FOREVER EVIL MONTH 3

FOREVER EVIL #4: Blindfolded so as not to discover his secret identity, Batman has brought Catwoman to the Batcave to help him. All of his vehicles have been compromised by Grid's attack on the computers of the world, so they need to discover some other means of transportation. He shows her the set of cases with the means to take down a rogue Justice League: A Kryptonite stone, a Sinestro Ring, a lightning rod from the future and a Mother Box. He doesn't open the Aquaman case, as Earth 3's Aquaman died before he arrived. Wonder Woman's case is empty as he admits he has never found a weapon to stop her. But he knows that the other weapons should help Grid hears everything through the Batcave's security system. Meanwhile, Black Manta, Captain Cold and Bizarro watch Lex Luthor restart Black Adam's heart using his power-armor's electrical attack. Luthor has presumed that Ultraman's biology is the reverse of Superman's, as he eats Kryptonite and avoids sunlight. Speaking of which, Metallo is attacked by Ultraman, who rips the Kryptonite out of his chest and kills him. Super-Woman arrives and warns of the upcoming coup by Owlman. He also realizes she is with child. Over in Central City, Power Ring needs to recharge his ring, but is afraid it will hurt. He contacts Grid, demanding he send reinforcements. Grid cuts the connection. Luthor's group punches their way into a Wayne Enterprises strong room and run into Batman and Catwoman. Suddenly Power Ring members of  the Secret Society attack them Batman pulls out the Sinestro Corps ring, which is quickly broken by Power Ring, bragging the a yellow ring is no match for him. That is when Sinestro arrives.

Geoff Johns and David Finch continue to create the epic that is supposed to leave lasting repercussions throughout the NEW 52 DCU. For my money, I find this more satisfying than Marvel's most recent effort. While the issues of fitting within a timeline DO have me scratching my head, I am totally enjoying the pace and the story. And Finch' art is top notch!

FOREVER EVIL: A.R.G.U.S. #3: Steve Trevor has sent the President and Etta Candy to The Green Room. Dr. Light has returned, but only briefly. We flashback to five years ago when Steve and Diana were still together and he was telling her that he would be working with a new agency called A.R.G.U.S. But it’s only a vision being presented to him by the witches. After some negotiation, they send him to find Martin Stein, who is being attacked by Killer Frost. Steve and she brawl and Stein shoots her in the stomach with a shotgun. Frost needs Firestorm’s help. Firestorm is trapped by Deathstorm, who is trying to convince him to teach him how to make Kryptonite. Meanwhile, Doctor Light appears in Los Angeles by The Crimson Men? Oh yeah: Etta discovers that the keeper of The Green Room is a founding member of A.R.G.U.S. who is going to explain all over a cup of tea…next issue.

This is the weakest of the three mini-series as Sterling Gates and Neil Edwards try to turn Steve Trevor into a super hero and it just doesn’t work. I didn’t think it worked when he was in TEAM 7 and doing the same bad James Bond bit. No blame to either Gates and Edwards. Someone at DC decided that this is Trevor’s lot in life. I like him better as a military man in an office who would get in trouble and get saved by Wonder Woman.

FOREVER EVIL: ARKHAM WAR #3: Gotham City has been totally overrun as the inmates of Arkham Asylum are battling those of Blackgate, who has a leader in Bane. The Arkham crew have stolen the Court of Owls' Talons. Bane brings Ignatius Ogilvy to the Penguin to get him to reveal the location of his Talons. Penguin tells him that Scarecrow was responsible for the kidnapping and will soon be back at Wayne Tower. Killer Croc has led his group into Wayne Tower, but Bane, dressed in a Batman cowl, intervenes and after many minutes of battle, Killer Croc is thrown from the tower.

Peter J. Tomasi and Scot Eaton continue their chapter of this mini-series within a series. And this time around it’s all about how nasty Bane is. C’mon: he goes toe to toe with killer Croc and tosses him out of the top of Wayne Tower? That’s one mean and nasty hombre! So now he hunts for his Talons and this war just gets bigger and badder. This is truly my favorite of the mini-series so far.

FOREVER EVIL: ROGUES REBELLION  #3: The Rogues arrived in Gotham City and are trapped in Poison Ivy’s vines in Robinson Park. Ivy recognizes the Rogues but has no interest in the bounty on their heads. She would rather make use of their abilities. While the other Rogues try different tactics to get free, she kisses and poisons Trickster, explaining he will die if they don’t help her. She only wants Weather Wizard to make the sun shine so her flowers will grow, but he can’t control that. Mirror Master hope to find a Wayne Tech Fabricators warehouse so he can rebuild his Mirror Gun and use a series of mirrors to project the sun down on the garden. During their search, Sam and Mick find a pale woman with two little girls, who turns out to be the Ventriloquist and two of her dummies. They find the Wayne Tech warehouse and begin collecting the parts Sam needs. While there, they are attacked by the Man-Bats and Sam gets the great idea to trap them in Mirror World. They return to Ivy, telling her to cure Axel before he helps her. She does and he wraps himself with vines, but they snap and Axel leaps in after him, to save him. A Man-Bat swoops down and attacks Weather Wizard, causing the others to give chase. Mick, enraged, warns that if Ivy tries to come after them, he will burn her garden to the ground, while the others chase after the Man-Bat and Marco, who crash into a wall of ice. Unfortunately for them, it’s not Captain Cold-it’s Mister Freeze

Brian Buccellato knows a little something about Rogues and therefore this series is a really fun success. Toss in the art of Scott Hepburn and you have a winner. I love the Rogues and they really need to have their own series. But how do you make a series out of villains that are fan favorites? Oh yeah: CATWOMAN, PUNISHER…Sorry, forgot there. Anyway, this series is a blast and I can’t wait to see where are villains with hearts end up.