October 2019

This particular volume is a collection of one shots that was put out over time, as explained in the foreword. While the title is coming to a close, with one final volume to be released, this acts as a nice palate cleanser before finishing out the story. In some ways, this volume might act as an introduction to WicDiv that could be given to someone to tempt them into reading the series. All of these stories stand on their own and there really is no need to have much foreknowledge going in.

Bruce, having to recover from Azrael’s attack, is forced to reveal his identity to more people in order to get help in getting to the bottom of what the Joker is plotting. We get a break from flashbacks with the Edmond Wayne, a slowdown in the pace of the story, and the unexpected death of a core character. All that said, not a lot happens in this issue that is new. There is a bit of retreading of the first two books, which is done through Batman getting others up to speed on what has happened.

This has been a Superman story throughout, and I think it will end as a Superman story, even if that story ends in the death of everyone on Earth. Countless heroes and villains have died and whole cities have been vaporized from the events of the last issue. In this penultimate issue of DCeased, Tom Taylor sets up more dread than you can shake a stick at. This issue in particular delivers some major character deaths that are wholly unexpected. Taylor resolves some questions on who would beat whom in the vein of fantasy match-ups.