[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writers: Frank Tieri & James Tynion IV
Pencils: Tony S. Daniel
Inks: Danny Miki
Summary
Earth-0, Batman the Devastator fights his way through the Justice League and Justice League of America as he makes his way to the Fortress of Solitude. He is on a mission given to him by Barbatos, and with the power of Doomsday and the skill of Batman, the two Leagues are unable to stop him.
Flashback many years ago to Earth-1. It was a world where the worst thing imaginable had happened: Superman turned to evil. Batman was making his final stand against the evil Man of Steel when, as a last ditch effort, he used a strain of the Doomsday Virus he engineered. He morphed into a Doomsday-like behemoth and took on Superman.
But the virus had done more than changed him physically, it also numbed any of his human emotions that kept him in check. He became a monster.
The One Who Laughs soon appeared and told him of a world where Superman was still revered.
Positives
After the amazing tie-in Batman: Murder Machine, Frank Tieri and James Tynion IV prove once again that they make a great team. This book has a lot of action but not at the expense of story.
The narration really drives home how betrayed Batman felt by Superman as well as how disappointed he was in himself for ever letting his guard down and letting him in.
There is a nice homage (or maybe it’s a stab) at the movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, when Batman pulls out a Kryptonite spear to stop Superman. Superman scoffs at the thought of that actually stopping him, but Batman being Batman always has another trick up his sleeve.
Negatives
This is a great tie-in that I wish we could’ve explored a little more, but that seems to be the case for most of these tie-ins. But it is understandable with the time restraint they have to tell the story. Potential backstory has to make way for the necessary plot points.
Verdict
Another great tie-in to the Dark Nights: Metal event and another great story by Tieri and Tynion IV. If you have been enjoying the Metal titles so far, then you will definitely want to pick this one up.
