Injustice: Year Four #8 Review

Written by: Brian Bucellato
Art by: Mike S. Miller
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: June 23, 2014

Stop Playing Games

I am a huge Injustice fan.  I've read every issue, reviewed over sixty, told everyone who would listen to read it and had my intelligence questioned for defending it.  That's why Year Four is killing me. It's been hit or miss so far and the last couple issues have been whiffs.  However, when Batman called for Wonder Woman to fight Superman at the end of last issue, it felt like the good old days.  The cover has promised this fight for weeks and now that Batman has taken advantage of the situation, it's on.  Did this issue get Injustice back on track?  Let's find out...



The issue starts with a flashback of Superman visiting Lex.  It's all about trust and while Superman begins the conversation claiming to only trust Diana and Lex, it ends with Superman doubting both. After seeing Lex the last couple of issues, Superman is not off there, but the Diana part felt a bit forced to lead into the present and what every fan has been waiting for since last week...Wonder Woman versus Superman.

Buccellato doesn't waste any time and after a one panel recap, we get down to business.  At first, Wonder Woman refuses to fight Superman and causes a battle royal, but Zeus shows up and gets things back on track.  He tells Wonder Woman that if she refuses to fight Superman, her mother, Hippolyta, will die.  While a crazy looking Hera does everything but yell, "Are you ready to rumble", the fight begins.

I may be on my own here, but Zeus showing up felt odd.  This whole year, Zeus hasn't wanted to be bothered with any of this and only seemed to agree to anything to get Hera off his back.  Now he shows up shouting and demanding.  Then there's Hera who just looks crazy.

The fight is great, right?  Yes and no.  The actual battle was pretty cool.  Both heroes get to cut loose and while they don't look like they're having fun, they don't hold back either.  I have a problem with that.  They really beat the crap out of each other with no remorse.  It felt wrong.  Throw in Harley Quinn with her Hunger Games references and we have another issue that felt like it was trying too hard.  The issue ended with both heroes in bad shape (though I'd say Superman is worse off) while the rest of the Injustice crowd looks on.

Well, at least we get Wonder Woman fighting Superman, right?  I really was disappointed with this issue.  Buccellato continues to prove that while he may know these characters, he doesn't know them in this universe.  Everyone and everything felt off.  I'm starting to lose faith in this book and that's a damn shame.

I have never been a fan of Mike S. Miller's art on this book and this issue doesn't do anything to change my mind.  Sure, he can draw a good action scene, but what good is that when the characters involved look this bad.  I really don't like his Superman, but Hera looked downright creepy.

Bits and Pieces:

This issue was another disappointment in a string of disappointments.  I know Brian Buccellato is capable of so much more, but this book is going downhill fast.  Injustice has always had over-the-top action, but it was the great characters that made you care about it.  That character work has left the building and we are left with a shell of what this book once was.

6.0/10