DCeased: War of the Undead Gods #7 – Tom Taylor, Writer; Trevor Hairsine/Andy Lanning, Lucas Meyer, Artists; Rain Beredo, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: With only one issue left of this epic, thirty-issue-plus saga, it’s clear that time is working against both our heroes and the creative team. There is so much ground to cover, so many more major events to unfold, that things can feel heavily compressed. That’s why it works well to have the entire thing be narrated by a singular voice—that of Alfred Pennyworth, who lost almost everything early in the anti-life war and has now had his rage acknowledged by the almighty—and become the new bearer of the Spectre. That’s just one of the many bizarre twists that have unfolded in this series, including Cass Cain becoming the new Shazam. But now that the kindest man in the DCU has the voice of heavenly rage in his head, he’s in danger of losing himself and lashing out at the anti-life forces instead of trying to save them. That is, until Damian Wayne reaches out with some of his last energy.
The thing about this series is that death isn’t permanent—both for good and bad. Those who are lost rarely stay down and often try to kill their loved ones—but now they can be saved. The key question of fighting to save those lost or fighting to save the universe has largely defined this issue, and the stakes are deeply personal here. A lot of characters play starring roles here, but the best may be Cyborg—who started the series as a McGuffin and ended it as a hero. A showdown between him, Brainiac, and the anti-life virus has a great twist that may just turn the tide of the war. The ending, while it could have easily been silly in lesser hands, helps to set the stage for just how high-stakes this conflict is—so high-stakes that nothing else matters, even conflicts that have been raging for millennia. It’s hard to imagine how Taylor will bring it all to an end with only one more issue, but I’m excited to find out the answer.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
