Injustice: Ground Zero Vol. 1

Injustice: Ground Zero #1

by Christopher Sebela

Writers Christopher Sebela (SUICIDE SQUAD MOST WANTED) and Brian Buccellato (DETECTIVE COMICS) and artists Pop Mhan (HE-MAN: THE ETERNITY WAR), Tom Derenick (INFINITE CRISIS: FIGHT FOR THE MULTIVERSE) and Daniel Sampere (GREEN ARROW) delve deep inside the twisted mind of Harley Quinn for her unique take on the events of Injustice: Gods Among Us, straight from ground zero!

Following the release of the most-anticipated fighting game sequel, Injustice 2, this is the story behind the original hit game Injustice: Gods Among Us...but this time, told like never before!

For her entire career as a criminal, Harley Quinn lived in the shadow of her beloved Joker. But when one joke went too far and drove Superman to kill, Harley found herself on her own for the first time...and teamed up with the very heroes she used to fight!

With Superman now a brutal despot, Batman must lead a team of heroes and villains to form the resistance to the Man of Steel...and Harley is on the frontlines, whether Batman wants her there or not! For the first time in her life, Harley has her own identity, her own gang and a new sense of purpose.

But will Harley throw it all away when her beloved Mr. J seemingly returns from the dead? Or will she take her place as a true hero in this strange new world?

Collects INJUSTICE: GROUND ZERO #1-6.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Superheroes, Comic Book, Fiction

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 2, 2018

Reviews

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harley 😍

[Bookwraiths · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like Harley in small doses, not as the main character. Since she is the main in this one, it shouldn't have surprised me when I just didn't like it as much as I hoped.

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Injustice and Injustice 2 told from Harley's perspective. There's little of note here. It all just seems king of pointless and meh.

[Sesana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Much more dull than a comic starring Harley has any right to be. The majority of the first issue is a summary of the main Injustice comic, which... I mean, is anyone reading this who hasn't read Injustice? It does this book no favors to remind readers just how much better the main book is.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting take on the story of the Injustice game, but from the delusional perspective of Harley Quinn. I highly recommend this book to any fan of comics.

[Molly™☺ · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable Harley centric volume set during Injustice. Whilst it is one of the weaker Injustice stories, it still manages to hold its own. Buccellato attempts to shed some light onto the more street level consequences of Superman's regime, meaning that there's not a lot of superpowered beings fighting each other across double page spreads. Whilst much of it works, it does feel character crowded at times, and there are some questionable dynamics thrown into the mix. Technically, this can be read as a standalone as there's a recap of events at the beginning, however, I strongly advise you to read Injustice from the beginning as it's one of the strongest storylines that DC has to offer.

[Aldo Haegemans · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5 not bad not great either. The story is kind off dead at this point

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this is a kind of ground view look at Injustice: Gods Among Us (the first issue covers the first five years - the remaining issues seem interleaved with the Injustice 2 storyline), focusing on Harley Quinn and her motley band of henchmen. It's more boots on the ground than any of the other Injustice stories have been, reflecting what happens to the little people while the 'gods among us' battle each other to a standstill. It deals with Harley's reaction to the new Joker, and furthers her along the whole complicit victim trope (although it is definitely aware of the issue and tries to couch it as a negative), as all the people around her try to convince her that she's beyond him (with a fair bit of evidence). Ultimately, the book's focus on the little people also is its undoing - there aren't huge action beats (aside from a decent battle between Shazam and Black Adam), and the story just sort of stops without any closure. It's an okay series, with a different perspective, but doesn't add a whole lot to the Injustice story or Harley Quinn.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! It's an absolutely crazy story *but* it's told from Harley's point of view and this is the Harley I like. Crazy and violent but endearing, and she doesn't talk in that horrible New York street accent. Lots of Harley and lots of fighting and violence with a ton of humour that cracks jokes at itself, the video game, the previous story and the superheroes themselves. Lots of fun! I should say, however, that I have not read the "Gods Among Us" series that this is based on nor have I ever even heard of the video game that was based on.

[Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, so... I loveeee the Green Arrow and Harley Quinn relationship in the OG Injustice books so so much, but the Harley infatuation with Shazam in this is just plain weird, ya'know, since Billy’s A KID!

Easily the weakest “Injustice” title so far.

[RG · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dont really understand the point..especially Harleys POV.

[fatherofdragons113 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this universe! I'm glad they did a series that covers the events of the first game. The game was lacking so much details from the graphic novels, like there wasn't enough storytime within the game to cover all the characters and events that happened in the GNs leading up to the game. So this really fills in so much of what the game was missing.And It's all told from Harley Quinn's perspective! LOVE.

[Steve · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this from Edelweiss and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review.

So bad. DC needs to let this series go ASAP.

[C.T. Phipps · Rating 4 out of 5]

The INJUSTICE series is probably one of the best things which both DC comics as well as the Mortal Kombat characters have done in the past decade or so. I say that only PARTIALLY because of the fact the new 52 universe is a complete train wreck and shows no signs of recovering any time soon. There's a reason it's lasted 5 years and a new series: there are consequences and actual character development to the world.

GROUND ZERO is a retelling of the original INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US game with perpetual fan favorite Harley Quinn. I admit, I love Harley Quinn to an absurdist degree and was surprised to find out the rest of America agreed. She's the biggest breakout character since, well, probably the X-men. Still, I'm not sure she was the best character to handle a comic book retelling of Injustice because she is a complete ditz who has only mild interest in the actual events going on.

The book basically chronicles Harley Quinn assembling a gang of Joker masked anarchists to fight against Superman's regime. Sort of like if Joker was Guy Fawkes. This is problematic on numerous levels, especially since Batman is her handler, but this was true in the games so I don't know what they could have done about this. Eventually, Harley meets "our" universe's version of the Joker and falls once more under his spell.

A part of me basically thinks this should have actually followed the events of the title and been Harley Quinn's reaction to, "Superman failed to save Metropolis, I helped kill a pregnant woman, and the Joker is dead." I.e. Ground Zero of what caused the Injustice universe to happen. I also think a straight retelling of the Injustice game would have been interesting even if we've all played the game if we're buying a tie-in comic.

Still, I love Harley's handling of her henchmen and she's got one of her best costume designs in this book.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. I loved seeing Harley's side of the story during the Injustice video game. I loved the art and I loved some of the writing as well. The world of Injustice is always so interesting to me so I'm excited to read the second volume.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Injustice: Ground Zero Vol. 1

Batman has summoned the Justice League from a parallel universe to help him unlock the final weapon he has against Superman. However, they haven't crossed over alone, as the Joker has been pulled into this world with them, sending Harley Quinn into a spiral of insanity.

A very interesting story, told almost solely from Harley's point of view, making everything readers see and hear instantly suspect. The adventure draws to its sad conclusion, but Harley is manic as her Joker has come back to her.

[Lizzy Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! A title where I actually love Harley again!

[Pranta Dastider · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't like the idea of HQ narrating the whole thing. Otherwise it wasn't too bad. And need to play Injustice 1, the game, again. Forgot almost everything about that!

[Diptarup Ghosh Dastidar · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an immediate sequel to Injustice Gods Among Us Year 5, it starts off abruptly. Harley Quinn's perspective seems to be perfect to begin it with, as she really is the most interesting transitional character in the last series. Her "pancake" way of explaining multiverses reminds me a lot of Naruto. The exchange of characters coming in this dimension is not well developed. It seems like some action is missing. The first two issues were an amazing recap in Harley's voice. But somehow Joker seems not so interesting now, compared to the emotionally questioning Harley!
Overall, the groundwork seems shaky and the artwork has more penstrokes it seems. Not as smooth as Gods Among Us!

[Koen · Rating 3 out of 5]

not completely convinced...
This was kind of a letdown after the first five years..
Okay, the story being told by Harley sure gives it a nice kick, but still not the same like before.. Guess it also has to do with the artwork that feels off for me.

[Eddie B. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Finishing this book was truly painful. It almost gave me a reading block.

[Abdollah zarei · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://youtu.be/ToYfaavQBZ0

[Jamie Uribe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love how this goes into what happens to joker. And I love that Harley is telling the store. So you get her insane version on the story. It is very interesting how all of this started.


Joker killing Lois and Superman’s baby. Like wow he has done so many messed up things over the years, but you also can’t wait to see what they make him do next.

So Harley is sitting on a bench with Flowers that have faces on them. That’s weird, but one of them also have Mr. J’s face because she is talking about what they had done to Superman.

She also talks about joining up with Green Arrow and he people, but they die. And she talks about joining up with all the Batwomen and batgirl. Oh get this she also talks about having a thing for Shazam. Wow what mind blown, but he was on Superman’s side and was a “ bad guy”.

So the story goes on and she is working with Batman because where else is she going to turn to. She talks about these green pills that helps them fight Superman. Like they can take a punch from him and give one right back with out getting badly hurt. So Batman tells her to break into this place.

You are lead to believe that this is one of Superman’s places. She breaks in with some of her thugs and they take out the outside people. Then he thugs tie up the one inside. She basically talks to him and scares him into tell her that she can’t get into the safe.

She get in and then blows the place up. And you learn that it was a place that Batman got the pills from and Lex was the one making them.

Really good I enjoyed it a lot and I would love to continue with the story.

[Michael Rivas · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was meant as a recap of everything that has happened. And it was just that. There are a lot of players in the game and it’s good to recalibrate who’s fighting for who and that’s what this does. There is good action and a slight mystery which was surprising but nothing super special

[Graham Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really couldn't remember the game so reading this has refreshed my memory of most of what happened. I weirdly enjoy reading it from Harley's point of view. She sees things differently to others and I think that's why sometimes people's personalities seem different to the other comics.

Still love the art of this series especially when you notice little easter eggs like Barbara playing Mortal Kombat which is why injustice game play is based off.

[Just a Girl Fighting Censorship · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is picking up were the Injustice series left off, the parallel Earth heroes have been introduced. However, the story is narrated by Harley....why? Also it is narrated, as in told in past tense...why?

[Lauren Mebane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lemme tell y'all... This is the perfect combination of humor and a crazy, intense story line. Harley Quinn narrates her POV during the start of the Injustice: Gods Among Us series. Her quips make this an amazing telling of one of the coolest modern DC Comic series.

[Imogene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have all the Harley feels

[Paweł · Rating 2 out of 5]

Harley Quinn krząta się gdzieś w tle wydarzeń z gry. Nie jest to nadzwyczaj ciekawe ani też irytujące. Wypełniacz z kilkoma śmiesznymi momentami.