Forever Evil: A.R.G.U.S. #3 Review: Badder than Ever?

by Jay Mattson
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Steve Trevor continues his solo journey to figure out a way to stop the Crime Syndicate.

** SPOILERS AHEAD **

POSITIVES

Professor Martin Stein finally makes his way into Forever Evil. Seeing as Firestorm is being used as a spatial prison for the Justice Leagues, it was only a matter of time before Stein became integral in finding a solution to this problem.

Killer Frost’s appearance is welcome, but only if you’ve read Justice League of America #7.2: Killer Frost, wherein she realizes that Firestorm’s powers would be a perfect way to feed her insatiable need for living heat.

FE ARGUS 3

NEGATIVES

Oh, where to start? Perhaps with the cover that claims that “Doctor Light is BACK and Badder than Ever!” What exactly does this mean (aside from poor use of the English language)? Most likely, it’s simply a tagline to get readers who liked Doctor Light to read this issue, which doesn’t make much sense seeing as the New 52 Light has only been in a handful of issues prior to Forever Evil: A.R.G.U.S., and he wasn’t particularly important beyond his death during “Trinity War”. Not only is it odd that he’s being focused upon so heavily now, but it’s also weird that writer Sterling Gates is attempting to make him likeable…or is he trying to make us pity the poor Doctor? Honestly, Light’s presence in Forever Evil: A.R.G.U.S. is questionable, at best. Especially when each issue continues to keep things under wraps instead of building toward anything.

Perhaps that’s a bit harsh. Gates probably has an endgame in mind, but he’s taking a frustratingly long time to get to it. In both of the other Forever Evil mini-series (Arkham War and Rogues Rebellion), the story is moving along and things are actually happening to the characters involved. In A.R.G.U.S., Steve Trevor is just learning information readers already know.

The flashback to one of Steve and Wonder Woman’s dates is so unnecessary it hurts. A Forever Evil mini-series is not the place to delve into Steve Trevor’s life. The whole sequence feels totally forced, and it really has nothing to do with anything beyond Steve’s use of a sword that can catch on fire. Even then, he can’t remember what it does until the literal moment he needs to use it.

FE ARGUS 3 - 2

The Green Room—a high-tech, dimensional safehouse for the President of the United States—seemed like a cool idea when it was introduced in the first issue, but since has become a redundant plot device. Where is the President? If Steve saved him in the A.R.G.U.S. #1, why isn’t he in the Green Room already? Gates reveals the fact that the Green Room is somewhat sentient, but makes no more effort to explain how or why. Again, this could be coming later down the line, but as of now, its placement in this story is painfully awkward.

Also, the final page “reveal” is just confusing.

 

VERDICT: rating2outof52/5

 

This is the worst Forever Evil tie-in. Even the things that work (Martin Stein’s appearance and Killer Frost’s personal journey) are weird and undercooked. Sterling Gates is a good writer (just see Justice League of America’s Vibe to prove that), but his work here is unrefined and boring. More than the first two issues, Forever Evil: A.R.G.U.S. #3 fails to bring any relevant or important information to the table.

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