Dark Knights of Steel #4 – Tom Taylor, Writer; Bengal, Artist; Arif Prianto, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: When a new artist jumps on early in a series, it usually means bad news, but those replacements are rarely as talented as Bengal. I’m also not sure if this was a planned break, because it works very nicely as an issue for Yasmin Putri to take a break—because this issue largely takes place decades in the past and explains much of the complex backstory of the royal family, as told by Alfred. Back when the Els were new on Earth, they weren’t king and queen, nor did they intend to be—they were simple people living in the woods and raising their child as they tried to understand Earth. But when their new home in the shadow of the Wayne kingdom was threatened by a volcanic eruption, they vowed not to let history repeat itself and sought to warn the kingdom of it—only to be undone by the machinations of King Thomas’ advisor, Lex Luthor. With no other option, they revealed themselves and their powers to the world.
What ensues is a fascinating family drama, one of betrayal—most notably the tryst between Martha and Jor-El. But what comes out of it is oddly beautiful, and the fact that the two families essentially share a son now somehow bonds them closer. But something dark is lurking, and Taylor manages to build the tension brilliantly until an old enemy returns and brings us to the moment we all know is coming. How the Els become King and Queen isn’t what I was expecting, and it adds some fascinating wrinkles to Bruce’s role in the story. Seeing Bruce, Kal, and the younger Zara playing as children is heartbreaking, given that we know things are likely not going to end well at all between the three of them. Four issues in, this isn’t as dark as the previous Taylor alternate realities, but it’s no less fascinating. It’s essentially a family tragedy, and one of the best books in DC’s stable right now.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
