First, can I just say how utterly marvelous the cover is? Talk about dark and ominous and every bit as tyrannical as this world’s Superman ends up becoming.
I should probably backtrack, though…
INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, YEAR 2, VOL. 1
by Tom Taylor, Mike S. Miller, and Tom Derenick
DC Comics, September 2014
Superhero comics
provided by NetGalley
Goodreads: The best-selling prequel to the hit videogame picks up right where it left off! Year one is over–now, year two begins. The death of one of their own has divided Earth’s protectors as hero turns against hero. As Superman’s iron grip on the world tightens, at the edge of the galaxy, another grave threat approaches…
INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US YEAR 2 continues the story from the New York Times best-selling graphic novel with rising star writer Tom Taylor (EARTH 2) and a team of artists including Mike S. Miller, Bruno Redondo and Tom Derenick.
Collects INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US YEAR 2 #1-5.
Right. I should probably admit that I haven’t read much of the superhero comics before the New-52, which is probably a good indication that whatever I say may be panned by a die-hard DC Comics fan. But whatever. I like the artwork, I happen to like the direction a number of the New-52 storylines are exploring, and I’ve played the game that these comics are inspired from. So naturally, I’d want to read through the story of how this alternate Earth dealt with the tragically–and dangerously–altered Superman. Of course, I already know how it’s all going to end up, but it’s still fun to see how the journey went from beginning to, erm, end.
(Nevermind that this is the first volume in YEAR 2, which means there’s an entire set of stories that took place in Year 1.)
What I Loved
The opening scenes. Since CW’s Arrow series, I haven’t been too fond of the “intended” Black Canary. Frankly, I so preferred the sister over Laurel Lance, but anyway, digressing. To get back to the point, the opening panels threw us into a flashback of an outing with Dinah Lance, Oliver Queen, and Hal Jordan. Then, fast forward to the present and we find out Ollie’s six feet under. Tragic, but already poignant opening for the year of agony for those against Supes’ regime. It’s here and in the Justice League Unlimited series where I truly respected Black Canary as Black Canary. So yeah, I loved this bit.
Superman’s “Mr. Chips to Scarface” alteration. Yeah, he broke bad. He so did. In fact, Superman’s doing well as an unhinged megapower whose restraint has frayed due to the influence of the fear-ruling Sinestro and the badass demi-goddess of war, Diana. Since he’s practically incapacitated his bestie, the next universe is the limit to Supes’ regime.
The Birds of Prey. GIRL POWAH. No, seriously, I love all of them.
The artwork, duh. Um. It’s pretty. Just sooooo pretty. That’s really all I can say.
What I Didn’t Love
Go away, Sinestro, nobody marks you. I didn’t want a rehash of how Sinestro broke bad. I didn’t care. In fact, my amount of care about Sinestro’s Green Lantern Corps problems goes about as far as I can throw a planet the size of Earth. Oh, wait.
Too short, darnit! It was way too easy to get through the entire volume within an hour. Not enough. Five issues only?! Really? And both Batman and Wonder Woman are incapacitated, so we’ve totally lost half the fun that I got when I was reading Year 1. But I suppose Hal Jordan’s moral dilemmas were also fun to read in this volume.
4 out of 5 Goodreads stars!
Story and Somnomancy 