Review: Injustice 2- Chapter 1

Quick Summary

Pros: It seems like the series is off to a good start in a good direction. Superman and Batman’s new relationship is interesting and the rest of the story is off to an entertaining start.

Cons: This is a little bit of a slow start that does not get too deep into anything in particular.

Overall: Though not much happens in this one issue, it does a good job of building up excitement for the rest of the series. Readers do not find out much about what is happening next, but they do receive a good indication for where this series is going. As a whole, the comic is also a fantastic return to the feeling that made the start of Injustice so good.

Story

Injustice 2 picks up right where Injustice left off: Batman has Superman prisoner and is now tasked with rebuilding the broken pieces of society. I had never even considered where the Injustice series would go after the conclusion of Injustice, but this is probably the best and most logical way to start it. The characters and tension are dynamic and charming at the same time. Perhaps it is the just the new beginning of the story or maybe it is the return of Tom Taylor, either way, this issue feels like one of the best things to come from this property since the Injustice comic was first started.

(spoilers start here)

Right off the bat, this issue starts to build up and establish the new power dynamic between Superman and Batman. There is a real feeling that, despite Superman being in prison, there is something still between these two longtime partners. It almost seems like Taylor is going to have Batman going to Superman for occasional advice, somewhat like the relationship of Magneto and Professor X in the X-Men movies. It would be really interesting to see them evolve in this direction as it has tons of potential. Could Superman reform and redeem his character? Or will he attempt to trick Batman into doing what he wants to do anyway? Though not a big part of this issue, the tease of this relationship is probably the best and most interesting part of this story so far.

From this point, the spotlight shifts to Harley Quinn. Harley is the somewhat lovable goofball that she had been earlier in Injustice, bringing brevity to a story that is otherwise pretty dark. This is enjoyable for the most part, and it affirms that the series is not trying to be too dark and, like everything else in this new series, will probably match the tone of Taylor’s earlier work on Injustice. On top of that, the addition of the Suicide Squad has a lot of potential, especially considering this may end up leading to a showdown between Amanda Waller and Batman.

The only problem with this issue, if it could even be considered a problem, is that it is a little short and thus does not get too deep into what is happening with the plot. Really this problem is something that only exists because of how tantalizing and enjoyable this issue is. I’m sure it will be well worth the wait until the next issue.

(spoilers end here)

Art

There isn’t a lot to say about the art in this issue, mostly because it does not cause strong feelings in either direction. It is not good enough to warrant much praise but also not bad enough to warrant complaint. Characters typically look good, however a few, Amanda Waller in particular, end up having faces which lack the detail that the rest of the issue has.