Ted Kord gets his moment to shine.
While the purpose of DC's Injustice 2 comic is to set the stage for the video game's story mode, that's really not the source of this book's appeal. To be blunt, the game's story mode isn't much to write home about in the first place. The true appeal of this series rests in seeing writer Tom Taylor work his magic with a wide-open DC Universe setting, one with relatively few continuity limitations. And in that regard, the comic continues to fire on all cylinders.
This issue is an especially good showcase of what makes Injustice 2 so enjoyable. We don't necessarily need two full chapters devoted to fleshing out the relationship between former Blue Beetle Ted Kord and current Blue Beetle Jaime Reyes. That background doesn't fundamentally change Jaime's role in the game (though it does play into the simmering Ra's al Ghul conflict Taylor has been building). However, Taylor's handling of that dynamic is so strong that none of this matters. In fact, it's tough not to yearn for him to write a dedicated Blue Beetle comic.
The same goes for the always delightful Blue Beetle/Booster Gold team-up. Taylor captures the full weight of the history between these two heroes, highlighting both their wholesome friendship and the sadness of knowing that their glory days are now well behind them. Neither the games nor the comics do much to acknowledge the fact that many of the core Justice Leaguers in this universe are starting to get up there in years, but this issue suggests that might be a fruitful angle to explore in the months and years to come. That Taylor also draws heavily from Geoff Johns' brief but excellent Booster Gold comic does nothing but enhance the emotional impact of this story as it takes a dark turn.
The most pleasant surprise with this series is the fact that it's been much more consistent in its visual quality than previous Injustice books. Presumably, DC gave Taylor and his artists greater lead time, with the end result being that most print issues have featured the same artist on both chapters and franchise MVP Bruno Redondo has been kept front and center. Redondo is back for this issue (along with finisher Vicente Cifuentes), and the smooth, sleek, dynamic art makes the most of Taylor's strong script.
The Verdict
The Injustice comic has always been at its best when it focuses on fleshing out the key players in this dark superhero universe over setting the stage for the games. That's certainly the case with this issue, which offers a terrific take on Ted Kord and his relationships with pupil Jaime Reyes and former partner Booster Gold.
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