Tom Taylor returns to the world of DC's Injustice with a new prequel series certain to stun and shock comic readers around the world. Titled Injustice: Year Zero, the early solicitations promised an epic storyline that will pit the Justice League of America against the Justice Society of America in a war with no winners... as the darkest secret of the JSA is revealed.
The world of Injustice has proven to be one of the most popular of DC Comics' various Elseworlds; divergent timelines set outside the main continuity of DC Comics' multiverse. Originally created to serve as the setting of the fighting game Injustice: Gods Among Us in 2013, the reality of Injustice was based around a world where The Joker put his theory that "one bad day" could corrupt even the noblest of souls to the test by attempting to ruin Superman's life. The end result was a war between Earth's heroes and cosmic powers, as Superman established a fascist state to ensure nobody would ever suffer as he had.
While the game was popular, the Injustice: Gods Among Us tie-in comic book series proved to be a surprise smash with comic readers and critics alike. Video game tie-in comics are typically not of the highest quality, but Tom Taylor bucked the trend by using the series to truly explore the idea of Superman falling from grace, and revealing it to be less of a fall than a slow slide down the slippery slope of good intentions. Taylor also used the series to explore questions raised by the game which were not answered directly, such as precisely how Green Arrow became the first hero to die fighting Superman's regime, crafting a world so complex that many of his innovations were used in building the world of Injustice 2. With the fate of Injustice 3 still up in the air, it is not surprising that Taylor should return to the setting by penning a prequel focused on the Justice Society of America, who are largely undefined in the reality of Injustice.
The advanced solicitations for Injustice: Year Zero promised "the Justice League and JSA suddenly find their teams being torn apart from the inside," but the first three issues released digitally by DC show nothing of that infighting. Indeed, the first issue centers around a party on the Justice League satellite meant to honor their heroic forebears (there is a bit of sparring between Wildcat and Batman, but for those two it's simply good-natured brawling). The party continues into the second issue, where some of the heroes have a serious talk about the idea of legacies, and what sort of world they are building for the next generation.
It is here that Taylor's love of the characters shines strongest. For all the reputation Taylor has for crafting some of the most disturbing scenes of superheroic violence this side of The Boys, there is no doubt Taylor believes in the heroic ideals these characters represent, and they each shine all the brighter for that in the moments where heroes are allowed to simply talk to one another as people, rather than superheroes.
The plot truly starts moving with Issue #3, which is largely devoted to a flashback setting up the story of a magic amulet that changed the course of World War II, and what connection it has to the JSA and Adolf Hitler. This story is relayed to Joker by an elderly ex-con, meaning fans of Taylor's work on the current volume of Suicide Squad can expect the comedic ultra-violence they love come into play. It's all on-par with the action and humor of the games, and Taylor is in fine form balancing the two extremes.
The artwork proves as animated and lively as Taylor's scripting. Roge Antonio (who previously worked with Taylor on X-Men: Red) presents a dark, blocky aesthetic in the first two issues that evokes the spirit of the classic Golden Age comics, particularly when paired with the bright color palette utilized by Rain Beredo. The third issue, illustrated by Cian Tormey (Batgirl) is more fluid in appearance, as befits a more spirited story centering around The Joker, and the lettering by Wes Abbott is well applied throughout all three issues.
It spoils little to say that the solicitation and plot synopsis for Injustice: Year Zero gives away far more of the story to come than the actual issues. Thankfully, the general shape of things is still obscured, and the story offered here is accessible to anyone unfamiliar with the original games or comics. As for established fans of the Injustice series, they will find this to be a worthy addition to the saga.
- INJUSTICE: YEAR ZERO #1-3
- Written by: Tom Taylor
- Art by: Roge Antonio & Cian Tormey
- Colors by Rain Beredo
- Letters by Wes Abbott
- Cover Art by: Julian Totino Tedesco, Roge Antonio and Rain Beredo,
- The beloved fan favorite series INJUSTICE is back!! And this time, with a prequel…Year Zero: “The Fall of the Old Gods”! Long before Superman had his tyranny, before Batman led the Insurgency, and even before the Justice League was still a just league--there was the JSA. A secret begins to unravel within the JSA about how one of them controversially used a mysterious amulet in back in WWII to help change the tides of the war. Flashforward to the present, when this secret amulet is found in the hands of the Joker, the Justice League and JSA suddenly find their teams being torn apart from the inside—is there a traitor in the room or is someone hiding something that could ruin every DCU superhero forever? Either way, buckle up, because in true Injustice tradition, no one is safe and both heroes and villains will die!