By Ashley Gibbs

Hot on the heels of the Injustice 2 game release comes the next issue of the tie-in comic book explaining the events that transpired between the two games. Injustice 2 #2 starts right where the first issue left off, and while readers can pick up on things quickly without reading the first issue, I do recommend doing so anyway and having some background knowledge of the series because it enhances the experience. This issue has more action than the first, however there is some violence as well. We’re also given more backstory on characters that will appear in the game.

In the previous issue, Harley Quinn was kidnapped to join the Suicide Squad but “Batman” came to rescue her, guns blazing. We quickly learn this isn’t the real Batman when he shows up and the two masked men battle it out. It’s a very well done battle and while we don’t find out who the imposter is yet, given the game’s roster of characters I have a theory on who it could be. We also see the return of Black Canary to this universe with Green Arrow who is from another universe, things become complicated when dealing with a multi-verse. While I know this explains why Green Arrow is in the new game, since his counterpart on this universe is dead, I did find it cheap that Dinah would lose her Oliver and just fill the void with another from a different universe. Perhaps that is what we’d all do if we lost the love of our life, but the story has yet to tell us how similar or different he is to the deceased Oliver Queen. The issue ends with another cliffhanger, it seems the prison where Superman is being held is having power failures and that’s a bit of a problem.

To put it simply, the artwork is really top notch. The characters are well drawn with great facial expressions. No one is ever stiff, even when a character is standing still they do so in a way that feels realistic. Panels are well organized and negative space is utilized well, there’s always something interesting going on to catch your eyes’ attention. While the setting is dark and gritty, there is still a great use of color and the story thankfully doesn’t stay in the darkness the whole time. The fight scene between the two Batmans is a strong point, every hit landing harsh enough to make readers wince. There may have been once or twice where I found a face to look a little off but honestly, I find it hard to find much fault in the artwork in this issue.

Injustice 2 #2 will leave fans of the games entertained and is also a great read for fans of these characters in general. Alternate dimensions give a chance to tell new stories with fan favorite characters doing things that they probably can’t get away with in the main continuity. While things have been left in shambles after the actions of Superman in the first game it’s clear things are only going to get worse before they can ever get better. I look forward to the next issue and the ones after it, especially to learn more about all of the characters that will be featured in the video game. Sometimes a video game doesn’t have enough time to tell a full story, especially a fighting game, so tie-in comics are a great way to provide exposition and create hype for the game itself.

Score: 5/5

Writer: Tom Taylor
Penciller: Bruno Redondo
Inker: Juan Albarran
Colors: Rex Lokus
Letters: Wes Abbott
Publisher: DC Comics