DCU Comic Book Reviews

WORLD WAR III

June 2007

Written by Keith Champagne

Pencils by Pat Olliffe, Andy Smith, Tom Derenick, Jack Jadson

Inks by Drew Gerac, Ray Snyder, Norm Rapmund, Rodney Ramos

Covers by Ethan Van Sciver

Synopsis

Angered because of the death of his family, Black Adam goes on a rampage across the world, destroying everything that dares to try and stop him.  Eventually, he ends ups in China, where Captain Marvel with the help of Zatanna and other magicians, devise a plan to strip Black Adam’s powers from him. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

For several days I debated whether to review each issue separately or if I should just review all of them together.  Then when I sat down to read them again for the second time, it sunk in that these four books really form one whole story.  The only reason why DC didn’t bundle them into one 80-page giant story is probably due to money since the four issues cost $10 while I am think the best an 80-page could do would be $7 or $8.

Originally, 52 was designed to tell the story of the missing year caused by the shift in all of the books to a new status quo called One Year Later.  Since these OYL changes were abrupt, 52 was supposed to explain it all.  The intent was to focus on a couple of minor characters and through their eyes we would take a tour around the DC universe and touch upon those changes.  After the first or second issue, the writers of 52 changed the premise of the book and decided they wanted to tell the story of these characters and not have to deal with explaining why Donna Troy became Wonder Woman or why Jason Todd became Nightwing and moved to New York City.  While this made sense in terms of the 52 story, it still left a big gap that DC had promised to tell.  So, these issues were commissioned with that mind. 

On one hand, these issues do touch upon most of the major changes and in some ways provide some decent answers to the questions of how and why.  If you wanted to know why Firestorm had to choose a new partner, these books will tell you.  On the other hand, there are two problems with this.  The first is that all of these huge, major changes happen only two weeks before the start of the OYL books.  If you look at some of the One Year Later books, they make it seem like some of the changes had occurred for some time, like Harvey Dent protecting Gotham for the entire year, not just for two weeks before Batman’s return.  The second problem is that some of explanations are not really explanations, per se.  Firestorm needed someone after Martin Stein disappeared.  He picked Firehawk.  End of story.  Do we really need four books to tell us that.  There are others that are problematical, like Deathstroke trying to convince Batgirl where she really belongs.  It has been revealed she was drugged, so these scenes either contradict the current Teen Titans or Batgirl rejected Deathstroke’s manipulation, which means these scenes are worthless. 

Given these objections, I think the worst offender resides within the pages of 52 itself.  For awhile during the year, there was a big soft spot in the middle of the book.  In terms of plot and story, not much happens.  This would’ve been the perfect time to build in these changes and it would not have taken much space.  Supergirl’s return really only took 4 pages.  The same is true for Manhunter’s shift from prosecutor to defense attorney.  How difficult would that have been to toss a couple of pages into one of those middle issues of 52?  Moreover, there are elements within the plot of 52 that would’ve benefited from the characters appearing, such as Harvey Dent into the Batwoman story.  Or even Jason Todd in the Batwoman story.  For some time I thought Nightwing in 52 was Jason Todd; imagine what would’ve happened if the writers had mixed in Dick Grayson and Jason Todd as well.  With as much speculation to “Nightwing’s” identity, this would’ve really spiced things up. 

Ultimately, these books were commissioned to profit off the World War III event and to actually accomplish what 52 was supposed to do in the first place.  It is an attempt to sync up continuity but what it really does is show that for all of the great things the 52 writers did, someone needed to keep them focused on what they were supposed to. 

Thinking about it know, I think the better way to go to explain the missing year is to do what Judd Winick did in his titles (Green Arrow and Outsiders) and just do a flashback story or tell the story in an annual, much the way the Nightwing Annual helps to explain some things. 

BRIEF NOTES

Amongst the Teen Titans we see Hawk Dove, which does not make sense since the last time we saw them (in the Day of Vengeance Special), they had lost their powers after the Spectre destroyed the Lord of Order and Lord of Chaos who granted them their power.

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