murdered Bruce Wayne's butler and foster father, Alfred Pennyworth. But Damien Wayne - now Nightwing - wants revenge. Yet Bruce needs Zsasz alive to prove that Superman released the serial-killer and set him upon Alfred as a means of luring Batman out in the open.


Mike S. Miller is in fine form in this week's issue. Many of the pages in this issue's Superman vs. Batman fighting montage are poster-worthy in their scope and quality. And J. Nanjan's color art provides a suitably rich finish to Miller's pencils and inks.


Brian Buccellato offers up an action-packed script. The fight sequences in this issue are amazing and uncharacteristically without dialogue compared to most of Buccellato's stories. This silence only serves to drive home just how serious things have become, for there are no words that need to be said between these two friends turned foes.

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

Bizarro's quest for answers regarding his creation has led him to The Fortress of Solitude, where a brainwashed Doomsday is waiting for a target. As Superman races to discover the mystery of his strange doppelganger, Lex Luthor is left with a moral quandary - should he take advantage of this situation to deal with an increasingly despotic Superman?


This issue is good for what it is - an old-fashioned, beat-em-up brawl. There's none of the humor Brian Buccellato is famous for, though the action is well written. Mike S. Miller's artwork is serviceable, though oddly stiff in some panels. J. Nanjan's colors remain bright and thematic throughout.

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

At long last, "Bizzaro am home". This proves quite the pickle for his "daddy", Lex Luthor, who had told Superman that he had destroyed all of the Super-Clones he had made back when Superman was presumed dead. This leaves Lex with two problems - how do you destroy a Superman clone quietly and how do you do it with an increasingly impatient Fastest Man Alive on your doorstep?


This issue is light on action but high on the screwball comedy that Brian Buccellato excels at. Things don't quite descend into a full farce but it is ironically amusing to see a heroic Lex Luthor hiding evidence of his "treachery" from an evil Superman. Mike S. Miller and J, Nanjan illustrate all this with their usual aplomb.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Five #14 - A Review

Damian Wayne tracks several of Gotham's Most Wanted to the nearby city of Bludhaven. Never one to ask for help, Robin quickly winds up in over his head. Luckily, Damian has more friends than he knows and an unseen presence is looking out for him.


Mike S, Miller is back in fine form in this week's issue of Injustice. The action of this issue is wonderfully illustrated. And the colors by J. Nanjan prove perfectly chosen.


It is Brian Buccellato's story, however, that proves the real prize. I've never been a big fan of Damian Wayne but he actually seems sympathetic in this issue. And the scene at the end with Superman and Damian bonding is rather sweet even ignoring the horrific implications of just how far both of them have fallen.

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

Damien Wayne returns home to Gotham City. Partly to confront Alfred on the reasons for his loyalties in the battle to come. But also to protect the city his father once called home from criminals. Criminals like Catwoman and Harley Quinn, who have seemingly abandoned Batman's Insurgency in order to return to their wicked ways.


One wonders how Alfred can still be at liberty in Gotham City, given his known association with Bruce Wayne. Could Superman not yet be so far gone as to go after someone he sees as an innocent or does he just remember the sound thrashing that Alfred gave him when the playing field between them was even by in Injustice: Year One?

It doesn't really matter in the end, but the interplay between all the characters as written by Brian Buccellato brings such questions to mind. There are some truly great character moments here, with Alfred explaining why he believes Batman will always beat Superman and it has nothing to do with him always having a plan or a piece of Kryptonite. It's a nice bit of metatextual commentary on Batman v. Superman as well.


Alas, Mike S. Miller seems to have phoned it in on this issue.  Individual panels are rendered well enough but some of the actual poses and expressions seem a bit off. Damien Wayne appears to be stoned at one point and Catwoman mysteriously seems to don a black thong over her catsuit. The whole issue just looks odd and off-putting!

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

A Superman impostor is on the loose and The Regime is desperate to bring him to heel quickly. As Superman questions Lex Luthor about his involvement, The Trickster finds himself in the unenviable position of befriending this bizarre clone and instructing him as to what Superman should do to save the world.


There s a grand irony to Brian Buccellato's script for this issue, in that The Trickster has become a hero in his manipulation of Bizarro, though his motives for setting him on the real Superman are hardly noble. In this, the rogue among The Rogues remains the only honest villain among them. And yet he has inadvertently accomplished more good than the likes of Weather Wizard and Heatwave, who were honestly trying to go straight!


I wish I could be as generous in describing the artwork this week. There's a number of forced poses, elongated bodies and odd perspective shots that leave this issue looking awkward throughout. It's not bad as such, but this is not Mike S. Miller's best work.

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

The fight continues as Batman and his inner circle face off against Superman, Wonder Woman, Killer Frost and Bane while Batgirl tries to rescue Catwoman. Meanwhile, on another world, Katar Hol returns home to find his wife is missing. And he is not pleased.


There's a lot of action in this issue. Yet Brian Buccellato takes the time to slow things down and allows for the kind of conversations he's famous for writing. The final scene between Bruce and Selina is particularly touching.


The artwork seems a little off this week. Mike S. Miller's pencils are uncharacteristically sloppy and some of his poses (particularly in the fight scene between Killer Croc and Batgirl) seem unnaturally forced. The inks by J. Nanjan are also far too thin in some panels, barely enhancing the original pencils at all.

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

As Catwoman begins to approach the super-criminals with codes regarding an alliance with Batman, so too does Superman begin to allow willing villains to work for his Regime. Meanwhile, a Bizzaro clone of Lex Luthor's design is on the loose and confused in Germany, with no clue of who he is or the power he possesses...


Even at this late point in the series, Brian Buccellato still finds ways to surprise the readers. The introduction of Bizzaro in this issue was brilliantly foreshadowed. One wonders where they will go next with the revelation that there is someone who can match Superman physically in play. The cliffhanger at this issue's end proves equally stunning.


What can I say about the art of Mike S. Miller and J. Nanjan that hasn't been said already? Not much, without pulling out a thesaurus to find even more synonyms for 'stupendous', 'wonderful' and 'amazing'. So I think I'll simply say that this book looks as great as ever and leave it at that.

Injustice: Gods Among Us - Year Four #23 - A Review

What remains of Superman's Regime storms Themyscira with one goal in mind - defeat the Greek Gods now laying siege to the world! They receive some unexpected help from Batman's Insurgency. But that will not help them against the nuclear missiles The United Nations have just launched!


Mike S. Miller is a fine artist but this is not his best issue. There are several points where the poses are awkward and the pencils seemed rushed. Still, there are some scenes we see what Miller is truly capable of and J. Nanjan's colors are fantastic throughout.


Brian Buccalleto remains on point with the script. This issue is largely one big action sequence but it proves to be a well-paced one. And the final page will leave you hungry for next week's issue.