Injustice: Year Four #4 Review

Written by: Brian Buccellato
Art by: Mike S. Miller
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: May 26, 2015

Green with Anger

When I first heard that Year Four of Injustice was going to be the "Year of the Gods", I was all in.  Who better to step in and stop the nonsense going on than the immortals up on Olympus.  It didn't hurt that I am a mythology geek since seeing Clash of the Titans as a young lad.  Of course I'm talking the original one starring Harry Hamlin.  The original one and the only one.  Well, we are a handful of issues in and since seeing Ares early, there hasn't been much God action since.  Brian Buccellato has been taking his time telling this year's story so it was only a matter of time before we get more and I'm happy to say, the wait is over...kind of.  What am I talking about?  Let's see...



This issue opens in Olympus where Hera is pleading with Zeus to do something about Superman.  Now that's what I'm talking about.  The scheming wife uses the "he thinks he's a God" ploy and Zeus folds quicker than...a superhero who thinks he's a God on wash day.  Then we see who is part of it all when she goes to Ares and sets a plan in motion that is going to really hit home for Team Superman and a certain Amazon.  I loved this opener.  It was what I wanted form Year Four all along, but unfortunately, it is only brief...way too brief.

We then get back to the ongoing Renee Montoya/Superman fight.  After opening the book and seeing Olympus, I kind of forgot about this fight.  I know that sounds crazy, but it just feels like it's gone on forever.  I'll give Montoya props, she really holds her own with Superman and may have the greatest attack I've ever seen in my life.  It defiantly will upset the U.S. Government, but it is so darn epic.

When Wonder Woman, Hal Jordan and Flash show up, things are already out of control.  Then Superman shows he has a hidden talent...predicting what will happen in the next few minutes.  I won't spoil it, but I thought I traveled back in time to the "Just Say No" times of my youth.

Besides that big attack, the fight fell a little flat.  It's kind of the nature of the book when a "minor" character goes against one of the heavy hitters.  It isn't who is going to win that's at stake, it's if there will be a survivor.

Then the issue takes a crazy turn when Bruce Wayne shows up.  At least that's what everyone said and I'll have to take their word for it because Mike S. Miller's version of Bruce was not good.  In an interesting turn, Superman tells Bruce the war is over as long as he never sees him in the cowl again.  What what?!?  So it's Merry Xmas (War Is Over), right?  Not exactly.  It doesn't take Batman long to crap on the truce and the issue ends with Oracle recruiting one of my favorite characters and someone who is really, really bizarre.

This issue was the definition of a mixed bag for me.  I loved seeing the Gods in the beginning, but the battle between Supes and Montoya went on too long.  The Superman/Bruce interaction didn't feel natural, but the ending was great.  As far as the story went, I came out feeling more positive than negative, but not by much.

Where the scale tips back down is in the art department.  I already mentioned how much I didn't like Mike S. Miller's Bruce and while I liked the look of Hulked up Renee, I didn't like his Superman much at all.  This book hinges on Batman and Superman and when they are the weakest looking characters, there is a problem.

Bits and Pieces:

While I liked the Gods getting more involved at the beginning and the cliffhanger ending, I was not a fan of much else.  It was supposed to be an emotional issue, but nothing really hit home.  Characters got what they deserved and a major twist was kaboshed immediately.  I was not a fan of the art and this issue ended up being my least favorite since Buccellato took over the book.

5.5/10