Forever Evil Event: Forever Evil: A. R. G. U. S. 3

Forever Evil: A. R. G. U. S. 3

Sterling Gates, Neil Edwards

Forever Evil Crossover

Spoiler alert!  You have been warned!

Another small week of releases to close out 2013, there were yet another two issues of the DC Comics New 52 mega-event, Forever Evil.  And while the other issue out this week, Justice League Dark 26, focuses primarily on the magic side of this war against all that is bad, this issue focuses primarily on the science.  Well, with a little mythology thrown into the mix.  And Writer Sterling Gates is continuing to make the best of a miniseries that probably should have been a one-shot.  There are a whole lot of unanswered questions and seemingly endless plotlines being created, but it’ll be fun to see how and if all of these little nuggets connect within the final three issues.  And the artwork of Neil Edwards is very fitting, blending both realism and science with a small (but necessary) dosage of Greek mythology.

Steve Trevor begins talking with three witches, making a deal to find out that the Justice Leagues are all trapped within the prison that is Firestorm.  Dr. Light makes his return and kills some people, scaring his family nearly to death in the process.  We get a few flashbacks with Trevor and Wonder Woman (spotlighting just how much better they are as a couple than her and Superman).  And then we get the bulk of the comic, with Sterling Gates returning to a character he made interesting back during Villains Month, Killer Frost.  She is attacking Professor Stein while searching for Firestorm, which puts her in direct conflict with Trevor.  They have a great fight and exchange some terribly-cliched but still fun insults, and we get a glimpse of what could happen if the League members aren’t freed from Firestorm…  Basically, the world will blow up.  So the race is on to save, well, everyone.  There are a few other threads still lingering, such as Etta Candy learning more about the true meaning of A. R. G. U. S., or Argus, or the all-seeing eye in the sky.  Then there’s that cliffhanger with Dr. Light being recruited into the Crimson Men.  And that whole Ronnie Raymond being chased around the astral plane by the Crime Syndicate’s very own evil version of Firestorm, Deathstorm.

So yeah.  There’s a ton of action and lots going on.  This is certainly well worth the cover price, if nothing else for the amount of energy spent putting it together and time it will take to read it.  It’s a fun read.  It’s got sharp and crisp artwork that never once comes off as lazy or inconsistent.  And for some strange reason, it’s oddly important-feeling.  Forever Evil is a must, yes.  The various crossover issues add to the overall story, sure.  And the other two miniseries seem like they are a fun little experimentation in what would happen if the villains’ respective heroes disappeared off the streets, okay.  But this story seems to be actually going somewhere that’s going to matter.  I hope I’m right.  And I hope that the next three issues can win over some more readers along the way.  I’ll be there, that’s for sure.

My Rating: 4.5/5