Review by Ian Keogh
To enable readers to jump right into this second and concluding part without reading the first, all you really need to know is that a spacecraft from Krypton landed on Earth in medieval times. It carried Jor-El and his pregnant wife, who under Earth’s red sun have super powers. Other well known DC characters are seen on a planet where assorted powerful families have previously maintained an uneasy truce.
The big moment starting Vol. 2 is Bruce Wayne seeing the light. A prince with influence and power, he was seen abusing it in Vol. 1, where a little nudge here and a shove there were gradually pushing assorted societies toward war. Tom Taylor continues that pattern, now via skirmishes rather than threats, eventually presenting the inevitable clash. It transpires the interpretation of prophecy is trickier than assumed.
An alternative society spotlighted in a finite story always offers the possibility of an imaginative use of characters in a way that wouldn’t happen in the continuity-ruled mainstream. Having already dropped several surprises, Taylor continues that way. For instance, we’ve not yet seen the Martian Manhunter. Where could he be? The answer to that proves integral to everything that’s happening.
Once again, almost all the art is by Yasmine Putri, who manages the difficult combination of decorative elegance and power. An opening chapter by Nathan Gooden is equally impressive, with Sean Izaakse the standout on the bonus material.
Taylor’s mastered the chapter-ending cliffhanger, and waiting a month for the next instalment of the serialised Dark Knights of Steel comics must have been a frustrating experience. Even better, those revelations are considered and necessary, not cheap deceptions. The streak continues all the way to the end. Everyone is true to their mainstream personality, and spoilers prevent revealing one manipulative character exceptionally well used.
The door is left slightly open for a sequel, which is always a dangerous proposition for a creative success, but Taylor’s pulled it off before. Now that it’s available, Dark Knights of Steel is best appreciated via the complete story being presented in The Deluxe Edition.
That also includes the short stories set before the main series presented here as bonus material. They star Kal-El and Bruce Wayne and cleverly offer aspects of them later relevant, yet even though Taylor writes the opener they’re all supplemental without being essential. However, C.S. Pacat manages to outdo Taylor with a surprise.
