FOREVER EVIL #4 by Geoff Johns and David Finch
I'm really digging this event. Despite the promise of Batman vs. Lex Luthor on the cover, which
kind of happens, this issue felt a little light on action. But therein lies the strength of this chapter. Showing how the characters interact during the calm before the storm made for some great reading and perhaps the best issue of
Forever Evil to date. With just three issues left, things will probably escalate in ways we can only imagine, so let's enjoy this vile and exhilarating ride while we can.
The book starts out with Batman granting Catwoman access to the Batcave for the first time in The New 52. These are two of my favorite characters in comics, so I'm always thrilled to see them interact and even more so when they're linked romantically. It's been made apparent that Selina doesn't know that Batman is Bruce Wayne in The New 52 (I'm still hoping that most of the events of
Hush are canonical), but how she didn't make the connection with half of his face being exposed due to a damaged cowl is beyond me.
As for other threads that should capture your interest, Luthor's Injustice League begins to consolidate their power. They came together at the end of issue #3 and are nearly ready to combat the Crime Syndicate and take back this Earth. Also, what Geoff Johns did with the Lex Luthor/ Bizarro relationship is quite fascinating. I'm not quite sure I would describe it as father/ son, but it adds a real sense of humanity to the character of Lex Luthor. Dissension is also brewing within the Syndicate. If you haven't read
Justice League #25, then you should do so. If you have, then you have an idea of where this is going. In short, Ultraman and Superwoman are aware that Owlman has plans that deviate from theirs, which means that this war will likely be fought from multiple fronts before this mini-series ends. We get a glimpse of that toward the end of this issue when Batman and Catwoman run into the Injustice League and Power Ring and Friends also decide to show up to the party. Batman does indeed put on a Sinestro Corps ring as hinted at on Variant Cover A, albeit briefly. A major Green Lantern villain makes his return on the final page and it's not to be missed.
David Finch does a stellar job as usual on interiors and the standard cover, but I must confess that I actually prefer Variant Cover B, which was drawn by Ethan Van Sciver. Although it's not the cover I got, I couldn't resist using it as the image for this article. I'm very tempted to secure a copy later this week. Regardless of whatever cover you elect to purchase,
Forever Evil #4 is a must buy. Being only one of two DC books on shelves this week and your wallet being a little bloated from post-holiday cash, you have no reason not to pick this up if you like any of the characters featured. It really is that good.
Score: 9/10.
Since I reviewed only one book this week, I've decided to grant a Christmas gift of sorts to my readers. If you've been reading my reviews on a weekly basis or have read only this one, I'm still grateful for your interest. Below is a screenshot I took about a year ago while playing
Batman: Arkham City. During a fight with a group of guards atop Wonder Tower, I delivered an uppercut that sent one flying and caused his head to get stuck in a gate. It's one of the most amusing displays of ragdoll physics I've ever seen.