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Injustice: Gods Among Us #9
Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five, Vol. 1
This is it: the final year of INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, leading into the storyline of the hit videogame! Having defeated the Green Lantern Corps, the forces of magic, and now the gods themselves, the Superman's totalitarian regime seems to have eliminated all threats. Yet uneasy lies the crown on the head of the Man of Steel. Still obsessed with the outlaw Batman and worried about having enough troops to police his world, The Man of Steel begins to recruit some of Earth's deadliest villains to his side. Does the Dark Knight have any chance of ending the Man of Steel's rule?
The beginning of the end is here, as writer Brian Buccellato (THE FLASH) unveils the final chapter before the events of the hit video game phenomenon in INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US YEAR FIVE VOL. 1. Collects issues #1-6.
The beginning of the end is here, as writer Brian Buccellato (THE FLASH) unveils the final chapter before the events of the hit video game phenomenon in INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US YEAR FIVE VOL. 1. Collects issues #1-6.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published December 13, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
January 15, 2018
A lot happens in this volume, and nothing happens in this volume.
That's the best way I can think to describe the overall feel of this one.
Both Batman and Superman are losing the faith of their ladies. Selina is over the fact that their ragtag group doesn't have the power needed to actually win a fight against Superman's regime, and she's tired of getting her ass handed to her without any hope of succeeding in the end. And Diana is getting a bit sick of Clark doing whatever the hell he wants without asking and/or taking the advice of those closest to him, while continually crossing the line when dealing with his enemies.
Damien is a big part of this one, but for the life of me, I couldn't have cared less about this whole storyline. He's annoying and stupid in Injustice, and unless he has some BIG role to play in the last volume, I feel like every panel with his face on it is just wasted space.
Bizarro Superman makes an appearance, but it was just (again, to me) silly, dull filler that made the volume feel even more bloated with extra nonsense.
Ditto for Superman fighting Doomsday.
And the feeling stayed the same during the Big Showdown at the end between Superman and Batman.
Even the whole 'Superman & Batman have both recruited villains' thing was so seriously unsurprising that it was boring, as well.
The only storyline that was sort of interesting to me in this one was the Hawkman vs Hawkgirl fight. Now, I'm not saying it was worth the price of admission, but at least it felt a bit fresh.
By far, this was the worst volume of Injustice that I can remember reading, and I'm sad to say I'm glad it's wrapping up soon.
That's the best way I can think to describe the overall feel of this one.
Both Batman and Superman are losing the faith of their ladies. Selina is over the fact that their ragtag group doesn't have the power needed to actually win a fight against Superman's regime, and she's tired of getting her ass handed to her without any hope of succeeding in the end. And Diana is getting a bit sick of Clark doing whatever the hell he wants without asking and/or taking the advice of those closest to him, while continually crossing the line when dealing with his enemies.
Damien is a big part of this one, but for the life of me, I couldn't have cared less about this whole storyline. He's annoying and stupid in Injustice, and unless he has some BIG role to play in the last volume, I feel like every panel with his face on it is just wasted space.
Bizarro Superman makes an appearance, but it was just (again, to me) silly, dull filler that made the volume feel even more bloated with extra nonsense.
Ditto for Superman fighting Doomsday.
And the feeling stayed the same during the Big Showdown at the end between Superman and Batman.
Even the whole 'Superman & Batman have both recruited villains' thing was so seriously unsurprising that it was boring, as well.
The only storyline that was sort of interesting to me in this one was the Hawkman vs Hawkgirl fight. Now, I'm not saying it was worth the price of admission, but at least it felt a bit fresh.
By far, this was the worst volume of Injustice that I can remember reading, and I'm sad to say I'm glad it's wrapping up soon.
July 6, 2020
3.5 stars
"It gets better . . . Once you let go of the anger and the guilt in your heart, you may see the world in a different light - a better world." -- the always-dependable Alfred Pennyworth, to Damian Wayne
It didn't actually seem like the major storyline was advanced all that much in the latest volume - no significant change in the status quo - but this is still an entertaining series. What kept it interesting in Year Five, Vol. 1 the numerous action-heavy dust-ups between the large cast of characters. The volume's 'punching bag' trophy has to be awarded to longtime Batman villain Bane, who is now alarmingly recruited to work with Superman's faction. Often regarded as the instigator of harsh violence, Bane instead receives a mace blow to the head (Krak!) from a furious Hawkgirl and is later rammed by the Batmobile (Krunch!) in a sublime deus ex machina moment. Speaking of Hawkgirl, she has one of the more interesting subplots - a domestic violence situation, somewhat of a rarity in the superhero universe - that fortunately has her emerging victorious against her would-be abuser.
"It gets better . . . Once you let go of the anger and the guilt in your heart, you may see the world in a different light - a better world." -- the always-dependable Alfred Pennyworth, to Damian Wayne
It didn't actually seem like the major storyline was advanced all that much in the latest volume - no significant change in the status quo - but this is still an entertaining series. What kept it interesting in Year Five, Vol. 1 the numerous action-heavy dust-ups between the large cast of characters. The volume's 'punching bag' trophy has to be awarded to longtime Batman villain Bane, who is now alarmingly recruited to work with Superman's faction. Often regarded as the instigator of harsh violence, Bane instead receives a mace blow to the head (Krak!) from a furious Hawkgirl and is later rammed by the Batmobile (Krunch!) in a sublime deus ex machina moment. Speaking of Hawkgirl, she has one of the more interesting subplots - a domestic violence situation, somewhat of a rarity in the superhero universe - that fortunately has her emerging victorious against her would-be abuser.
November 15, 2022
OK this is it, the run to the final story arc in this awesome series. If you want to see how your favorite DC heroes and villains could be in a different world then here is a read for you. Great art and story, be prepared to get surprised at their actions and the ones that don't make it. Highly recommended
June 15, 2025
At this point, I'm glad the series is ending with the next volume. When Tom Taylor was writing it, it was fantastic. Now it seems to be in a downward spiral. Nothing much happens in this book. It feels like it's just padding while they wait for the next Injustice video game to come out.
August 27, 2017
Series getting so worst that I'm glad is almost over. Doomsday and Bane were never so lame like here, only parts I save of this trainwreck is the Bizzarro subplot and Damian's character development into new Nightwing.
That's all.
June 15, 2025
Not as good as the previous volumes.
January 12, 2017
Somewhat torn about this volume. It featured Bizarro Superman in about the best possible way but I still don't love Bizarro. Interested to see how they wrap this up in 2 more volumes.
May 24, 2017
This was much better than the last volume for me. It's still not nearly as good as the start of this series but remains interesting throughout. So let's talk about what worked (and what didn't).
What I liked: Really enjoyed Damien's reflection on past events. His talk with Al, his talk with Superman, and his own inner thoughts made him interesting. I also really enjoyed the Catwomen moment with Bruce. It felt heartbreaking yet right. Also small, but minor moments, like Flash and Superman standoff or Bizzaro whole arc. Just a lot of fun. I fear for his future though haha.
What I disliked: The Doomsday fight was both dull and dumb. It felt so pointless and added nothing. I also didn't understand Batman using criminals for his plans. I understood Superman but Batman going that far. They are bad people. Just because they didn't "Kill" doesn't stop them and even a desperate Batman seems unlikely to side with them.
Overall this volume made me more excited than the last but they really aren't as well done as the first few volumes and that makes me so sad haha. I will finish though.
P.S. - Injustice 2 the game is fucking amazing though. Just FYI.
What I liked: Really enjoyed Damien's reflection on past events. His talk with Al, his talk with Superman, and his own inner thoughts made him interesting. I also really enjoyed the Catwomen moment with Bruce. It felt heartbreaking yet right. Also small, but minor moments, like Flash and Superman standoff or Bizzaro whole arc. Just a lot of fun. I fear for his future though haha.
What I disliked: The Doomsday fight was both dull and dumb. It felt so pointless and added nothing. I also didn't understand Batman using criminals for his plans. I understood Superman but Batman going that far. They are bad people. Just because they didn't "Kill" doesn't stop them and even a desperate Batman seems unlikely to side with them.
Overall this volume made me more excited than the last but they really aren't as well done as the first few volumes and that makes me so sad haha. I will finish though.
P.S. - Injustice 2 the game is fucking amazing though. Just FYI.
October 5, 2018
Not as good as Tom Taylors run. Still enjoyable and has become a favourite of mine with the unpredictable story lines. Hopefully it picks up in Volume 2.
April 23, 2017
A bit of a rebound from the previous year, I'm interested again in seeing where all this is going.
February 9, 2022
This was actually a pretty fun read again!
We got into year 5 and with the release of the villains, the regime are rounding villains up and we have Clark fight Doomsday who has returned and to aid him, we have Bane and we see where that alliance goes and meanwhile Batman has teamed up with the Rogues and their plan is to hit the bases of the regime on some day to take them down and inspire revolution among people. Then the stuff with Bane vs Selina happens and both the teams clash there but the big thing is the coming of BIZZARO and his unlikely new friend: The Trickster! Also there is a ch. with Hawkman which was a bit out of character for him.
Its a volume with such crazy moments and allying with villains just shows that both heroes are far gone and just wanna take the other down no matter what with lines crossed and yeah the thing with Doomsday and Grundy was quick but we see darker plans that Superman has for them and his regime is losing confidence in him like with Lex and Victor which makes for a great story and the stuff with Bizarro is so fun like its just crazy fights and fun moments and leads to a great volume overall, excited to keep reading ahead! Plus the art is geting better with every volume.
We got into year 5 and with the release of the villains, the regime are rounding villains up and we have Clark fight Doomsday who has returned and to aid him, we have Bane and we see where that alliance goes and meanwhile Batman has teamed up with the Rogues and their plan is to hit the bases of the regime on some day to take them down and inspire revolution among people. Then the stuff with Bane vs Selina happens and both the teams clash there but the big thing is the coming of BIZZARO and his unlikely new friend: The Trickster! Also there is a ch. with Hawkman which was a bit out of character for him.
Its a volume with such crazy moments and allying with villains just shows that both heroes are far gone and just wanna take the other down no matter what with lines crossed and yeah the thing with Doomsday and Grundy was quick but we see darker plans that Superman has for them and his regime is losing confidence in him like with Lex and Victor which makes for a great story and the stuff with Bizarro is so fun like its just crazy fights and fun moments and leads to a great volume overall, excited to keep reading ahead! Plus the art is geting better with every volume.
January 14, 2017
I'm glad this series is coming to an end. You can only keep this kind of thing going for so long, and teaming up with supervillains is the logical endpoint. I can absolutely believe that a desperate Batman at the end of his rope would enlist the "ethical" villains like the Rogues. He already works with Catwoman, after all. I think this year will be far more interesting than last year had been.
August 11, 2020
Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Volume 1 by Brian Buccellato get to a quick start, in the last volume, all the prisoners that Superman had captured at the beginning are released. Superman and team works on recapturing them, but in some of those criminals he sees an opportunity. How do you break the Bat, with the only man that has done it before, Bane. Lex Luthor's secret clone with superman's DNA rises, and we witness the birth of Bizarro who is being manipulated by the Trickster. This volume is filled by great ideas, but the execution is really lacking. Tom Taylor the first writer of the series was great at making everything connect, with Brian Buccellato this issues are more stand alone with loose connections. I wanted to like this one a little more not the worst of the series, but not the way I wanted for the final year of Injustice to start. Injustice: Gods Among Us is based on a video game that starts at Year Five, so it's pretty cool to show how they get there.
The Series Plot leading up to Year Five: The Joker tricks Superman into killing Lois and his unborn child, when her heart stops a nuclear bomb destroys Metropolis. Superman distraught kills The Joker and declares martial law on the whole world, vowing that no one should die needlessly. Lex Luthor develops a pill that will make ordinary people super to start an army of supermen that Superman controls. Batman steals the super humans pills and gives them to every hero and a few villains to make them equal. Superman's action have drawn attention to the Green Lantern Corps who's power is all about will power. Martian Man hunter died as he was fighting Wonder Woman from the inside when Superman used his heat vision, and sent Wonder Woman into a coma. Sinestro is manipulates Superman telling his own story and the way the Green Lantern Corps will attack, he makes an alliance that brings Sinestro and his minions as added protection, both Hal Jordan and Superman put on the yellow rings of fear to win against the Green Lantern Corps. Batman list the help all of his friends with magical abilities in a plan to put Superman asleep forever. The plan worked but Wonder Woman's mother makes a deal with Athena to wake Superman and Wonder Woman. The sleep was supposed to give Superman clarity but he wakes up madder than ever because of what he missed out on. Batman makes a deal with Ares as well that has the old Gods and Amazon's joining his side. The Amazon's are missing Wonder Woman's mother who is taken prisoner by Hera and made to sit this fight out, as per her deal. Batman ends up tricking Wonder Woman to fight Superman to the death a a champion of the Amazon's. Sinestro interferes when it looks like Superman could lose. Zeus Sees this as deal breaker and declares all out war on the New Gods. Superman kills Hercules in the conflict which makes Zeus angry and kills Shazam and Harley who spoke out. Superman retreats as the remaining Justice League are beat. Zeus declares himself God of the world, wanting to get rid of every other form of religion. Ares makes a deal with Superman to bring a jealous Poseidon to fight his brother Zeus. This brings Aquaman into the battle, as Poseidon wants to wipe out Wonder Woman's home with a giant tidal wave. Batman knowing this has got out of control and he got played by a vengeful Ares, seeks a help and offers enough hints to Superman to figure out who Ares is doing his bidding for, Darkseid. Plastic Man risk all to save his son from being a prisoner of Superman, he saves his son and rescues every other rogue in the process. All the men Superman deemed bad guys are released out into the world, some vow to be good, some want to be bad, and some want revenge.
The Plot of Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Five Volume 1: Superman works on two things recapturing all of the criminals and taking down Batman. Superman has deal for a set of villains take down the Bat, and get your freedom. Bane the man who has broken the Batman before, Killer Frost and Killer Croc. They know they can't reach the bat so the grab the Cat. Catwoman is tortured to reveal where Batman is. Lex's Superman clone is found, but there's something not right about him almost bizarre. Bizarro is born and the Trickster is manipulating him.
What I Liked: Bane getting involved, and the context of him breaking Bruce once before. Bizarro's intro, I loved that he freaks out at the mirror reflection thinking the S is backward, and changing it so it displays the same way in the reflection. I loved the Frankenstein reference, when Bizarro freaks out about fire, then realize he does not burn.
What I Disliked: Hawkgirl and Hawkman storyline, absolutely pointless. Doomsday was wasted. I have a pet peeve of writers making Babe dumb and not intelligent, and it happens here.
Recommendation: The overall story is really good even if all the issues aren't. I wanted he series to go out with a bang not a whimper. Two volumes left until the series is finished, I'm not going to stop. I rated Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Volume 1 by Brian Buccellato 3 out of 5 stars.
The Series Plot leading up to Year Five: The Joker tricks Superman into killing Lois and his unborn child, when her heart stops a nuclear bomb destroys Metropolis. Superman distraught kills The Joker and declares martial law on the whole world, vowing that no one should die needlessly. Lex Luthor develops a pill that will make ordinary people super to start an army of supermen that Superman controls. Batman steals the super humans pills and gives them to every hero and a few villains to make them equal. Superman's action have drawn attention to the Green Lantern Corps who's power is all about will power. Martian Man hunter died as he was fighting Wonder Woman from the inside when Superman used his heat vision, and sent Wonder Woman into a coma. Sinestro is manipulates Superman telling his own story and the way the Green Lantern Corps will attack, he makes an alliance that brings Sinestro and his minions as added protection, both Hal Jordan and Superman put on the yellow rings of fear to win against the Green Lantern Corps. Batman list the help all of his friends with magical abilities in a plan to put Superman asleep forever. The plan worked but Wonder Woman's mother makes a deal with Athena to wake Superman and Wonder Woman. The sleep was supposed to give Superman clarity but he wakes up madder than ever because of what he missed out on. Batman makes a deal with Ares as well that has the old Gods and Amazon's joining his side. The Amazon's are missing Wonder Woman's mother who is taken prisoner by Hera and made to sit this fight out, as per her deal. Batman ends up tricking Wonder Woman to fight Superman to the death a a champion of the Amazon's. Sinestro interferes when it looks like Superman could lose. Zeus Sees this as deal breaker and declares all out war on the New Gods. Superman kills Hercules in the conflict which makes Zeus angry and kills Shazam and Harley who spoke out. Superman retreats as the remaining Justice League are beat. Zeus declares himself God of the world, wanting to get rid of every other form of religion. Ares makes a deal with Superman to bring a jealous Poseidon to fight his brother Zeus. This brings Aquaman into the battle, as Poseidon wants to wipe out Wonder Woman's home with a giant tidal wave. Batman knowing this has got out of control and he got played by a vengeful Ares, seeks a help and offers enough hints to Superman to figure out who Ares is doing his bidding for, Darkseid. Plastic Man risk all to save his son from being a prisoner of Superman, he saves his son and rescues every other rogue in the process. All the men Superman deemed bad guys are released out into the world, some vow to be good, some want to be bad, and some want revenge.
The Plot of Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Five Volume 1: Superman works on two things recapturing all of the criminals and taking down Batman. Superman has deal for a set of villains take down the Bat, and get your freedom. Bane the man who has broken the Batman before, Killer Frost and Killer Croc. They know they can't reach the bat so the grab the Cat. Catwoman is tortured to reveal where Batman is. Lex's Superman clone is found, but there's something not right about him almost bizarre. Bizarro is born and the Trickster is manipulating him.
What I Liked: Bane getting involved, and the context of him breaking Bruce once before. Bizarro's intro, I loved that he freaks out at the mirror reflection thinking the S is backward, and changing it so it displays the same way in the reflection. I loved the Frankenstein reference, when Bizarro freaks out about fire, then realize he does not burn.
What I Disliked: Hawkgirl and Hawkman storyline, absolutely pointless. Doomsday was wasted. I have a pet peeve of writers making Babe dumb and not intelligent, and it happens here.
Recommendation: The overall story is really good even if all the issues aren't. I wanted he series to go out with a bang not a whimper. Two volumes left until the series is finished, I'm not going to stop. I rated Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Volume 1 by Brian Buccellato 3 out of 5 stars.
June 14, 2017
Year 1 set up the story and introduced us to the major players. Year of the Lanterns was next, and it was followed by the Year of Magic. Those 2 years were my favorites of the series so far. Year 4 was all about the Greek gods. Meh! I had no idea what the theme of this 5th and final year would be, but it looks like it'll focus on the villains. Superman and his pals had locked up the majority of the villains over the course of the previous 4 years, but almost all of them escaped in year 4. Now they're trying to recapture them all. Doomsday attacks Supes and Bane is seen watching from the shadows. We hear his thoughts about turning the tide of battle. Once he makes his move, he helps Superman take down Doomsday? WTF is going on here? Bane has an offer for Superman. He wants to join the Regime because he wants to take down Batman as much as Superman does. Bane convinces Superman to not only let him join up, but to use the assistance of several other villains like Killer Frost and Killer Croc as well.
Batman already has Catwoman on his side, but decides to put the Rogues to use as well since they all refuse to cross the line about killing people. While a handful of villains are helping out each side, most of the villains know nothing about the deals made between each side. They are simply in hiding trying to stay away from Superman's Regime. Solomon Grundy is one of the ones just trying to hide out. I really liked his inclusion in the story. He's one of my favorite DC villains.
Then Bizarro enters into things. Some old German guy finds Bizarro and thinks he Superman so he nurses Bizarro back to health and makes him a costume. Since Bizarro believes himself to be Superman, he flies off to fight the people responsible for blowing up several Regime headquarters. After a couple of casualties from the fighting, Trickster's quick thinking saves his life as he tells Bizarro that he's a friend. They fly off together and Trickster tells Bizarro that someone else is pretending to be Superman and has stolen Bizarro's throne. Bizarro and Superman both arrive at Solomon Grundy's location to take him down and get their first face to face meeting with each other. The resulting 3 way battle is kind of short, but is my favorite fight in the series to date. I already mentioned that I really like Grundy, but me am Bizarro's #1 fan. Anything with Bizarro in it is instantly better.
Hawkman has made his way to Earth after finding out his wife Hawkgirl disobeyed him and sided with Superman. He had wanted the 2 of them to stay completely out of the fighting going on, but as soon as he gets to the Hall of Justice, he finds himself quickly in the thick of things as Shayera refuses to leave with him. There is also a side story going with Damian Wayne that may prove to be pivotal in the conclusion of the series.
Writer Brian Buccellato started off strong as he took over for Tom Taylor at the mid point of year 3. He stumbled in the early portion of year 4, but finally found his footing and turned things around by the end of year 4. With this strong start to year 5, I'm looking forward to reaching the end of this series. The writing for this one gets 4.5 stars.
Once again there numerous artists that work on the series. Mike S. Miller continues to produce the best art of them all. I love the sections drawn by him. I really wish he could be the lone artist on the book, but I know that couldn't realistically happen since this series was originally released weekly. That's just not enough time for 1 artist to handle it. So far, it looks like it takes 5-7 artists to tackle a series like this and keep on schedule. Because of that, I know the art quality fluctuates, but it would be nice to have a group of artists with the same quality of art. The art gets 4 stars.
This final year of Injustice s being split into 3 books instead of the normal 2 that each of the previous years got. I'll be getting to both of those really soon since the final one came out today. If you've made it this far into the series, stick with it. The ride is almost over. If you've never read any of the other Injustice books, what are you reading this review for? Go start on Year 1 right now. This volume gets an overall rating of 4.25 stars.
Batman already has Catwoman on his side, but decides to put the Rogues to use as well since they all refuse to cross the line about killing people. While a handful of villains are helping out each side, most of the villains know nothing about the deals made between each side. They are simply in hiding trying to stay away from Superman's Regime. Solomon Grundy is one of the ones just trying to hide out. I really liked his inclusion in the story. He's one of my favorite DC villains.
Then Bizarro enters into things. Some old German guy finds Bizarro and thinks he Superman so he nurses Bizarro back to health and makes him a costume. Since Bizarro believes himself to be Superman, he flies off to fight the people responsible for blowing up several Regime headquarters. After a couple of casualties from the fighting, Trickster's quick thinking saves his life as he tells Bizarro that he's a friend. They fly off together and Trickster tells Bizarro that someone else is pretending to be Superman and has stolen Bizarro's throne. Bizarro and Superman both arrive at Solomon Grundy's location to take him down and get their first face to face meeting with each other. The resulting 3 way battle is kind of short, but is my favorite fight in the series to date. I already mentioned that I really like Grundy, but me am Bizarro's #1 fan. Anything with Bizarro in it is instantly better.
Hawkman has made his way to Earth after finding out his wife Hawkgirl disobeyed him and sided with Superman. He had wanted the 2 of them to stay completely out of the fighting going on, but as soon as he gets to the Hall of Justice, he finds himself quickly in the thick of things as Shayera refuses to leave with him. There is also a side story going with Damian Wayne that may prove to be pivotal in the conclusion of the series.
Writer Brian Buccellato started off strong as he took over for Tom Taylor at the mid point of year 3. He stumbled in the early portion of year 4, but finally found his footing and turned things around by the end of year 4. With this strong start to year 5, I'm looking forward to reaching the end of this series. The writing for this one gets 4.5 stars.
Once again there numerous artists that work on the series. Mike S. Miller continues to produce the best art of them all. I love the sections drawn by him. I really wish he could be the lone artist on the book, but I know that couldn't realistically happen since this series was originally released weekly. That's just not enough time for 1 artist to handle it. So far, it looks like it takes 5-7 artists to tackle a series like this and keep on schedule. Because of that, I know the art quality fluctuates, but it would be nice to have a group of artists with the same quality of art. The art gets 4 stars.
This final year of Injustice s being split into 3 books instead of the normal 2 that each of the previous years got. I'll be getting to both of those really soon since the final one came out today. If you've made it this far into the series, stick with it. The ride is almost over. If you've never read any of the other Injustice books, what are you reading this review for? Go start on Year 1 right now. This volume gets an overall rating of 4.25 stars.
March 30, 2019
The thing about having a good idea is that it sort of sells itself and galvanizes into a frenzy so much so that you have a "Hit" on your hands. The downside to that is how to maintain the integrity of the original concept, changes made to it as part of its evolution, and keeping people interested in it primarily.
That same flow of a winning property has plagued certain creative products, which mainly were hit shows that I've followed till the end like 'Heroes", "Moonlight", and a fave of mine, "Dresden Files". The current series of Injustice books have certainly come into the same category as it pushes on for its last year with this first volume of Year 5.
Honestly, I am relieved that they are calling it quits after announcing the series back then. Like everyone else I wanted to know the backstory to the game that I have been playing till this day. If in case, you didn't know, Injustice was first a game and like everyone, I felt that reading the books would help me appreciate the game and add richness to my playing of it, almost everyday on my phone.
In a nutshell, this is an alternate universe where Superman has evolved into a despot of a Superhero after having killed Joker in cold blood, in front of Batman, after the clown prince killed Lois Lane. Superman has never crossed the line and in doing so has set himself on a path that had him delve into his dark side, question his own purpose and dragged every other superhero who saw things that he has found himself to believe in. And that is Might is Right because it drives back chaos, promotes order and paves the way for peace. Yes, our Supes has become even more Machiavellian in the course of 4 years that the series has been released and collected in 3-4 volumes per Year in the series.
In this volume, after the entry of magic and gods in the previous year, Superman has sunk to an all time low by working alongside villains to enforce his rule of law. Batman also found himself speaking with different bands of villains to counter and undermine Superman's tyranny. In addition to that, the volume also adds Bizarro into the storyline and is being manipulated by the trickster to combat Superman by making him think HE is the real deal and that Clark is the impostor. All in all the story feels like butter spread too much on a piece of toast. (paraphrasing Bilbo Baggins)
In short, the novelty is starting to loose its hold on me. But having held on this long and with seemingly 3 more volumes to go before the books lead into the story portrayed in the games, I figured why not finish the ride. Tom Taylor began the series and had to depart halfway and leave the writing to Brian Buccellato. While I like the introduction of magic into the series for Year 4, it all just feels like they are running out of ideas to throw against Superman while keeping our interest. Batman has done a good job at opposing the Kryptonian's rule, but like us, he's human and can run out of steam.
Keeping fingers crossed that Year 5 ends with a bang and the story doesn't feel forced or too stretched out. And with the sequel to the game coming out this year, god help us if they think of creating another prequel series to accompany the new game.
In short, wrap it up and wrap it well.
That same flow of a winning property has plagued certain creative products, which mainly were hit shows that I've followed till the end like 'Heroes", "Moonlight", and a fave of mine, "Dresden Files". The current series of Injustice books have certainly come into the same category as it pushes on for its last year with this first volume of Year 5.
Honestly, I am relieved that they are calling it quits after announcing the series back then. Like everyone else I wanted to know the backstory to the game that I have been playing till this day. If in case, you didn't know, Injustice was first a game and like everyone, I felt that reading the books would help me appreciate the game and add richness to my playing of it, almost everyday on my phone.
In a nutshell, this is an alternate universe where Superman has evolved into a despot of a Superhero after having killed Joker in cold blood, in front of Batman, after the clown prince killed Lois Lane. Superman has never crossed the line and in doing so has set himself on a path that had him delve into his dark side, question his own purpose and dragged every other superhero who saw things that he has found himself to believe in. And that is Might is Right because it drives back chaos, promotes order and paves the way for peace. Yes, our Supes has become even more Machiavellian in the course of 4 years that the series has been released and collected in 3-4 volumes per Year in the series.
In this volume, after the entry of magic and gods in the previous year, Superman has sunk to an all time low by working alongside villains to enforce his rule of law. Batman also found himself speaking with different bands of villains to counter and undermine Superman's tyranny. In addition to that, the volume also adds Bizarro into the storyline and is being manipulated by the trickster to combat Superman by making him think HE is the real deal and that Clark is the impostor. All in all the story feels like butter spread too much on a piece of toast. (paraphrasing Bilbo Baggins)
In short, the novelty is starting to loose its hold on me. But having held on this long and with seemingly 3 more volumes to go before the books lead into the story portrayed in the games, I figured why not finish the ride. Tom Taylor began the series and had to depart halfway and leave the writing to Brian Buccellato. While I like the introduction of magic into the series for Year 4, it all just feels like they are running out of ideas to throw against Superman while keeping our interest. Batman has done a good job at opposing the Kryptonian's rule, but like us, he's human and can run out of steam.
Keeping fingers crossed that Year 5 ends with a bang and the story doesn't feel forced or too stretched out. And with the sequel to the game coming out this year, god help us if they think of creating another prequel series to accompany the new game.
In short, wrap it up and wrap it well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2016
Review is for the individual online comics that make up this collection.
I’ve fallen a little out of love with Injustice with each progressive installment, and though Year 5 is not quite as disappointing as Year 4, it still feels like the creative team isn’t quite sure how to end the series. It’s still more of the same with a battered Insurgency taking on the Regime, and more of bringing in every possible character from the DC Universe that can be fit in within the pages. Telling a tight “what-if” story feels as though it has been abandoned for quantity (both in terms of issues and character over-saturation) over quality. There’s no big build-up to the grand climax, no sense of moving towards something momentous. I keep waiting for a big moment, and it keeps not coming.
I’ve fallen a little out of love with Injustice with each progressive installment, and though Year 5 is not quite as disappointing as Year 4, it still feels like the creative team isn’t quite sure how to end the series. It’s still more of the same with a battered Insurgency taking on the Regime, and more of bringing in every possible character from the DC Universe that can be fit in within the pages. Telling a tight “what-if” story feels as though it has been abandoned for quantity (both in terms of issues and character over-saturation) over quality. There’s no big build-up to the grand climax, no sense of moving towards something momentous. I keep waiting for a big moment, and it keeps not coming.
September 24, 2018
Buccellato takes it back to the streets in this volume as Batman begins guerilla tactics against Superman's regime.
It's a definitely a change of pace in this one, as it feels much more like volume 1 when things were just ramping up. But instead of ramping up, it feels like Batman and his team are on the ropes. This fits the tone of the story as its a much more grounded plot which is a result from all the battles which have been essentially lost against Superman and his regime.
This volume shows us not only a Batman against the ropes, but a Superman that is winning and essentially becoming more and more corrupted as his rule becomes total.
This book is still great, and I'm looking forward to the next volume of year 5.
It's a definitely a change of pace in this one, as it feels much more like volume 1 when things were just ramping up. But instead of ramping up, it feels like Batman and his team are on the ropes. This fits the tone of the story as its a much more grounded plot which is a result from all the battles which have been essentially lost against Superman and his regime.
This volume shows us not only a Batman against the ropes, but a Superman that is winning and essentially becoming more and more corrupted as his rule becomes total.
This book is still great, and I'm looking forward to the next volume of year 5.
October 23, 2019
- * = Misrepresenting Men
- * = Misrepresenting Women
Oh come on Damian!!!
The only reason, that I can think of, why Damian is with Superman is because of Damian's raising. Damian was raised to lead the world's foremost organization in ridding the world of corruption but he continued that mission with Batman. But now Superman has offered a much more direct (and rather bloody. . .) path to achieving world safety and the end of world corruption so Damian decides that Superman is the best team.
While Batman's greatest fear did come true, Damian does not see Superman as evil. Evil is in the eye of the beholder.
Even so, Damian feels deep down something is dreadfully wrong.
Thanks for reading. I just wanted to write this out and post this somewhere someone would read it.
- * = Misrepresenting Women
Oh come on Damian!!!
The only reason, that I can think of, why Damian is with Superman is because of Damian's raising. Damian was raised to lead the world's foremost organization in ridding the world of corruption but he continued that mission with Batman. But now Superman has offered a much more direct (and rather bloody. . .) path to achieving world safety and the end of world corruption so Damian decides that Superman is the best team.
While Batman's greatest fear did come true, Damian does not see Superman as evil. Evil is in the eye of the beholder.
Even so, Damian feels deep down something is dreadfully wrong.
Thanks for reading. I just wanted to write this out and post this somewhere someone would read it.
March 16, 2020
8 good
A good story which involves exceptional fighting scenes. Love how the book ends showing Brian Buccellato's writing and utilising of familiar old characters. Expected a bigger fight between bizarro and superman and the downfall here was the action sequences, although there were many they were shirt and less epic as u would expect it to be. Doomsday's strength wasnt shown in this hook and there was no epic battle between the two powerhouses but the writing keeps it up at an 8 and it still had the strong entertainment factor in it.
A good story which involves exceptional fighting scenes. Love how the book ends showing Brian Buccellato's writing and utilising of familiar old characters. Expected a bigger fight between bizarro and superman and the downfall here was the action sequences, although there were many they were shirt and less epic as u would expect it to be. Doomsday's strength wasnt shown in this hook and there was no epic battle between the two powerhouses but the writing keeps it up at an 8 and it still had the strong entertainment factor in it.
June 15, 2018
So this was a big improvement from year 4. I thought for once Wonder Woman had some accurate characterization. I like how the book is getting way more close to the game. The pacing was well done. I liked the ending with Damian (even though this is the worst Damian ever). Also Bizarro!!!!!
March 26, 2021
Started this way back, another lifetime ago in 2019. Felt like I should finish it. Why not? I think at the time I was just plain tired of the story. And really after finally reading Year 5 vol 1, my opinion was unchanged. But it is fun. Time to March forward and knock out the last two.
August 18, 2021
It's...fine?
August 15, 2025
Hm. So the Bizarro subplot was actually good and made me quite sad, which is rare for comics. So kudos on that!
That said, the rest is becoming tedious. Superman’s lackies have now taken FIVE YEARS to start getting sick of this dude’s crap, and Damian… man, he better turn over a new leaf sooner rather than later. He’s being annoying and yet I hold out hope that he’ll prove to be important or come to a realization at some point that what he’s doing is wrong.
Overall, aside from the Bizarro storyline, this is my least favorite segment so far of Injustice.
That said, the rest is becoming tedious. Superman’s lackies have now taken FIVE YEARS to start getting sick of this dude’s crap, and Damian… man, he better turn over a new leaf sooner rather than later. He’s being annoying and yet I hold out hope that he’ll prove to be important or come to a realization at some point that what he’s doing is wrong.
Overall, aside from the Bizarro storyline, this is my least favorite segment so far of Injustice.
July 22, 2017
NOTE
While this review will be relatively spoiler-free, there may be some spoilers for previous volumes in the series.
Though it's a little scattered at times, there are a lot of fantastic moments in this installment that help drive the plot forward and define the characters in some brilliant ways.
CHARACTERS
With the addition of all the previously shelved villains, the roster of INJUSTICE gets much bigger. While there are a lot of classic bad guys and gals that never get much time in the spotlight, there are a good number of them who do get some decent attention. Bane and Killer Frost join up with Superman, much to the distress of team members like Wonder Woman and The Flash. Batman has some fresh blood of his own in the form of some of the Flash's rogues like Weather Wizard, Gold Glider, Mirror Master, and Heatwave under the justification that they have a strict code not to kill anyone. Batman's allies are less than convinced by this distinction which made for some interesting interactions within that squad. Catwoman finds herself at wit's end with fighting for what feels like a futile cause. A Bizarro Superman finds his way onto the scene and starts to wreak havoc with The Trickster and tensions run high as a result. Rounding off the ensemble is Damian who finally gets some character development after being stuck in a perpetual cycle of rage and depression. Dick Greyson and Alfred also make some fantastic guest appearances and help drive some of this character building. It's a strong and varied cast of heroes and villains that did feel a little spread out at times, but was handled well overall.
WORLD/SETTING
This installment jumps all over the established world. There's a cool fight scene on Penguin's docks, tension in Batman's hideout, and harsh accusations made in Lex Luthor's tower. From the brutal opening at Wayne Manor to the calm infirmary of Damian's moment of self-discovery, the scenery is varied and each backdrop felt perfect for the given moment. There are even some shots of places like The Batcave which brought me back to earlier moments in the story. The world is definitely in disarray and it's easy to see how that chaos is shaping the way that things turn out. The state of things is in direct opposition to the way Superman wants them to be and it will be very interesting to see how he puts them into the way he wants them. More interesting will be how he creates the buttoned-up dystopia that this world is fated to be.
PLOT/TONE
The overall feel of the world is one that's fallen back into chaos. Superman and his allies are kept busy with rounding up all of the escaped villains while Batman and his band of followers are doing their best to ensure that they raise as much disturbance as they can. The involvement of Bizarro only makes things feel that much more chaotic. Even though the villains pick sides, that doesn't mean they are suddenly freed of their own antics and agendas. This added a wonderful layer of unpredictability to pretty much every scene. In spite of Batman's scheming and Superman's control issues, there are just too many loose cannons running around for either of them to really be in control. There's a sense that it will all boil over before the Regime assumes control once more, but in the meantime, it's a lot of fun to simply watch discord reign. There are also some really nice personal moments for characters like Selina and Damian that help keep things grounded.
ARTWORK
While the new character designs were all great and certainly fit in with the INJUSTICE style, there were points where the quality seemed to dip a little or at least where the imagery felt inconsistent. Gold Glider for example looks stunning in some shots and quite bad in others. The Trickster kind of alternates between looking very young and a little older. Make no mistake, the overall presentation is still fantastic. This collection just felt a little less polished than some of the others, possibly because of all the different designs the artists had to keep up with.
CONCLUSION
There's still a lot of ground to cover before everything falls into place, but this is a solid first part of the fifth and final year of the series. There are tons of great characters, many of which haven't had much face time yet, but there are also some great moments with already established heroes. Very little time is spent in any one place, making the scope of this installment feel much bigger. I loved the chaotic tone of it all as well as the moments of more personal drama. The final conflict between the Regime and the Insurgency promises to be a magnificent disaster to behold and I just hope that the final collection will contain some great emotional moments as well.
While this review will be relatively spoiler-free, there may be some spoilers for previous volumes in the series.
Though it's a little scattered at times, there are a lot of fantastic moments in this installment that help drive the plot forward and define the characters in some brilliant ways.
CHARACTERS
With the addition of all the previously shelved villains, the roster of INJUSTICE gets much bigger. While there are a lot of classic bad guys and gals that never get much time in the spotlight, there are a good number of them who do get some decent attention. Bane and Killer Frost join up with Superman, much to the distress of team members like Wonder Woman and The Flash. Batman has some fresh blood of his own in the form of some of the Flash's rogues like Weather Wizard, Gold Glider, Mirror Master, and Heatwave under the justification that they have a strict code not to kill anyone. Batman's allies are less than convinced by this distinction which made for some interesting interactions within that squad. Catwoman finds herself at wit's end with fighting for what feels like a futile cause. A Bizarro Superman finds his way onto the scene and starts to wreak havoc with The Trickster and tensions run high as a result. Rounding off the ensemble is Damian who finally gets some character development after being stuck in a perpetual cycle of rage and depression. Dick Greyson and Alfred also make some fantastic guest appearances and help drive some of this character building. It's a strong and varied cast of heroes and villains that did feel a little spread out at times, but was handled well overall.
WORLD/SETTING
This installment jumps all over the established world. There's a cool fight scene on Penguin's docks, tension in Batman's hideout, and harsh accusations made in Lex Luthor's tower. From the brutal opening at Wayne Manor to the calm infirmary of Damian's moment of self-discovery, the scenery is varied and each backdrop felt perfect for the given moment. There are even some shots of places like The Batcave which brought me back to earlier moments in the story. The world is definitely in disarray and it's easy to see how that chaos is shaping the way that things turn out. The state of things is in direct opposition to the way Superman wants them to be and it will be very interesting to see how he puts them into the way he wants them. More interesting will be how he creates the buttoned-up dystopia that this world is fated to be.
PLOT/TONE
The overall feel of the world is one that's fallen back into chaos. Superman and his allies are kept busy with rounding up all of the escaped villains while Batman and his band of followers are doing their best to ensure that they raise as much disturbance as they can. The involvement of Bizarro only makes things feel that much more chaotic. Even though the villains pick sides, that doesn't mean they are suddenly freed of their own antics and agendas. This added a wonderful layer of unpredictability to pretty much every scene. In spite of Batman's scheming and Superman's control issues, there are just too many loose cannons running around for either of them to really be in control. There's a sense that it will all boil over before the Regime assumes control once more, but in the meantime, it's a lot of fun to simply watch discord reign. There are also some really nice personal moments for characters like Selina and Damian that help keep things grounded.
ARTWORK
While the new character designs were all great and certainly fit in with the INJUSTICE style, there were points where the quality seemed to dip a little or at least where the imagery felt inconsistent. Gold Glider for example looks stunning in some shots and quite bad in others. The Trickster kind of alternates between looking very young and a little older. Make no mistake, the overall presentation is still fantastic. This collection just felt a little less polished than some of the others, possibly because of all the different designs the artists had to keep up with.
CONCLUSION
There's still a lot of ground to cover before everything falls into place, but this is a solid first part of the fifth and final year of the series. There are tons of great characters, many of which haven't had much face time yet, but there are also some great moments with already established heroes. Very little time is spent in any one place, making the scope of this installment feel much bigger. I loved the chaotic tone of it all as well as the moments of more personal drama. The final conflict between the Regime and the Insurgency promises to be a magnificent disaster to behold and I just hope that the final collection will contain some great emotional moments as well.
June 14, 2019
“Injustice” is finally getting back to the main plot after Year Four, which was mostly filler and the weakest story arc of the series so far. But Year Five comes back with a bang. Team Batman is finally re-focusing on ways to fight Superman, and Superman’s team is (finally) beginning to show cracks as he grows more dictatorial. I loved his interactions with Wonder Woman, the Flash, and Yellow Lantern in this volume after too many pages of them acting as his mindless automatons. Here, they oppose his plan to recruit villains. I hope to see a lot more of them fighting and less of them toeing the line just because they used to be friends with Clark. I get that it’s an alternate universe, but I just can’t imagine any version of Green Lantern or Cyborg doing what they’ve been doing without serious identity crises. How they cannot see they serve an evil dictatorship if beyond me. As Plastic Man said, their leader is sitting on a literal throne.
Bizarro makes an appearance, and it will be interesting to see if his plotline goes anywhere or if it was just filler: he would be a good tool for the insurgency to oppose the Regime. Even though Damian Wayne in this universe is hands-down my most hated character (he’s annoying, stupid, and self-righteous as hell in “Injustice” and blames Batman for literally everything), I like the parts where he narrates due to his development and his deep conversations with Alfred and then Superman. It’s good to see they’re getting back to the real beating heart of the series rather than just having big epic battles all the time.
My biggest complaint about the series, that Batman’s insurgency doesn’t have the numbers or the power to actually fight against Superman and that Superman’s team isn’t divided enough to be realistic, are (somewhat) addressed here. I also liked the contradiction between Wonder Woman/Superman and Catwoman/Batman. Hawkgirl makes an appearance and it’s pretty explosive. I largely enjoyed it, though I feel it’s a little 11th hour to be introducing new characters with so many chess pieces already on the board.
This volume was definitely a step in the right direction, though there’s still not enough forward movement happening; it will be interesting to see how they wrap this story up in the next two volumes.
Bizarro makes an appearance, and it will be interesting to see if his plotline goes anywhere or if it was just filler: he would be a good tool for the insurgency to oppose the Regime. Even though Damian Wayne in this universe is hands-down my most hated character (he’s annoying, stupid, and self-righteous as hell in “Injustice” and blames Batman for literally everything), I like the parts where he narrates due to his development and his deep conversations with Alfred and then Superman. It’s good to see they’re getting back to the real beating heart of the series rather than just having big epic battles all the time.
My biggest complaint about the series, that Batman’s insurgency doesn’t have the numbers or the power to actually fight against Superman and that Superman’s team isn’t divided enough to be realistic, are (somewhat) addressed here. I also liked the contradiction between Wonder Woman/Superman and Catwoman/Batman. Hawkgirl makes an appearance and it’s pretty explosive. I largely enjoyed it, though I feel it’s a little 11th hour to be introducing new characters with so many chess pieces already on the board.
This volume was definitely a step in the right direction, though there’s still not enough forward movement happening; it will be interesting to see how they wrap this story up in the next two volumes.
May 17, 2018
During the Year Four annual issue Plastic Man freed his son and destroyed the prison where Superman was keeping the supervillains. The Justice League is working hard to capture them again while both sides resort to secretly recruiting some of them. And Bizarro Superman throws his own spanner into the works, answering the question on everyone's lips: what happens when you add another chaotic element into a clusterf##k?
Superman finds Doomsday and wins the fight with him only after Bane intervenes. He offers an alliance that Superman accepts reluctantly because of Bane' bad guy status and because the whole Justice League is against it. When confronted by the League he puts his foot down - 'because I say so.' Batman also recruits a band of bad guys, but at least they're not the killing type. In this dog eat dog universe, pacifists end up eaten.
Superman finds Doomsday and wins the fight with him only after Bane intervenes. He offers an alliance that Superman accepts reluctantly because of Bane' bad guy status and because the whole Justice League is against it. When confronted by the League he puts his foot down - 'because I say so.' Batman also recruits a band of bad guys, but at least they're not the killing type. In this dog eat dog universe, pacifists end up eaten.
June 23, 2017
I didn't hate it. But, I think it's lost whatever momentum it had left. What we get in this volume can be pretty much summed up as such: The "good" guys are teaming up with "bad" guys to annihilate each other, Cat Woman gives up on Bats and the "cause", Superman is becoming more unhinged, Bizarro Superman, and there's a new NightWing.
That about sums it up.
Here's the thing, there's only so much more you can do with this storyline. There's no way there can be a reconciliation between the two groups, between Batman and Superman. There has been too much that has happened, too many consequences to face. One side has to lose.
The writers need to make the choice and make it happen once and for all. It has gone on long enough. The biggest sin has occurred, it has become boring. No terribly boring, but it's getting there. And, there isn't anything they can bring in to shake it up. They've now tried everything.
For the next volume, and hopefully the last, they need to do something that will completely shock me or just end it all.
I can appreciate what the message is: that even purely good characters like Superman can be corrupted with absolute power and that you can't fully trust anyone in power. I get that. But, they're beating a dead horse now. The point has been made. How much further are they going to take this?
I guess we'll see.
That about sums it up.
Here's the thing, there's only so much more you can do with this storyline. There's no way there can be a reconciliation between the two groups, between Batman and Superman. There has been too much that has happened, too many consequences to face. One side has to lose.
The writers need to make the choice and make it happen once and for all. It has gone on long enough. The biggest sin has occurred, it has become boring. No terribly boring, but it's getting there. And, there isn't anything they can bring in to shake it up. They've now tried everything.
For the next volume, and hopefully the last, they need to do something that will completely shock me or just end it all.
I can appreciate what the message is: that even purely good characters like Superman can be corrupted with absolute power and that you can't fully trust anyone in power. I get that. But, they're beating a dead horse now. The point has been made. How much further are they going to take this?
I guess we'll see.
Read
August 9, 2024Injustice: Gods Among Us. Year 5, Vol 1
DC, Collects issues 1-7
In the aftermath of the Trench prison break, Superman and the Regime search for the escaped villains.
Batman recruits members of the Flash’s Rogues gallery to his cause.
The Flash and Superman recapture some villains when Doomsday shows up. Superman battles Doomsday. Flash suffers a broken leg. Wonder Woman and Bane enter the fray. Doomsday is defeated. Bane wants to join Superman’s Regime. There are objections to Bane joining. The Man of Steel replies “This is not a Democracy.”
Cyborg and Green Lantern Hal battle the Parasite. It’s not going well when Superman shows up and tosses the Parasite into the Sun. Exit Parasite.
While trying to recruit Penguin to the cause, Catwoman is captured by Bane and Killer Frost.
Batman and Bane square off but it’s not Batman; it’s a diversion, courtesy Mirror Master. Batgirl tries to rescue Catwoman. Only there’s an obstacle named Killer Croc.
The next chapter is aptly named Street Fight. Outside Wayne Manor, Batman (the real deal this time), Batwoman & Harley battle Superman and Wonder Woman.
A rescued Catwoman says she’s had enough and bails.
Cut to Hawkman arriving on Earth in search of his wife Shiera. It does not go well for Katar. Wonder Woman tells a defeated Hawkman “Go back to Thanagar… you’re not welcome on Earth.”
Bizarro confronts Flash’s Rogues. Exit Weather Wizard and Heat Wave. Trickster convinces Bizarro he’s a friend.
Solomon Grundy is rampaging. Superman and Bizarro appear. Bizarro bails. Superman stops Grundy.
Last issue is a Damien story. Damien encounters Alfred, Catwoman, and a gang of Gotham’s villains, including Mad Hatter, Black Mask, Scarecrow, etc. It does not go well for Damien. Could have ended a lot worse but Deadman Dick Grayson intervenes. Last page, Damian dons the Nightwing costume with Superman’s approval.
Another solid volume. I would have like to have seen villains appear. Doomsday and Grundy were unexpected. Hawkman was a surprise too. On to the next volume.
DC, Collects issues 1-7
In the aftermath of the Trench prison break, Superman and the Regime search for the escaped villains.
Batman recruits members of the Flash’s Rogues gallery to his cause.
The Flash and Superman recapture some villains when Doomsday shows up. Superman battles Doomsday. Flash suffers a broken leg. Wonder Woman and Bane enter the fray. Doomsday is defeated. Bane wants to join Superman’s Regime. There are objections to Bane joining. The Man of Steel replies “This is not a Democracy.”
Cyborg and Green Lantern Hal battle the Parasite. It’s not going well when Superman shows up and tosses the Parasite into the Sun. Exit Parasite.
While trying to recruit Penguin to the cause, Catwoman is captured by Bane and Killer Frost.
Batman and Bane square off but it’s not Batman; it’s a diversion, courtesy Mirror Master. Batgirl tries to rescue Catwoman. Only there’s an obstacle named Killer Croc.
The next chapter is aptly named Street Fight. Outside Wayne Manor, Batman (the real deal this time), Batwoman & Harley battle Superman and Wonder Woman.
A rescued Catwoman says she’s had enough and bails.
Cut to Hawkman arriving on Earth in search of his wife Shiera. It does not go well for Katar. Wonder Woman tells a defeated Hawkman “Go back to Thanagar… you’re not welcome on Earth.”
Bizarro confronts Flash’s Rogues. Exit Weather Wizard and Heat Wave. Trickster convinces Bizarro he’s a friend.
Solomon Grundy is rampaging. Superman and Bizarro appear. Bizarro bails. Superman stops Grundy.
Last issue is a Damien story. Damien encounters Alfred, Catwoman, and a gang of Gotham’s villains, including Mad Hatter, Black Mask, Scarecrow, etc. It does not go well for Damien. Could have ended a lot worse but Deadman Dick Grayson intervenes. Last page, Damian dons the Nightwing costume with Superman’s approval.
Another solid volume. I would have like to have seen villains appear. Doomsday and Grundy were unexpected. Hawkman was a surprise too. On to the next volume.
August 2, 2017
*Review for the entire year 5*
(*Kissing the ground, weeping*) Thank you for ending! Even if the ending means jack shit to me given I've never played a video game in my life and am unlikely to play this one. I was pathetic enough to still want to read the entire series. (Yes, I know the first few volumes of Injustice 2 are already out, and I'm not likely to get closure even if I read those because I'd still need to play that game).
And ew. Good work not only trashing the superheroes, but not even being consistent within your own damned universe. It would have worked if the game took place maybe 1 year after Supes took over the world, but after five years if the idiots with him have doubts but refuse to do anything about it, they're enormously stupid. What was the Flash thing? What was that Green Lantern thing? What was that Catwoman thing? Why does she act differently from one issue to the next? Let me not even talk about Wonder Woman, because what the hell is she? (On a side note, when did Zatanna die? For the life of me I can't remember, but if she's not dead, why isn't she making an appearance if Raven could randomly show up for some stuff?) At the end of it I was hoping a black hole would suck in the lot of them.
The one star rating is for the art. For the most part it's still great.
(*Kissing the ground, weeping*) Thank you for ending! Even if the ending means jack shit to me given I've never played a video game in my life and am unlikely to play this one. I was pathetic enough to still want to read the entire series. (Yes, I know the first few volumes of Injustice 2 are already out, and I'm not likely to get closure even if I read those because I'd still need to play that game).
And ew. Good work not only trashing the superheroes, but not even being consistent within your own damned universe. It would have worked if the game took place maybe 1 year after Supes took over the world, but after five years if the idiots with him have doubts but refuse to do anything about it, they're enormously stupid. What was the Flash thing? What was that Green Lantern thing? What was that Catwoman thing? Why does she act differently from one issue to the next? Let me not even talk about Wonder Woman, because what the hell is she? (On a side note, when did Zatanna die? For the life of me I can't remember, but if she's not dead, why isn't she making an appearance if Raven could randomly show up for some stuff?) At the end of it I was hoping a black hole would suck in the lot of them.
The one star rating is for the art. For the most part it's still great.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2018
I feel like a lot happened in this one!
But this time I (actually) really missed something. What the heck happened between Year 4 & Year 5? Apparently, Plastic Man let all the baddies out of a secret underwater prison called The Trench that was never mentioned before?? Cool cool cool.
Hawkgirl is back and as enigmatic as ever. I don't understand her and Hawkman here at all! They are weird and violent and married!
All the Regime (what an ominous sounding leadership!) "heroes" put up a fight for about a second when Superman recruits villains. A hot second. And then everyone toes the line, which is still so bonkers. Knock knock, Barry! This is an evil dictatorship!
Obviously, Batman recruits The Rogues, and they say yes because they don't like the Minority Report world Superman is running.
The baddies get Cat (Cat leaves), Bizarro is sad and a mess, and Lex is still in the #Resistance.
The ending with Damian and Alfred, and then Cat on the roof, and then Deadman (Dick!), and then the Nightwing costume was so promising. I hope Damian comes home to roost!
But this time I (actually) really missed something. What the heck happened between Year 4 & Year 5? Apparently, Plastic Man let all the baddies out of a secret underwater prison called The Trench that was never mentioned before?? Cool cool cool.
Hawkgirl is back and as enigmatic as ever. I don't understand her and Hawkman here at all! They are weird and violent and married!
All the Regime (what an ominous sounding leadership!) "heroes" put up a fight for about a second when Superman recruits villains. A hot second. And then everyone toes the line, which is still so bonkers. Knock knock, Barry! This is an evil dictatorship!
Obviously, Batman recruits The Rogues, and they say yes because they don't like the Minority Report world Superman is running.
The baddies get Cat (Cat leaves), Bizarro is sad and a mess, and Lex is still in the #Resistance.
The ending with Damian and Alfred, and then Cat on the roof, and then Deadman (Dick!), and then the Nightwing costume was so promising. I hope Damian comes home to roost!
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