The Good

Whoa. Scott Snyder cranks up the action and it keeps going and going. As we approach the end of Rotworld, we're the future is looking pretty bleak for Alec Holland and the few survivors left. Last issue revealed the shocking fate of some of the residents of Gotham City. Finding some remaining survivors, Alec discovers what might be the world's last hope. All the while, he is convinced Abby is still alive despite being told she is dead. At the same time, we are seeing Abby after Alec and Animal Man made their journey to the apocalyptic future.

Seeing the twisted fates of so many is like something out of an Elseworlds story. That's what makes these types of stories interesting on a different level. The idea that anything goes allows for even the greatest heroes to fall or get turned by the Rot. It's a harrowing look at a possible future of the DCU. Seeing who survives, who is on which side is like a cherry on top of a sundae. It's not necessary but helps to add a harsher look at the possible consequences of this battle.

Yanick Paquette gets to cut loose here and that's great news for us. Seeing twisted versions of fallen heroes or villains allows the emphasis to be taken away from the other creatures of the Rot that sometimes don't come across as grotesque enough. Seeing how some of the characters and allies Alec discovers have changed make me long to see more of this world. I'm also curious about the Parliament of Decay. We need more answers. If only we could have a miniseries showing how the characters and events evolved.

The ending is something you won't be expecting to see. Despite some things being evident and all the cruel things we've seen Scott Snyder do to different characters in stories, the final page is a bit of a shock.

The Bad

Knowing the end is near. You get so sucked into the story and the ending sneaks up on you making it feel like it ended too soon.

The Verdict

This is definitely my favorite chapter of this arc. When we first saw Alec arrive in the future, we were teased with what we could see. This is where Snyder and Paquette cut loose and unleash the full fury of the arc. We've seen plenty of apocalyptic dystopian futures but the details they add here really make you feel the pain of what has happened. Just when you think you see where the story is going, Snyder pulls the rug out from underneath. There was a time a couple issues back I was ready for the end of this story but now I want to see more. This is what I want from a comic. We have plenty of action and development mixed with great art and suspense. We know the 'good guys' have to somehow win in the end but there can easily be serious consequences as hinted in this issue.