Review: Son of Batman

When the mercenary Deathstroke stages a coup to seize control of the League of Assassins, Talia al Ghul seeks out Batman to help protect the League's rightful heir. As it turns out, said heir also happens to be the Dark Knight's son. With this new revelation hanging over his head, Batman must stop Deathstroke and learn to cope with his wayward son.

Son of Batman is a 2014 animated film starring Jason O'Mara, Stuart Allan, Morena Baccarin, Thomas Gibson and David McCallum. It is based off of the 2006 graphic novel Batman and Son, written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Andy Kubert.

As the sixth Batman-centric film from DC Universe Animated Original Movies line, Son of Batman is less about the Dark Knight himself and more about his spunky new sidekick. We're introduced to Damian Wayne in the film's opening scenes as Ra's al Ghul's loyal grandson and as a fearsome warrior in his own right. From then on, much of the action of the film pivots on Damian as a character and his development from unquestioning assassin to Batman's partner. The film hits all the right notes with Damian in this respect. He's got significantly more attitude than any previous Robin and he's also the most violent, but this also means he has the most to learn about being a hero from Batman. As such, Son of Batman becomes a story of Damian's growth from would-be villain to reluctant hero.

While this film is an adaptation of Batman and Son, many changes are made to alter the characters and narratives of the source text. Damian's behaviour, for instance, is toned down. Tim Drake is also phased out as Batman's partner in the film in favour of using Dick Grayson instead. The most notable change, however, was the shifting of antagonists. Batman and Son was a character assassination of Talia al Ghul, transforming her from Batman's true love to being an all-out murdering rapist. Morrison played fast and loose with Talia's character and past, making her out to be someone she wasn't. The writers and producers of Son of Batman rectify that. Talia is far more affectionate and caring in this film, looking out for Damian's best interests. With Talia firmly rooted in the role of protective mother (and later damsel in distress - eye roll), Deathstroke steps in as the film's villain.

Deathstroke fits in remarkably well within the narrative of the League of Assassins and is the ideal villain for this story. His motivations are carefully laid out and certainly makes him seem far more power-hungry than the lame version we got in Arrow. Interestingly, the film doesn't explore the notion of Deathstroke being a rival to Batman. We do know that Slade was miffed about Talia falling for Bats, but the focus never wavers from the grudge between him and Damian. In this sense, it's a little less predictable and convinces audiences to invest more in Damian.

The animation for Son of Batman follows the same style of Justice League: War, as it should considering they're meant to be within the same continuity. There's a vague anime quality to it, in addition to its vaguely noir aesthetic. The settings provide a very rich background for the story to play off of. From Gotham City's harbour to the League of Assassins home base, we see a veritable tapestry of looks for this film. I'm also rather fond of the character models. Batman's is a little off, particularly due to his overlong ears, but the rest look pretty snazzy. I'm particularly obsessed with the look Talia sports, as it's a beautiful update on what she looked like in the DC Animated Universe. Also worth noting are all of the carefully choreographed fight scenes. This film features some pretty cool action sequences that are among the best from the DCUAOM line.

Son of Batman is an entertaining film through-and-through. Despite its lack of focus on Batman himself, I do like the dynamic established between Damian and his father. I also appreciate the effort put into developing Damian as a multi-dimensional character. In fact, one of my favourite scenes occurs near the end when he is reunited with his mother. It's a sweet scene that illustrates the good aspects of both his character and Talia's. Son of Batman is full of action too and it's bloody action at that. Fans of Batman are sure to be satisfied with this film, but those who are on the fence about Damian's character aren't likely to be swayed. Also, did Talia al Ghul really have to be a damsel in distress? That's my one big complaint. Other than that, Son of Batman is pretty darn enjoyable.

RATING: B

Review: Justice League Volume 6 - Injustice League

In the aftermath of the Crime Syndicate’s takeover of Earth, Lex Luthor and Captain Cold are being hailed heroes for their role in the Syndicate’s defeat. Now, Luthor is demanding entrance into the Justice League and is doing everything he can to convince the public of his beneficence. The League is wary of inviting him into their ranks, but as the old adage goes – “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

Justice League Volume 6: Injustice League collects issues 30-39 of Justice League, written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Doug Mahnke, Ivan Reis, Scott Kolins and Jason Fabok.

Injustice League is a return to form for writer Geoff Johns after the lackluster work found in the preceding volume of this series. With Forever Evil finished, Johns explores the consequences of the world’s greatest supervillain suddenly becoming Earth’s apparent savior. It’s an interesting concept to consider, the notion that Lex Luthor could be a hero and could fight alongside the heavyweights in the Justice League. Even still, he has to earn the right to be on the team and Johns doesn’t take the easy road by making it seem like Luthor has had a change of heart. It’s very clear that he’s still just as shady as ever.

This trade is split into two distinctive arcs. The first deals with Luthor’s campaign to be elected into the Justice League, which coincides with a conflict between the League and the recently formed Doom Patrol over the new bearer of the Power Ring. Much of the focus in these issues goes to Luthor, Batman, and the Doom Patrol, which means we don’t see a whole lot of the rest of the League. Johns’ take on the Doom Patrol is certainly interesting, particularly since he uses the classic team and puts his own spin on it. I really like the inclusion of Element Woman, especially since I was disappointed that she was written out prematurely during the conclusion of Trinity War. She’s a fantastic character, so it was nice to see more of her. Needless to say, she was the standout amongst the Doom Patrol members. This is also due to the severe underdevelopment of the rest of the characters, whose personalities are fairly one-note and whose origins and abilities are only dealt with in a cursory manner. The diminished role of the League itself is also unsatisfying, as this is their book and there had been very little focus placed on them as a unit since the onset of Trinity War.

The second arc is far more engaging and features a pretty neat storyline. It puts a new spin on the classic Justice League foe Amazo, shifting the enemy from an android to an unstoppable virus that turns humans into pseudo-zombies and gives them superpowers in the process. Nearly everyone in Metropolis is infected, leaving only a handful of heroes to find a cure. Johns uses this arc to explore Luthor’s continued path to legitimacy as a hero, as well as to play with some of the tropes of the zombie fiction subgenre. The reinvention of Amazo as the product of a virus is a really cool idea and breathes new life into an otherwise stale character. The continued use of Captain Cold as part of the supporting cast gives the dynamic a little flavor, while the prominence of Wonder Woman throughout leads to plenty of cool action sequences.

Aside from the focus placed on Lex Luthor, Injustice League is notable for the introduction of Jessica Cruz – the then-new owner of the Power Ring. While one would expect Johns to focus a lot on her development, she’s woefully underused throughout. We get bits of her origin, as well as some relationship building scenes with the Flash, but that’s about it. She’s de-commissioned for most of the Amazo arc, while the Doom Patrol sucks up a lot of the spotlight prior to that. She has the potential to be a really interesting character though, particularly due to her being promoted as the first official female Green Lantern from Earth (note: Jade was actually part of Kyle Rayner’s Corps in the ‘90s).

Despite there being some shafting of characters, Justice League Volume 6: Injustice League is a great read. Johns skillfully re-establishes the team’s dynamic Post-Forever Evil and continues to show his strength as a dialogue writer. His inclusion of Lex Luthor into the League is interesting and creates tension within the team, while the Doom Patrol and Jessica Cruz both have tremendous potential to be really cool if utilized properly. Beyond Johns’ work, the art in this collection is deserving of praise. While I’m not the biggest fan of Kolins’ work, the art done by Reis, Mahnke and Fabok is nothing short of spectacular. In fact, Fabok proves to be the shining star of this trade. His pencils are detailed, crisp and beautiful to look at. His Wonder Woman and the new design he’d given her are fabulous.

RATING: B

Review: Birds of Prey Volume 1 - Trouble In Mind

Having uncovered a secret web of sleeper agents under the control of a man known only as Choke, Black Canary assembles an elite special ops team to free them from his command. Her ragtag group of would-be heroines must overcome internal strife in order to defeat this unseen menace.

Birds of Prey Volume 1: Trouble In Mind collects Birds of Prey issues 1-7, written by Duane Swierczynski and illustrated by Jesus Saiz.

Out of all the launch titles from DC Comics’ New 52 relaunch, Birds of Prey was one of the riskiest and most unique. Following on the heels of Gail Simone’s short-lived return to the team Post-Brightest Day, writer Swiercynski did everything right in his reinvention of the Birds. Rather than use the same cast from Simone’s fan-favourite runs on the group, he opted for a far more unusual roster consisting of Black Canary (a must for any Birds team), the sword-swinging Katana, new heroine Starling, and villainess Poison Ivy. These four have an electric chemistry and aesthetic that pops off the page, which is largely due to Swiercynski’s memorable dialogue and Saiz’s gorgeous artwork.

One of the most interesting aspects to Swiercynski’s Birds is the shift in the dynamic of the concept of the team when Oracle is removed from the equation. Without the computer savvy hacker backing them, the Birds become more active protagonists who are constantly thinking and reacting. Black Canary is now the de facto leader and, as such, does a whole lot more detective work than the Pre-Flashpoint character had done while working with Oracle. In other words, she’s not just the muscle anymore – she’s the brains of the operation. The other characters on the team similarly fill distinctive roles. Starling is the fast-talking, impulsive sharpshooter, Katana is the silent warrior, and Poison Ivy is the not to be trusted wild card. These character types work incredibly well together, particularly when tossed into the high stakes world of espionage and anti-terrorism. The tension is heightened and it allows you to become more invested in the story because the characters are so layered.

Of all the characters present in this collection, none stands out quite as much as Starling. She’s an absolute riot as the edgy gun-slinging Rockabilly badass of the group. Her quippy dialogue peppers the story quite well, particularly due to her penchant for mocking Poison Ivy and sarcasm towards Katana talking to her sword. Beyond the humour, there’s also a really beautiful friendship between her and Black Canary that ultimately becomes the nucleus around which everything else builds upon. This is extremely important as Birds of Prey, above all else, has always been about the importance of friendship. Canary and Starling’s friendship fills this niche rather well, which thankfully shows Swiercynski’s understanding of what makes Birds of Prey such a fan-favourite concept.

Jesus Saiz’s art is a major draw for this title. His illustrations paired with Swiercynski’s dialogue are a match made in heaven. I absolutely loved Saiz’s art on the acclaimed Manhunter series written by Marc Andreyko and I love it just as much in this collection. It’s sharp, it’s colourful and it’s stylish. He draws each character so distinctively, perhaps moreso than he’d done in Manhunter. His Canary is absolutely gorgeous and his Starling always appears super sassy, but it’s his Poison Ivy that leaps off the page. He draws her New 52 look like a master, making her appear as this vaguely otherworldly creature. Additionally, his action and splash pages are something to behold. For example, the opening scene from the first issue where Starling crashes through a church is forever seared in my mind. He really knows how to stage and choreograph a fight on a page, allowing the characters just the right amount of space in a panel and draws it in a way that is pure, unfiltered storytelling. Of course, it certainly helps that Swiercynski’s minimalist writing style (i.e. not cluttering pages with verbose dialogue and narrative) gives him the room to really tell the story visually.

At its core, Birds of Prey Volume 1: Trouble In Mind is a riotous wild ride. The titular team must stop Choke from activating his unwitting suicide bombers, while learning to trust one another in the process. This book features amazing dialogue and stunning artwork, perhaps some of the best from DC Comics’ New 52. For fans of action, espionage and/or female-led comics, this is a must-read trade. It’s exciting, engrossing and features some of the most distinctive characters circa 2011.

RATING: A-

Review: Justice League Volume 5 - Forever Heroes

With the Crime Syndicate’s hold on Earth growing, a gravely injured Cyborg suits up once more to take down the Syndicate’s dangerous AI Grid. But first he must find the mysterious Metal Men and convince them to assist him in bringing down the Syndicate.

Meanwhile, Grid ponders its inability to process emotion and looks into the pasts of its fellow Crime Syndicate members in order to feel something – anything.

Justice League Volume 5: Forever Heroes collects Justice League 24-29, written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Ivan Reis and Doug Mahnke.

Forever Heroes is divided into two parts. The first three issues detail the origins of the Crime Syndicate members (save for Superwoman) as Grid attempts to learn something about emotion through their past experiences. These issues provide some background information for the primary antagonists of ForeverEvil, but they ultimately seem ill-placed in a title like Justice League. This should be a book where big things happen, not where we get exposition and filler. Truth be told, Forever Evil probably could have been eschewed as a mini-series and should have instead been treated as a proper arc in the pages of Justice League. The backstories given are pretty standard and vary in quality. Issue 24 serves as Ultraman’s origin story, 25 is Owlman’s and 26 goes breezes through Power Ring, Johnny Quick, Atomica and Deathstorm. Owlman’s is easily the most interesting and multi-dimensional, putting some unexpected twists into his previous backstories. The lack of an origin story for Superwoman was a disappointing omission.

The remaining three issues of this collection deal with the return of Cyborg and his quest to defeat Grid. This arc fares better than what preceded it, mostly because it’s not just a series of flashbacks. Johns continues to write a compelling Cyborg, portraying him increasingly as a responsible and courageous hero.  I also think that Johns executed the introduction of the Metal Men rather well, in addition to their overall inclusion in the arc. He uses them, along with Cyborg and Grid, to consider the theme of human emotion and how that translates to non-humans. It’s an effective and interesting subject to consider. Aside from that, the arc is mostly unremarkable. Since the main action involving the Crime Syndicate was occurring in Forever Evil, the events here come across like background noise.

Justice League: Forever Heroes is probably the steepest drop in quality for Justice League since Geoff Johns and Jim Lee launched it in 2011. The art is beautiful, but it feels wasted on what amounts to a half-hearted tie-in to Forever Evil. The work here serves as background information and contextualization for the aforementioned mini-series. The new suit Cyborg gets is pretty snazzy and he’s a standout character in this collection, but he’s one of the few things worth checking out here.

RATING: C+

Review: Justice League - War

When a string of mysterious kidnappings force Batman and Green Lantern into a reluctant joint investigation, they discover that it is part of a much larger plot to initiate an alien invasion on Earth. They must then team up with the world’s greatest heroes – Superman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Shazam and the newcomer Cyborg – in order to stop the invasion and defeat the seemingly unstoppable menace Darkseid.

Justice League: War is a 2014 animated film starring Alan Tudyk, Jason O’Mara, Michelle Monaghan, Justin Kirk, Christopher Gorham, Shemar Moore and Sean Astin. It is based on the graphic novel JusticeLeague: Origin by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee.

Justice League: War serves as the origin story for the Justice League under the new continuity set within the DC Universe Animated Original Movies canon and smartly adapts Johns’ and Lee’s best-selling series from DC Comics’ New 52 initiative. As with any good superhero team-up story, an alien invasion breaks out and it’s up to the titular band of heroes to stop it. This narrative can be stale, particularly considering how it was also used in the seminal Justice League and the record-breaking Marvel’s The Avengers. Yet, Justice League: War proves itself to be an endlessly entertaining 79 minutes of incredible non-stop action. What helps this film to stand out is its terrifyingly powerful antagonist and the distinctive personalities of the protagonists.

Much of the praise for Justice League: War deserves to land squarely in the lap of Geoff Johns and Jim Lee. They were the ones who laid down the foundation for this film with their work on the source text. In fact, much of the dialogue and scenes are taken straight from the pages of Justice League: War. This is partly why the characters seem so vibrant and brimming with personality. The dialogue between Batman and Green Lantern proves to be quite hilarious, while Wonder Woman’s flip-flopping between the naïve fish-out-of-water to fearsome warrior serve as standout character moments. In fact, some of the funniest scenes in the film come directly from the source material – notably Batman removing Green Lantern’s ring to prove a point and Wonder Woman’s infamous ice cream experience. This levity helps the film from feeling too dark and gives it a sense of light-heartedness.

Unfortunately, some of the flaws that were present in the source text ended up being translated to Justice League: War. With the exception of Cyborg, none of the characters in the film are given any kind of expository origin story. Some of the characters are defined rather well – Batman is a shadowy vigilante, Green Lantern is a space cop and Wonder Woman is part of a political envoy – but the rest of the characters are question marks. The Flash largely fades into the background, particularly due to his more muted personality and lack of narrative definition. Superman is similarly not very memorable, but much of this has to do with the fact that he’s held captive by Darkseid for a substantial chunk of the film. It’s tough to juggle a cast this large and, for the most part, each one gets an opportunity to shine. In the case of Justice League: War, it’s just a matter of some characters shining more brightly than others.

One of the biggest changes in adapting Justice League: Origin to an animated film was the replacement of Aquaman with Captain Marvel/Shazam. This was both a good and a bad idea. The good of it was that Aquaman wasn’t all that important to the source text, so his exclusion could have meant that there would be more room to develop the other characters. It also meant that the character would receive more attention due to the sequel hinging largely on Atlantis (in Justice League: Throne of Atlantis). The bad of it is that his replacement seems unnecessary. For one thing, Captain Marvel/Shazam is a relatively obscure character whose origins and powers aren’t properly defined in context within the film. His schtick, of course, is that he’s a kid who transforms into a super-powered adult by saying the magic word “Shazam.” In the New 52, Johns dedicated a series of back-up stories to building towards the introduction of the character. Here, he’s already a hero with powers and not much is said about the fact that he’s an orphan living in a foster home or where his powers come from. In other words, he’s far less accessible than Aquaman. The even bigger problem is that Captain Marvel/Shazam sucks up so much attention. He’s a hormonal, showboating powerhouse, which translates to him being comedic relief and to him receiving more focus than the Flash or Superman (or even Cyborg).

After the abysmal animation for Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, the animators clearly stepped up their game and went with a more palatable style for this film. It’s more streamlined and not as oddly proportioned. Wonder Woman also receives a redesign, which is both super cool. Her costume is not strapless and her accessories cover more of her skin, while her hair is pulled back into an incredibly long ponytail. The animators also do a stupendous job on the action sequences.  Given the fact that a good chunk of the film is the crazy knock-down-drag-out grudge match with Darkseid, the animations really hit it out of the park with how brutal the fight scenes are. They’re fast-paced and put our heroes through the ringer as they attempt to bring down Darkseid. Their extremely narrow victory further emphasizes just how badass their foe is, which ultimately heightens the tension and highlights the necessity for the Justice League.

Justice League: War is a fantastic re-telling of the Justice League’s origins. It’s arguably one of the best and the film itself does a great job of illustrating who these heroes are. While not all of the characters stand out, the majority does and come across as multi-dimensional (and often funny) individuals. The film is action-packed and features some of the most memorable fights ever seen in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line. If you’re looking for a fun animated film about superheroes, then I’d highly recommend Justice League: War.

RATING: B+

Review: Wonder Woman Volume 5 - Flesh

Having bested the deadly First Born in battle, Wonder Woman is crowned as the new God of War. While she’s expected to take up her rightful place on Mount Olympus, it’s clear that the Amazon Princess has no intention of doing so. Meanwhile, the nefarious Cassandra is hellbent on rescuing the First Born after he is captured by Apollo. As the First Born’s most devoted (and demented) follower, she will stop at nothing to find him.

Wonder Woman Volume 5: Flesh collects issues 24-29 of Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman #23.2, written by Brian Azzarello and illustrated by Cliff Chiang and Goran Sudzuka.

As Azzarello’s run on Wonder Woman hurtles towards it conclusion, Flesh serves as a brilliant reminder of where we are in this epic and how far these characters have come. This volume, on the surface, appears transitional. It serves a bridge towards the climax of Azzarello’s tenure on the book, functioning as the set-up for Wonder Woman’s final fight against the First Born. Of course, this is nothing new for the New 52 Wonder Woman title. From the get-go, it has unfolded like an ancient Greek epic – expansive and never-ending, consistently building towards and hinting at something bigger and badder for the Amazon Princess. Where the preceding volume suffered from the transitive nature of Azzarello’s storytelling, Flesh is so much more layered and exciting.

The overall themes of this collection are rebirth and redemption. Azzarello hones in on his characters, catching them at a distinctive moment of change for each of them. Wonder Woman is the new God of War, Hermes is actively seeking forgiveness for his past indiscretions, Zola seeks her independence, and Hera’s role within the Wonder Woman family shifts drastically. The interplay between Wonder Woman and the Gods is really interesting, particularly since we’re getting to see the different facets of Diana’s personality. She toys with Artemis, consoles Hera and rebels against Apollo. Most fascinating, however, may be her relationship with Hermes. Despite all Hera has done, Diana has forgiven her – but she has not extended the same privilege to the messenger god. It shows that our titular heroine is not without flaws or beyond holding grudges.

Volume after volume, Azzarello continues to make me love and care for these characters. They grow and evolve, especially in Flesh. Once again, I find myself drawn to Hera. She’s been a source of comedic relief, particularly when played against Zola. Here, she’s given even more dimensions. We see Hera mourning her former life more seriously, as well as embracing her new life as a mortal. She provides readers with an interesting commentary on what it means to be human.

Wonder Woman Volume 5: Flesh is yet another exciting entry into Azzarello’s impeccable take on the Amazon Princess. Chiang and Sudzuka’s art work in tandem to create a stylish and cohesive aesthetic for this world, something which has been consistent across the entirety of Azzarello’s tenure on Wonder Woman. The changes made to the characters in this volume are intriguing and breathe new life into this series. Unlike most other writers who write for the Big Two, Azzarello proves how rewarding and engaging a comic book can be when you abandon the six-part storyline format. By the end of this collection, you realize that you’ve been reading a seamless continuous story not contrived solely for the purpose of being sold as a trade paperback. Above all else, you’re left loving Wonder Woman and waiting with bated breath for what’s going to happen next.

RATING: A-

Review: Suicide Squad Volume 5 - Walled In

During the Crime Syndicate’s takeover of the Earth, the most dangerous villains are freed from their prisons in hopes of unleashing anarchy on the world. With the members of Task Force X free from her purview, Amanda Waller must find a way of bringing them back into the fold in order to defeat the Thinker.

Suicide Squad Volume 5: Walled In collects Suicide Squad #24-30 and Suicide Squad: Amanda Waller #1, written by Matt Kindt and Sean Ryan.

This collection functions as a pseudo tie-in to Forever Evil. The plot of that event has bled over into the lives of the Suicide Squad, creating a slight jump in the overall flow of their narrative. It’s jarring and makes the title far less accessible than it previously had been. Readers unfamiliar with Forever Evil are likely to be confused as to what’s going on and even those who are may be displeased with the direction taken with the Squad. Harley and co have been freed from Belle Reve, while Amanda Waller is stuck in the prison she formerly ran. It’s an inversion of roles, but is done haphazardly as a result of Forever Evil imposing its status quo onto the DC Universe at large.

Overall, Walled In is a bit of a chore to read. Its narrative hinges on two teams converging on Belle Reve with the intention of defeating O.M.A.C., a powerful cyborg that the Crime Syndicate has turned into a weapon. What’s really cool about this arc is that we see Power Girl and Steel teaming up to help in the effort to stop O.M.A.C. Power Girl in particular is a standout in this volume, as her snarky personality and aggression on the battlefield give her a unique presence amongst the other characters. King Shark is another memorable character, whose development is rather notable. We finally get his origin (which is tragic, I might add), cementing my growing affection for his character. Sadly, Power Girl and King Shark are pretty much the only good things about this volume. Harley Quinn oddly fades into the background, Deadshot continues to be unremarkable and the rest of the cast is kind of blah. 

This particular volume acts as the final note in the Suicide Squad saga that started with Adam Glass at the helm in 2011. As such, Walled In provides zero closure and almost no character development. It closes on something of a cliffhanger, which is obviously intended to be the lead-in to the New Suicide Squad title. It’s recommended to those who have stuck with the series, but isn’t an essential read to anyone looking for some Suicide Squad fun.

RATING: C-

Review: Justice League - The Flashpoint Paradox

When the Flash finds himself trapped in an alternate timeline, he must team-up with that reality’s Batman in order to stop a brutal war being waged by Aquaman and Wonder Woman. But first, he must recover his powers and determine what has happened to place him in this strange world.

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox is a 2013 animated film based off of the graphic novel Flashpoint, originally written by Geoff Johns. It stars Justin Chambers, C. Thomas Howell, Kevin McKidd and Michael B. Jordan.

The Flashpoint Paradox is a dark and deeply moving film that grapples with a lot of mature themes, so much so that it makes you wonder how the film achieved a PG-13 rating. The plot focuses primarily around Barry Allen – otherwise known as the Flash – whose childhood was marred by the murder of his beloved mother. We see that as an adult he’s become an incredible hero and has rightfully earned his place among the Justice League. Then, out of nowhere, he wakes up in another world. This abrupt shift is jarring and not very well executed, but the events that follow are certainly very bleak. Barry no longer has his powers and he is now trapped in a reality where Aquaman and Wonder Woman have nearly destroyed the Earth because of a war between Atlantis and Themyscira.

The film stays relatively close to the source material, though it is further supplemented by the many comic book one-shots that were written to tie into the Flashpoint universe. The idea of a darker, more depressing world created by a ripple or change in time is not a new concept, which made the original Flashpoint fairly lackluster. Over the course of the film, and the graphic novel it was adapted from, we see just how terrible this timeline is and how desperately it needs to be changed back to what it once was. It’s fairly predictable and unremarkable. Nevertheless, I do appreciate the idea of a major comic book event centering around the Flash. It’s a nice change. When looked at through that lens, The Flashpoint Paradox is a fascinating character study of the Flash and helps to endear the viewer to him. Over the course of the film, we understand who he is and what it means for him to be a hero.

Unfortunately, the Flash is pretty much the only likeable character in the film. Batman is a jerk, Cyborg naively follows the government’s orders, Aquaman is a relentless dictator, and Wonder Woman is a terrifyingly violent madwoman. The latter two characters serve as the antagonists for The Flashpoint Paradox, which actually angers me as a Wonder Woman fan. The set-up for her character’s descent into villainy is shallow and seems out of character for her. Regardless of how messed up this world may be, Wonder Woman would never carry on an affair with a married man and would never kill Mera out of “self-defense.” Are we really to believe that she couldn’t just use her lasso to bind Mera and help her to calm down? The fact that we then see Wonder Woman murder innocent people, and children in particular, is unsettling and unnecessary.

In fact, a lot of this film is unsettling. It relies heavily on bloody violence and gore, which I’d imagine is done to really shock the reader. It’s a very cheap and obvious way of portraying how messed up this world is. The various deaths could have been portrayed far more imaginatively. I understand the choice made to be as gruesome as possible, but it’s distracting and doesn’t actually add much to the plot. You could also say the same for the sheer number of characters that appear over the course of the film’s 81 minute running time. It wasn’t necessary to cram as many characters as possible into the movie. It probably would have been just as effective, if not more effective, to tone down the violence and be more selective with which characters made the final cut.

The Flashpoint Paradox is not a pretty movie – and I’m not just speaking about the grim alternate reality it is set in. The animation is far too exaggerated, particularly due to the rather comedic proportions of the characters in the film. The characters’ faces all look pretty darn great. They’re expressive and most likely inspired by anime styles that are oriented more towards older viewers. Unfortunately, once you get past the neck the characters look awful. The men have massive shoulders and chests, but have waistlines that would rival the waif-like Audrey Hepburn. Depending on the character, we see something similar happen with the women. They’ll have tiny heads placed on hulking bodies, consisting of huge shoulders and thighs contrasted against impossibly small waistlines. Needless to say, I’m not a fan of the animation style. Many of the preceding films in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line have been absolutely gorgeous (especially Wonder Woman), so it’s disappointing to have such an adverse reaction to the animation here.

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox is far from being one of my favourite films in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line. It’s depressing, laborious and contains a lot of characterization I’m not fond of. I do have praise for it being a Flash-centric story and applaud the explorative work done on his character in this film. However, better stories could have been told… perhaps one where Wonder Woman doesn’t come across as irredeemably evil and where I don’t hate her. Just saying. It does seem like they wanted to use this film as a bridge between the previous Justice League films and the new continuity set in Justice League: War, but the fact remains that the source text (Johns’ Flashpoint) is still one of the weakest events DC has put out in the past decade or so.

RATING: C

Review: Suicide Squad Volume 4 - Discipline and Punish

After a disastrous rescue mission, the Suicide Squad return to Belle Reve battered and fractured. Little time is left for them to recover as they’re forced back into the field with a new, mysterious leader. If that weren’t enough, Amanda Waller finds herself inextricably allied with the sociopath James Gordon Jr.

Suicide Squad Volume 4: Discipline and Punish collects Suicide Squad #20-23, along with the Harley Quinn and Deadshot Villains Month tie-ins.

Discipline and Punish is a fast-paced action romp that pushes its characters to their limits. This collection is fairly short, with the bulk of its content being pulled from four issues of Suicide Squad. However, writer Ales Kot makes the most of it. Kot keeps the cast small and writes each character with a very distinct voice. The addition of Batgirl’s psychotic brother to the cast was completely unexpected and provides an interesting twist to the overall dynamic of the book. He functions as Amanda Waller’s devoted right-hand, which is both weird and fascinating all at the same time. Of course, there’s no denying Harley is still the star of the book. Her continued interactions with Deadshot, as well as a scene involving her dealing with a faux-Joker, serve as standouts for her character. Her dialogue is on point and there’s this persistent sense that she could betray the team at any given moment.

Another character I’ve grown to like in this series is King Shark. He started out as a one-dimensional aggressive tank in earlier collections, but Kot is finally exploring the inner psyche of this would-be villain. There’s a child-like innocence to him, as well as an intelligence that Waller prefers for him not to exhibit. On the flipside of this there’s Deadshot. Like King Shark, he’s been developed further and is still obviously intended to be one of the books mainstays. Unfortunately, I just can’t bring myself to care for this version of the character.

The Villains Month tie-ins for Harley and Deadshot that were collected in this volume are of an inferior quality to the main series. They function awkwardly as half-baked origin stories, supplemented with contextualization for where both characters are siding in the events of Forever Evil. Harley’s story is predictably the better of the two. We’re given a glimpse into her childhood, seeing that academics were the only way for her to escape from the dysfunction that surrounded her. In the cons column, the events of the issue do clash slightly with the origin we were given in the first volume of Suicide Squad and her mass murder of children seemed a little over-the-top even for her. Deadshot’s one-shot, meanwhile, was wholly unremarkable and lacked any developments that would endear the character to me.

I would cite this volume as being a turning point in my affection for the New 52’s Suicide Squad. Under previous writer Adam Glass’ pen, the series functioned as “Harley Quinn and a bunch of random D-list characters I could care less about.” However, the continued feverish pacing of the title and the eventual development of the rest of the main cast made it a must-read. It’s a fun book that never takes itself too seriously, like a big budget blockbuster that knows it’s absurd and unbelievable. 

RATING: B+