Injustice: Year Two #14 Review

Written by: Tom Taylor
Art by: Mike S. Miller and Tom Derenick
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: July 8, 2014

Resistance

I'm beginning to see the big picture.  Injustice: Gods Among Us was all about the shock and awe.  Tom Taylor had to get people reading and what better way than go big, crazy action.  He also had to battle the stigma of being a video game adaptation, which he did by writing awesome characters involved in an awesome story.  Naturally, it was awesome.  Year Two is a bit different.  Tom Taylor has earned the right to tell a slower, character rich story.  Yes, there has been some crazy action, but that has been the exception rather than the rule. Taylor is building up to something huge and my guess is that will lead into Year Three.  Because of this slow burn, I think Year Two will read better as a collected work, but I'm still enjoying every digital release as well. This week we get more buildup, setup and character moments.



The book opens with one of my favorite Injustice characters, Guy Gardner.  The ginger Lantern has fought his way back to Oa to warn the Gaurdians about the Sinestro-Superman teamup.  He's not too keen on their reaction and neither am I.  It comes off as a bit bizarre after what has happened leading up to this point.  I can only guess they have something up their little white sleeves.

Back in Gotham, the  murder squad of Bullock and Montoya have had it up to their eyeballs with the curfew police.  We finally get to see some "enhanced" action and it's real good.  Just not as good as Bullock being hilarious.  Tom Taylor nails it again.  The scene (and book) ends with Jim Gordon entering the acting all badass.  It shows that everyone is at the end of their rope, but it feels a bit out of character coming from Gordon.

I haven't run into an Injustice issue I didn't like.  This one is very close.  It's pure setup and has a couple moments that didn't ring true to me.  It still has some great Guy Gardner and Harvey Bullock moments, but they weren't enough.  Like I said in the intro, Year Two may read better collected and this is really the case with this issue.  Fans should still buy it, but I don't think it will knock your socks off.
\
Imagine my disappointment when I got this issue and Bruno Redondo's name wasn't on the cover.  Mike S. Miller and Tom Derenick do a really good job, but I'm so used to Redondo's art that it felt strange.  Like I said, Miller and Derenick do a great job, but I'm hoping Bruno is back next week.

Bits and Pieces:

Injustice: Year Two #14 is a good  issue in a series of excellent ones.  Tom Taylor sets up the future, but some of it didn't ring true. Fans should still get this issue, but it will probably read better in the collected issue.

7.0/10