Always trying to buy some time.
Creative Staff:
Story: Brian Buccellato
Art: Mike S. Miller
Colors: J. Nanjan
Letters: Wes Abbott
What They Say:
Batman and his team race against time to finish the machine that will pull the duplicate heroes over from Earth One. Meanwhile, Catwoman makes Superman an offer.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
As we hit the penultimate installment of this year of the series that leads into the first game, Injustice has the kind of issue that works but is frustrating at the same time. Events have recently reshaped to move us toward getting the game connecting in place and it just makes a lot of what we have this year feel unfinished in a lot of ways. There are a lot of things going on in this particular year but it just comes across as a bit more drawn out and with more sidebar stories than before. And we also get it so that these things feel somewhat incomplete. Part of the problem is the lack of a strong character narrative like we had with Constantine before to drive things, keeping us more involved than we are here with so many smaller stories throughout.
The reveals of what’s going on over on the other side the last time around worked well enough, even if it was just a bit jarring since it’s been so long since we were connected to this point through the game. The jarring aspect was fairly welcome in a different way, however, as it reminded us of what DC Comics kind of was for the longest time, something that I miss that we’re seeing a bit of in Rebirth to some degree. This issue takes us back to the Injustice world as we see Batman and Lex scoping out the help they need and waiting for the right time to bring them over. Batman’s being pretty good about it in that he doesn’t want to bring over a villain from there nor leave a powerful villain running amuck without their Justice League there to help. Of course, he doesn’t know about the nuclear weapon that the Joker is close to setting off…
While he’s working in this protected area waiting for the right time, his plans are taking a hit thanks to Catwoman telling Superman where he is with the promise that he won’t hurt Batman. She just wants all of this to end and all the killing to stop, not realizing that Superman is so far gone that there will just be more and more as time goes on. So when he shows up, all in a rage, it’s a pretty strong and chaotic sequence that plays out. Barbara and Kate are there to try and get the transporter to bring the League over at the right time but they run into their troubles – and discoveries – and it’s a lot of fun seeing them working to solve the problem that’s pretty much going to need chewing gum, some spit, and maybe some rubber bands to fix. It’s kind of wonky but you have to appreciate it as “comic book logic” that they could jury rig such a complicated system so quickly – if Batman can hold off Superman for just a bit longer.
In Summary:
Injustice sets the stage for the finale the next time around and it still feels weird to think we’re going to be without this series and its world for some time to come. I do expect a new series to kick off when the second game comes around, however. This chapter works some decent stuff as it serves to bring some of the main players together while trying to put the big plan into motion to save the world from Superman and the Regime. It’s done more as a serious piece without too much in the way of humor and it plays the action well, which is to be expected with Mike S. Miller on the art chores. It’s a solid piece within this particular subset of the comics world and I continue to enjoy it for what it is, acknowledging it as a kind of simpler and lighter fare that knows to not take itself too awful seriously as it works to connect things up to the first game.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: DC Comics via ComiXology
Release Date: September 13th, 2016
MSRP: $0.99
