Dark Nights: Death Metal #4 Review

 

Prime Time

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, and FCO Plascencia

Cover Price: $4.99

Release Date: October 14, 2020

Death Metal returns after a planned skip month, but with all the tie-ins and one-shots, I don't think anyone would be able to miss it.  Some big things have happened in those other issues, so I have been waiting to see what Scott Snyder does with the main series.  Does he go big or stay on the porch?  I don't think that's the real saying, but here is my review...

After a couple of pages of recap, we head off to see what the Trinity is up to in their quest for Crisis Energy.  It didn't end well when we last saw them since the Dark Multiverse threw a wrench in Wonder Woman's plans by not having any happy endings to grab.

We continue that here with Batman and Superman getting screwed in Crisis on Infinite Earths and Final Crisis.  I say screwed, but seriously, Superman is about to get royally fucked!  Wonder Woman, however, is not doing as bad in Infinite Crisis.  I mean, she is in one of Perpetua's towers, but right away, you can see that Superboy Prime is on the fence with this whole Darkest Knight thing.

Snyder does a good job setting up Superboy Prime's MO, even to those unfamiliar with the character, but if you are in the know, it is cool to see Wonder Woman kick into plan b and throw a hail mary at Superboy.

I'm not going to say it is the biggest twist I've ever read, but the things I have enjoyed in this series so far have been when Snyder gets meta with how bad and dark the DCU has become since the New 52 and shows that there is a way out.  Superboy Prime is the ultimate way out!  While this is going on, we see what's happening with Harley, Swamp Thing, and Jarro, but it's because Jarro is the Trinity's ticket back, and Snyder is using it for some added tension.

Now, if you are tired of seeing our heroes lose over and over, you will probably not like Snyder pulling the rug out from under you at the end.  He is a darkest before the dawn kind of guy, and remember, the story is only halfway done.  I still think people will be pissed! 

I liked this issue, but in a "middle of the Event" kind of way.  Superboy Prime is a cool addition, but Snyder can't just have him punch the Dark Multiverse and win, so we set things up for the second half of Death Metal and make things even more desperate.  Yea, it did feel sudden and out of nowhere, but we get Superboy Prime!  I am always a fan of Greg Capullo's art, and this issue is no exception.  Overall, though, I am still waiting for these big moments to click and get me foaming at the mouth for more.  I haven't got there yet.

Bits and Pieces:

Scott Snyder continues to give readers some big moments, but I am still waiting for them all to click in my mind.  While this issue felt a bit forced to make things even worse for our heroes, we have the ultimate reset button on the good guys' side, which has me a bit excited. 

6.0/10