[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Renato Guedes
Letters: Saida Temofonte
Colors: Rex Lokus
Reviewed by: Carl Bryan
Summary
“I saved Kahndaq. I’m sorry. ” – Black Adam
Kahndaq, like every other country on Earth, suffered a similar fate in the early moments the Anti-Life Equation plague. Black Adam, however, had a very different response then the heroes of the Justice League! In the Earth’s darkest hour heroes will bring hope!
2019’s blockbuster series, DCEASED, provides the second digital submission with stories set before the fall of Earth!
Positives
DC’s Digital First comics are the new push from DC Comics, that while already planned with Batman: The Adventures Continue, have taken new importance given the recent COVID-19 restrictions. In DCeased: Hope at Worlds End #2, the Anti-Life Equation has infected over a billion people on Earth. We now see Black Adam’s “greater good” methods. In order to preserve his country, he immediately destroys anyone infected with the Anti-Life Equation. Citizen or not, if you are sick, you are destroyed.
It’s his version of Emmanuel Kant’s greater good. And his form of leadership, no matter the intent. is viewed by his people as dogmatic which produces not respect but total fear.
Black Adam even refuses to allow anyone within its borders. Deriding Superman on his methods to save the world, Black Adam is adamant about no one from the outside coming into his country as it is arguably the safest place on Earth from the virus
Taylor switches literary gears from the first installment which provided Jimmy Olson and his views. Here we see a despot leader who will stop at nothing to make sure the country survives. Even if that means killing most of the population.
And in a real Biblical switch, Black Adam walks among his people in a normal state. And the ramifications are felt around the world!
Renato Guedes and Rex Lokus go in a different direction than the first issue in that Jimmy’s world was almost burning down in every frame. The images rendered by these two are that of gods floating above the fray.
The frames are almost like paintings that should be in a comic museum. Kudos to these two for switching gears which contributes heavily to Taylor’s storylines!
Negatives
I had to get past that these are behind the scenes stories from what has already occurred. I know what has happened and where we end up. This type of series causes me to think a lot of “What If…” scenarios. Perhaps that is what Taylor is doing to.
Verdict
I love it when an author takes a villain,who thinks he is a hero, and then really turns the villain/hero on his or her head! Taylor has done just that with Black Adam in this DCeased universe! Well done!
