Written by Dan Bowser
I was recently sorting through my boxes and boxes comics as I
do about twice a year; contemplating if it was time to finally admit that I
have a serious comic addiction (which I also do about twice a year) when I
found my Injustice comics. They're always in perfect chronological order when I
find them, and the reason for that is I'm constantly lending them out to
people. In fact, I owe (or blame) Injustice for the long list of various DC
hero titles I now follow.
Although a prequel
to the like named video game, it’s the perfect comic to introduce to anyone new
to the DC comic book Medium, or new to comics in general for that matter. The
stories are easy to follow and easier to enjoy. Also Noteworthy is the plethora
of colorful heroes and villains (their allegiances may surprise you). All of
this is achieved without going over-the-top-Game-Of-Thrones as far as excessive
characters and plot-lines.
Taking place 5 years
before the events of the Injustice: Gods
Among Us video game, it Chronicles the development of Superman from the
larger than life symbol of hope into the megalomaniac dictator, who serves as
the main antagonist in the video game. It also follows everyone's favorite
billionaire with Daddy issues (let's not count Iron Man) as he does everything
he can to topple Superman’s Regime.
In year one, we
witness the catalyst for the chaos to come… the complete annihilation of Metropolis,
as well as the death of Superman's wife, Lois Lane at the hands of the Joker.
If that wasn't enough of a debilitating tragedy, Lois was carrying Superman’s
unborn child when she died. However the Man of Steel’s real fall from grace
begins when he crosses that one line we see in nearly every mainstream
superhero comic- he takes a life.
Granted, the life he takes is that of the Joker, arguably the
most despicable human being in the DC Universe… possibly any universe for that
matter, but what follows is Superman’s realization that he could've been
“fixing” these Injustices (eh? Eh???)
before they start, all along. With the help of his Justice League- Emo Edition,
Superman proceeds to topple dictatorships, create an army of Super-Gestapo, and
cause the alienation of one of Superman's closest friend, Batman. It is in this development that we see
the birth of Batman's Resistance, which also consists of (Among others) Green
Arrow, Nightwing, Black Canary, Catwoman, and (oddly enough) Harley Quinn, on
which an entire article could be written concerning her character development
throughout the series. We learn very early that our writer, Tom Taylor, is not
afraid of a staggering casualty or two.
As years 2, 3, and 4
develop, we see every force in the DC Universe that has even a remote chance of
stopping Superman, topple one after the other. The Green Lantern Corps, Trigon,
and even the Gods, are all thwarted one way or another by Superman and his
allies. We see heroes and villains on both sides of this war, though the terms
are hard to distinguish at this point. Batman staunchly protests capital
punishment, yet has no problem holding his former friends captive to the point
where they can do nothing but blink (that can't be comfortable. Or humane).
Meanwhile on the other side of things, with each year we see Batman gain a new
set of allies, and then almost immediately we see him ultimately lose those
allies at the hands of the regime. Yet Batman and his select handful of
supporters continue to soldier on, with the help of a secret informant from the
opposing side, (I'll give you a hint, his name rhymes with Rex Guthor). It's a
classic Underdog story of, needless to say, of epic proportions. One that can't
possibly have a happy ending for our heroes. Can it?
The Jury is still out on whether or not Batman’s resistance
will prevail against the forces of oppression. What I do have a verdict on, is
whether or not this is worth your time. On a scale of one to ten, I'd give it 7
thumbs up (yeah I said 7 thumps up. I'm the reviewer I can have as many thumbs
as I want). Flawless art, near immaculate structure, and powerful story telling
are the three key components that grants Injustice
and automatic spot at the front of my reading list every week it is released.
Over that past few
years, there has been more than one artist for this comic. I must say, they
sure know how to pick ‘em. Whether Mike S. Miller, Sergio Sandoval, or Rex
Lokus, the art is more on a detailed intricate scale, never sketchy or
abstract, for lack of better terms. Although there are noticeable differences,
there is also a certain degree of consistency between artists, as they all
stick to an impressive level of realism. You can visually see the distress and
anger in the facial close-ups. Red veins throughout Wonder woman’s glaring eyes
as stray strands of hair entangle in front of her face while blood trickles
down her nose…. It’s enough to give you chills. You will see this absolutely
singular art throughout the entire series.
However, the art
could be as awesome as it wants, it all falls apart if it can't be read
properly. The panels flow quite well. Often times in comics, I'm unsure where
my eye is supposed to be directed after reading a thought balloon, or perhaps a
caption. I can't recall ever having this problem while reading Injustice.
From a logistic standpoint, this comic is very well put together.
Now we come to
possibly the most important component of any graphic novel, the plot-line. I
have some beef with it, but for the most part, I approve. I truly felt it when
(spoiler alert) Green Arrow was brutally beat to death. All of the writers have
done noteworthy work, but the original, Tom Taylor, is my favorite. From what I
gather, I'm not alone in my preferences. When Taylor departed halfway through
year three, I doubt I was the only one who was a bit concerned about the future
of one of my favorite comics. I stand corrected, (mostly) Brian Buccellato has
more than earned his place writing this complex series, full of complex
characters. It is in the complexity that I have my issues. Often times
characters get left in the dust or forgotten about, sometimes for multiple
issues, others get next to no “screen time.” (What’s going on with Raven
lately??) Not often, but sometimes a story may get so busy that a character may
die, and I'll have no idea until I hear about it from one of the other
characters! This is a problem i see often in stories of any kind; stories that
tend to over time become overloaded with characters. My solution? In the words
of the Governor kill’em all!! (Joking, of course. Maybe.) Aside from this,
there is one other issue I have that I never address: Every single year Batman
comes up with a different version of the same plan: get a bunch of people to
help capture and apprehend Superman and his Injustice
League. Then they would work towards rehabilitating them. Which would take,
I’m assuming, forever. Does Batman really believe that possible? More than
that, would Superman ever want rehabilitating? Perhaps it would have been
easier to work with Superman. Perhaps you could have acted as his conscience,
keeping him from getting out of control. From becoming the monster we see in Injustice. From a certain stand point, Batman has
been responsible for the deaths of several of his teammates. Superman has saved
thousands, though at the price of their freedom. I could go on all day, and
that's the point of a story like this, to make you think.
INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG Us is a graphic novel that anyone can enjoy.
The intricate art, diligent structure, and compelling storytelling will draw
more and more viewers into its tractor beam. It will continue to be at the forefront of my reading list until it
sadly and inevitably comes to an end. I have little doubt the art, That is
always the bittersweet part of a prequel. The fact that it cannot go on
forever. To quote The Vision,(I am so sorry I'm leaving on a Marvel quote but
it fits) “But, a thing is not beautiful because it lasts.” Happy Reading!!
