FOREVER EVIL Month 6

FOREVER EVIL #6: The issue begins with Lex Luthor complaining about how the last two things he ever expected to do in life was help Superman and Batman to save Earth. Lex blames the superheroes for all the troubles, saying that when they banded together, that was when villains began to attack the Earth. The League has failed and the Injustice League will have to save the day. Off in Maine, the Crime Syndicate is trying to decide what to do about the red lightning that has appeared in the sky. The Outsider contacts Owlman and tells him to come back to the Watchtower immediately because of what the Grid did to Nightwing. The Injustice League arrive at the Watchtower and Sinestro's ring says there are 2 people inside. Batman and the League find  Nightwing hooked to an inescapable device called "The Murder Machine". There is a heartbeat monitor hooked to Nightwing which is hooked to a bomb that will destroy the Watchtower and everyone in it unless his heart is stopped in the next five minutes. Batman tries to defuse the bomb, but Dick insists that Batman leave him. Lex tries to suffocate him to diffuse the bomb and Batman promises to kill Lex if he kills Dick. Alfred ignores Owlman’s orders, checks on the second prisoner, and is quickly killed by Black Manta. Sinestro, Black Adam and Captain Cold discover that Firestorm is below them, but are attacked by Owlman, Johnny Quick, Ultraman, Superwoman, Deathstorm, and Atomica. Captain Cold unmasks their prisoner and takes off the tape on his mouth Atomica takes his cold gun, which he activates with the voice command: "Jingle bells, Batman smells". It freezes Johnny Quick's leg to absolute zero and is then shattered by a kick from Captain Cold. The prisoner screams his magic word "MAZAHS!" and calls down the Black Lightning from the heavens. Alex Luthor stands up, snaps Johnny Quick's neck, and absorbs his powers. Alex Luthor, now bearing a lightning bolt on his chest, tells how he intends to kill every member of the League and the Crime Syndicate and then become the greatest hero on the Earth.

Geoff Johns and David Finch race towards the climax of this mini-series that has managed to introduce characters to the NEW 52, retool some other characters and made everyone make a choice in their actions. Just in this issue alone, we have seen Johnny Quick and The Outsider bite the dust, the possible demise of Dick Grayson and the rebirth of  Alex Luthor’s alter ego, MAZAHS. Just what we need-an evil SHAZAM. I thought that was what Black Adam was all about. How this series will end is anyone’s guess right now. All we DO KNOW is that the ending will result in the ending of both NIGHTWING and JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA.

FOREVER EVIL A.R.G.U.S. #5: Steve Trevor and Killer Frost are hunting Cheetah because needs the Lasso of Truth to save the Justice League. They head into Central Park and is attacked by the Weasel, who is quickly flash frozen. Cheetah soon arrives with her team including Primape, Hell-Hound and Lion-Mane, among others. Quickly, Steve and Frost are taken captive. Meanwhile, The Crimson Men promises Dr. Light that they can make him human again in exchange for information on Steve Trevor. Back in Central Park, Cheetah decides to try to get Steve Trevor to confess his love for Wonder Woman while Frost lures Mäuschen to her cage and makes use of his life energy to feed herself and free herself. With the help of Cheetah Trevor subdues Cheetah and some of her followers. That is when Dr. Light arrives with a promise to make certain Trevor dies.

And, after this long-winded series, I almost WANT Steve Trevor to die. This continues to be the least effective of the FOREVER EVIL tie-in books. It is filled with a bunch of third string characters who just need to go away. Killer Frost had her moments early on in the series where I felt a little sympathy for her, based on her VILLAINS MONTH origin issue. But she has become a whiny little villain, Martin Stein is just boring and Trevor-why Amanda Waller hasn’t shot him years ago is anyone’s guess! Unfortunately, this is another lackluster issue from Sterling Gates and Neil Edwards.

FOREVER EVIL ARKHAM’S WAR #5: After rescuing Agatha from Blackgate Penitentiary, Jim Gordon gets his men into boats in an attempt to get them back to the city where Talons are at war with former Blackgate inmates. But Bane, wearing his Batman cowl, along with Talon William Cobb, takes on the Talons under Scarecrow’s control. While Bane fights the Talons at street level, drops a helicopter blade down and cuts the Talons in two. This allows the Talons' regenerative abilities to come to life and freeing them from Scarecrow’s control. They are now united with Bane. Meanwhile, the Scarecrow realizes that there is a chance his plan has failed. But he has a back-up plan and gasses his fellow inmates, including Mr. Freeze, Professor Pyg, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy and others, with Venom. Now they head off to kill Bane.

Peter J. Tomasi has made this one of this a toss-up between which title in these tie-in issues is best-this one or ROGUE’S REBELLION. But I think this one wins by a nose. Bane, the "Protector of Gotham", and his army of Talons prepare for the final assault by a Venom powered gang of super villains without recuperative powers. This sets up what should be a amazing final issue. And, as in past issues, the art look awesome in the form of the work from Scot Eaton and Jaime Mendoza. Gotham is so war torn right now, it might take a while to put back together. Now, if we can only figure WHERE in continuity GOTHTOPIA fits in.

FOREVER EVIL ROGUES REBELLION #5: We begin with Trickster complaining that his teammates should not have given themselves up to the Royal Flush Gang. Mirror Master explains that they did it because the Royal Flush Gang has taken Lisa Snart captive. Weather Wizard blasts a hole through the truck, causing the truck to crash. The Rogue’s are soon fighting with each other as Heat Wave is dead (maybe), Lisa is in a coma, and they have lost Captain Cold (who we know is with the Injustice League). Weather Wizard is convinced that the Rogue’s are finished and he leaves Sam and Axel, who head off to Central City. He creates illusions of Heat Wave and Weather Wizard and demands Lisa back from the gang's leader, demanding Lisa back, offering to exchange their lives for hers. A firefight errupts and Sam comes along driving a van with a mirror attached. Every time he hits one of the gang, they end up in the Mirror World. Axel gets Lisa and gives her to the Pied Piper to keep her safe.. Unfortunately, Johnny Quick and Atomica attack. They receive a call from The Grid to go back to The Watchtower and refuse. Weather Wizard, arrives and freezes Johnny Quick. Before anyone can react, one of the Royal Flush Gang shoots Marco as Grid teleports Johnny Quick and Atomica back to the Watchtower. Instead, Grid teleports in Grodd, with a whole bunch of the Secret Society.

Yeah…I AM going to say it yet again: I truly love the new Rogues and they need their own title.
Here we have bad guys trying to be good guys and managing to screw up at almost every turn.
Brian Buccellato writes a great story with these characters he knows and loves while Scott Hepburn does a great job with the art. Bring us a ROGUES monthly title…provided they survive the next issue!