[BOOK REVIEW] Injustice: Gods Among Us Volume 1 by Tom Taylor

Title:  Injustice:  Gods Among Us Volume 1


Author:  Tom Taylor


Artists:  Jheremy Raapack and Mike S. Miller

Genre:  Suspense / Superheroes / Drama / Competition

Year Published:  2013

Year Read: 12/4/2014

Series:  Injustice: Gods Among Us #1

Publisher: DC Comics



Source:  Library


Content Rating:  Ages 16+ (Gory Violence)

Introduction:

Alright, so I have read many superhero comics where we see the good guys going rogue and trying to do more damage to the world then they really need to.  So, when I heard about this new comic book from DC Comics called “Injustice: Gods Among Us Volume One,” I will admit that I was a little hesitant about trying this comic out due to the premise being about superheroes fighting each other (again).  But, I was quite surprised at how good this story actually turned out!

What is this story about?

The story starts off with Superman finding out that his wife Lois Lane is pregnant and he goes to tell Batman the good news.  Unfortunately, the Joker ends up kidnapping Lois and then tricks Superman into murdering Lois by making Superman see Doomsday instead of Lois.  This horrible incident causes Superman to decide that in order to prevent more tragedies like Lois’ death; he must rule the world with an iron fist and the Justice League start helping him take control of the world. The only member of the team who is against Superman’s plan is none other than Batman himself and he tries to stop the Man of Steel from ruling over the world before it is too late!

What I loved about this story:

Tom Taylor’s writing: Now, when I heard that this comic book was based off of the popular video game of the same name, I will admit that I was extremely surprised by this since I had never read a DC or Marvel comic book that was based off of a video game before.  Tom Taylor has done a great job at adapting this story to comic book format as we learn more about why Superman had gone mad and what caused him to have a falling out with Batman.  It was also interesting seeing the different viewpoints between Batman and Superman on how they should make the world a safer place for everyone and what that could cost for people if they let the power get to their heads in achieving those goals.  I also loved the way that Tom Taylor brought out the personal drama between Batman and Superman as you can see them start out as best friends and then when Superman lost Lois Lane and started ruling the world with an iron fist, his friendship with Batman had shattered as Batman does not agree with Superman controlling the world while Superman believes this is the right thing to do to prevent more violence from happening in the world.  I actually did felt so much intensity in the story as I was hoping that things would patch up between Batman and Superman (but seeing as this is just the beginning of the story, it probably will not happen for a while) and I really hope that Superman does not turn so evil that the Justice League would have to put him down permanently to stop his madness (but I guess we will see in future volumes of this story)!

Jheremy Raapack and Mike S. Miller’s artwork:  Jheremy Raapack and Mike S. Miller’s artwork were spectacular in this volume as the characters look truly realistic and the facial expressions are so animated that I found myself actually experiencing the emotions that the characters are feeling.  I also loved how the fight scenes are drawn, especially with the scenes of Superman and Batman fighting off their foes in a spectacular fashion.

What made me feel uncomfortable about this story:

The reason why I took off half a point from the rating is because while I think that the concept of this book was pretty interesting, I am currently at that point where I am getting sick and tired of seeing superheroes fight each other and this comic book was another attempt at having superheroes fighting each other.  Also, if you have not played the game “Injustice: Gods Among Us” before, then chances are you might be a bit confused about what is really going on in this story or how it connects to the current DC universe.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, “Injustice: Gods Among Us Volume One” is a pretty interesting story about how a tragedy can affect a person’s life in a negative way and the moral grounds that are explored in making the world a better place for everyone. I am definitely checking out the second volume of this series!