Review:
Heroes fall in these pages - sometimes literally from the sky! - throughout this third volume collecting the amazing year-long fifty-two issue weekly series 52. From the gruesome death of Captain Comet, flayed alive on the prow of Lady Styx's flagship space cruiser, to her turning Green Lantern Thormon Toxzz into a fashionable earring. From Osiris ripping in half members of the Suicide Squad to Animal Man's brief, quiet death in space. From Lex Luthor killing hundreds of his Everyman heroes with the flip of a switch to the drawn-out, quiet passing due to cancer of Vic Sage / the Question.
Wrapping around these many deaths is the tapestry of woven plot threads. As we prepare for the home stretch of this series, those threads are still very scattered and loose. To switch metaphors, will our team of superstar writers be able to land this plane in its final volume? We have:
- Ralph Dibney (Elongated Man) working with the Helm of Fate on a quest for his dead wife
- Batwoman battling Intergang and its obsession with her role as a necessary ritual sacrifice, per the prophecies of the Crime Bible
- Natasha's tense relationship with both her uncle John Henry Irons / Steel, her mentor Lex Luthor, and her teammates in the new Infinity Inc
- Starfire, Animal Man and Adam Strange still lost in space, teamed very tenuously with Lobo, and being pursued by Lady Styx
- Black Adam's family turmoil
And of course, the return of Booster Gold! His heroically tragic death in volume 2 turns out to be a time-travelling sleight of hand. He's really working with Rip Hunter to stop the suddenly evil Skeets and restore the proper timeline. Of all the threads, this plot development has the most potential to weave together all those others into a coherent whole.
Nor is this the dumb, self-centered oaf of the Super Buddies era. Here, Booster is deeply invested in a cause greater than himself, working quietly, anonymously (shocking for this character!) and with both wisdom and intelligence to set things right. And his partner Rip Hunter hints at more developments to come. Welcome Back, Booster!
The power of these creative writers to craft compelling stories oozes from every page. Especially strong is the death of Vic Sage - his slow, drawn-out deterioration over several weeks; his delirium and moments of lucidity; the poignant final moments. All spot-on!
We are in for a thrilling conclusion to this epic series!
Description:
Don't miss the third in a 4-volume collection featuring the year-long story that changed the DCU! 52 VOLUME 3, with a new cover by J.G. Jones, contains the lead stories from 52 WEEKS 27-39! 52: A year without Superman; a year without Batman; a year without Wonder Woman...but not a year without heroes
Collects: Issues #27-39
Authors: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid
Artists: Keith Giffen (Layouts) and more than 2 dozen others
Published By: DC Comics
Published When: Sept. 5, 2007
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN: 978-1401214432
Pages:
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