Dark Knights of Steel #2 Review

 

Blame It on the Rain

Writer: Tom Taylor

Artist: Yasmine Putri, Arif Prianto, and Wes Abbott

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: December 7, 2021

I loved the first issue of Dark Knights of Steel.  I didn't know what to expect, and on the surface, a medieval DCU wasn't something I thought I needed. But, boy, was I wrong!  I couldn't wait for this issue to come out, especially after the last issue's crazy cliffhanger.  So, was Dark Knights of Steel just as good?  Let's find out...

Dark Knights of Steel #2 opens with the reactions to the last cliffhanger.  Jor-El is dead, and there is immediate shock and grief, but there is also anger.  Lots of it.  Bruce has a lot on his plate right now.  He failed to protect Jor-El, and while Kal takes it as a "you had one job" failure, there is more to it than that.  Moments before, Bruce found out Jor-El is his father, and that makes it official... being a parent of Bruce Wayne is the most dangerous thing ever!

We go off to the Kingdom of Storms, and instead of rejoicing, Constantine is a bit of a Debbie Downer when he gets the news from the Green Man.  It's a cool play by Taylor since Constantine's vision led to this.

A big part of this section is that Jefferson Pierce is a proud and loving father.  His powers have passed down to his children, and we get to see each of them display their talents.  Tom Taylor focuses a bit more on Jefferson's son, Jacob, and if you have read things like Injustice and DCeased, you should be worried.

I love Elseworlds stories like this, as we get more characters pop up as things move along.  During our podcast review of the first issue, Eric and I were already trying to figure out which characters would show up and what they would be doing, so seeing Amanda Waller, Lois Lane, and more was cool!

The rest of the issue is all about what seems to be the inevitable war brewing.  While Bruce and Kal deal with the assassin and each other, word spreads of Jor-El's assassination, and a family member decides to do something about it.  If you were waiting for an Injustice-type moment, this book indeed ends with one.  It's immense and horrific, and while it's an eye-for-an-eye, it has to mean all-out war.

I loved this issue.  Tom Taylor's character work shines, and while some will undoubtedly focus on his penchant for killing off characters, it fits the story and pushes it forward at a breakneck speed.  The art is excellent and fits this high fantasy story so well.  I want to point out that I still think Tom Taylor writes the best Harley Quinn out there.

Bits and Pieces

Tom Taylor has another winner on his hands!  Dark Knights of Steel continues from the excellent opener and may even top it. Though some may fight me on it, I think this is Taylor's best Elseworlds story since Injustice.

9.5/10