CC2K’s Comic of the Week: Forever Evil #6

Written by: Gary M. Kenny, CC2K Comics Editor

SPOILER FREE REVIEW! We at CC2K aren’t going to tell you the secrets revealed in this issue: Who the prisoner in the hood is? Why Nightwing is all bloody on the cover? And Why Evil is Forever? I vow on Lex Luthor’s grave not to say a word! Just kidding.

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: David Finch

“Yes, your master was very clear and Richard Grayson remains unharmed. But Ultraman was also insistent–he wanted Nightwing secured beyond a simple loch and chain. I found an inescapable device. It’s called the Murder Machine.”

Now I did promise a spoiler free review and so far I am delivering it. Even the mention of a so called Murder Machine isn’t ruining anything. It’s like going into a 007 movie not expecting a ray gun or a torture device. Anyway, Geoff Johns is killing it. Batman, Lex Luthor and a scary group of Supervillians: Deathstroke, Black Mantha, Black Adam, Catwoman, Bizzarro, and Captain Cold are sneaking into the secret base of the Crime Syndicate. Lex and company plan on killing them all, while Batman has only one thing on his mind: rescue Dick Grayson. If you aren’t following the book, this is the one issue you should check out. It’s just one crazy fight scene after another and two cliff hanging moments. David Finch delivered a big blockbuster movie in the form of a 20 something page comic.

Geoff Johns’s story is an amazing addition for the New 52. It’s reintroducing characters (with a twist, new identities and new motives) while mixing old DC Comics: Crisis of (you pick a saga) comics (multi-verse and all) and modern big story, big art comics. It’s smart (not as smart as his Sinestro Corps) and it’s fun (much better/bigger then his Justice League of America origin). The dynamic of having only Batman as the main hero, while making him the weaker character in the book is fascinating. In the Justice League books Batman never trusts anyone but has trust in them to do the right thing. In Forever Evil, Batman never trusts anyone but has no idea if they will do the right thing. Plus there is little he can do about it. Johns keeps twisting the story page by page. One second Batman is going to save the day, the next minute he is betrayed, then he is fighting someone a lot stronger then himself, then he is saved by the same person he’s fighting, etc. It’s just nutty. I dig it.

This issue’s main story is simple. They attack the Crime Syndicate’s hideout. This is what the issue is all about. How spoiler free is that. Bad guys fight bad guys. Lex Luthor is looking more and more like a hero. Plus, I am starting to like how they are directing him. It’s been out there for a few weeks that the next Justice League books will have Lex leading the team. Even if he is a bit “evil” they have made him fun again. Like the bad guy you root for in the movies (only because it’s fun to). He’s not just a brilliant mad man who is self driven. He only wants to kill Superman because it will better the human race. One of the best parts of this book though, he not only figures out and outsmarts Batman, he totally relates to Batman. Read the issue, you’ll know what I mean.

If you want an epic story drawn right, you hire David Finch. I’m a big fan of this man’s work. Heck, I even interviewed the man just to complement him. I have the privileged of owning some of his works of art and the best part is: he’s a down to earth nice guy. Those are the type of people you want to succeed in this business. After reading this you can tell A. I’m a Fan B. I’m biased. I can’t find a speck of imperfection for the art direction of this book. It remains my favorite series these past few weeks to just go back and look at the flow and design within a comic. It’s in my opinion, the perfect superhero book. Now are there better artists out there? Yes. Are there better comics out there with better artwork? Yes. Is there better Superhero comics… stop right there. No there is not. You can bring up J.H. Williams work on Batwoman all you want, though I found his work inventive and creative. If I am looking for the perfect modern superhero comic book i’m thinking Finch.

All in all, the book is like popcorn. Just try to stop eating it up, you won’t be able to until you are at the back cover.

4.0 out of 5.0