It's all connected.
There are a lot of factors that go into building a good, satisfying comic book event. Obviously you need a marketable hook and a strong creative team who can deal with the added editorial pressure. But one element so many of these projects lack is novelty. You need readers to feel like they're reading something genuinely new and exciting, and it's hard to do that when they're barely given a month or two of breathing room in between each epic, status quo-shattering conflict. But even though Dark Nights: Metal is sandwiched in between various other DC events this year, the prologue comic Dark Days: The Casting suggests that Metal truly will be something special. This is one event that has the novelty factor down pat.
In terms of scope and spectacle, Metal is shaping up to be one of DC's biggest crossovers yet. Writers Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV channel Grant Morrison (directly and indirectly) as they weave a tapestry that extends back thousands of years, builds new connections between old characters and concepts and works to fundamentally revamp Batman's role in the DCU. The full scope of Snyder and Tynion's storytelling ambition becomes clearer in this issue as the writers build on the foundation laid in Dark Days: The Forge and deliver new revelations in the build-up to Dark Nights: Metal itself. It's incredibly satisfying to see so many pieces fall into place and seeds Snyder laid in his New 52 Batman run begin to sprout. The sheer ambition at play in this story is enough to elevate it far above the glut of "ordinary" Batman crossovers.
This issue is a goldmine for continuity nuts, but The Casting also works on more visceral levels. The Forge opened with Carter Hall's narration serving as a call to adventure, creating a sense of excitement that turned to dread as the scope of the evil facing the DCU became clear. This issue more or less operates in reverse. Early on, Batman, Duke Thomas and Hal Jordan confront the evil before them and make various startling discoveries. Eventually, though, the story circles back around to highlight the sense of wonder and discovery that originally motivated Carter and Shiera Hall. As grim as the tone becomes, Snyder and Tynion emphasize the hope and optimism that has been a defining force in the DCU in the Rebirth era.
As with The Forge, The Casting features the winning trio of Jim Lee, John Romita Jr. and Andy Kubert providing art. Once again, there's a slightly jarring quality to the book in the way the art abruptly transitions from one to the next. These are three artists with significantly different approaches to superhero visuals. And while they tend to focus on different, parallel story threads, the boundaries between those threads fall away by the climax.
But if not the most visually consistent Batman comic you'll find on the stands this month. the individual pieces of the puzzle still look great. Lee's detailed, powerful style really heightens the intensity and horror of Joker's confrontation with Hal and Duke. Romita shines as he embraces the larger-than-life qualities of this story. It's not every day you get to see an armor-clad Batman wielding a flaming sword. And Kubert does a fantastic job of evoking his father's iconic style as he renders the thrilling yet doomed journey of Hawkman and Hawkgirl. These three set a high bar for Metal, aand it's a good thing Snyder will have Greg Capullo to baclk him up on that series.
The Verdict
While the abrupt visual transitions in this issue can be a little annoying, that's a minor concern compared to everything else Dark Days: The Casting does so well. This issue ably picks up where The Forge left off last month, further building excitement for DC's upcoming Batman event and creating all sorts of fascinating new connections in the DCU. This is exactly the sort of ambitious, epic conflict that makes a great event comic.
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