Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Injustice: Ground Zero #5 Review


Why are you hitting yourself?

Written by: Chris Sebela and Brian Buccellato
Art by: Pop Mhan, J. Nanjan, Wes Abbott and Ben Oliver
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: November 1, 2016
Review by: Dillyn Chadwick

Check out Dillyn's Podcast, DC Bros. Podcast HERE

Dillyn here back at you again with another Injustice review. With such a lackluster chapter last week, I had much higher expectations with this one. Did it disappoint again or are we on a roll this time? Let’s find out!


We start off with Superman in the Fortress of Solitude. He’s making Doomsday punch himself in Supe’s holding cell for him while Hal tells him that they’ve captured Batman. He monologues to himself about how ignorant Batman is and how he’s declared war. He then flies off from the fortress. Let me just say, I’m not liking this Superman already. I think it’s because he’s just the mad, upset, whiney Injustice Supe that I know from the game. That’s just not my kind of Superman, but I get why he’s acting that way.

Next, Harley is still monologuing to herself some more while we see Joker looking off to Hawkgirl and Yellow Hal fly Batman off. Harley then confronts Joker with a shotgun, accusing him of being a fake. So far, I’m hating this art. Pop Mahn did the first chapter and I don’t remember it being that bad. The art for close ups of the characters are good here, though and it does get better later in the issue though. The biggest problem I have with it, is how the Joker looks. His hair is just way too spikey.




Joker then tries to prove to Harley he’s the real Joker, even by showing her his Bat Symbol printed underwear with his name on it, which was pretty funny. Harley monologues that she kinda found it funny because deep down she wanted it to really be Mr. J. She thinks that he’s a monster but she took a while mourning him and learning how to be happy after him.

At this moment, she could only think of the good times they’ve had, not the bad. She’s mad that someone is impersonating him, too, so she rushes in to fight him. After the fight, she knows it’s him. She feels his movements and the love in his punches. She gives into him, yet again. Gave him the keys to drive, as she says. I honestly hate how quick it was that she gave into this Joker, it’s not even her Joker. I totally understand that this abusive relationship has such a huge hold over her, but there wasn’t even a gradual progression to it. She quickly falls under his spell again and that’s what a couple of goons say, too.




Harley brings Joker back to Harley’s lair and those two goons aren’t liking what they see and hear. Harley pretty much gave her gang to Joker for him to control. He then makes a speech to the gang how he’s king and they all need to take down Superman. Next, Joker tries to eat part of a green pill while the two goons try to ice him before he takes that green pill. Just before either of them can make their move, Nightwing, Hawkgirl and the Regime police burst into the building and tell them they’re all under arrest under the name of Superman. This is where the chapter ends on a cliffhanger.

Just like Joker and Harley’s relationship, I hate a real love-hate relationship with this chapter. I understand the reason why Harley and Superman are acting the way they are in this world but it just doesn’t sit well with me the way it’s presented here. Check it out for yourself though, it really isn’t bad.

Bits and Pieces:
I was just so iffy with this chapter. The writing is really good. The art gets better only halfway through the chapter and then it’s really good. However, it was a meaty chapter. I just did not like how fast Harley fell for this other Joker so fast, after we established how she’s trying to restart her life in a Harley direction, not in Joker’s. Her future self telling this story tells us how much she regrets it, but I think we needed more time to gradually get to her mistake.

6.5/10

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