The past and the future collide in the second installment of Convergence: Crime Syndicate. The Justice Legion Alpha and the Crime Syndicate go head to head to decide the fate of their cities. Although worlds and years apart, these teams mirror each other in appearance, abilities, and if nothing else, their resolve. An exciting pairing of amalgams of the Justice League.
Continuing the Crime Syndicate’s Convergence story, the second half of this tale pits the combatants against one another. Barely having any time to get their bearings, Power Ring and Johnny Quick are the first ones to encounter a member of the Legion as The Flash delivered the first strike. The adventure takes a very interesting turn as the story becomes pretty simple and action oriented. Each member, for the most part goes against their mirrored version. It’s really cool seeing how each character approaches the situation and how they react encountering another version of themselves. Similar to DC’s Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, Batman and Owlman have a very unique interaction once face to face. Both appear to have their own agendas, but it’s the smug Owlman who adds some weight to this tale. It was Owlman who was extra motivated to launch a rescue mission for Superwoman while the domes were still up. His motive has drastically changed after the death of his love and his city’s future in his hands.
A new outlook on life, but Superwoman is still ready to rumble![/caption]
Phil Winslade’s pencils suit the title well. The versatile style gives the Crime Syndicate what I feel is a retro look, but also works well with the futuristic look of the Justice Legion Alpha. The battle takes place in the 853rd Century Metropolis, but the backgrounds aren’t highly detailed backgrounds. That could be an issue for some, but in this style of artwork I think that it helps keep the focus on the characters. There’s a very great sequence during Wonder Woman’s second fight where the ground is crumbling around them. It sort of hearkens back to an earlier panel with Superman, Kal Kent.
Recommended if:
- You’ve kept up with Convergence or some of the cool side stories
- You enjoy the Crime Syndicate and/or Justice Legion Alpha
- You want see a royal rumble between two equal teams
Overall:
This was a unique story featuring some fan favorite squads. One of the stronger books in this crossover event, this was an intriguing look if these characters ever crossed paths. The read was quite entertaining, and it didn’t end the way I expected. Going off a particular panel in the Convergence: Shazam book, these stories don’t necessarily hve cookie cut endings, just expressed moments in the lives of the characters. That worked well here and as a result, this is a story that was a treat to read.
SCORE: 8.5 / 10
