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Dark Nights: Death Metal #1

Writer: Scott Snyder
Artists: Greg Capullo
Inker: Jonathan Glapion
Colorist: FCO Plascencia
Letterer: Tom Napolitano

The world’s gone mad. Perpetua, the DCU’s creation goddess and big bad of Scott Snyder’s recent Justice League run, has chosen the Batman Who Laughs as her champion. And with her power, he has remade the entire universe in his image: a warped, bat-centric nightmare. This book is brimming with surprises, not the least of which being the fact that it actually works. A lesser writer may crumble under the weight of spinning one cogent narrative out of every major event from DC’s continuity. But not Snyder. He’s just here to rock our faces off.

Joining him in the tried-and-true duet is fan-favorite Greg Capullo. Whatever insane, out-of-control, nobody’s-ever-done-this-before idea Snyder can throw at him, Capullo is able to capture with stunning detail. Whether depicting an army of Batmen or the depths of Hell itself, Capullo’s art boasts bravado few other artists could even dream of. And he’s tearing into this one like he’s got something to prove.

Dubbed as the “encore,” Dark Nights: Death Metal feels like the culmination of decades of storytelling. It touches upon enough story threads to make your head spin. But to the patient reader, this book serves as a much-needed explanation for events both past and ongoing. Slather on a healthy serving of pure comics fun and you have yourself a recipe for the ultimate DC event title. 

Review by Harrison Stewart

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Hawkman Found #1

Writer: Jeff Lemire
Penciler: Bryan Hitch
Inker: Kevin Nowlan
Colorists: Alex Sinclair and Jeremiah Skipper
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: DC Comics

Metal continues to be one of the most bombastic and wildly imaginative crossover events in
DC’s history. At times it can be difficult to follow and connect it to the main DCU, but
nevertheless Scott Snyder and every other creator involved have done a great job expanding
the DC multiverse.

The latest tie-in issue is Hawkman Found, which provides a nice setup for the next issue in the
main Metal series. Hawkman’s death at the hands of Barbatos has been a major focal point
throughout Metal, but here the spotlight shifts directly to Carter Hall as he tries to escape the
sort of limbo state he’s been trapped in for so long. If you read the recent Metal tie-in Batman:
Lost, there are definite parallels between that book and this one.

It’s always a treat to see Jeff Lemire write a DC comic. Though he’s been delivering fantastic
indie titles like Black Hammer and Descender, this issue brings readers back to his stellar
Green Arrow run a few years ago. Though this issue is a mini spinoff, Lemire is able to
effectively explore the character of Hawkman with the space he does have. I’m also stoked for
his upcoming DC series The Terrifics, which he’s described as a love-letter to Lee and Kirby’s
Fantastic Four.

The real highlight of this issue though is Bryan Hitch’s art. In just one issue Hitch captures the
mythic, Conan-like elements of Hawkman. Plus, there are some great battle scenes between
Carter and a race of monstrous humanoid birds. Coupled with the gorgeous colors by Alex
Sinclair, Hitch’s art gives this comic a strong blend of surrealism and cinematic action
sequences. If you’re enjoying Metal, definitely pick this one up.