Dark Knight III: The Master Race #9 Review

All Things End

Writer: Frank Miller and Brian Azzarello

Art Team: Andy Kubert, Klaus Janson, Brad Anderson, Alex Sinclair

Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: June 7, 2017

You read that headline right. A year and a half after it started the nine issue Dark Knight III: Master Race series finally comes to a long awaited conclusion.  After leaving Themyscira with their tale between their legs, whats left of the bottled Kryptonian's of Kandor, led by Quar; regroup to make a final push to take over the common man. Let’s see if a rejuvenated Dark Knight, and the other heroes reassembling throughout this mini-series, has what it takes to win the day for this long delayed, then extended, and now finally in our hands conclusion.

Quar after taking an “L” on Themyscira, in an attempt to get the son of Superman and Wonder Woman, flies back towards “the real world” while doing what he’s done best this series make idle threats and talk a lot of shit.  We move to Lara, Superman’s daughter, who continues to deal with the nonsense of the Three Sisters filling her head with nonsense. This is before a battle scared Hal Jordan shows up to save his old pals daughter in a cool call back to the mini comics published alongside the series.  

Next we finally get a little bad ass Batman action, who back in tip top form, uses a sonic blast via the Batmobile to disrupt the gaggle of incoming Kryptonian’s flight.  As the group plummets to Earth, Batman narrates about his plan and how the expected panic the Kryptonian’s are going through forces them to act on instinct. Unfortunately for the Kryptonian’s we see their instinct is to start heat blasting each other in an attempt to save themselves killing a maiming each other in the process.  Does it make perfect sense hell no, but these are dirtbag bad guys who cant be defeated really any other way except by other Kryptonian’s, so I’m a.o.k. with it plus it looks pretty damn sweet.

The survivors hit the ground and begin turning on Quar, threatening to leave the dictator, who has lead them into nothing put losses and pain.  In typical most awful person ever fashion, Quar and his few loyal followers left combine their heat blast to blow all opposition away. This leaves only 5 Kryptonian’s from Kandor left to deal with for our heroes. I also can’t forget to mention Superman’s daughter who still on the chess board, but we’re still not sure what side she prefers, mostly because she has changed sides more than a desperate politician trying to win an election.

Batman and Batgirl are compelled to step in at this point, but are stopped by Superman who says this is his fight to finish.  Superman approaches the group getting in close to Quar and his followers. After taking a few blows initially Superman takes pages out of Batman’s book and begins using his experience to dismantle the younger dumber Kryptonian’s one by one. When these dirt bags finally realize they’re beat they attempt to go nuclear together, much like they did earlier in the series, when another former Justice League member arrives (or grows in this case) to save the day.  Atom uses some technology he conjured up to shrink the remaining disciples down to a size so they will have no affect when they explode. Then a defeated Quar attempts to do the same but he’s taken away by Lara (Superman’s daughter) and thrown into the sun for good measure … a move that usually makes Jim Werner, and this reviewer, very happy!

The issue concludes with a great throwback page with a new and improved Batman, and now Batwoman, defending the nights of Gotham. The mini-comic covers an epilogue of sorts with Superman getting some one on one time with his daughter concluding and ending the series on a pretty good note to the point it doesn’t feel very necessary to revisit this universe with things wrapped up so neatly.

Overall despite the elongated time frame the comic was released over I thoroughly enjoyed not only this issue but the entire series.  There are some great callbacks and things that come full circle in this issue from early in the series, including the content in the mini-comics, which really gives this project a well thought out feel. The art in this issue isn’t the strongest of the entire series and Wonder Woman still looks a little bit off but it’s overall enjoyable work and doesn’t take away from the storytelling.

While the series wasn’t perfect it's worlds better than the sequel that preceded it, but it won’t quite reach the level of quality of the first Dark Knight series in most minds especially older fans.  However, if you’ve trade waited for this series I would recommend you pick it up and check it out as there is plenty to enjoy in all nine issues whether or not you’ve read the previous volumes of the Dark Knight or not.

Bits and Pieces:

The Dark Knight III: Master Race wraps up with a satisfying conclusion featuring a bunch of cameos from characters from throughout the series both in the main title and mini-comic companion pieces.  This was a very worthy addition to the Dark Knight trilogy for me.

7.5/10