Dark Crisis: Young Justice #2 – Meghan Fitzmartin, Writer; Laura Braga, Artist; Luis Guerrero, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: Something is very wrong on this world—and maybe on more than one world. The first issue of this Dark Crisis tie-in, I pointed out that it seemed like a lot of things were just a little off. Characters seemed to be talking past each other. Others seemed to be oddly caustic, like Cassie seeming to have a strange grudge against Tim, Bart, and Conner that had never been addressed before. This issue makes clear, with the two characters on different worlds, that this is very much by design. The three boys have found themselves on a recreation of the world of the 1990s, one that seems designed to give them everything they want—including their mentors’ mantles. And at every turn, Cassie—cheerful and seemingly only there to support them—is there to encourage their ambitions. But there’s a dark side to it, as their mentors don’t seem interested in who they are now—including Batman referring to Tim’s involvement with Bernard as a phase.
And on the main Earth, things aren’t much better. Cassie’s realized what she lost after her odd comments last issue, and has sought out Cissie for help tracking them down. But Cissie seems to have an odd amount of hatred for Young Justice as a whole, viewing her former teammates with contempt and arguing that they were actually in some ways the bad guys of that era. I find it odd that her actual reasons for quitting the team—being forced into the role by her emotionally abusive mother, and nearly losing control and killing a school shooter—weren’t addressed. But it’s clear that Fitzmartin has done her research into YJ lore, because there are a surprising number of deep-cut callbacks. That goes for the hinted big bad as well, one of the most powerful foes Young Justice ever faced. It’s hard to judge this comic yet, because it feels like we’re being kept at arm’s length, but it’s highly intriguing.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
