Seize the Day
Written by: Scott Snyder
Art by: Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, FCO Plascencia and Steve Wands
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 11, 2017
Alright, it's time for another issue of Metal and after being down on a lot of what DC has been putting out lately, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's book is something that has been putting a smile on my face. It may not be the middle of Summer anymore, but this book still is all about the big thrills of a Summer Blockbuster and that's the reason I like it so much. So, does the fun continue this month? Let's see...
The issue opens in Smallville where the Trinity (and Lois Lane) are enjoying the heavy metal performance of the Super Sons...Jon and Damian. I was ready to call foul on Capullo's version of Damian, but by the end of the scene, it makes a little more sense. What's going on, though, doesn't...yet. It's very meta(l) and goes from Bruce thanking everyone for possibly beating Barbatos and the Dark Knights to becoming the Dark God himself. Seriously, all hell breaks loose with Bruce, out of nowhere it seems, saying "Carpe Diem" as it all goes down.
We pick up in Metropolis and find out what really happened to Superman and Wonder Woman after they were attacked in Hath Set's tomb and a bit of what has happened since. It doesn't look good and Superman flies off to face Barbatos in Gotham.
Scott Snyder goes a bit more dark and mysterious for this issue's opening. While I'm sure some will be confused with what is going on, I do suggest reading to the credits page again once you've read the entire issue. It really is worth that little extra effort to see what is really going on here.
We then continue in Crime Alley with the Dark Knights, led by the Batman Who Laughs, confronting Clark. If you read the Gotham Resistance tie-ins, you will know exactly what's happening with the Winter Wonderland they are in and really, it made me happy to see it connect so well.
Speaking of connecting, Clark tries to convince these Batmen that there is still some good in them, but the best part of this scene is getting more rules to what the Dark Multiverse and these Dark Knights really are. It all spells big trouble for the Man of Steel, until we see the very familiar Doctor Fate Ankh and Barry Allen. Yep, it's a tag team save that takes us to the...Oblivion Bar!!!
While it is so cool to see James Rook, it is nothing compared to getting Shadowpact member, Detective Chimp! We also see a bit more of the devastation that the Dark Knights have dealt out and again, it's a nice recap of the Gotham Resistance and the Dark Knight books that have already come out.
The gathered heroes then come up with a plan, but they disagree on whether or not to go after Batman in the Dark Multiverse. Tying back to the beginning ("Carpe Diem"), Superman thinks that Batman is calling out to him for help and is indeed the key to winning this war. After Deathstroke makes a memorable appearance, the group splits and heads off.
The issue ends with the Oblivion Bar in flames and Clark heading into the Dark Multiverse, but instead of saving Batman, he may just have walked into Barbatos' plan and lost the war for everyone.
I really enjoyed this issue. It is the beginning of the middle stanza of Metal so there is a bit more setup, but after repeated readings, it all comes together to get me pumped for the next issue and beyond. Greg Capullo and the entire art team kick total ass and I am still all in on this event!
Bits and Pieces:
I am really enjoying Metal and this issue is no exception. Scott Snyder gives us more rules of the Dark Multiverse and the horrors that have emerged from it while also making the tie-ins feel important. Overall, however, his story and Greg Capullo's art just have me excited to see where it all goes next.
8.8/10
I was hoping to like it more on my second read through cause I felt like it was just another exposition filled issue that is trying to hard to be new and different and all it is, is a bunch of Retreaded Nonsense. I put all my questions thoughts and comments on the Slack chat because I don’t want to include Mr. Anonymous...if that really is your name? 6.5 our of 10
ReplyDeleteAnd now a Metal recap from Wronturn.
ReplyDeleteHi, dis is Brian for da wired comic comcast. So far in this story the Superfriends turn into Voltron and fight a purple guy. And then Batman rides a dinosaur. And then Batman sees the ghost of Jim Morrison. And then Batman drinks pee from a giant owl. And then Superman punches Batman right through the chest. Dat was so cool. And then Dark Vader's head comes out the water. And then Batman has a baby. And then all the Hellraisers come and take Batman so everybody has a rock concert. And then Spawn and the Hellraisers put everybody in the Matrix. And then everybody goes to the bar with a monkey. Only you can't take a monkey into a bar, I know because I tried to take a monkey in the bar once. The bartender told me I had to take the monkey to the zoo. I told him I already took him to the zoo and he liked it so much that tomorrow I'm taking him to the movies, but right now he wants to go to the bar, but I digest. The Hellraisers come to the bar too, but the Superfriends don't like the music that Hellraiser plays on the jukebox so they leave and go to the Matrix. This comic book is so cool, as a matter of fax I say it's totally Metal!
Thank you Brian for catching me up to speed.
I often hear people say that this writer can't tell a story, or that writer can't write that character. I find that a bit insulting, especially when it comes from a person that has never written anything. I'm not speaking about anyone specific, just a general thought. It's hard to craft stories out of nothing. It's even harder to put them out there for public scrutiny. I'm not going to say that Scott Snyder is a bad writer, he's immensely talented. I'm not going to say that Scott Snyder can't write Batman, he's added some great things to the Batman mythos. I'm only going to say this is not my kind of Batman story. If this story were Flash-centric or GL-centric I'd probably like it more. It's not though, it's Bat-centric. I just don't understand what any of this has to do with a masked detective battling the criminal underworld of a corrupt city in an attempt to conquer his own personal demons.
Although, it's unfair of me to put a score on this issue, I'm going to because that's the language of this site. 3.5/10 for me.