They say that all good things must come to an end. I wonder if the same applies to things that are just alright. Yes, dear readers, this is the final issue of The Kryptonian Age. It is no secret that I find this series middling at best, so let’s see if this final issue can do anything to combat my complaints.
A League of their own
This book has a lot to deal with going into it. This series set up a lot of plot points so answering them all in one go seems like a difficult ask. The format of the book is the same. A carousel of characters each with their own stories that we get to see. Thankfully, the Batman/Superman/Green Lantern stories are all pretty interlinked now, and we mainly only have our main other heroes featured. Cutting down the screen time of Lex Luthor, Catwoman, and other characters really does help. So as a result I guess I don’t mind the format this time around.
Now, onto the tales themselves. We start off with what I had previously considered to be one of the weaker characters. This being John Constantine. He is captured by the League of Assassins and brought to their leader. I actually really dig the way Ra’s al Ghul is set up here. John recounts his life as a man of many myths, popping up now and again throughout history. Making Ra’s somewhat of a legendary historical figure is always a win so I’d say John’s part tied up nicely.
Halfway across the world, we get to see the ballad of Diana and Adam. Maybe this is just the last of the spooky vibes from last month, but their whole situation is very Demeter-y. They’re on a boat with a creature on the lower decks threatening the safety of the crew. Unfortunately, we don’t dive into any horror. Instead, Diana goes down to confront the being. Here we get to see that it’s- the stranger that John Constantine met? He is more than meets the eye as one Lasso of Truth later we see that he is actually Martian Manhunter. Not a huge surprise, although I really like his more reptilian design here.
I Want Just-Us
We get to see some more of the Suicide Squad in action, holding a circus hostage, and this falls a bit flat for me. I sometimes forget that I came into this expecting just a Superman story but now we have the whole League and the Suicide Squad. At least the other heroes kind of tie into Supes story. the squad just feels totally superfluous and they definitely weigh down the story here.
This issue works best to showcase Leonardo Fernandez’s design chops. We’ve already seen Diana, but her armour looks great and very fitting for the world. We get to see a lot of the more obvious stitching on Bruce’s cowl. Superman and Green Lantern both have costumes that reflect not only the world they live in but their role in it. Even J’onn looking like a reptile makes him seem like a creature that would have been dreamt up at the time. Having so many stories bundled together can make a book not feel cohesive at all, and without the artwork, this series would be just that. Fernandez makes the world feel potent and alive and has easily been my favourite part of the series.
So, the question remains, does this issue manage to tie up every single loose end? Of course not. There was way too much happening to resolve it all here. Which is why the book ends with an announcement. If you read my last review, you’ll remember that I pointed out that this series was originally announced to be 12 issues but was seemingly cut down to 6. Well, we know where those other 6 issues have gone. The book ends by announcing a new series: Gotham By Gaslight – A League For Justice.
Recommended If…
- you’d like to see the story wrap up
- Fernandez’s art hooks you as much as it does me
- Diggle’s carousel of stories is a technique you enjoy.
Overall:
Wow. Did I actually enjoy this one? I mean, it’s definitely not without it’s faults. The Squad is definitely one plot point too many and I would always rather the story be more focused. With what it is though, it’s certainly not a bad execution this time around. I also think ending the series by announcing another is quite cheap. I’d rather them just announce a hiatus or something. Not to mention the fact that A League For Justice is not a great name. I’m just hoping that with this series laying the groundwork for the characters, the next one will be able to deliver some more engaging and focused stories. Oh and Batman saying “Bunkum” is one of the best panels I’ve seen.
Score: 6.5/10
English (US) · 