We’ve reached the final chapter of the “Elementary” arc. Newmazo has taken control and it takes the combined force of the JLA to stop him. Last month’s issue, while still good, was action-heavy and somewhat overcrowded with too many super-powered heroes. The creative team has to be careful to not overdo it for the finale, though. So, without further ado, let’s have a look.
Basically, this entire issue is one long fight against Newmazo, the villain of this arc. There is little in the way of character development—this month is mainly about plot. That isn’t necessarily a problem, but it does result in a very quick read. By the time you reach the conclusion, it could be a somewhat unsatisfying way to close out the arc, depending on whether you prefer character-driven or action-driven stories.
Another thing that’s worth noting is that this is not quite a Batman/Superman story—this is very much about the JLA. Of all the heroes, Batman gets the most focus since he’s the one to come up with the plan to stop Newmazo, but he’s still surrounded by a great number of his allies. Even Superman gets a little lost in the crowd with limited panel time and few decisive actions that alter the outcome of the story. Granted, most of the other heroes only appear in the background and only a few of them have any lines at all, but if you are just here to see the titular heroes shine, you could be disappointed to find that it’s not just them, but a whole roster of characters that diminishes their spotlight.
That brings me to my next point: the character that this arc promised to feature prominently, Metamorpho, got pretty much lost by the wayside, only showing up again toward the end of this issue to take the spotlight for a few panels. Mora and Bonvillain definitely make Metamorpho look like a certified badass, but I don’t feel like his arc truly got resolved in the end in a satisfying way. His ending feels more like an afterthought.
Furthermore, Newmazo himself is set up as the major threat, next to impossible to defeat. Whenever the heroes get too close to him, he absorbs their powers. Conceptually, this is a cool idea, because it makes us readers wonder how the heroes are ever going to win in the end. The plan that Batman comes up with sounds great on paper, but I think it’s lacking in the execution. Because these characters have been fighting from page 1, nonstop, Batman’s plan ultimately just gives us more fight scenes, and so it doesn’t feel like a final battle to me, but like more of the same. As such, the pacing isn’t as strong as the book looks, reads and feels rather monotone, and then it ends. Fans of Mora and Bonvillain will love this book, as there is a lot of eye candy here, but those who were looking for a more fleshed out, intriguing storyline should know that this is a fight comic through and through.
Recommended if…
- You love watching superheroes duke it out!
- Plot-driven, action-heavy books are your preference.
Overall: This is still a very fun book to read, I just don’t think it’s as strong as previous chapters. Mora and Bonvillain draw incredible fight scenes based on an entertaining scenario from Waid. You’ll definitely get your money’s worth if you buy this book, but you should be aware that not much other than superhero battles are depicted here, which makes the victory against Newmazo a little less amazing than it could be, as the comic gets a little monotone after a while.
Score: 7/10
Disclaimer: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review.
