The Good

Taking place 5 years before the DC fighting game (which I'm insanely excited about, by the way), writer Tom Taylor is revealing to us what made their world turn so dark. What could make Superman want to rule the country (or even the world?) with an iron fist? Even though it's a short issue, Taylor does a great job establishing the basics and giving us a major hint about why Kal-El takes a turn for the worse.

Despite the inevitably bleak future, this issue had a silly smile plastered on my face. Some might find the conversation between Superman and Lois a bit cheesy, but I thought it had an appropriate amount of heart and comedy behind him (from the book toss to the x-ray vision line). He might be practically invincible, but Lois certainly isn't and he now has a very legitimate reason to be overprotective.

The same comedic nature also help make Superman's encounter with The Dark Knight so delightful. Seeing a direct and brilliant Bruce is always a joy, but having the Man of Steel hit him with an unexpected remark was equally amusing. It takes a lot to make Wayne smile and I'd say this occasion called for it. While most of the issue was sporting fun banter, it's the conclusion that'll leave an impression on you and definitely sets the stage for the darker times that are ahead of them.

I really enjoyed Jheremy Raapack's artwork. It's a little rough around the edges at times and in a few cases there was a serious lack of detail, but overall it was a sharp style and I adored all of the work that went into the environment. The new costumes help hit home the point that this is indeed a different universe and, truth be told, I'm really digging Batman's armor a lot. He looked amazing while beating up goons -- it's a bit bulkier, but it works.

The Bad

I hope it will be revealed, but right now I'm left wondering why Joker & Harley are over in Metropolis. If it's just because of that ambush, I can't help but wonder how they had access to that kind of information or why they'd leave Gotham just for this. I guess we'll see in the next issue.

The Verdict

For just $0.99, there's no reason to miss out on this if you're even remotely excited for 'Injustice: Gods Among Us.' Just like many of you, I'm curious about why Superman becomes a dictator and what happens to make that world take such a tragic turn.

It'll be particularly interesting to see if this limited series also dives into why the power levels will fluctuate enough to make these character face off evenly in the game (I've heard some explanation will be given for that... you know, aside from "dude, it's a fighting game"). 'Injustice: Gods Among Us' comes out April 16 and this digital only series will definitely add onto the massive amount of anticipation. Hopefully it'll also bring a greater level of appreciation when beginning the game's story mode. In the meantime, give this a shot if you're also pumped for the game.