I’m generally not one to pick up “Director’s Cut” editions of previously released comic books. First, these kinds of books are pricey by comparison to the issue that they are spotlighting. Second, how much can a script or pencil art really reveal if the issue itself, when it hit stands earlier, was solid?
I was intrigued to go against my better judgement and pick up writer Geoff Johns and artist David Finch’s Forever Evil #1 Director’s Cut. It seemed timely to see what mysteries would be unveiled by Geoff Johns’ script in advance of Forever Evil #3 set to hit stands this week.
In addition, there was that big gatefold art piece from Forever Evil #1 that still needed all the Secret Society of Super-Villains members to be named. I had taken a crack already and got most of the villains identified. However, after reader feedback, we got a much better sense of the Who’s Who of the Secret Society. However there were still three villains that were question marks and who we made our best guesses on, but weren’t firmly behind.
Geoff Johns script provided some of the illumination we needed.
In addition to Geoff Johns script reveals, which I’ll get to shortly below, we also had an enlarged look at David Finch’s gatefold pencil art across four pages with larger art. Wow, Finch is amazing.
For comparison, the gatefold actually appeared in Forever Evil #1 as per the below image. You can see that DC Comics wanted the art to speak for itself as there was a bare minimum of text.
Well, sometimes art doesn’t speak for itself. Particularly in these crowd shots. So, despite doing quite well in identifying most of the close to 100 characters, we were able to identify two of the three question marked characters. That leaves only one villain that we’re not sure about as noted in the below image.
In advance of this week’s Forever Evil #3, the Forever Evil #1 Director’s Cut also revealed something interesting about the Earth 3 coins of the Crime Syndicate. These are the coins that the Earth 3 Crime Syndicate has been giving to Prime Earth’s Secret Society of Super-Villains.
It would seem that the Earth 3 coins are all individualized. That seems interesting and a chore to create for artist David Finch and any other artist in the DC Comics New 52 to keep track of to make sure if they feature X villain with Y coin, that the art is consistent in any comic book they are depicted in.
Below are the pencil art only from Forever Evil #1 Director’s Cut and the colored page from Forever Evil #1 that the preceding Geoff Johns script related too.
Did anyone else pick up Geoff Johns and David Finch’s Forever Evil #1 Director’s Cut? If so, were there any other interesting reveals that could enhance our Forever Evil #3 reading experience later this week?
Thanks for reading. All feedback welcome. :)
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