Injustice Gods Among Us Year Three #3 Review

Do you really care?

One thing I’ll give Tom Taylor – even when I know the ending to the book, he still manages to keep me hooked every page through a combination of suspense tactics and great character moments.

This issue is an exhibition of that trait, and it holds up well despite a ‘gathering of the troops’ theme.

The artwork is superb as usual, though some characters are a little off sometimes.

SPOILERS FOLLOW……………..

First of all, the cover is a lie. Swamp Thing is not featured in this book at all. Still, it looks like he will enter soon enough.

Detective Chimp is on the brink of death, and Taylor still manages to make me smile.

With Harley at the operating table, you know that the serious situation can deflate quite quickly, and so it does – as Rose Constantine’s escapade to see the hurt victim leads to Doctor Fate coming to get her. Zatanna and Alfred are there helping as well.

Harley initiates a repeat of a Robot Chicken sketch (you’re called Doctor Fate, yet you’re not actually a Doctor???) which brings a laugh but what’s heartwarming is how liberating it is to see Harley assure Rose that Chimp will live, and her contempt at Fate’s helplessness and stating matter-of-fact that he will die.

This leads to a second confrontation, as John comes to see Rose and again it is Detective Chimp’s condition that takes precedence when she mentions it. Fate commits a second faux-paus and Constantine is there to reassure Rose of Chimp’s recovery.

Klarion has been presently unusually on a side here, given he is a lord of chaos. And John implores him to help, leading to Klarion mentioning the hilarious situation laid in front of him (saving a talking chimp with the help of a psychotic clown, a magician and a bulter).

This hearkens back to the backseat Batman-Chimp laugh that John and Chas shared, with a somber touch entering the current scenario.

Rose repeats the coin-behind-the-ear trick Constantine did earlier, but when she leaves, Fate tells John that she materialized the coin out of thin air – earning an angry warning from the father that she isn’t a magician like them.

Taking Batman, Constantine now goes to meet an old friend.

Madame Xanadu though isn’t interested, and for John, it isn’t surprising given how many times he’s burnt her in pursuing his selfish crusades. But the hint of a secret linked to her makes Xanadu bring in the undesired guests.

Batman draws the cards, spelling out Blood’s death and bringing in the Blood-Xanadu love story – though John gets a severe backlash when he says he ‘cares’ that she is hurt.

Still, out of a more vengeful mood, Xanadu helps out by using her clairvoyance – and getting attacked by an unseen presence.

John manages to get her out of it – and Xanadu gives out some cryptic messages that I’ll get into a little latter.

First off all, Constantine is given a severe character study here. On one hand he’s gentle with Rose and all fatherly, while Xanadu rightfully claims that Blood’s death is John’s fault – given it was fraternizing with him that led to Spectre’s attack.

Fate’s bluntness after his last year’s Black Canary incident is surprising only when you realize it was Kent Nelson who was in control back then, and this is Lord Nabu talking, not Nelson.

I wonder if Rose’s abilities will come into play latter on, given we’re in on the secret that she really has magical abilities that John fears will make her a target.

And can one get too much of Taylor’s Harley Quinn.? Not. She is one of the highlights of this book, keeping it light even among the dreadful atmosphere.

Meanwhile, the Spectre pays a visit to Superman joining his crusade – sensing doubt in Billy, he attempts to kill him and Superman stops him (which is an interesting parallel to events in the game) while Sinestro continues his torture of the imprisoned officer.

Why the Spectre thinks that Superman’s crusade is righteous is a mystery to me. On one hand, the Joker’s death is a massive victory for vengeance and justice, but the innocent lives lost including Oliver Queen, the Corps and more surely tip the scales against Superman’s group. Using Spectre is going to be problematic here.

Now spoilers for the cryptic messages which portend to future issues….

First of all, The Lovers and The Death cards that Batman draws signify Xanadu’s lover Jason Blood is dead.

Then, when in a fit of rage, Xanadu throws the cards, we see the Tower (of Fate, where the Resistance hides from Superman), The Emperor (Superman), the Empress (Wonder Woman?) and the Magician (Constantine?).

Showing the Demon card signifying Etrigan and then the Hanged Man, means John’s association was what killed Jason even after he had undergone so much pain bonded to a demon.

Now to the messages…’the green will grow’ pertains to Swamp Thing joining Superman thanks to his efforts reducing pollution, ‘hellfire with burn’ may be Etrigan seeking retribution for Blood’s death, ‘a dead man will fall’ means Deadman may be involved even though the latter verse ‘a dead man will rise’ could mean that or a previously dead character will rise.

‘The Empress’ seems to be Wonder Woman, who is currently in a coma, though ‘The Emperor will sleep’ means Superman may be taken out of the game this year, ‘the Advisor banished’ may signify a falling out with Sinestro while the most spectacular of all is ‘The Joker will return’ and a Fool card showing up.

SPOILERS END……………

Despite us knowing where this will end up at the end, Taylor still manages to create enough suspense and include heartwarming moments and character introspections that lead to this book being a riveting read.

Mike Millar’s artwork is a little better than Redondo’s this time around, but the overall quality is still high.

So, I give this 9.0 out of 10.

+Some great character moments

+Heartwarming moments

+Nice blending of humor and bleakness

+A certain character’s abilities are exhibited well

-Some character decisions feel a little off