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Injustice: Gods Among Us Year Three #3 - Chapter Three: Gathering Forces

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Batman's allies gather and begin to discuss how they should take down Superman. Everything will definitely go as planned, right?

The Good

Can we all start calling this universe's Superman "Scumbag Superman"? Because he's a total scumbag right about now. Gone are the temper tantrums and tiny hopes of redemption. They're now replaced with a cold, calculating, and frightening character. In this chapter, Superman technically doesn't threaten someone from Batman's side and he's still able to fill him with fear and give every bit of info he possibly can. While someone like Sinestro tries to instill fear through force, this scene proves Superman's become crafty in a scary, scary way. From using human shields to even the odds against the Lanterns to simply making a prisoner aware of just how powerful he truly is, this Man of Steel has become the Man of Fear. You know what? Scratch "Scumbag Superman" because "Man of Fear" is more fitting, isn't it? I mean, he is wearing that Yellow Power Ring, after all.

While Superman sinks deeper and deeper into darkness, writer Tom Taylor continues to make Harley Quinn such a delight. The thing is she's not just laughs under his writing. Sure, the laughs are there and they're great, but there's more depth to the character and it's someone you want to see more of. In the wrong hands, she could be obnoxious or too goofy, but Taylor strikes the perfect tone with her... it's dialogue I could picture Arleen Sorkin or Tara Strong delivering. And the way it concludes with Flash's eyes? Totally priceless way to sell the gag.

If you're a fan of DC's magic world, odds are you're embracing this shift with open arms. For everyone else, there's a bit of a learning curve as the landscape is changed so much and Taylor uses Harvey Bullock to somewhat address how much the stage has shifted. The man has seen a lot of crazy stuff and the world is going to hell, but he can take a little super pill and then beat up some goons. But this? What does a regular human detective think they can bring to the table when the scope is so big and it's all about magic forces? This isn't a threat he can just slug in the face! Taylor's been celebrating the more ridiculous things in this universe that we often just accept (the car scene in the last issue was hysterical), but this dialogue grounded the situation. Suddenly, it went from out-there and lighthearted to compelling as Detective Chimp reminds Harvey what he's fighting for. Little exchanges like this one remind me this book isn't just about laughs or dark shock value -- there's great moments of character, too. Oh, and then we're hit with a massive cliffhanger -- one which is sure to hook you.

Some of Mike S. Miller's character work is a little rigid in this chapter, but everything else is consistent and his handling of Detective Chimp really pulls us into the more engaging discussion. As said above, the execution of Flash's expression was such an excellent way to compliment Quinn's line. Also, the final double-page spread makes this cliffhanger every bit as big as it should be (pun completely intended). The occasional use of magic and abilities allows J. Nanjan to give the pages some excitement with some vivid colors. Without giving anything away, I will say the final course of events certainly leaves an impact and that's largely due to the flood of shades of blue and dark red.

The Bad

Etrigan fans, you have my sympathy and likely the sympathy of Kyle Rayner fans, too. See, with Rayner, I was okay with it because the scene did a great job showing Sinestro's nature and set the tone for what's to come. While this is an exciting cliffhanger, I can't help but feel like killing Etrigan that soon -- especially when popular magic characters are more limited than popular Lanterns -- felt a little disappointing rather than shocking. I would have been more stunned if Harvey was the one to suffer that fate, especially after having a change of heart. He's hoping Etrigan's death wasn't for nothing and it enhances Harvey's story. The dude should be feeling pretty guilty right about now, yes?

The Verdict

INJUSTICE: YEAR THREE #3 doesn't have the same level of laughs as the previous 2 chapters, but that's okay because the story takes a big step forward. Instead of dragging out this mystery about what powerful force is lurking out there, the reveal makes quite an entrance (pun once again totally intended) and the bit leaves you wondering what the heck will happen next. Yes, there's still a few moments of levity to enjoy, but this third chapter focuses on reminding us just how important this mission is to Batman's side and then leaves us with the promise of a thrilling follow-up. Who would have thought a digital comic based on a video game would be so consistently good?