The Good
INJUSTICE is a really, really messed up alternate universe. It's full of brutal deaths and the atmosphere is dark and devoid of hope. So many characters have fallen, the world's symbol of hope is now ruling with an iron (or should I say steel?) fist, and fear is spreading You'd think every issue would feel "dark and gritty" and constantly bring you down, yet writer Tom Taylor always manages to deliver high stakes and shocks while also keeping things very funny. What's really impressive is the comedy doesn't take away from the tone, either.
The laughs feel natural coming from these characters and it never comes across as too silly, forced, or unnecessary. It's just a good dose of humor before being harshly reminded of just how twisted this world has become. This is yet another chapter that handles the comedy extremely well. Sure, scenes with Superman are stern and not nearly as interesting and that's to be expected -- you're not going to see any levity coming from that dude and this is something Taylor obviously understands -- but the material with the heroes has been full of excellent gags. The dynamics here are brilliant and they continue to make me crack up. Detective Chimp's shirt? The way Harley Quinn reacts to him and Doctor Fate? Constantine's attitude? Taylor's handling all of this so well and the dialogue always keeps me entertained. The plot developments may not be racing forward, but the handling of these characters compensates for that a whole lot. That said, it is worth noting that artist Bruno Redondo may be the one who deserves credit Detective Chimp's shirt.
Considering this is a weekly digital series, the visuals (layouts by Redondo, finishes and inks by Xermanico, colors by Rex Lokus) are pretty impressive. There's a brief trip to space that looks wonderful and these panels really deliver the intensity when the action kicks in, but what works the best here is the handling of the expressions and how the panels can really sell the comedy and use just the right angles to keep us immersed in this story. From the look of anguish on Sinestro's face to Constantine being surprised and then blunt to Detective Chimp's stare before going back to business, the panels are consistently solid and keep things varied. The coloring really stands out when there's action and effects, too.
The Bad
Everything is being handled very well, but despite two explosive developments, this still kind of feels like "the calm before the storm." The dialogue is great and the narrative continues to expand and expand, but it still feels like we're getting more and more buildup. It leaves me wondering when things will really heat up. Okay, I know they technically do in this one, but you still get what I mean! This isn't a huge complaint, but the slowburn approach to some of the arcs are definitely felt.
(Technically discussing a spoiler!) INJUSTICE: YEAR THREE has one cover apply to two issues. For example, the last two issues had the very cool Swamp Thing vs. Constantine (and Batman vs. Superman) image on it. It's an effective way to grab someone's attention -- especially if they're a fan of the mystical side of the DC universe -- but man, this cover really takes away from what could have been a ridiculously exciting cliffhanger. It's still sure to make many people smile and look forward to the next chapter, but it seriously took away from the development. Having the character right on the cover means we're waiting for his return and, when you can tell it's going to happen, the impact is lessened. It's not the biggest complaint around, but imagine how thrilling it would have been if you had no idea the character's coming back!
Personal gripe: We don't see a proper follow-up to the last issue's cliffhanger. It's briefly talked about, but after something that stunning, I would have loved to see a little more from that story. But hey, I understand space is limited with these chapters and good things come to those who wait, right?
The Verdict
Not having any follow-up to last week's excellent cliffhanger's a bit of a bummer, but that's countered by some great writing and consistently enjoyable visuals. The strong writing is enough to make you wonder what a CONSTANTINE or HARLEY QUINN ongoing series would be like if Taylor was writing. The narrative continues to grow and grow and the script makes sure this is dialogue that'll keep you interested and entertained instead of feeling like it's just more and more exposition until things finally reach a boiling point. The cliffhanger may not pack as much of a punch as it could have, but it's still something that'll probably make you smile and leave you wondering about what'll happen next. YEAR THREE's trip into DC's mystical side has been a great ride. Now we just have to wait and see how a certain mystery is handled!