‘Dark Crisis #2’ Review
Written by Joshua Williamson | Art by Daniel Sampere | Published by DC Comics
I enjoyed the first issue of this book but did say in my review of that one that it was very much the introduction issue, so story took second place to establishing all the pieces on the board. It was still a great read of course, but it was more about the spectacle than the story. Issue 2’s are the real money books, where we get to see if there is substance to go with the style. This being Josh Williamson, I’m betting it will be a firm yes, but as always, the proof is in the pudding.
Let’s take a look.
That Pariah’s a naughty boy, isn’t he? I actually used to like him when he first appeared, he had a Shakespearean tragic hero quality about him when he inadvertently triggered the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Now, he’s gone off the proverbial deep end, and is trying to literally reverse the death of his world, and the many that followed. He literally wants to resurrect those dead Infinite Earths, and if Earth-Zero has to be destroyed along the way, well, you can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs. The Great Darkness is, of course, controlling everything and everyone it seems, and the first group of heroes to feel its force are the Titans. Titans Tower was subjected to an assault, and things went as bad as you would expect. With the Justice League out of the way, Slade Wilson and his Secret Society of villains are making sure no-one else can step up and replace them.
Deathstroke likes to do things with a certain flair of course, and although his seriously overpowered group could kill everyone in Titans Tower, full of trainee heroes remember, he’s all about personal ego. He challenges an injured Nightwing to a solo fight…and promptly gets his ass handed to him. Daniel Sampere delivers a gorgeous double page spread showing the two really going at it in a brutal, take no prisoners way. Slade then tries to cheat and is stopped by the prompt arrival of the new Superman. SuperTeen? Son of Superman? Superman YA? Not sure what to call him yet but, as Dick points out, he has his dad’s sense of timing.
So, game over when a Superman shows up, you’d assume. Not so fast. Slade guessed that move and plays his own ace card. Cyborg Superman joins the fray. Brutal fight time, over to you again Daniel Sampere. He doesn’t disappoint. It’s bloody, bone crunching stuff, and at fight’s end we have something of a pyrrhic victory. Slade and his group leave, but Titans Tower is trashed, its team either gone or injured. Pariah’s gameplan to spread chaos is working.
The legacy heroes, it seems, just aren’t up to the job of doing this by themselves. Luckily, the heroes have someone on their side with an even bigger ego than Slade Wilson. No, not Guy Gardener (though he does). Black Adam. Reluctantly, Adam has realized he cannot keep his country out of all this, and sort of elects himself leader. Would you complain to him? No, nor does anyone else. Elsewhere, another positive development. Hal Jordan has found Kyle Rayner, so it’s time to break out the power batteries as the the final piece in the return of the Green Lantern Corps has fallen into place. Maybe things aren’t quite as bleak as they first looked after all.
Another rollercoaster ride of an issue, with barely a moment to catch breathe. That being said, as much as I genuinely enjoyed the issue, there is a whiff of ‘I’ve seen this all before’ about this. It’s set piece comics, where big set piece fights link the story taking place. The obvious corporate influence is in there as well, promoting Black Adam to star because he has a film coming out. He is, in DC Universe terms, a mass murderer remember. Odd choice to lead a ‘Justice’ League. The GL Corps bit was nice though, as was Nightwing punching Slade in the face. The art, by Daniel Sampere, was superb, gorgeously rendered and making light work of the complex script he was given to illustrate. Mostly traditional panel layouts, it also reads well, and carries the pace of the story superbly.
Fun, entertaining, but still just lacking that ‘wow’ factor.’
I think it’s coming soon though.
