Review by Ian Keogh

Dark Knights of Steel features familiar DC characters in a medieval society where some magic is also prevalent. The balance of power is completely overturned when a rocket from Krypton lands, from which Jor-El and his pregnant wife emerge.

The idea of ‘houses’ based on family structure and shared ideals is common to fantasy fiction, but best known to the wider public from Game of Thrones, and that seems to have been the starting point for Tom Taylor. Importantly, he hangs a very different series of events around the structure of competing houses each with their rulers, advisors and ambitious plotters, most adapted from their present day identities. Over the course of a dozen chapters and three shorts occurring before the main story kicks off, we see a wide selection of favourites, although perhaps inevitably, the greatest prominence is given to versions of Bruce Wayne, Superman and Wonder Woman.

Before being run into the ground with a succession of mediocre ideas, DC’s Elseworlds projects from the 1990s turned up engaging alternate universes, and Taylor has previous experience with the idea via the under-rated Injustice: Gods Among Us. That was characterised by well planned surprises, and so is this, with some great chapter endings. These aren’t always blockbuster bombs, but sometimes thoughtful quiet moments like Jonathan and Martha Kent heading to their farm on a cart. When there is to be a surprise, though, Taylor can be a master of misdirection, playing on assumptions before ripping the metaphorical rug away.

Visually, the world is created by Yasmine Putri, who draws ten of the twelve main chapters attractively and neatly, while delivering effective redesigns of known faces. In the cases of John Constantine and Amanda Waller not much work is needed, but almost everyone else seen incorporates a change, sometimes subtle, sometimes radical.

Taylor packs in the cast, which is crowd-pleasing, but the result is too many have a brief moment in the sun before again fading into the background. The Teen Titans are an example although Beast Boy really shines. The primary plot concerns manipulation, with all houses experiencing dangers and losses seemingly designed to push them into war. The cause is a clever reveal that then shapes the final chapters.

Any minor quibbles about Dark Knights of Steel are outweighed by the fun and suspense of visiting a well conceived alternate society. If you’re on a budget, you can still pick up paperbacks Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.