Scott's Take: Injustice Gods Among Us: Year Zero- The Complete Collection by Tom Taylor

Injustice Gods Among Us: Year Zero- The Complete Collection by Tom Taylor is a prequel to all the injustice games and rest of the injustice comics. For those who are unfamiliar with that universe. It is a lot like the original DC universe except in the Injustice Universe Superman becomes a dictator with several justice league members supporting and enforcing his dictatorship. At the same time, Batman leads a group of resistance fighters attempting to overthrow Superman. In that Injustice Universe the Joker tricks Superman into murdering a pregnant Lois Lane and destroying Metropolis. This act causes Superman to snap and murder the Joker. Superman falls into a mental breakdown where he decides that the only way to stop evil is by ruling the earth with an iron fist. If humans won’t stop hurting each other, he will make them. Several other heroes join Superman on his new mission while Batman and others attempt to stop him.  One major group of heroes that are never referenced prior to this book in the Injustice Universe is the JSA or the Justice Society of America. Why are the JSA never involved in the rest of the series? This 2021 prequel miniseries answers the question as to what happened to the JSA?

 

Part of this read is set during World War 2 while the rest is set during modern times. During World War 2, the JSA had a secret mission involving a magical amulet. That same amulet later comes to be in possession of the Joker is current times. The amulet has given him a powerful upgrade and the Joker sets out to kill the JSA which will impact the later formation of the Justice League and hurt Batman. It is up to the JSA and the Justice League to combine forces and stop the Joker.

 

This miniseries hinges on the relationship between the Justice League and the JSA. For those who don’t know, the JSA inspired many of the Justice League Members to become heroes. In the original DC universe, the JSA acted as the mentors to the Justice League and are their heroes. Here in the Injustice Universe, the Joker is attempting to destroy that relationship. As a fan of both the JSA and the Justice League, it is fun for me as a reader to see them team up since they do not do it very often.

 

Injustice Gods Among Us: Year Zero- The Complete Collection is a very dark and violent tale that is just as twisted as one would expect if they have read anything from the Injustice Universe. Once again Tom Taylor tells an excellent tale featuring lots of deaths and pain for the heroes involved. Being an Elseworld’s tale, the characters in this book are less safe than they would be normally. This read is excellent even if you have no prior experience with any of the rest of the Injustice Universe. However, this read nicely sets up the original Injustice Comic series and the first video game.

 

I highly recommend this for DC fans.

 

Injustice Gods Among Us: Year Zero- The Complete Collection

Tom Taylor

https://www.tomtaylormade.com/

DC Comics

https://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/injustice-gods-among-us-year-zero-the-complete-collection

July 2021

ISBN# 978-1-77951-129-4

Hardback (also available in eBook format)

152 Pages 

 

 

My reading copy came from the Central Branch of the Dallas Public Library System. 

 

Scott Tipple ©2021