Review: 
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Dustin Nguyen
Letters: Saida Temofonte
Colors: Rex Lokus
Reviewed by: Carl Bryan
Summary
“Losing our city shook me. Seeing a crack in the Man of Steel shook me almost as much. ” – Jimmy Olson
The Anti-Life Equation has infected over a billion people on Earth. Heroes and villains have fallen. In the immediate aftermath of the destruction of Metropolis, Superman and Wonder Woman spearhead a plan to try to stem the tide of infection, preserve and protect survivors, and develop a plan for what’s next.
In the Earth’s darkest hour heroes will bring hope! 2019’s blockbuster series, DCEASED, makes its digital first debut with stories set before the fall of Earth!
Positives
DC’s Digital First comics are the new push from DC Comics, that while already planned with Batman: The Adventures Continue, have taken new importance given the recent COVID-19 restrictions.
In DCeased: Hope at Worlds End #1, the Anti-Life Equation has infected over a billion people on Earth. Heroes and villains have fallen and in the immediate aftermath of the destruction of Metropolis, Superman and Wonder Woman spearhead a plan to try to stem the tide of infection. Alluded to in the first DCeased series, the two have set out to preserve and protect survivors, and develop a plan for what’s next and attempt to bring back hope.
Told from the perspective of Jimmy Olson, Taylor uses the emotional connection that readers have to our established superheroes. Jimmy Olson makes it more real,. He’s our connection to Superman and he’s our boots on the ground in this story.
I don’t know if this digital comic is what one would call a sequel or a prequel, but perhaps a “simulcast” of events in DCeased. It establishes where Jimmy has been during the events of DCeased as the events unfold of what has already occurred.
As a first issue, this does a phenomenal job of carrying the weight of a fan-favorite series. In a digital comic series, it is the perfect compliment to the published comic. It doesn’t detract from the original idea, but holds its own for the fan that wants to delve deeper into the DCeased universe. This issue serves as a window into a larger view of DCeased and that makes it truly great.
The art from Nguyen is akin to something out of a Spawn comic (possibly Greg Capullo inspired), which gives it a contrast to the art from DCeased: Unkillables series. . Nguyen works Jimmy into the middle of the chaos. And puts even more story emphasis on him. Lokus’ coloring is lends itself to the what is going on in each frame, but is not too gratuitous in the blood shed.
Overall, DCeased: Hope at Worlds End #1 is a great back story to supplement the DCeased series and shows that Taylor’s DCeased storytelling hasn’t been played out yet.
DCeased: Hope at Worlds End #1 released digitally on May 19, 2020 via DC Comics Digital First.
Negatives
We already sewed up the series with the last installment just a week ago. Even if we are craving more, shouldn’t the series have taken off from where the print comic left off? Playing a “devil’s advocate”, that is probably where one would have liked the new digital comic to begin with. But again, we are all craving new stories, and we don’t want anything to cut into the comic stores’ ability to get off the ground again.
Verdict
My hope that this digital and future ones come into print and are part of a huge trade paperback. In the mean time, enjoy another visit using Jimmy’s lense into the DCeased universe!
