Forever Evil

This collects a seven-issue "event" that finds the Crime Syndicate-alternate-reality "evil" versions of the Justice League-taking over our world. Soon after they arrive, the group mysteriously (and unbelievably) gets rid of most of the heroes on Earth, leaving it to unlikely bad guys like Lex Luthor and Black Adam teaming up with Batman to save the world. Johns delivers a few cool superhero moments, but they're not nearly enough to overcome the story's gimmicky-ness and its lack of emotional resonance. Bizarrely, despite the large number of characters, only two women get anything resembling legitimate page time. Catwoman is Batman's glorified "arm candy," while Superwoman is apparently sleeping with three of the primary Crime Syndicate villains-Ultraman (alternate-reality Superman), Owlman (alternate-reality Batman), and Alexander Luthor (alternate-reality Shazam)-all of whom think she might be having their baby. It's painfully embarrassing that the only two female characters featured in the book are relegated to such awful stereotypes. The art is overworked and relentlessly dark, every page filled to bursting. Though there are too many characters for any artist to handle easily, the art never finds a way to breathe or to give any of them a moment to shine. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

At the end of Justice League: Trinity War, events took a sharp left turn. Pandora's Box was not, as everyone assumed, a mystical artifact-it was a technological gateway between universes, which allowed the Crime Syndicate of Earth-3, evil doppelgangers of the Justice League, to invade the League's Earth-1. Here, with almost every member of the three Justice League teams imprisoned by the Syndicate, Lex Luthor leads a group of supervillains who must save the world-and Batman must work with them. Finch proves quite capable of handling a multicharacter action crossover, while DC veteran Johns delves into the ruthless Luthor's psyche, revealing bits of his past and hints of humanity. Johns also provides the Syndicate with fascinating characterizations and intrateam intrigue-and following common DC "keep 'em reading" strategy, he leaves questions unanswered, sets up multiple original plotlines, and introduces a new threat. VERDICT After the messy and unsatisfying Trinity War, this is refreshingly straightforward and enjoyable. "New 52" followers will want to know what happens here, and what happens next.-S.R. (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.