The Good
I know this is something that still eludes some people out there, but it's critical to remember INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US is an alternate universe. While it's understandable to be upset if your favorite character acts differently, it's important to recall this shouldn't be too shocking because it's not the same character at the end of the day. I say this because it is absolutely mandatory to keep in mind when it comes to Tom Taylor's latest chapter. So, if you're a Wonder Woman fan who's upset she's being much darker and more manipulative, I imagine you're going to freak out when reading this one. But, if you're being open-minded about this being an alternate reality and even the fact a character stated something is indeed "off" with Diana, then I think you're in for a real treat.
Taylor has managed to cover all kinds of strong emotions through the course of this series. He's left us speechless with great tragedies and made our faces hurt from laughing so much at the Harley Quinn/Green Arrow team-up. This chapter once again leaves me speechless with an incredibly bleak turn of events and then knocks my anticipation through the roof with the finale. Batman's forces take action against Clark's group, but that's quickly overshadowed by Taylor showing how complex this topic really is. Even if you're the most powerful man on Earth, can you really make every single nation a better place? That's the dilemma Diana faces this time and the conclusion left my jaw on the ground. Up until now, she has mostly nudged Clark down this path, but this latest turn of events is truly drastic, stunning and quite harsh.
What happens next has me stoked for the book's future thanks to the insurmountable amount of momentum building up. The first punch has been thrown, and as expected, you can't take on Superman's forces with a head-on assault. This is Batman we're dealing with -- one of the greatest tactical minds on the planet -- and currently, Taylor's crafting a plan worthy of the Dark Knight's potential. Sure, it requires a key character on his side, but he's still the one moving all of the pieces into place and I can only imagine what'll go down next.
Neil Googe brings a very rough and cartoonish style of art to the book. The facial expressions are quite exaggerated and sometimes they feel off to me, but when it comes to the big scene with Wonder Woman, it's a formidable set of panels and truly delivers on how fearsome the moment really is.
The Bad
As I said above, I have some gripes with the facial features when it comes to the art, but it's not nearly enough to take away from the experience.
The Verdict
At this point, it should be more than obvious who Batman's secret weapon is (*cough* Martian Manhunter*cough*) and I'm ridiculously excited to see where Taylor will take matters from here. If you've been following along or if you've been meaning to jump on board, this is absolutely a must read issue. Major developments are made when it comes to Wayne's actions against the Man of Steel and we get a disturbing look at who Wonder Woman truly is in this alternate universe. At just $0.99 per short chapter, you really have no good reason not to follow along if you're curious about the series.
