The Year of the Villain looms over the DC Universe.
If DC had to show off their best characters, more often than not it would be its villains. Characters like Lex Luthor and Joker have made a name for themselves, not just in comics, but in pop culture as a whole. The villains of DC comics always leave a lasting impression which is why the events in this coming year will focus on them. Along with the Leviathan rising arc in Action Comics, Scott Snyder’s Justice League has been setting up a cosmic level threat with the Legion of Doom. What could be coming in the Year of the Villain?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
Amanda Waller rushes to see the President to warm him about Lex Luthor but is shocked to find him missing. Instead, his desk is occupied by the bald billionaire villain himself and the rest of the Legion of Doom. They attack her then fall back. This turns out to be a master plan of Lex’s as he plans to invite all the villains of the world under one banner. This is all for a much larger plan made by Perpetua, mother of the Multiverse, who seeks a war between Justice and Doom. Meanwhile, in Seattle, Green Arrow and Batgirl begin to search for clues about the terrorist group Leviathan.
This story promises a big year for DC. With such an iconic villain roster, it makes sense for DC to unite them with the Legion fully returning. The thing that makes it better, however, is the promised war between the League and The Legion. Perpetua knows this war will shift the multiverse into chaos as intended. Just the tease about the number of characters entering this war brings a smile to this reviewer’s face. Mix in the fantastic characters of Lex and Brainiac essentially spearheading most of the issue and we have a great intro to the Year of the Villain.
Art:
With issues like this, the artwork needs to go above and beyond. Thankfully the team does just that. Each page is breathtaking with every villain looking more intimidating than the last. The best pages, however, are the twin rosters of the coming battle. Lex’s Legion scream villain while the Justice League gives a warm reminder of the famous cartoon in the early 2000s. If the teams for this comic do their magic for the events to come, it’ll be one great looking year.
Conclusion:
It’s a great time to be a villain, and this comic is proof of it. For an almost free tease for the upcoming events, it feels like we’re stealing from DC. The quality of this comic is terrific in both art and story. This issue screams hype for the coming year, and I can’t wait to read these events.
