Reviewer: James Hatton
Title: War Games: Act 1 – Part 2
Writer: AJ Lieberman
Penciler: Brad Walker
Inker: Troy Nixey
Colorist: Javier Rodriguez
Letterer: Jared Fletcher
Editor: Matt Idelson
Publisher: DC Comics
Right now there is a war in Gotham City. A war started by all of the gangs killing each other off, and sometime over the course of the next 35 comics, we will find out who it was. Oh, and Robin will probably die too.
While I was reading this, I was emailing back and forth with IP’s very own
Tim Stevens, writer of the DC VIEWS AND REVIEWS IN STEW HULABALOO.. or something, I don’t know, I don’t read his work. Anyway, we started discussing this issue, and we were both under the impression that it was a bit unnecessary. It is the obligatory ‘SKIP THIS BOOK’ in a crossover. So, using his idea, this review will be laden with Ash quotes, from Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness. Because Evil Dead is just not as good as the other two.
Story!
What can I say that I haven’t already said in the intro. The war between all of the gangs is in full effect. Batman can’t do it all, so he sends Onyx and Orpheus to go and see if they can maybe take hold of the Yakuza clan. With everything fragmented it would be easier if some of the work was removed.
Oh dear god, it’s growing bigger!
Everything else in this story is just action. Batman hitting black gang members. Batman hitting latino gang members. Batman beating on asian gang members.
Oh you little bastards! Alright, I’ll crush each and every last one of
ya! I’ll squash you so hard you’ll have to look down to look up!
Other than Onyx going to the hospital, you get no extended view into this whole big crossover, as a guy who only reads Batman on occasion, I really was put off by it.
ART!
The cover of this issue is following the same theme of the big spray-painted war games logo, and I have to say. I dig that. Something that makes it easy for somebody to find all the titles on the shelf. Otherwise it’s a very standard Batman flying over some pretty standard fire.
Inside, the art suits the book. Walker & Nixey are doing fine making this burnt, destroyed battlefield of Gotham City feel exactly like it should. The coloring is dark and as this is more than a glorified action sequence than a fantastic story, they shine more than anything.
Overall!
I think it’s pretty obvious. A big clunky crossover title. I just hope that this isn’t all we are going to get out of ‘The Big Summer Blockbuster’ because Bruce Wayne: Murderer and any of Loeb/Sale’s work shines so much brighter in comparison.
It’s a trick. Get an axe.
