NOTE: This issue does indeed mark a jumping-on point for new readers, but I highly, highly recommend you play the video game or, more importantly, read the original 12 issues of Injustice: Gods Among Us first. The 1st year of Injustice: Gods Among Us was an entertaining and emotional prequel and the first volume of it is available now in hardcover. Volume 2 will be available in July.
The first thing that struck me about the first issue of Injustice: Year Two is that it’s considerably shorter than issues from the previous series. Year Two is a dollar cheaper and features only 2 of the digital chapters, which makes for a pretty quick read. The original Injustice was a book I never much minded paying $3.99 for because there was always so much content, so although I was entertained by this, I was also disappointed when it was over so soon.
Chapter 01: The Third Wheel is illustrated by one of the better Injustice artists, Bruno Redondo, who brought his A-game once again. Taylor wrote a slower, character driven narrative for his opening chapter that relied heavily on Redondo’s ability to draw expressive faces that would translate the humor and heart of this piece and I think it all worked quite well.
Tom Taylor writes a hilarious Green Arrow and just because the character met his untimely end during the first year of Injustice: Gods Among Us does not mean that Taylor has to stop delivering the goods! Issue #1 of the all-new series that picks up where the original 12-parter left-off, opens with an unexpected flashback to better days gone by. Readers who love Ollie’s banter will be the most happy when they are treated to one last drink between him, Black Canary, and the third wheel, Hal Jordan.
Of course, this funny and sweet scene is cut short when we flash forward to today where the warring heroes have taken a time-out from all the fighting to meet at the grave of Oliver Queen, who was brutally murdered by Superman. It’s a heartbreaking scene that illustrates how much the relationship between these characters has changed and it’s really just the beginning of the drama.
While the first issue of Injustice: Gods Among Us began with one cohesive multi-part narrative, Injustice: Year Two pays its respects to Green Arrow and then sidesteps into a different story entirely with Chapter 02: Fear. Fear introduces a number of characters who went unseen or relatively unseen in the previous dozen installments, reminds us of what happened to Bruce Wayne at the end of that story, and then brings the shock-value that Injustice is most known for.
Recommended If…
- You love the video game
- You have read the original 12-part series
- You’ve heard all the discussion about the 12-part series and want to see what all the hype is about
- You’re in the market for a solid $2.99 comic book
Overall
Injustice: Year Two continues to thrill with this all-new series. It’s heartbreaking, funny, and its action carries a great deal of weight. My main complaint is that I wish it had been longer because the two stories it collected feel as though they were only getting started before being abruptly cut short.
SCORE: 8.5/10
