Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Chapter #7 Review

Rinse and Repeat

Written by: Brian Buccellato
Art by: Mike S. Miller, J. Nanjan and Wes Abbott
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: February 2, 2016

Another week and another Injustice and while I've been impressed with Year Five so far, it has gotten a bit stale in the character department.  This is the Year of the Villains and while it started out on a high note with Bane, Killer Frost and the Rogues joining the fun, there hasn't been much progression of the overall story so far.   So, I got pretty damn excited when I downloaded this chapter and saw Hawkman getting all savage on the cover.  Could this be the shot in the arm that the book needs to get some momentum going?  Let's find out...




The issue opens with a free for all ass kicking contest on the lawn of Wayne Manor.  Superman ad Batman are exchanging blows and while it's obvious to most readers how Batman is surviving the onslaught, Buccellato has Alfred tell Mirror Master the what's what.  Little Green Pills.  Yep, the super pills are in full effect and also helping Harley Quinn and Batwoman stand toe-to-toe with Wonder Woman.

Well, this is nothing new and because of that, it really doesn't generate much excitement.  Buccellato does cut to Batgirl fighting Killer Croc which is way better than this main fight, but after giving Catwoman a pill, the fight ends abruptly and it's back to batman and Superman.

Again, we get more of the same and it kind of kills the fight we've been waiting to see. Batman calls Superman a murderer, while Superman tells Batman he can't win.  It was funny to think of Batman throwing a smoke bomb to make a hasty retreat, but when Superman says it's a lead based smoke bomb, I have to admit that I was a little impressed.

Back in the Pacific Lead Mines, Batman tells everyone the only way they have a chance of winning this war is by "taking it to the streets" and get the people involved.  I put that in quotes because it is one of my favorite phrases to put in a review and I want you all to know that it was Batman saying it, not me just quoting the Doobie Brothers once again.

In a book filled to the brim with over the top action, this chapters biggest moment comes when Selina approaches Batman and tells him that after being tortured, she can't take it anymore and she's bailing. She even asks Batman to run away with her and it's a bittersweet moment because everyone knows he won't and can't.

The issue ends with good old Hawkman returning to Thanagar and asking for Hawkgirl.  Of course, she isn't there and when he finds out where she is, he sets course for Earth.  Boy, he's not going to be very happy when he gets there and that is something I can't wait to see.

This is as close to a filler issue that you'll ever get in this series.  Sure, Catwoman is gone just as Hawkman enters, but everything else was to been there, done that for my tastes.  Most of what we saw in this issue could have taken place in Year One and that shouldn't be happening with so few issues left.  Here's hoping that Hawkman is the spark this book needs because it suddenly needs something.

One of the biggest issues I had this week, however, was Mike S. Miller's art.  He has been so good lately, but not here.  The art in this chapter was a huge step backwards and besides Hawkman looking pretty damn good, everything else was off.  Characters, backgrounds, action...I was let down by it all.

Bits and Pieces:

With a limited amount of time left in this series, it is sad that we get a chapter like this.  Most of what happened was old hat and felt out of place this late in the story.  I guess it was an okay jumping on point for new readers since some very basic concepts were explained for the hundredth time, but a hundred or so issues in, it just felt silly.  The chapter ended with a pissed off Hawkman and that  is something that interests me going forward.  I hope it pays off.

4.9/10