Comics
Review: ‘Forever Evil’ #2
An entertaining read with exciting plot twists, “Forever Evil” #2 continues with its dark vision where Gotham City lies in ruins and the death count rises. There are no more good guys left as the Justice League has been wiped off the planet. It’s up the bad guys of the DC Universe to take back the world that was stolen from them.
WRITTEN BY: Geoff Johns
ART BY: David Finch
PUBLISHER: DC Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: Oct.2, 2013
The Syndicate has actually done the impossible and killed every member of the Justice League. There is no Superman to call for help and Wonder Woman will not come in at the last minute to save the day. The Syndicate rules with absolute authority and demands obedience from everyone, even from the supervillain community. The DC rogue gallery is not happy about kneeling down and taking orders. Hope does not exist anymore because the sun has been blocked out. Darkness remains in this apocalyptic world where only freaks, hardened criminals, and psychopaths exist. As the Rogues remain scattered, it is up to the criminal mastermind Lex Luthor to step up and start a revolution.
Writer Geoff Johns explores his dark vision where evil reigns supreme. Johns continues with his clever metaphor about drugs and its withdrawal effects. In the previous installment, Ultraman has to snort ashes of kryptonite in order to enhance his superpowers. Power Ring is slowly being consumed by the alien object in his finger. Notice how his controlling ring is slowly decomposing his arm and spreading to his neck.
What I really enjoyed about John’s narrative is how Lex Luthor has taken center stage. Readers slowly get to see Luthor taking charge as a leader and strategist. Because of this apocalypse, Luthor has lost his business and wealth. Realizing Superman’s importance in the world, Luthor has become the anti-hero, who needs to prove his self-worth. Luthor is willing to do anything to save Metropolis, even if it means taking a life.
Artist David Finch illustrates the desperation and suspense through his facial expressions. As a businessman, Luthor kept a cool and steady hand before, but now he is a nervous wreck. There is a vibe of anxiety in Luther’s close-ups as he desperately tries to figure out what to do next. Johnny Quick, who is supposed to be a darker version of The Flash, always has a sadistic smile on his face. Quick is eager to jump right into action because he intends on continuing his killing spree.
My favorite part of the glossy illustrations is Finch’s character deign of Bizarro, the anti-Superman. In previous drawings and in the cartoon series, Bizarro is usually played for the comic relief and has this dumb, goofy smile on his face. Bizarro isn’t meant to be silly this time around, but rather intended to be scary. Colorist Sonia Black settles for a white/grayish tone on Bizarro, making him look like a zombie.
With a spotlight on the DC Universe’s villains, “Forever Evil #2” is a fun and dark ride where readers can root for the bad guys. The good guys are losing and it’s up to the lesser of two evils to save the day. I look forward to seeing how the “Forever Evil” crossover continues, especially in “Arkham War” and “Justice League Dark.”
4/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – Jorge Solis
IDW Dark and Paramount recently joined forces to launch limited comic book tales set in the worlds of Smile and A Quiet Place, and we’ve learned today that they’ll continue hanging around in those franchise universes with two brand new limited series tales.
Entertainment Weekly has exclusively revealed this afternoon that IDW Dark’s Any Given Smile debuts in September, while A Quiet Place: Rising Tides arrives in November.
First up, from writer Stephanie Williams and artist Pablo Collar, Any Given Smile puts a football-themed twist on Parker Finn’s successful Smile movie franchise.
The five-part limited series is “set in January 1995, during the American Arena League football championship game in St. Augustine, Florida. The rising superstar of the Sharks, backup quarterback Dupree, is feeling the pressure from his teammates, the fans, and also the city’s gambling underworld, to whom he owes a considerable debt. Meanwhile, a sports journalist investigates a string of suicides that may be connected to the big game. At the very least, they are connected to a sinister entity that preys on the minds of its victims.”
From writer Declan Shalvey and artist Luke Sparrow, A Quiet Place: Rising Tides will also be a five-issue limited story. The comic book tale “brings the creatures to the Florida Keys, where a father-daughter duo attempt to survive on water in a houseboat.”
EW further details, “This tense family reunion coincides with the arrival of the vicious creatures that hunt through sound. Grace and her dad find safety on the open ocean, but she’ll have to make landfall sooner or later; the father’s oxygen tank and their supplies are running low, while a hurricane swiftly approaches.”
Learn more about both comic books over on Entertainment Weekly.
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