Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Chapter 29 Review

By Marcus Flowers | Jul 9, 2016

Superman’s search for loyalists from around the world leads him to Kahndaq—and a confrontation with a not very pleased Black Adam.

Superman is letting his reign be known in Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Chapter 29. Author Brian Buccellato along with artist Xermanico (Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Three, The Vampire Diaries, Arrow) deliver a real issue, but like with a lot of the chapters in this year’s run, it felt like a filler story.

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The issue begins with Batman in one of his hidden bunkers. Batgirl approaches him and pleads, telling him that the war against the regime is not over. Batman reassures her that there is still work to be done and a war to win.

After that, the story leads to a conversation between Hal Jordan, the Yellow Lantern, and Sinestro. Jordan is trying to get to the bottom of who released Victor Zsasz from his prison. Sinestro neither confirms nor denies it was him. But he brings up a point: the only other person who could have released Zsasz is Superman.

The two Yellow Lanterns keep going back and forth until their conversation ends with Jordan sending a boxing glove at Sinestro’s face, making him bleed.

Buccellato has done an excellent job sowing the seeds of dissent among that ranks of Superman’s regime. It seems like everybody is starting to have their personal issues with Superman and the way he is ruling with an iron fist. The Flash has his doubts.

Also, Cyborg, Wonder Woman, and Hal Jordan have not agreed with his methods as of late. It seems like there is only a matter of time until the regime flips on the Man of Steel himself.

Xermanico provides terrific artwork. Although this series has had multiple artists, Xermanico proves he is one of the best individuals to be drawing this series.

The emotions he shows on the characters’ faces, the battle scenes, and the attention to detail are all fantastic.

Next in the chapter, Superman is touring his kingdom (planet earth) and making sure his allies are still loyal to him. His journey begins with him in the air on his way to a particular destination.

Cyborg is in the communication system with him and is letting Superman know that he does not agree with what he’s doing. When Superman realizes that Cyborg is questioning his supreme leadership, he says that although he is critical to the success of the regime, he is still, in fact, replaceable.

Superman arrives at his destination, Kahndaq, the “sovereign” nation that’s under the rule of their hero Black Adam. Superman gets right to the point with Adam; he states that either you’re with him or against him. The Last Kryptonian also reminds Adam that if it were not for his team, he would not be alive today.

Adam declares that although he is thankful for the regime, he is not a slave to anyone. Adam states that Kahndaq is a free country, and he is holding his ground against Superman. Superman retaliates with violence and says that he would burn Kahndaq to the ground if Black Adam doesn’t abide by his law.

The two larger than life leaders then go head-to-head in battle. Just when it seems like Black Adam is getting the upper hand, the rest of the regime (Wonder Woman, Shazam, Hawk Girl) come to Superman’s aid.

The rest of the regime tells Adam that because he is defiant to Superman, Kahndaq will suffer. In turn, Black Adam surrenders so that the people will live on to see another day.

Black Adam is one of the most prideful individuals in the DC Comics universe. But Buccellato places him as a character that cannot hold his own against other super-powered people. Black Adam has been virtually disregarded in the DC universe. However, having him come back into the fold as a weak minded individual was the best use of him

The chapter ends with Hawk Man on a secret mission to retrieve something, and he says that he will not fail.

The Bottom Line: Buccellato has been doing a fantastic job on Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five, but a lot of this chapter just seem like filler for a trade book. Buccellato is flexing his literary muscles when it comes to this series. But enough with the padding issues, the heart of the matter is Superman versus Batman, and readers have not seen enough of it.

Buccellato is a great writer. However, he should have been investing more into the conflict between Batman and Superman and not the characters.